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  • Former professor sues Auburn employees over firing tied to post on Charlie Kirk’s death

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    A former educator at Auburn University and the University of Alabama is suing several school leaders over her firing, which she says occurred due to a statement she made on social media regarding the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.Candice Hale, formerly a lecturer in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts, argues her comments about Kirk’s death were constitutionally protected speech on matters of public concern and that the university’s decision to fire her was a violation of her First Amendment rights.”Such retaliation cuts to the heart of democratic principles, where open discourse and the free exchange of ideas are essential to the preservation of liberty and justice,” the complaint reads.The statement that allegedly led to Hale’s firing was posted to Facebook on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk was killed.On Sept. 17, Auburn University released a statement announcing the termination of employees who had made “social media posts that were hurtful, insensitive and completely at odds with Auburn’s values of respect, integrity and responsibility in violation of our Code of Conduct.”While Kirk’s death was not mentioned in the statement, U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville attributed the move to comments about the assassination.”Thank you, @AuburnU, for taking action and FIRING these sick people who mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Tuberville posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday. “They have NO PLACE in our state’s public education system.”That same day, Hale alleges that she was asked to join an online meeting with Scott Forehand, Director of Compliance, Investigations, and Security at Auburn University, and Chris Hardman, a Behavioral Threat Assessment Coordinator.Hale says she was asked several questions regarding her post, including:”How students who were in the University’s Turning Point USA chapter would feel about her comments.””How she would interact with white male students if they identified themselves with Kirk’s views.””If she had access to firearms or had any intent to harm anyone in the Turning Point USA chapter at Auburn.”Hale said that, following the meeting, Forehand and Hardman found her not to be a threat to the safety of those on campus.However, two days later, Hale was requested for another meeting, this time with Tami Poe, Senior Manager of Human Resources in the Dean’s Office, and Jason Hicks, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Ahead of the meeting, Hale was told that she was being placed on paid leave and would not be allowed to contact her students. On Sept. 22, Hale alleges she was told by Poe that she could not have legal counsel during the meeting. Hale joined the second online meeting the next day and was told they planned to fire her and offered her a severance agreement.Poe, Hicks, Forehand, Hardman and Auburn President Christopher Roberts are all named in the suit, which seeks both monetary compensation and job reinstatement, along with measures to prevent future retaliation.Hale said she is also pursuing legal action against leadership at the University of Alabama, where she was employed in an adjunct position and allegedly fired for her comments on Kirk’s death as well.”Both institutions have tried to silence my voice,” she said in a Facebook post Thursday. “I reject these efforts. I remain steadfast in defending my right to speak truth to power and to challenge white supremacy, misogyny, and injustice — especially within academic spaces.”

    A former educator at Auburn University and the University of Alabama is suing several school leaders over her firing, which she says occurred due to a statement she made on social media regarding the assassination of conservative activist and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

    Candice Hale, formerly a lecturer in Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts, argues her comments about Kirk’s death were constitutionally protected speech on matters of public concern and that the university’s decision to fire her was a violation of her First Amendment rights.

    “Such retaliation cuts to the heart of democratic principles, where open discourse and the free exchange of ideas are essential to the preservation of liberty and justice,” the complaint reads.

    The statement that allegedly led to Hale’s firing was posted to Facebook on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk was killed.

    On Sept. 17, Auburn University released a statement announcing the termination of employees who had made “social media posts that were hurtful, insensitive and completely at odds with Auburn’s values of respect, integrity and responsibility in violation of our Code of Conduct.”

    While Kirk’s death was not mentioned in the statement, U.S. Senator and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville attributed the move to comments about the assassination.

    “Thank you, @AuburnU, for taking action and FIRING these sick people who mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Tuberville posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday. “They have NO PLACE in our state’s public education system.”

    That same day, Hale alleges that she was asked to join an online meeting with Scott Forehand, Director of Compliance, Investigations, and Security at Auburn University, and Chris Hardman, a Behavioral Threat Assessment Coordinator.

    Hale says she was asked several questions regarding her post, including:

    • “How students who were in the University’s Turning Point USA chapter would feel about her comments.”
    • “How she would interact with white male students if they identified themselves with Kirk’s views.”
    • “If she had access to firearms or had any intent to harm anyone in the Turning Point USA chapter at Auburn.”

    Hale said that, following the meeting, Forehand and Hardman found her not to be a threat to the safety of those on campus.

    However, two days later, Hale was requested for another meeting, this time with Tami Poe, Senior Manager of Human Resources in the Dean’s Office, and Jason Hicks, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Ahead of the meeting, Hale was told that she was being placed on paid leave and would not be allowed to contact her students.

    On Sept. 22, Hale alleges she was told by Poe that she could not have legal counsel during the meeting. Hale joined the second online meeting the next day and was told they planned to fire her and offered her a severance agreement.

    Poe, Hicks, Forehand, Hardman and Auburn President Christopher Roberts are all named in the suit, which seeks both monetary compensation and job reinstatement, along with measures to prevent future retaliation.

    Hale said she is also pursuing legal action against leadership at the University of Alabama, where she was employed in an adjunct position and allegedly fired for her comments on Kirk’s death as well.

    “Both institutions have tried to silence my voice,” she said in a Facebook post Thursday. “I reject these efforts. I remain steadfast in defending my right to speak truth to power and to challenge white supremacy, misogyny, and injustice — especially within academic spaces.”

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  • Thieves strike Louvre in daring jewel heist

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    In a brazen, seven-minute strike, thieves used a basket lift to reach the Louvre on Sunday morning and, as tourists were already inside, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said.The world’s most visited museum closed for the day as police sealed gates and ushered visitors out during the investigation.“A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported.Around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and escaped on two-wheelers, according to the Interior Ministry. It said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical value. Dati and Nuñez were on site with museum leadership.Video from the scene showed confused tourists being ushered out of the glass pyramid and surrounding courtyards as officers shut the iron gates and closed nearby streets along the Seine.Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a “major robbery,” saying the intruders entered from the outside using a basket lift. He said on France Inter radio that the heist took seven minutes and the thieves used a disc cutter to slice through the panes. He said it was “manifestly a team that had done scouting.”The heist occurred in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that displays part of the French Crown Jewels beneath a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV’s court artist, according to the ministry.French daily Le Parisien reported the thieves entered via the Seine-facing facade, where construction is underway, and used a freight elevator to reach the gallery. After breaking windows, they reportedly took nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum, the paper reported, adding that the item was believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown and that it had been broken.Security and staffing at the Louvre in the spotlightSecurity around marquee works remains tight. The Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass and a custom high-tech display system as part of broader anti-theft measures across the museum.Staffing and protection have been flashpoints at the Louvre. The museum delayed opening during a June staff walkout over overcrowding and chronic understaffing. Unions have warned that mass tourism strains security and visitor management.It wasn’t immediately clear whether staffing levels played any role in Sunday’s theft.In January, President Emmanuel Macron announced a decadelong “Louvre New Renaissance” plan — roughly €700 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece its own dedicated gallery by 2031 — but workers say relief has been slow to reach the floor.Other European museums have been robbedThe theft, less than half an hour after doors opened, echoes other recent European museum raids.In 2019, thieves smashed vitrines in Dresden’s Green Vault and carried off diamond-studded royal jewels worth hundreds of millions of euros. In 2017, burglars at Berlin’s Bode Museum stole a 100-kilogram (220-pound) solid-gold coin. In 2010, a lone intruder slipped into Paris’s Museum of Modern Art and escaped with five paintings, including a Picasso.The Louvre has a long history of thefts and attempted robberies. The most famous came in 1911, when the Mona Lisa vanished from its frame, stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former worker who hid inside the museum and walked out with the painting under his coat. It was recovered two years later in Florence — an episode that helped make Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait the world’s best-known artwork.Home to more than 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture and painting — from Mesopotamia, Egypt and the classical world to European masters — the Louvre’s star attractions include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The museum can draw up to 30,000 visitors a day.

    PARIS —

    In a brazen, seven-minute strike, thieves used a basket lift to reach the Louvre on Sunday morning and, as tourists were already inside, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said.

    The world’s most visited museum closed for the day as police sealed gates and ushered visitors out during the investigation.

    “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported.

    Around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and escaped on two-wheelers, according to the Interior Ministry. It said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical value. Dati and Nuñez were on site with museum leadership.

    Video from the scene showed confused tourists being ushered out of the glass pyramid and surrounding courtyards as officers shut the iron gates and closed nearby streets along the Seine.

    Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a “major robbery,” saying the intruders entered from the outside using a basket lift. He said on France Inter radio that the heist took seven minutes and the thieves used a disc cutter to slice through the panes. He said it was “manifestly a team that had done scouting.”

    The heist occurred in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that displays part of the French Crown Jewels beneath a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV’s court artist, according to the ministry.

    French daily Le Parisien reported the thieves entered via the Seine-facing facade, where construction is underway, and used a freight elevator to reach the gallery. After breaking windows, they reportedly took nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum, the paper reported, adding that the item was believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown and that it had been broken.

    Security and staffing at the Louvre in the spotlight

    Security around marquee works remains tight. The Mona Lisa is protected by bulletproof glass and a custom high-tech display system as part of broader anti-theft measures across the museum.

    Staffing and protection have been flashpoints at the Louvre. The museum delayed opening during a June staff walkout over overcrowding and chronic understaffing. Unions have warned that mass tourism strains security and visitor management.

    It wasn’t immediately clear whether staffing levels played any role in Sunday’s theft.

    In January, President Emmanuel Macron announced a decadelong “Louvre New Renaissance” plan — roughly €700 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece its own dedicated gallery by 2031 — but workers say relief has been slow to reach the floor.

    Other European museums have been robbed

    The theft, less than half an hour after doors opened, echoes other recent European museum raids.

    In 2019, thieves smashed vitrines in Dresden’s Green Vault and carried off diamond-studded royal jewels worth hundreds of millions of euros. In 2017, burglars at Berlin’s Bode Museum stole a 100-kilogram (220-pound) solid-gold coin. In 2010, a lone intruder slipped into Paris’s Museum of Modern Art and escaped with five paintings, including a Picasso.

    The Louvre has a long history of thefts and attempted robberies. The most famous came in 1911, when the Mona Lisa vanished from its frame, stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former worker who hid inside the museum and walked out with the painting under his coat. It was recovered two years later in Florence — an episode that helped make Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait the world’s best-known artwork.

    Home to more than 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture and painting — from Mesopotamia, Egypt and the classical world to European masters — the Louvre’s star attractions include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The museum can draw up to 30,000 visitors a day.

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  • Israel identifies the remains of one more hostage

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    Israel says the remains of another hostage that Hamas handed over the day before have been identified as Eliyahu Margalit, as the Palestinian militant group looks for more bodies under the rubble in the Gaza Strip and urges more aid to be allowed into the embattled enclave.Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Saturday Margalit’s body was identified after testing by the National Center for Forensic Medicine and his family has been notified. The 76-year-old was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, from the horse stables where he worked in Kibbutz Nir Oz.Margalit is the 10th returned hostage body since the ceasefire went into effect over a week ago. Hamas handed over an 11th body this week, but it wasn’t that of a hostage. The effort to find the remains followed a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would green-light Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn’t live up to its end of the deal and return all hostages’ bodies, totaling 28.In a statement Saturday, the hostage forum, which supports the families of those abducted, said Margalit’s return brings a measure of solace to his family, but that they won’t rest until the remaining 18 hostages are returned. The forum says it will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are brought back.The handover of hostages’ remains, called for under the ceasefire agreement, has been among the key sticking points — along with aid deliveries, the opening of border crossings into Gaza and hopes for reconstruction — in a process backed by much of the international community to help end two years of devastating war in Gaza.Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies. However, the retrieval of bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation and the presence of dangerous, unexploded ordnance. The group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.Margalit’s body was found after two bulldozers plowed up pits in the earth in the city of Khan Younis.Nine Palestinians killed by Israeli fireMeanwhile, Hamas is accusing Israel of continuing its attacks and violating the ceasefire.On Friday the Civil Defense, a first responders’ agency operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said nine people were killed, including women and children, when their vehicle was hit by Israeli fire in Gaza City. The Civil Defense said the car crossed into an Israeli-controlled area in eastern Gaza.As part of the first phase of the ceasefire, Israel still maintains control of about half of Gaza.The Civil Defense said that Israel could have warned the people in a manner that wasn’t lethal. The group recovered the bodies on Saturday with coordination from the U.N., it said.Israel’s army said it saw a “suspicious vehicle” crossing the yellow line and approaching the army’s troops. It said it fired warning shots but the vehicle continued to approach in a manner that posed an “imminent threat.” It says it acted in accordance with the ceasefire.Demands for aidHamas is also urging mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction of the battered territory.The flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.United Nations data on Friday showed 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution in Gaza since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, some 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter each day.COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks — including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries — crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, the U.N. said.Gaza’s more than 2 million people are hoping the ceasefire will bring relief from the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s offensive. Throughout the war, Israel restricted aid entry to Gaza — sometimes halting it altogether.Famine was declared in Gaza City, and the U.N. says it has verified more than 400 people who died of malnutrition-related causes, including more than 100 children.Israel says it let in enough food, accusing Hamas of stealing much of it. The U.N. and other aid agencies deny the claim.Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate of wartime deaths by U.N. agencies and many independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross. Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt.

    DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip —

    Israel says the remains of another hostage that Hamas handed over the day before have been identified as Eliyahu Margalit, as the Palestinian militant group looks for more bodies under the rubble in the Gaza Strip and urges more aid to be allowed into the embattled enclave.

    Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office said Saturday Margalit’s body was identified after testing by the National Center for Forensic Medicine and his family has been notified. The 76-year-old was abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, from the horse stables where he worked in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

    Margalit is the 10th returned hostage body since the ceasefire went into effect over a week ago. Hamas handed over an 11th body this week, but it wasn’t that of a hostage. The effort to find the remains followed a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would green-light Israel to resume the war if Hamas doesn’t live up to its end of the deal and return all hostages’ bodies, totaling 28.

    In a statement Saturday, the hostage forum, which supports the families of those abducted, said Margalit’s return brings a measure of solace to his family, but that they won’t rest until the remaining 18 hostages are returned. The forum says it will continue holding weekly rallies until all remains are brought back.

    The handover of hostages’ remains, called for under the ceasefire agreement, has been among the key sticking points — along with aid deliveries, the opening of border crossings into Gaza and hopes for reconstruction — in a process backed by much of the international community to help end two years of devastating war in Gaza.

    Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies. However, the retrieval of bodies is hampered by the scope of the devastation and the presence of dangerous, unexploded ordnance. The group has also told mediators that some bodies are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.

    Margalit’s body was found after two bulldozers plowed up pits in the earth in the city of Khan Younis.

    Nine Palestinians killed by Israeli fire

    Meanwhile, Hamas is accusing Israel of continuing its attacks and violating the ceasefire.

    On Friday the Civil Defense, a first responders’ agency operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said nine people were killed, including women and children, when their vehicle was hit by Israeli fire in Gaza City. The Civil Defense said the car crossed into an Israeli-controlled area in eastern Gaza.

    As part of the first phase of the ceasefire, Israel still maintains control of about half of Gaza.

    The Civil Defense said that Israel could have warned the people in a manner that wasn’t lethal. The group recovered the bodies on Saturday with coordination from the U.N., it said.

    Israel’s army said it saw a “suspicious vehicle” crossing the yellow line and approaching the army’s troops. It said it fired warning shots but the vehicle continued to approach in a manner that posed an “imminent threat.” It says it acted in accordance with the ceasefire.

    Demands for aid

    Hamas is also urging mediators to increase the flow of aid into Gaza, expedite the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt and start reconstruction of the battered territory.

    The flow of aid remains constrained because of continued closures of crossings and restrictions on aid groups.

    United Nations data on Friday showed 339 trucks have been offloaded for distribution in Gaza since the ceasefire began a week ago. Under the agreement, some 600 humanitarian aid trucks would be allowed to enter each day.

    COGAT, the Israeli defense body overseeing aid in Gaza, reported 950 trucks — including commercial trucks and bilateral deliveries — crossing on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, the U.N. said.

    Gaza’s more than 2 million people are hoping the ceasefire will bring relief from the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s offensive. Throughout the war, Israel restricted aid entry to Gaza — sometimes halting it altogether.

    Famine was declared in Gaza City, and the U.N. says it has verified more than 400 people who died of malnutrition-related causes, including more than 100 children.

    Israel says it let in enough food, accusing Hamas of stealing much of it. The U.N. and other aid agencies deny the claim.

    Israel’s campaign in Gaza has killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government in the territory. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate of wartime deaths by U.N. agencies and many independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll.

    Thousands more people are missing, according to the Red Cross.

    Magdy reported from Cairo, Egypt.

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  • NHC tracking tropical wave headed toward Caribbean

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    The National Hurricane Center tagged two new areas of interest in the Atlantic on Thursday. East of Windward IslandsA tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic is producing large areas of showers and thunderstorms. Gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days as it moves westward at 15 to 20 mph. This tropical wave is in the same area some long-range models have been hinting at development for next week as well.Regardless of the system’s development, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible as it moves across the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea next week. Formation chances for the next two days: zero percentFormation chances for the next seven days: 30%North AtlanticA non-tropical area of low pressure is currently developing well off the coast of the Northeast United States.This system is expected to drop southeastward and then turn northeastward by this weekend.Some subtropical or tropical development could occur while the system moves over the Gulf Stream to the northeast of Bermuda. Formation chance through 48 hours: 10%Formation chance through 7 days: 10%Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast>> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

    The National Hurricane Center tagged two new areas of interest in the Atlantic on Thursday.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    East of Windward Islands

    A tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic is producing large areas of showers and thunderstorms.

    Gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days as it moves westward at 15 to 20 mph.

    This tropical wave is in the same area some long-range models have been hinting at development for next week as well.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Regardless of the system’s development, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible as it moves across the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea next week.

    • Formation chances for the next two days: zero percent
    • Formation chances for the next seven days: 30%

    North Atlantic

    A non-tropical area of low pressure is currently developing well off the coast of the Northeast United States.

    This system is expected to drop southeastward and then turn northeastward by this weekend.

    Some subtropical or tropical development could occur while the system moves over the Gulf Stream to the northeast of Bermuda.

    Formation chance through 48 hours: 10%

    Formation chance through 7 days: 10%

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    >> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

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  • NHC tracking tropical wave headed toward Caribbean

    [ad_1]

    The National Hurricane Center tagged two new areas of interest in the Atlantic on Thursday. East of Windward IslandsA tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic is producing large areas of showers and thunderstorms. Gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days as it moves westward at 15 to 20 mph. This tropical wave is in the same area some long-range models have been hinting at development for next week as well.Regardless of the system’s development, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible as it moves across the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea next week. Formation chances for the next two days: 10%Formation chances for the next seven days: 30%North AtlanticA non-tropical area of low pressure is currently developing several hundred miles to the south of Nova Scotia, Canada.This system is expected to drop southeastward and then turn northeastward by this weekend.Some subtropical or tropical development could occur while the system moves over the Gulf Stream to the northeast of Bermuda. Formation chance through 48 hours: 10%Formation chance through 7 days: 10%Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast>> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

    The National Hurricane Center tagged two new areas of interest in the Atlantic on Thursday.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    East of Windward Islands

    A tropical wave located over the central tropical Atlantic is producing large areas of showers and thunderstorms.

    Gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days as it moves westward at 15 to 20 mph.

    This tropical wave is in the same area some long-range models have been hinting at development for next week as well.

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Regardless of the system’s development, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible as it moves across the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea next week.

    • Formation chances for the next two days: 10%
    • Formation chances for the next seven days: 30%

    North Atlantic

    A non-tropical area of low pressure is currently developing several hundred miles to the south of Nova Scotia, Canada.

    This system is expected to drop southeastward and then turn northeastward by this weekend.

    Some subtropical or tropical development could occur while the system moves over the Gulf Stream to the northeast of Bermuda.

    Formation chance through 48 hours: 10%

    Formation chance through 7 days: 10%

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    >> Download Very Local | Stream Central Florida news and weather from WESH 2

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  • Tropical Storm Lorenzo losing steam, forecast to dissipate, NHC says

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    Tropical Storm Lorenzo is poorly organized over the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.The storm is located approximately 1,415 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Lorenzo is moving toward the north at about 13 mph. A turn toward the northeast and a faster forward speed are expected later today, according to the NHC.The system has a minimum pressure of 1004 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 40 mph.The NHC said Lorenzo is forecast to dissipate by Thursday. There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC. Areas to watchHurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    Tropical Storm Lorenzo is poorly organized over the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    The storm is located approximately 1,415 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

    Lorenzo is moving toward the north at about 13 mph. A turn toward the northeast and a faster forward speed are expected later today, according to the NHC.

    The system has a minimum pressure of 1004 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 40 mph.

    The NHC said Lorenzo is forecast to dissipate by Thursday.

    There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC.

    Areas to watch

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • Tropical Storm Lorenzo poorly organized over Atlantic, NHC says

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    Tropical Storm Lorenzo is poorly organized over the central tropical Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.The storm is located approximately 1,430 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands. Lorenzo is moving toward the northwest at about 12 mph. This motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn to the north tonight. The system has a minimum pressure of 1005 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 40 mph.A northeastward motion is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the NHC. Lorenzo is not expected to cause any threat to Florida. However, it is still something to monitor. There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC. Spaghetti modelsHurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    Tropical Storm Lorenzo is poorly organized over the central tropical Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    The storm is located approximately 1,430 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.

    Lorenzo is moving toward the northwest at about 12 mph. This motion is expected to continue today, followed by a turn to the north tonight.

    The system has a minimum pressure of 1005 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 40 mph.

    A northeastward motion is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the NHC.

    Lorenzo is not expected to cause any threat to Florida. However, it is still something to monitor.

    There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC.

    Spaghetti models

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • Teaching isn’t about perfection, it’s about showing up–here’s how to do that

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    Key points:

    When I walked into my first classroom almost a decade ago, I had no idea how many “first days” I would experience–and how each one would teach me something new.

    Growing up–first in the Virgin Islands and then later in Florida–I always felt pulled toward teaching. Tutoring was my introduction, and I realized early that I was a helper by nature. Still, my path into the classroom wasn’t straightforward–I changed majors in college, tried different things, and it wasn’t until six months after graduation that a friend pointed me toward Teach For America. That leap took me all the way to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, far from home and family, but I was fortunate to find a strong cohort of fellow teachers and mentors who grounded me.

    Those early years weren’t easy. Being away from home, balancing the demands of teaching, and later, raising two kids of my own–it could feel overwhelming. My mentors kept me steady, reminding me that teaching is about community and connection. That lesson has never left me. 

    As I started this school year–my eighth first day of school at the front of the classroom–I’m reflecting on other lessons learned that help me help my students thrive.

    Connection is the key to everything. If students know you believe in them, they’ll start believing in themselves. I think of one student in particular who was failing in my class repeatedly, and finally passed–not because I’m a miracle worker, but because we built trust. I bought into him, and eventually, he bought into himself. Those are the moments that make the long days and sacrifices worth it.

    Make your classroom a safe space to learn. I teach 10th-grade biology and 11th-grade dual-enrollment engineering; these are subjects that can seem intimidating to young people. I tell my students that I want to hear each and every one of their ideas. No one’s brains are alike. My brain isn’t like yours, and yours isn’t like your neighbor’s. Listening to everyone’s thoughts, processes, and ideas helps us expand our own thinking and understanding. Especially with a subject matter like science, I want students to know that there is no shame in exploring different ideas together. In fact, that’s what makes this kind of work exciting.

    Lean on your network. We preach the importance of continuous learning to our students, and rightfully so. There is always room to grow in every subject. I believe teachers need to model this for our students. I lean heavily on my support system: my mentors, my master teacher, and other educators and coaches. They are always there to bounce ideas off of, helping me continue to strengthen my lessons and outcomes. This also builds community; two of my mentors, Sabreen Thorne and Marie Mullen, are Teach For America Greater Baton Rouge alumnae who still work for the organization and still make the effort to keep in touch, invite me to community events, and offer me words of wisdom.

    I’m proud that these approaches have been working. This past year, our school, Plaquemine High School, saw the most improved test scores in the Iberville Parish School District. It wasn’t magic–it was the collective effort of teachers and students who decided we could do better, together. I was also honored to receive the Shell Science Lab Regional Makeover grant, which provides us with resources to upgrade our science lab. We’ll be able to provide the equipment our students deserve. Science classrooms should be safe spaces where every idea matters, where students feel empowered to experiment, question, and create. This grant will help us bring that vision to life.

    Eight years in, I’ve learned that teaching isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, reflecting, leaning on others, and never losing sight of why we’re here: to open doors for kids. Every year, every day, is another chance to do just that.

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    Gelisa Patin, Plaquemine High School

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  • Tropical Storm Lorenzo forms in Atlantic, NHC says

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    Tropical Storm Lorenzo forms in Atlantic, NHC says

    AND FLOODING OUT INTO THE STREETS. THERE WERE POWER OUTAGES ON LONG ISLAND, TOO. THAT WAS PRETTY ROUGH UP THERE. TONY YEAH, SOUTH SIDE, SOUTH SHORE THERE. DID SOME PRETTY BIG, PRETTY BIG DAMAGE IN THE HAMPTONS I SAW THERE, TOO. HEY, LET ME TAKE YOU GUYS BACK OUTSIDE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO RIGHT NOW. IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL EVENING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. HOPE YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO GET OUT THERE AFTER DINNER BEFORE IT GOT DARK THERE. AND ENJOY A NICE LITTLE COMFORTABLE WALK. FALL-LIKE TEMPERATURES SETTLING ON IN. IT IS 69 NOW IN DAYTONA BEACH. IT IS 68 HERE. BACK TOWARDS WILDWOOD, UP IN OCALA, COMING IN AT 66. SATELLITE. ENHANCE THE SET UP THERE SHOWS A COUPLE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH AND EAST OF NASSAU IN THE BAHAMAS. ELSEWHERE, THINGS ARE PRETTY QUIET. THE ONE THING WE’RE WATCHING, EVEN THOUGH THE SURF HAS CALMED DOWN, THOSE LONG PERIOD SWELLS ARE CREATING THOSE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS THAT WILL CARRY ON OVER INTO THE DAY TOMORROW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE 12 HOUR MOST ACCURATE FORECAST HERE FOR THE CITY OF ORLANDO. 12 246 OUT THE DOOR IN THE MORNING. WE’RE DROPPING TO ABOUT 6566 DEGREES. THEN BY THE NOON HOUR THERE YOU CAN SEE APPROACHING THE 80 DEGREE MARK. NOW A LITTLE BIT COOLER UP TOWARDS CITRA OCALA DUNNELLON THE FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST YOU GO, THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE JUST A LITTLE BIT WARMER, RIGHT AROUND 65. IN ORLANDO, NORMAL LOW WOULD BE AT ABOUT 67. AND THAT’S WHERE WE’RE GOING TO BE. TITUSVILLE, PALM BAY AND MELBOURNE RIGHT AROUND 68 DEGREES. SO THE SETUP FOR TONIGHT INTO THE DAY TOMORROW COMFORTABLY COOL OUT THE DOOR IN THE MORNING, SUNNY AND PERFECT. AS WE GET YOU ON INTO THE AFTERNOON TUESDAY. GET OUT THERE AND ENJOY IT. A LOT OF YOU MAY BE TRYING TO MAKE IT A BEACH DAY. GO HAVE FUN, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THE RIP RISK IS STILL GOING TO BE ELEVATED THERE. HIGH TIDE, BY THE WAY, IS AT 3:00. LOW TIDE IS IN THE MORNING AT 830 FOR WATER. TEMPERATURES HAVE FALLEN BACK NOW INTO THE UPPER 70S. TEMPERATURES AT THE BEACHES TOMORROW. LOW 80S. YOU WORK YOUR WAY INLAND, AWAY FROM THE COAST. TEMPERATURES HERE RUNNING 83 TO ABOUT 86. AND IF THE ATTRACTIONS ARE YOUR THING, TOMORROW, YOU’RE GOING TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE. 70, 79, 83 DEGREES. ALL OF OUR BEAUTIFUL ATTRACTIONS ARE GOING TO BE SPLENDID TOMORROW, SO ENJOY! DON’T FORGET THE SUNBLOCK AND STAY HYDRATED. THERE’S WEDNESDAY, A LITTLE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE SNEAKING BY TO THE EAST, AND THEN A BACK DOOR FRONT KIND OF MOVES ON IN. FRESHENS UP THOSE GUSTY WINDS AND STIRS UP THE SEAS THERE. WE’LL WATCH THE RIP CURRENTS AND THE ELEVATED SURF THERE. THURSDAY ON INTO FRIDAY AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE STILL NEARBY. SO ANOTHER GORGEOUS START TO THE WEEKEND. AND THEN LATE ON SUNDAY, MOISTURE STARTS TO CREEP BACK TO THE NORTH AND THE EAST. IF ANYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE RAIN, IT MIGHT BE POLK COUNTY, BUT I THINK THIS ONE WILL SETTLE ON IN OVERNIGHT SUNDAY AND THEN ON INTO MONDAY. SO FOR NOW, THE WEEKEND LOOKS GREAT. 84 AND 86 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. NO MENTION OF ANY RAIN. AND AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND, THE MOUNTAINEERS ARE IN TOWN TO TAKE ON THE KNIGHTS. SUNNY. BREEZY. PLEASANT. AS WE GET YOU INTO THE AFTERNOON THERE ON SATURDAY. GAME TIME. KICKOFF TEMPERATURE COMING IN AT ABOUT 80. LORENZO. HERE’S THE UPDATED 11:00 ADVISORY WINDS NOW UP TO 60 MILES AN HOUR. A LITTLE BIT OF WIND SHEAR, BUT IT’S IT’S A FIGHTER. AND IT’S GOING TO GET AWFULLY CLOSE TO BECOMING A HURRICANE THEN MIGHT DO A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOP DE LOOP THERE. BUT WE’RE NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT THAT. WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE WATCHING, THOUGH, DOWN THE ROAD, IS ANOTHER DISTURBANCE HERE THAT WILL GET INTO THE CARIBBEAN. THE QUESTION IS, DOES IT GET PULLED TO THE NORTH OR DO THESE FRONTS KIND OF RIP IT APART? AND THAT’S WHY I WANT YOU TO KEEP CHECKING BACK IN. LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER, AT LEAST ONE MODEL ADVERTISING THE CHANCE FOR SOMETHING TO DEVELOP. MOST OF THEM, HOWEVER, ARE GOING DUE WEST. SO SEVEN DAY FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DRY FOR THE MOST PART. MAYBE A QUICK SHOWER WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY W

    Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed out in the central tropical Atlantic on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is located approximately 1,180 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands. Lorenzo is moving toward the northwest at about 13 mph, with a gradual slowdown expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the north on Tuesday.The system has a minimum pressure of 999 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 60 mph. A gradual increase in intensity is possible by the middle of the week.Lorenzo is not expected to cause any threat to Florida. However, it is still something to monitor. There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC. Spaghetti modelsHurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed out in the central tropical Atlantic on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    The storm is located approximately 1,180 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.

    Lorenzo is moving toward the northwest at about 13 mph, with a gradual slowdown expected through tonight, followed by a turn toward the north on Tuesday.

    The system has a minimum pressure of 999 mb and a maximum sustained wind speed of 60 mph. A gradual increase in intensity is possible by the middle of the week.

    Lorenzo is not expected to cause any threat to Florida. However, it is still something to monitor.

    There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect, according to the NHC.

    Spaghetti models

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • Development chances increase for Invest 97-L, NHC says

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    Development chances increase for Invest 97-L, NHC says

    11 people were saved. Wow. Alright, let’s talk about what is going on. *** lot is happening on our coast. We’ve got *** launch out there. We know we’ve got very rough surf conditions out there. How is this weather going to impact that maybe? Well, as far as the launch taking off, we’re going to have *** 95% probability that we’re agreeing to go, right? So we’re past our wet weather days here in Central Florida, but the booster recovery is where we might run into some issues just due to the high wave heights out across the ocean. As we take you back inland though, perfect blue skies lie ahead of you tonight if you’re stepping outside in Orlando. This is probably the most sunshine I have seen in weeks, not even *** cloud in sight as temperatures are still sitting in the lower 80s. You’ll cool once again tonight, dropping down to the 60s, and that’s gonna be the general trend that we’ll carry over the next few days, but this morning in particular was the coolest that we had been. Since all the way back in the end of April, 165 days have passed since the last time we saw temperatures of 62 degrees or cooler, and that’s all due to this cold front that marched across Central Florida yesterday. Now we see the heavy rain showers swirling around. Area of low pressure or noreaster affecting the Carolinas, but for us in Central Florida it’s consistent dry and cool air that we’re filtering in and that’s gonna be the trend as we continue across the rest of the month of October and that’s typical for us here in Central Florida that we switch from our wet season. To our dry season as we’re midway through the fall season right now. So last year that transition was right on October 11th, so yesterday this time last year, and back in 2023, that transition was on October 14th. So we’re lining up with the climatology trends, but what we still have to be cognizant of are the rough surf conditions that exist across our coast. This is marineland in Flagler County where we see those elevated. Wave he’s still well after high tide and as we continue into the start of the work week, we’re gonna be watching out for the rough surf, the rip current threats, as well as any chance for any additional coastal flooding that coincides with those high tide times. As we head into the start of your work week though, notice this wave heights are going to be subsiding. We see those drops to 4 to 6 ft conditions on Tuesday, which is gonna be great news. Therefore, still tomorrow morning we’re gonna carry the threats of any. Coastal flooding. It’s *** coastal flooding advisory for Brevard, Volusia, and Flagler County as we enter your work week here back at home inland though, temperatures will crawl into the mid-60s overnight under these perfectly clear skies. Take *** moment to track the tropics. We’re still watching Invest 970, which was tagged in Invest by the National Hurricane Center yesterday. This could become our next tropical depression by the middle of the workweek as this. Cluster of showers and storms moving towards the north and the west at 22 MPH, still moving across warm Atlantic waters. What it’s going to do likely recurve towards the north courtesy of *** Bermuda high, remaining *** fish storm, but we’ll still keep our eyes on it as we can see that intensification ongoing. Weather impact for your golf round tomorrow? None whatsoever as we’ll have these perfectly clear skies to start off the work week. There may be *** stray chance for *** coastal. Hour on Tuesday heading into Wednesday, but ultimately it is going to be *** brilliant 7 day stretch just with cooler temperatures. Marion County will drop to the 50s. Lower 60s for Sumter as we head across the coast. It’ll be *** touch warmer tomorrow morning in the upper 60s, but ultimately there will be some very cool pockets of air across our north and westernmost communities here back in Orlando, pretty consistent sunshine all throughout your work week, and we’ll carry that into the weekend as well.

    The tropical wave in the Atlantic has upgraded to Invest 97-L on Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center. Tropical Wave Invest 97-LAs of 8 p.m. the wave is located 900 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Showers and thunderstorms have increased.Environmental conditions are expected to become more favorable for further development in the next few days. A tropical depression is expected to form by the middle part of this week. The development is west-northwest then northwest at 15 to 20 mph across the central tropical Atlantic. Formation chance through 48 hours: 60%Formation chance through 7 days: 70%Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    CENTRAL FLORIDA, USA —

    The tropical wave in the Atlantic has upgraded to Invest 97-L on Saturday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    Tropical Wave Invest 97-L

    As of 8 p.m. the wave is located 900 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Showers and thunderstorms have increased.

    Environmental conditions are expected to become more favorable for further development in the next few days.

    A tropical depression is expected to form by the middle part of this week.

    The development is west-northwest then northwest at 15 to 20 mph across the central tropical Atlantic.

    Formation chance through 48 hours: 60%

    Formation chance through 7 days: 70%

    This content is imported from Twitter.
    You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • Breakaway Music Festival debuts in Sacramento with electronic dance music

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    The Breakaway Music Festival is hosting its inaugural event in Sacramento at Cal Expo, bringing electronic dance music to the city after three years in San Francisco.The festival features three stages and dozens of performances. Day one was marked with performances from Tiesto, Elderbrook and Malaa. Martin Garrix and Louis the Child will headline day two. “It’s great. I love it. We’re happy to be here and excited for the next two days,” festivalgoer Ryan McAuliffe said. The move to Sacramento surprised some attendees, but many said they were pleased with the convenience. “I was really surprised that EDM was making its way over to Sacramento of all places. I mean, I’m used to going to San Francisco and all sorts of different places,” festivalgoer Dre Alvarado said. “But in Sacramento, it’s kind of great to just be able to just drive 10 minutes from my house to come to an EDM fest.””First of all, less travel time. So it’s great. I love it,” festivalgoer Yadira Cuevas said. Visit Sacramento noted that the festival will provide a boost to the city during a weekend that previously hosted the GoldenSky Country Music Festival. They expect about 20,000 people over two days. The festival is introducing a new sound to Sacramento, but it is fostering a familiar sense of community. “I think like overall, like there’s just so much love and positivity,” Alvarado said.”Everybody just feels like family when you don’t even know them,” festivalgoer Gabriela Hernandez said. “We’re here to dance and it’s just all peace, love, unity and respect,” festivalgoer Amanda Katami said. Many people said they hope the festival will become a regular event in Sacramento.”Hopefully, people bought tickets so they were they could bring it back next year,” Cuevas said.Doors open for day two at 3 p.m. Tickets are still available, with a one-day pass costing about $100.

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    The Breakaway Music Festival is hosting its inaugural event in Sacramento at Cal Expo, bringing electronic dance music to the city after three years in San Francisco.

    The festival features three stages and dozens of performances. Day one was marked with performances from Tiesto, Elderbrook and Malaa. Martin Garrix and Louis the Child will headline day two.

    “It’s great. I love it. We’re happy to be here and excited for the next two days,” festivalgoer Ryan McAuliffe said.

    The move to Sacramento surprised some attendees, but many said they were pleased with the convenience.

    “I was really surprised that EDM was making its way over to Sacramento of all places. I mean, I’m used to going to San Francisco and all sorts of different places,” festivalgoer Dre Alvarado said. “But in Sacramento, it’s kind of great to just be able to just drive 10 minutes from my house to come to an EDM fest.”

    “First of all, less travel time. So it’s great. I love it,” festivalgoer Yadira Cuevas said.

    Visit Sacramento noted that the festival will provide a boost to the city during a weekend that previously hosted the GoldenSky Country Music Festival. They expect about 20,000 people over two days.

    The festival is introducing a new sound to Sacramento, but it is fostering a familiar sense of community.

    “I think like overall, like there’s just so much love and positivity,” Alvarado said.

    “Everybody just feels like family when you don’t even know them,” festivalgoer Gabriela Hernandez said.

    “We’re here to dance and it’s just all peace, love, unity and respect,” festivalgoer Amanda Katami said.

    Many people said they hope the festival will become a regular event in Sacramento.

    “Hopefully, people bought tickets so they were they could bring it back next year,” Cuevas said.

    Doors open for day two at 3 p.m. Tickets are still available, with a one-day pass costing about $100.

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  • Former schools chief Austin Beutner plans to challenge Bass, blasting her over Palisades fire

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    Former L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner is planning to announce a challenge to Mayor Karen Bass in the 2026 election, arguing that the city has failed to properly respond to crime, rising housing costs and the devastating Palisades fire.

    Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker who lives in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood, would become the first serious challenger to Bass, who is running for her second and final term.

    Beutner said in an interview Saturday that city officials at all levels showed a “failure of leadership” on the fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead.

    The inferno seriously damaged Beutner’s house, forcing him and his family to rent elsewhere in the neighborhood, and destroyed his mother-in-law’s home entirely.

    “When you have broken hydrants, a reservoir that’s broken and is out of action, broken [fire] trucks that you can’t dispatch ahead of time, when you don’t pre-deploy at the adequate level, when you don’t choose to hold over the Monday firefighters to be there on Tuesday to help fight the fire — to me, it’s a failure of leadership,” Beutner said.

    “At the end of the day,” he added, “the buck stops with the mayor.”

    A representative for Bass’ campaign declined to comment.

    Beutner’s attacks come days after federal prosecutors filed charges in the Palisades fire, accusing a 29-year-old of intentionally starting a New Year’s Day blaze that later rekindled into the deadly inferno.

    With the federal investigation tied up, the Fire Department released a long-awaited after-action report Wednesday. The 70-page report found that firefighters were hampered by poor communication, inexperienced leadership, a lack of resources and an ineffective process for recalling them back to work. Bass announced a number of changes in light of the report.

    Beutner, a onetime advisor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, could pose a serious political threat to Bass. He would come to the race with a wide range of experiences — finance, philanthropy, local government and even the struggling journalism industry.

    Although seven other people have filed paperwork to run for her seat, none have the fundraising muscle or name recognition to mount a major campaign. Rick Caruso, the real estate developer whom Bass defeated in 2022, has publicly flirted with the idea of another run but has stopped short of announcing a decision.

    Bass beat Caruso by a wide margin in 2022 even though the shopping mall mogul outspent her by an enormous margin. Caruso has been an outspoken critic of her mayorship, particularly on her response to the Palisades fire.

    Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, said he believes that Beutner would face an uphill climb in attempting to unseat Bass — even with the criticism surrounding the handling of the Palisades fire. However, his entry into the race could inspire other big names to launch their own mayoral campaigns, shattering the “wall of invincibility” that Bass has tried to create.

    “If Beutner jumps in and starts to get some traction, it makes it easier for Caruso to jump in,” Guerra said. “Because all you’ve got to do is come in second in the primary [election], and then see what happens in the general.”

    Earlier Saturday, The Times reported that Beutner’s longtime X account had featured — then quickly removed — the banner image “AUSTIN for LA MAYOR,” along with the words: “This account is being used for campaign purposes by Austin Beutner for LA Mayor 2026.” That logo was also added and then removed from other Beutner social media accounts.

    Beutner’s announcement, which is currently planned for Monday, comes in a year of crises for the mayor and her city. She was out of the country in January, taking part in a diplomatic mission to Ghana, when the ferocious Palisades fire broke out.

    Upon her return, she faced withering criticism over the city’s preparation for the high winds, as well as Fire Department operations and the overall emergency response.

    In the months that followed, the city was faced with a $1-billion budget shortfall, triggered in part by pay raises for city workers that were approved by Bass. To close the gap, the City Council eliminated about 1,600 vacant positions, slowed down hiring at the Los Angeles Police Department and rejected Bass’ proposal for dozens of additional firefighters.

    By June, Bass faced a different emergency: waves of masked and heavily armed federal agents apprehending immigrants at car washes, Home Depots and elsewhere, sparking furious street protests.

    Bass’ standing with voters was badly damaged in the wake of the Palisades fire, with polling in March showing that fewer than 20% of L.A. residents gave her fire response high marks.

    But after President Trump put the city in his cross hairs, the mayor regained her political footing, responding swiftly and sharply. She mobilized her allies against the immigration crackdown and railed against the president’s deployment of the National Guard, arguing that the soldiers were “used as props.”

    Beutner — who, like Bass, is a Democrat — said he voted for Bass four years ago and had come to regret his choice.

    He described Los Angeles as a city “adrift,” with unsolved property crimes, rising trash fees and housing that is unaffordable to many.

    Beutner said that he supports Senate Bill 79, the law that will force the city to allow taller, denser buildings near rail stations, “in concept.”

    “I just wish that we had leadership in Los Angeles that had been ahead of this, so we would have had a greater say in some of the rules,” he said. “But conceptually, yes, we’ve got to build more housing.”

    Bass had urged Gov. Gavin Newsom not to sign the bill into law, which he did on Friday.

    Beutner is a co-founder and former president of Evercore Partners, a financial services company that advises its clients on mergers, acquisitions and other transactions. In 2008, he retired from that firm — now simply called Evercore Inc. — after he was seriously injured in a bicycling accident.

    In 2010, he became Villaraigosa’s jobs czar, taking on the elevated title of first deputy mayor and receiving wide latitude to strike business deals on Villaraigosa’s behalf, just as the city was struggling to emerge from its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

    Slightly more than a year into his job, Beutner filed paperwork to begin exploring a run for mayor. He secured the backing of former Mayor Richard Riordan and many in the business community but pulled the plug in 2012.

    In 2014, Beutner became publisher of the Los Angeles Times, where he focused on digital experimentation and forging deeper ties with readers. He lasted roughly a year in that job before Tribune Publishing Co., the parent company of The Times, ousted him.

    Three years later, Beutner was hired as the superintendent of L.A. Unified, which serves schoolchildren in Los Angeles and more than two dozen other cities and unincorporated areas. He quickly found himself at odds with the teachers union, which staged a six-day strike.

    The union settled for a two-year package of raises totaling 6%. Beutner, for his part, signed off on a parcel tax to generate additional education funding, but voters rejected the proposal.

    In 2022, after leaving the district, Beutner led the successful campaign for Proposition 28, which requires that a portion of California’s general fund go toward visual and performing arts instruction.

    Earlier this year, Beutner and several others sued L.A. Unified, accusing the district of violating Proposition 28 by misusing state arts funding and failing to provide legally required arts instruction to students.

    He also is immersed in philanthropy, having founded the nonprofit Vision to Learn, which provides vision screenings, eye exams and glasses to children in low-income communities.

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    David Zahniser, Julia Wick

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  • Outbursts by Katie Porter threaten gubernatorial ambitions

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    Former Rep. Katie Porter’s gubernatorial prospects are uncertain in the aftermath of the emergence of two videos that underscore long-swirling rumors that the Irvine Democrat is thin-skinned and a short-tempered boss.

    How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next year’s race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to both Democratic and Republican political strategists.

    “Everyone’s had a bad day. Everyone’s done something that they wouldn’t want broadcast, right? You don’t want your worst boss moment, your worst employment moment, your worst personal moment, captured on camera,” said Christine Pelosi, a prominent Democratic activist from the Bay Area and a daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

    “I definitely think that it’s a question of what comes next,” said Pelosi, who had endorsed former Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis before she dropped out of the race.

    Porter, the 2026 gubernatorial candidate who has a narrow edge in the polls, came under scrutiny this week when a recording emerged of her brusquely threatening to end a television interview after growing increasingly irritated by the reporter’s questions.

    After CBS reporter Julie Watts asked Porter what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, the UC Irvine law professor responded that she didn’t need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 runoff election.

    After Watts asked follow-up questions, Porter accused Watts of being “unnecessarily argumentative,” held up her hands towards the reporter’s face and later said, “I don’t want this all on camera.”

    The following day, a 2021 video emerged of Porter berating a staffer who corrected her about electric vehicle information she was discussing with a member of the Biden administration. “Get out of my f— shot!” Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the video conference. Porter’s comments in the video were first reported by Politico.

    Porter did not respond to multiple interview requests. She put out a statement about the 2021 video, saying: “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”

    Several Porter supporters voiced support for her after the videos went viral on social media and became the focus of national news coverage as well as programs such as “The View.”

    “In this critical moment in our country, we don’t need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,” wrote Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, co-chairs of Teamsters California, which has endorsed Porter and represents 250,000 workers in the state. “We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.”

    EMILYs List, which supports Democratic women who back abortion rights, and Rep. Dave Min (D-Irvine), who won the congressional seat Porter left to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate last year, are among those who also released statements supporting the embattled Democratic candidate.

    Lorena Gonzalez, president of the influential California Labor Federation, alluded to growing rumors in the state’s Capitol before the videos emerged that powerful Democratic and corporate interests dislike Porter and have been trying to coax another Democrat into the race.

    “The only thing that is clear after the past few days is that Katie Porter’s willingness to take on powerful interests has the status quo very afraid and very motivated,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

    There has been a concerted effort to urge Sen. Alex Padilla into the race. The San Fernando Valley Democrat has said he won’t make a decision until after voters decide Proposition 50, the redistricting proposal he and other state Democratic leaders are championing, on the November ballot.

    A pivotal indicator of Porter’s plans is whether she takes part in two events that she is scheduled to participate in next week — a virtual forum Tuesday evening with the California Working Families Party and a live UC Student and Policy Center Q&A on Friday in Sacramento.

    Democratic gubernatorial rivals in California’s 2026 race for governor seized on the videos. Former state Controller Betty Yee called on Porter to drop out of the race, and wealthy businessman Stephen Cloobeck and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attacked her in ads about the uproar.

    Former Sen. Barbara Boxer said she saw the same traits Porter displayed in the videos — anger, a lack of respect, privilege — previously, notably in the 2024 Senate contest, which is why she decided to back then-Rep. Adam Schiff, who ultimately won the race. Boxer has endorsed Villaraigosa for governor.

    “I had a bad taste in my mouth from that experience,” Boxer said, growing upset while describing her reaction to the video of Porter cursing at her staffer. “This video tells us everything we need to know about former Congresswoman Porter. She is unfit to serve. Period.”

    Disagreements arose between Boxer and her staff during her more than four decades in elected office, she said.

    But even when “we weren’t happy with each other, there was always respect, because I knew they deserved it, and I knew without them, I was nothing,” Boxer said, adding that men‘s and women’s behavior as elected officials must be viewed through the same lens. “We are equal; we are not better. She’s proof of that.”

    Beth Miller, a veteran Sacramento-based GOP strategist who has worked with female politicians since the 1980s, said women are held to a different standard by voters, though it has eased in recent years.

    “In some ways, this plays into that bias, but in other ways, it unfortunately sets women back because it underscores a concern that people have,” Miller said. “And that’s really disappointing and discouraging to a lot of female politicians who don’t ascribe to that type of behavior.”

    Miller also pointed to the dichotomy of Porter’s terse reaction in the television interview to Porter championing herself in Congress as a fearless and aggressive inquisitor of CEOs and government leaders.

    “You exhibit one kind of behavior on the one hand and another when it affects you,” Miller said. “And you know, governor of California is not a walk in the park, and so I don’t think she did herself any favors at all. And I think it really is a window into who she is.”

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    Seema Mehta

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  • Watches, warnings discontinued as Tropical Storm Jerry weakens

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    Watches, warnings discontinued as Tropical Storm Jerry weakens

    CENTRAL FLORIDA IS AGAIN A HURRICANE HOTSPOT THIS YEAR. OH MY GOD. MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE PREPARING FOR THE POTENTIAL THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO EVACUATE. WE’VE SEEN THE IMPACT OF CATASTROPHIC STORMS. EVERY LOT THAT’S EMPTY WAS SOMEBODY’S HOME FOR 100 YEAR FLOODS. FLOODS THAT AREN’T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN FOR 100 YEARS HAVE HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST 6 TO 7 YEARS BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER A HURRICANE. THE WESH TWO FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM IS HERE TO HELP. WE’RE STICKING TO A BUDGET FOR YOUR HURRICANE KIT AND STAYING IN TOUCH WITH LOCAL LEADERS ABOUT THEIR PLANS TO KEEP YOU SAFE. WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROCESS SINCE MILTON IN ORDER TO BETTER THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS. THE TIME TO PREPARE IS NOW. SURVIVING THE SEASON. THE 2020 HURRICANE SPECIAL. AS WE GET INTO THE THICK OF THE 2025 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON, YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF AND WHEN A STORM HEADS OUR WAY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I’M STEWART MOORE AND I’M MICHELLE IMPERATO. WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER WHEN IT COMES TO STORM PREPARATIONS AND WHERE TO GET HELP AFTER A HURRICANE. BUT FIRST, THIS SEASON COMES WITH A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY, OR FEMA, STRUGGLED WITH BUDGET CUTS AND LAYOFFS THIS YEAR. THE FULL IMPACT REMAINS TO BE SEEN AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WORKS TO OVERHAUL THE AGENCY. IN JANUARY, PRESIDENT TRUMP FLOATED THE IDEA OF GETTING RID OF FEMA AND SHIFTING FEMA’S RESPONSIBILITIES TO STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO CUT FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, OR NOAA, WHICH PLAYS A BIG PART IN WEATHER FORECASTING. AND WHILE THE SITUATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT COULD CHANGE THE STEPS TO PREPARE FOR A HURRICANE ARE TRIED AND TRUE. SO THAT’S OUR FIRST WARNING. WEATHER TEAM IS FOCUSED RIGHT NOW, STARTING WITH CHIEF METEOROLOGIST TONY MAINOLFI. WITH THE 2025 HURRICANE SEASON OUTLOOK. AND HERE WE GO AGAIN. I TELL YOU WHAT, ONCE AGAIN, MICHELLE IT LOOKS ACTIVE. YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. NOW NOAA CAME OUT WITH THEIR OUTLOOK 13 TO 19 NAMED STORMS. COLORADO STATE RIGHT AROUND 17. YOU GO TO WESH 16 TO 20 AND THE NUMBER OF MAJOR HURRICANES. NOW GUYS RUNNING BETWEEN ABOUT 3 TO 6. AGAIN, THE NORMAL IS 14, NINE AND THREE. SO JUST ABOVE THE NORMAL THERE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, THAT’S SOMETHING WE’RE GOING TO BE WATCHING. THERE’S REALLY THREE MAIN FACTORS WHY WE THINK IT’S GOING TO BE ABOVE AVERAGE SEASON. YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE WARMER THAN AVERAGE OCEAN WATER TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY IN THE GULF AND THE CARIBBEAN. THE FORECAST FOR WIND SHEAR LOOKS LOW. REMEMBER, THE STRONGER THE WINDS, THE GREATER THE SHEAR. THE WINDS DO APPEAR TO BE LOOKING LIGHT, AND THERE’S GOING TO BE MORE ACTION NOW FROM THE WEST AFRICAN MONSOON. THE MORE MOISTURE OFF THE WEST COAST, THE GREATER THE RISK THERE IS FOR THESE TROPICAL WAVES TO DEVELOP. SO WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU HERE IS THE NORMAL WATER TEMPERATURES VERSUS VERSUS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND WE ARE RUNNING ABOVE NORMAL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND IN THE CARIBBEAN. AND BEFORE JUNE. THIS IS THE AREA THAT WE LIKE TO WATCH. SO WE’LL BE WATCHING THAT INTENTLY, THOUGH FOR NOW WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. GUYS, BACK TO YOU. HURRICANE HELENE AND MILTON CAUSED WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION AFTER MAKING LANDFALL ON THE GULF COAST LAST YEAR. THIS DRONE VIDEO SHOWS THE DAMAGE ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND. THE STORMS ALSO PACKED A PUNCH FURTHER INLAND. METEOROLOGIST ERIC BURRIS REMINDS US HURRICANES ARE NOT JUST A CONCERN FOR THE COAST. LAST YEAR WAS A TOUGH LESSON FOR SO MANY THAT STORMS ARE CLEARLY NOT JUST COASTAL EVENTS. HELENE TRIGGERED LANDSLIDES AND FLOODING IN THE CAROLINAS, FAR FROM THE GULF COAST, WHERE IT MADE LANDFALL A FEW WEEKS LATER. DURING MILTON, FLAGLER COUNTY SUFFERED SOME OF THE GUSTIEST WINDS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FAR FROM THE CENTER OF THE STORM. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LOST POWER, AND ROUGH SURF ENTERED PEOPLE’S BACKYARDS. THERE CAN BE EFFECTS. HUNDREDS OF MILES OUTSIDE OF THAT CONE. FLAGLER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER JONATHAN LORD SAYS MANY PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO THE AREA IN RECENT MONTHS. HE WANTS NEWCOMERS TO KNOW IF A STORM HEADS ANYWHERE NEAR FLORIDA. THEY NEED TO BE READY. MOSTLY WITH PEOPLE MOVING IN FROM OUT OF STATE. WHO’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED A HURRICANE BEFORE. OR SOMETIMES I’M TOLD THEY HEAR FROM THE REALTORS THAT WE DON’T GET HURRICANES IN THIS PART OF THE STATE. DEFINITELY NOT TRUE. AS WE TRACK THE TROPICS THIS YEAR, THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS REMINDING EVERYONE THAT THE CONE, WHICH IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE CENTER OF THE STORM, IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. THE HAZARDS ARE INCREASINGLY FALLING OUTSIDE OF THE CONE. JAMIE RHOME, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, SAYS THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR GOOD REASON. THE CONE HAS GOTTEN SMALLER AND SMALLER OVER TIME AS FORECAST ACCURACY HAS IMPROVED. LAST YEAR TO TRY AND BETTER COMMUNICATE IMPACTS COUNTY BY COUNTY. THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ADDED ADVISORIES OVER TOP OF THE CONE TO INCLUDE THREATS OVER LAND, AS WELL AS COASTLINE. SO IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONE, THE FIRST THING YOU SEE IS, IS ALL THIS COLOR AND HOW FAR INLAND IT GOES. SO WE THINK IT’S A BETTER WAY TO COMMUNICATE. YOUR BEST SHOT AT SURVIVING THE SEASON IS TO HAVE A HURRICANE KIT STOCKED AND READY TO GO. METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS SHOWS US BEING PREPARED DOES NOT NEED TO BREAK THE BANK EVERY HURRICANE SEASON. WE ALWAYS TELL YOU TO HAVE A HURRICANE SUPPLY KIT, BUT LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS ARE SAYING, LET’S GO AWAY WITH THE 72 HOUR SUPPLY KIT AND GO FOR A DISASTER SUPPLY KIT THAT CAN HAVE YOUR FAMILY BEING FED FOR UP TO FIVE DAYS OR EVEN LONGER. AND THAT CAN GET PRETTY HEAVY ON WALLETS. BUT TODAY WE’RE AT A LOCAL DOLLAR TREE AT 1792, IN FERN PARK TO SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN GET WITH $100, WE HAVE OUR LIST READY, AND NOW WE’RE GOING TO GO SEE HOW MUCH WE CAN GET. LET’S GO SHOPPING. OKAY, SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE’RE GOING TO DO IS STIR KNOWS THEY’RE IN THE PARTY SECTION. AND THESE ARE GOOD UP TO TWO HOURS. SO WE’RE GOING TO GET FIVE IN THIS AISLE WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR LOSS OF POWER. THERE’S YOUR TRADITIONAL FLASHLIGHT. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF AN LED LANTERN. EXTRA BATTERIES SHOULD BE ON YOUR DISASTER KIT. AND THE DOLLAR STORE HAD PLENTY OF THEM. I DIDN’T HAVE THIS ON THE LIST, BUT YOU DO NEED A LIGHTER FOR THE STERNO, SO I’M GOING TO ADD THIS TO IT. AND IF YOU NEED CANDLES, THEY DO HAVE TEA, LIGHT CANDLES. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL OF THEIR SUPPLIES STOCKED UP. WE GRABBED A FEW CHILDREN’S WIPES, WHICH COULD ALSO DOUBLE AS CLEANSING WIPES FOR ADULTS. THE DOLLAR STORE HAD DIAPERS IN STOCK, BUT FOR $6 PER PACKAGE, THE AMOUNT OF DIAPERS PER PACKAGE DEPENDS ON THE CHILDREN’S SIZE. BANDAGES ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE IN ANY DISASTER KIT. WE PICKED UP SELF-ADHERING BANDAGE WRAP AND ADHESIVE BANDAGES. WE ALSO GRABBED ANTISEPTIC TO HELP CLEAN THE WOUNDS. IBUPROFEN IS GOING IN THE CART AS WELL. NOW WE’RE ON TO NONPERISHABLE FOOD. WE’RE IN THE SNACK AISLE AND NOW IS THE TIME TO GET SNACKS THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY MAY ENJOY. PEANUT BUTTER. NOW WE’RE ON TO SHELF STABLE ITEMS, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR CANNED MEATS, YOUR CANNED VEGETABLES, ANYTHING THAT CAN SIT ON A SHELF IN CASE YOU LOSE POWER. YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE ONE OF THESE A CAN OPENER, BUT THIS IS A REALLY CHEAP AND AFFORDABLE OPTION, AND WE’RE GOING TO BE OPENING A LOT OF CANS, DISPOSABLE PLATES. PLASTIC WARE AND PAPER TOWELS ARE GOOD TO STOCK UP ON TO. HELLO, HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. YOU GOOD? TO ONE 1053. WE ENDED UP GOING ABOUT $10 OVER BUDGET, BUT I DID START OUR DISASTER KIT FROM SCRATCH. YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THESE ITEMS AT YOUR HOME ALREADY. AND I ALSO DID ADD A COUPLE OF ITEMS INTO MY BASKET THAT WERE NOT ON THE LIST. OVERALL, YOU SHOULD TAILOR YOUR DISASTER KIT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY’S NEEDS. ADD A GENERATOR TO YOUR SHOPPING LIST IF YOU NEED A BACKUP SOURCE FOR POWER, YOU MIGHT BE IN THE DARK FOR DAYS AFTER A BIG STORM. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST TONY MAINOLFI SHOWS US THE PROPER WAY TO USE A GENERATOR. HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GOING TO START RUNNING THESE GENERATORS. WE WANT YOU TO KEEP THEM 20FT AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE, NOT INSIDE YOUR GARAGE, TO PREVENT CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT THING IS GENERATOR MAINTENANCE. NUMBER ONE, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO RUN IT A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR TO MAKE SURE THERE’S NO LEFTOVER FUEL IN THERE. THAT’S NEVER GOOD FOR YOUR GENERATOR. AND WHEN YOU’RE DONE USING IT, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO FUEL IN THERE. OTHERWISE, YOUR GENERATOR MAY NOT START UP WHEN THE NEXT HURRICANE ARRIVES. AND FOLKS, PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING YOUR GENERATOR. TIME AND TIME AGAIN. HURRICANES LEAD TO FLOODING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AFTER FLOODED AFTER IRMA IN 2017, THE ORLO VISTA COMMUNITY FLOODED DURING IAN IN 2022, AND RISING WATERS FROM MILTON FORCED PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES INTO LAND LAST YEAR. PROPERTY OWNERS DEALING WITH REPEAT FLOODING ARE READY TO GIVE UP THEIR LAND. METEOROLOGIST CAM TRAN LOOKED INTO A PROGRAM MANY COUNTIES OFFER WITH THE HELP OF FEDERAL DOLLARS, WHAT IS NOW A CORDONED OFF LOT IN SANFORD USED TO LOOK LIKE THIS A TWO STORY HOME BELONGING TO A LOCAL FAMILY. BUT AFTER YEARS OF SEEING THEIR HOME DAMAGED BY FLOODING, THE FAMILY SOLD THE PROPERTY TO SEMINOLE COUNTY. THIS PARTICULAR HOME BACK HERE WAS SEVERE REPETITIVE LOSS, WHICH MEANS THAT IT WAS SUSTAINING FLOOD DAMAGE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. FEMA OFFERS GRANTS TO PROPERTY OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCE REPETITIVE DAMAGE FROM FLOODING. THE FUNDING IS DISTRIBUTED TO INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES, INCLUDING SEMINOLE COUNTY, SO THERE’S THREE PROGRAMS. THERE’S BUYBACK. SO WE BUY OUT AN ACQUISITION DEMOLISH. THERE’S ELEVATE. SO WE TAKE THE HOME AS IT IS AND ELEVATE. AND THEN THERE’S ELEVATE RECONSTRUCT. SO ELEVATE RECONSTRUCT WOULD BE A CONCRETE MASONRY BLOCK HOME. YOU CAN’T JUST PICK IT UP. SO IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO PICK IT UP. BUT WHILE WE’RE PICKING IT UP WE’RE CONSTRUCTING WE’RE DOING CONSTRUCTION THAT’S GOING TO COST MORE MONEY. ANY PROPERTY OWNER WHO WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS FEMA GRANT WILL NEED TO BE PATIENT. IT CAN TAKE MONTHS, EVEN YEARS, TO GET THAT FEDERAL FUNDING APPROVED. VOLUSIA COUNTY IS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR PROGRAM. IT WAS AWARDED $20 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO BUY BACK FREQUENTLY FLOODED HOMES. WE CAN’T BUY THEM ALL, BUT THERE’S SOME THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE. DELAND ON TAYLOR AVENUE, THERE IS A HOME THAT’S ACTUALLY THE HOMEOWNERS COME TO US AND SAID, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU BUY US OUT? AND THEY SAY THAT WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES. DONNA ROONEY HAD FOUR FEET OF WATER IN HER HOUSE AFTER HURRICANE MILTON. SHE HOPES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS BUYBACK PROGRAM. THAT’S WHAT WE WANTED FROM THE BEGINNING. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF REBUILDING OR REFURBISHING THIS HOME. HUD STILL NEEDS TO APPROVE THE PROGRAM BEFORE IT CAN TAKE EFFECT. NEXT, ON SURVIVING THE SEASON. OUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM SPENT MONTHS ANALYZING WEATHER PATTERNS AND PINPOINTING THE HOT SPOTS FOR A BIG STORM. PLUS, HOW TO IDENTIFY THE SAFEST PLACE TO HUNKER DOWN DURING A TORNADO AND THE FUNDING STILL AVAILABLE. IF YOUR HOME SUFFERED DAMAGE DURING HURRICANE IAN. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS OR KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND THAT’S A SHAME. ONE NEIGHBOR LOOKING TO REBUILD IS SPREADING THE WORD TO HELP OTHERS JUST LIKE HER. OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM HAS BEEN ANALYZING WEATHER PATTERNS TO PREDICT WHEN WE COULD GET A BIG STORM IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. METEOROLOGIST ERIC BURRIS WAS ABLE TO PREDICT WITH 85% ACCURACY LAST YEAR, WHERE BIG STORMS WENT AND WHEN THEY MADE LANDFALL. HE’S DOING IT AGAIN AND PRESENTS THIS YEAR’S LONG RANGE FORECAST. HEY, THAT’S RIGHT. THE OVERALL PATTERNS THIS YEAR CLEARLY SHOW THE GULF AS THE HOT SPOT FOR ACTIVITY YET AGAIN. BUT THE WAY MY LONG TERM FORECASTING WORKS IS LOOKING AT LONG TERM FORECASTING CYCLES. SO LET’S BREAK IT DOWN. THE FIRST PART OF THE PATTERN THAT WE WATCH IS THE NORTHERN GULF COAST, FOR WHAT SHOULD BE THE SLOW MOVING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE. EARLY JUNE, BUT IN PARTICULAR LATE JULY AND AROUND THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, THEN ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST YET AGAIN, I’VE OBSERVED AN OVERALL WEATHER PATTERN SHOWING A STORM SYSTEM AGAIN MID JUNE, BUT MOREOVER, LATE JULY AND INTO EARLY SEPTEMBER. BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, INTO THE PANHANDLE AND OUR WEST COAST, THE BIGGEST PART OF THE PATTERN I’M WATCHING FOR THREATS IN THIS AREA IS THIS ONE WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT SEEMINGLY WANTS TO CROSS THE GULF AND WORK TOWARD OUR WEST COAST. SO WATCH THESE DATES VERY CLOSELY. LATE JUNE, EARLY AUGUST AND MID SEPTEMBER. AND LASTLY, OUT OF ALL THE DATA OVER THE MONTHS AND MONTHS OF GATHERING MY NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR’S HURRICANE FORECAST, WHILE ABOVE AVERAGE, ARE NOT CALLING FOR A HYPERACTIVE SEASON. EITHER WAY, WE HAVE A CLEAR THREAT TO WATCH FOR, AND THUS WE’LL NEED TO KEEP OUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL. BUT KNOW THIS YOUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM WILL BE HERE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. WHEN THERE’S A RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES WATCHES AND WARNINGS. YOU’LL HEAR OUR FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM USE THESE TERMS A LOT. METEOROLOGIST MARQUISE MEDA EXPLAINS WHAT THEY MEAN. THINK OF IT LIKE COOKING PASTA. A WATCH IS WHEN YOU PUT A POT OF BOILING WATER ON THE STOVE. THE HEAT IS ON. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE AND YOU’RE WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. A WARNING MEANS THAT WATER IS BOILING AND IT’S TIME TO ADD THE PASTA. OR IN WEATHER TERMS, THE EVENT IS HAPPENING NOW AND YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY. JUST LIKE YOU DON’T WALK AWAY FROM A POT THAT’S HEATING UP, YOU SHOULD IGNORE A WATCH. CONDITIONS. THEY CAN CHANGE QUICKLY AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THAT GENTLE SIMMER CAN TURN INTO A ROLLING BOIL. SO DURING A WATCH, STAY ALERT AND BE PREPARED. BUT IF IT’S A WARNING, BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER. BECAUSE JUST LIKE A POT OF BOILING WATER, SEVERE WEATHER DOESN’T WAIT. BEFORE MILTON MADE LANDFALL IN FLORIDA LAST YEAR, THE STORM SPAWNED MANY TORNADOES, INCLUDING ONE IN BREVARD COUNTY. THIS VIDEO SHOWS SOME OF THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED. METEOROLOGIST CAM TRAN EXPLAINS WHERE YOU SHOULD TAKE COVER IN A TORNADO. THE SAFEST PLACE TO GO DURING A TORNADO WARNING IS TO THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOUSE. MAKE SURE THAT AREA IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANY EXTERIOR WALLS OR WINDOWS. YOUR SAFE ROOM COULD BE A CLOSET, A BATHROOM, OR EVEN A HALLWAY LIKE THIS ONE. BUT IN THIS HOUSE, THE SAFEST ROOM TO BE IN IS ACTUALLY THIS INTERIOR BATHROOM. IT IS AWAY FROM ANY EXTERIOR WALLS OR WINDOW, AND IT’S THE MOST INTERIOR ROOM OF THIS HOUSE. IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING OR YOU’RE WORKING AT AN OFFICE HIGHRISE, SIMILAR RULES APPLY. GO TO THE BOTTOM AND THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR BUILDING. AND IF YOU CAN’T GO TO AN INTERIOR HALLWAY. AS WE PREPARE FOR THE NEXT BIG STORM, MANY HOMEOWNERS ARE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM PAST DISASTERS. CHIEF METEOROLOGIST TONY MAINOLFI SHOWS US A PROGRAM RIGHT HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT’S HELPING FOLKS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. THE ORANGE COUNTY RECOVERS PROGRAM HAS SET ASIDE $59 MILLION TO HELP RESIDENTS OF ORANGE COUNTY AND ITS MUNICIPALITIES REPAIR, REBUILD AND REPLACE ELIGIBLE HOMES WITH REMAINING DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE IAN. IT IS A GRANT, SO THAT’S GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYBODY. IT’S NOT ALONE. FOLKS ARE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS AND CAN DO SO UNTIL THE MONEY RUNS OUT. SHERI JILLIAN WITH THE DISASTER RECOVERY TEAM, EXPLAINS WHO’S ELIGIBLE. NUMBER ONE, YOU MUST HAVE OWNED THE PROPERTY AND RESIDED IN THE PROPERTY AS YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, SO OWNED PRIOR TO IAN, AND STILL OCCUPY THE RESIDENCE AS YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE, YOU MUST BE A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUAL, WHICH IS 80% AMI. YOU MUST HAVE A CURRENT MORTGAGE AND TAXES ON THE PROPERTY. ONCE ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN APPROVED, THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT WILL BE DETERMINED. FROM THERE, THE HOMEOWNER WILL THEN BE GIVEN SOME MONEY SO THAT THE REPAIRS CAN BE MADE ON THEIR HOME, AND THEY CAN HOPEFULLY GET THEIR LIVES BACK IN ORDER. DEBBY RYAN LIVES IN ORLO VISTA. IT WAS LIKE A RIVER AND IT WAS VERY FAST MOVING AND EVERYTHING. SHE GAVE US A TOUR OF HER HOME WHICH FLOODED DURING HURRICANE IAN IN 2022. THIS WAS ALL WATER. WATER WAS UP TO THAT SECOND STEP AND THAT WAS ON FRIDAY. SO I DON’T KNOW HOW HIGH IT WAS BEFORE THEN AND ALL THAT HIGH WATER DEVASTATED THE INSIDE OF MANY PEOPLE’S HOMES. FLOORING IS COMING APART, PLUMBING FOR LAUNDRY ROOMS IS DAMAGED. THERE’S MOLD INSIDE HOMES AND IN SOME CASES, MOBILE HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE TAKEN AWAY. RYAN IS APPLYING FOR THE COUNTY’S PROGRAM AND WANTS TO MAKE SURE HER NEIGHBORS KNOW ABOUT IT, TOO. THERE’S 6000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN ORLO VISTA. YOU SAW HOW FEW PEOPLE WERE THERE. THEY’RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP PEOPLE. THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING THESE MEETINGS OR KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND THAT’S A SHAME. THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO APPLY FOR FUNDING. WE POSTED THAT INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, WESH.COM. UNDER THE HURRICANE TAB. TRIM THE TREES, CLEAR YOUR YARD, FILL YOUR GAS TANK. THESE ARE ALL STANDARD THINGS WE DO TO PREPARE FOR A HURRICANE. METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS REMINDS US NOT TO FORGET ABOUT THE SMALLER TASKS THAT CAN MAKE LIFE A LOT LESS STRESSFUL. IF YOU LOSE POWER OR ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER. WASH YOUR DISHES AND DO YOUR LAUNDRY. FILL UP ANY PRESCRIPTIONS YOU MAY NEED. IF YOU HAVE A DOG, MAKE SURE TO GET SOME PEE PADS. IT COULD BE A WHILE BEFORE THEY CAN GET OUTSIDE AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOOD, WATER, AND LITTER FOR YOUR PET. CHARGE ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CHARGE BANKS. WALK THROUGH YOUR HOME AND TAKE VIDEO OF EVERYTHING. IT WILL HELP YOU IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A CLAIM LATER. FILL PLASTIC BAGS WITH WATER AND FREEZE THEM BEFORE THE STORM. OH, AND DON’T FORGET TO COOLER. DON’T WAIT UNTIL A STORM IS COMING TO CHECK YOUR INSURANCE. UP NEXT, THE SPECIFIC PROTECTIONS YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN YOUR HOME INSURANCE POLICY. AND SANDBAGS CAN KEEP THE WATER OUT, BUT ONLY WHEN USED CORRECTLY. WE GET OUR HANDS DIRTY, SHOWING YOU THE FASTEST AND EASIEST WAY TO FILL. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR INSURANCE BEFORE A BIG STORM HITS. FIRST WARNING, METEOROLOGIST CAM TRAN EXPLAINS WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE FINE PRINT. REVIEW YOUR HOMEOWNER’S POLICY BY LOOKING AT THE DECLARATION PAGE. THAT’S WHERE YOU’LL FIND YOUR COVERAGE LIMITS AND DEDUCTIBLES. EXPERTS SAY THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION HAS GONE UP IN RECENT YEARS, SO YOU MAY HAVE A SHORTFALL IN COVERAGE IF YOU HAVEN’T UPDATED YOUR POLICY IN A WHILE. IT’S ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO GET FLOOD INSURANCE, EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE. THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR TRADITIONAL HOME POLICY. EXPERTS HIGHLY RECOMMEND FLOOD INSURANCE EVEN IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY AFTER WE SAW SIGNIFICANT FLOODING DURING HURRICANES IAN AND MILTON. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO GET YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES IN PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ONCE A WATCH OR WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED, YOU CAN NO LONGER ADD OR CHANGE A HOMEOWNER’S POLICY FOR FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY. IT’S EVEN LONGER. IT TAKES 30 DAYS TO TAKE EFFECT. SANDBAGS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IN PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM RISING WATERS, BUT MANY PEOPLE DON’T KNOW HOW TO FILL THEM UP OR LAY THEM DOWN PROPERLY. FIRST WARNING METEOROLOGIST MARQUISE MEDA SHOWS US THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO USE SANDBAGS. EVERY YEAR A STORM SEASON APPROACHES. WE COVER SANDBAG DISTRIBUTION SITES ACROSS THE REGION. HOMEOWNERS LINE UP EAGER TO FILL UP SANDBAGS TO PROTECT THEIR HOME FROM RISING WATERS. SO WE PROVIDE THE BAGS, WE PROVIDE THE SAND. WE PROVIDE THE MECHANISM. THE RESIDENTS HAVE TO PROVIDE THEIR THEIR ENERGY AND AND THEIR THEIR BODY STRENGTH TO DO THIS. I GOT HANDS ON TRAINING WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND GOT TO WORK. IT’S 3 OR 4 SHOVEL FULLS. YOU DO NOT WANT TO FILL THE BAGS ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. YOU WANT TO LEAVE SOME SPACE IN ORDER TO TIE THEM OFF. SHOVELING INTO THE BAG CAN BE TRICKY. SO THE COUNTY MADE FUNNELS TO HELP OUT. SO THESE ARE OUR OLD SAFETY CONES THAT WE’VE HAD SITTING ON A SHELF. TURN THEM UPSIDE DOWN AND THEY MAKE A WONDERFUL FUNNEL. OFFICIALS SAY FUNNELING SAND TAKES LESS TIME THAN SHOVELING. SO THIS METHOD COULD GET THE LINE MOVING AND PEOPLE CAN GET HOME FASTER. TO MY SURPRISE, THE BAGS WEIGHED LESS THAN I EXPECTED BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT FILLED TO THE BRIM. THEY’RE MUCH EASIER TO PICK UP. THEY ARE ABOUT 10 TO 12 POUNDS EACH. IF YOU FILLED IT CORRECTLY, YOU’LL GET TEN SANDBAGS PER RESIDENT. TEN SANDBAGS CAN DO A LOT. THEY WILL TYPICALLY COVER THE AVERAGE SLIDING GLASS DOOR. THE FRONT OF A GARAGE DOOR. PLACEMENT IS KEY AND SO IS PROPER LAYERING. ONCE YOU PLACE THE SANDBAGS, YOU WANT TO STACK THEM IN 2 TO 3 LAYERS. MAKE SURE THAT NO WATER CAN SEEP THROUGH SO WE OFFSET THEM. WE GO STACK THEM OFFSET. SO YOU LAY YOUR FIRST FOUNDATION DOWN AND THEN YOU OFFSET ON TOP AND OVER ON TOP OF THE OTHER ONE. WHEN THE NEXT BIG STORM HEADS YOUR WAY, YOU CAN EXPECT FREE SANDBAG LOCATIONS TO OPEN IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CENTRAL FLORIDA COUNTY. WESH TWO IS COMMITTED TO HELPING YOU GET READY FOR WHATEVER COMES OUR WAY THIS HURRICANE SEASON. RIGHT NOW ON WESH.COM, YOU CAN FIND OUR 2025 HURRICANE SURVIVAL GUIDE. IT BREAKS DOWN IN DETAIL EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD DO BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER A BIG STORM. AND IT’S FREE FROM THE WESH TWO NEWS AND FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM. THANKS FOR WATCHING. STAY SAFE THIS HURRICANE SEASON.

    Watches, warnings discontinued as Tropical Storm Jerry weakens

    Updated: 12:12 AM EDT Oct 11, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Tropical Storm Jerry is weakening in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center. >> Video above: A hurricane special from WESH 2All watches and warnings have been discontinued, the NHC said. Jerry was initially forecast to strengthen into a hurricane; however, the system is struggling and beginning to pull away from the Northern Leeward Islands. For parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and eastern Puerto Rico, Jerry may result in an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain.This rainfall is not expected to cause any additional flash flooding concerns, NHC says. Maximum sustained winds: 60 mphMinimum central pressure: 1004 mb >> Subscribe to the WESH 2 YouTube channel Watches and Warnings All watches and warnings have been discontinued. Hurricane season 2025The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.>> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival GuideThe First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.>> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

    Tropical Storm Jerry is weakening in the Atlantic, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    >> Video above: A hurricane special from WESH 2

    All watches and warnings have been discontinued, the NHC said.

    Jerry was initially forecast to strengthen into a hurricane; however, the system is struggling and beginning to pull away from the Northern Leeward Islands.

    For parts of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and eastern Puerto Rico, Jerry may result in an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain.

    This rainfall is not expected to cause any additional flash flooding concerns, NHC says.

    Maximum sustained winds: 60 mph

    Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb

    >> Subscribe to the WESH 2 YouTube channel

    Watches and Warnings

    All watches and warnings have been discontinued.

    Hurricane season 2025

    The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. Stay with WESH 2 online and on-air for the most accurate Central Florida weather forecast.

    >> More: 2025 Hurricane Survival Guide

    The First Warning Weather team includes First Warning Chief Meteorologist Tony Mainolfi, Eric Burris, Marquise Meda and Cam Tran.

    >> 2025 hurricane season | WESH long-range forecast

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  • 2 Pennsylvania state police officers shot during vehicle chase, suspect dead

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    Two state police officers in Pennsylvania pursuing a vehicle were shot Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect who was killed, authorities said.The troopers were airlifted by a medical helicopter to WellSpan York Hospital to be treated, according to investigators. They are in critical and serious condition, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.Officials have not yet released the names of the injured troopers. They were responding to a theft call at a sporting goods store. Several suspects had fled in a vehicle, the statement said. The troopers saw the vehicle and there was a pursuit.Spike strips stopped the vehicle. Two women came out and were taken into custody, the statement said.A man in the vehicle “began shooting at troopers, striking two of them,” the statement said. “Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male.”Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them.“Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X.The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.

    GREENCASTLE, Pa. —

    Two state police officers in Pennsylvania pursuing a vehicle were shot Wednesday in an exchange of gunfire with a suspect who was killed, authorities said.

    The troopers were airlifted by a medical helicopter to WellSpan York Hospital to be treated, according to investigators. They are in critical and serious condition, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.

    Officials have not yet released the names of the injured troopers.

    They were responding to a theft call at a sporting goods store. Several suspects had fled in a vehicle, the statement said. The troopers saw the vehicle and there was a pursuit.

    Spike strips stopped the vehicle. Two women came out and were taken into custody, the statement said.

    A man in the vehicle “began shooting at troopers, striking two of them,” the statement said. “Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male.”

    Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them.

    “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X.

    The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.

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  • 2 Pennsylvania state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers responded to a call

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    Two state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers were responding to a call in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, authorities said. The troopers were taken to hospitals, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.Sister station WGAL reports that, according to Pennsylvania State Police, state troopers responded to a retail theft at Dicks Sporting Goods in Guilford Township, Pennsylvania.The suspects fled the scene, traveling towards Interstate 81. Troopers quickly located the suspect vehicle, and a pursuit ensued. Spike strips were deployed and successfully stopped the vehicle at I-81 southbound at exit 3, where the vehicle came to final rest off the roadway in Antrim Township, WGAL reports.Two female suspects immediately complied with trooper commands and exited the vehicle to be placed in custody. The male suspect began shooting at the officers, striking two of them. Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male, WGAL reports.Both troopers were flown to an area hospital and are considered to be in critical and serious condition, according to WGAL.Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them. “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X. State police said there was no threat to the public but “the scene remains very active.” The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.___ Sister station WGAL’s McKenna Alexander, Morgan Schneider and Austin Boley contributed to this report

    CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. —

    Two state police officers and a suspect were shot while officers were responding to a call in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, authorities said.

    The troopers were taken to hospitals, Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement.

    Sister station WGAL reports that, according to Pennsylvania State Police, state troopers responded to a retail theft at Dicks Sporting Goods in Guilford Township, Pennsylvania.

    The suspects fled the scene, traveling towards Interstate 81. Troopers quickly located the suspect vehicle, and a pursuit ensued. Spike strips were deployed and successfully stopped the vehicle at I-81 southbound at exit 3, where the vehicle came to final rest off the roadway in Antrim Township, WGAL reports.

    Two female suspects immediately complied with trooper commands and exited the vehicle to be placed in custody. The male suspect began shooting at the officers, striking two of them. Troopers returned fire, fatally wounding the male, WGAL reports.

    Both troopers were flown to an area hospital and are considered to be in critical and serious condition, according to WGAL.

    Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and his wife, Lori, were praying for the officers and asked others to join them.

    “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement officers are the very best of us — running towards danger every day to keep our communities safe,” Shapiro said in a post on the social platform X.

    State police said there was no threat to the public but “the scene remains very active.”

    The shooting took place in southern Franklin County, which is about 85 miles northwest of Baltimore.

    ___

    Sister station WGAL’s McKenna Alexander, Morgan Schneider and Austin Boley contributed to this report

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  • Could LAFD have done more to prevent rekindling of Palisades fire?

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    Federal investigators have determined that the wildfire that leveled much of Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7 was a so-called “holdover” from a smaller fire that was set intentionally on New Year’s Day, about a week earlier.

    After Los Angeles firefighters suppressed the Jan. 1 fire known as the Lachman fire, it continued to smolder and burn underground, “unbeknownst to anyone,” according to federal officials. They said heavy winds six days later caused the underground fire to surface and spread above ground in what became one of the costliest and most destructive disasters in city history.

    The revelations — unveiled in a criminal complaint and attached affidavit Wednesday charging the alleged arsonist, Jonathan Rinderknecht — raise questions about what the Los Angeles Fire Department could have done to prevent the conflagration in the days leading up to the expected windstorm on Jan. 7 and the extraordinary fire risk that would come with it.

    “This affidavit puts the responsibility on the fire department,” said Ed Nordskog, former head of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s arson unit. “There needs to be a commission examining why this rekindled fire was allowed to reignite.”

    He added: “The arsonist set the first fire, but the Fire Department proactively has a duty to do certain things.”

    A Times investigation found that LAFD officials did not pre-deploy any engines to the Palisades ahead of the Jan. 7 fire, despite warnings about extreme weather. In preparing for the winds, the department staffed up only five of more than 40 engines available to supplement the regular firefighting force.

    Those engines could have been pre-positioned in the Palisades and elsewhere, as had been done in the past during similar weather.

    Kenny Cooper, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was involved in the investigation into the Palisades fire’s origin, said the blame for the fire’s re-ignition lies solely with the person who started it.

    “That fire burned deep within the ground, in roots and in structure, and remained active for several days,” Cooper said. “No matter how good they are, they can’t see that, right?”

    But, he said, wildland firefighters commonly patrol for days or weeks to prevent re-ignitions.

    When he worked at a state forestry agency, he said, “we would have a lightning strike, and it would hit a tree, and it would burn for days, sometimes weeks, and then ignite into a forest fire. We would go suppress that, and then every day, for weeks on end, we would patrol those areas to make sure they didn’t reignite,” he said. “If we saw evidence of smoke or heat, then we would provide resources to that. So that, I know that’s a common practice, and it’s just, it’s a very difficult fire burning underground.”

    The affidavit provides a window into the firefighting timeline on Jan. 1, when just after midnight, the Lachman fire was ignited near a small clearing near the Temescal Ridge Trail.

    12:13 a.m.: An image taken from a UCSD camera, approximately two-tenths of a mile away, shows a bright spot in the upper left — the Lachman fire.

    12:20 a.m.: Rinderknecht drives down Palisades Drive, passing fire engines heading up Palisades Drive, responding to the fire.

    That night, the LAFD, with help from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, used water drops from aircraft and hose lines, as well as handlines dug by L.A. County crews, to attack the fire, according to the complaint. Firefighters continued suppression efforts during the day on Jan. 1, wetting down areas within the fire perimeter. When the suppression efforts were over, the affidavit said, the fire crews left fire hoses on site, in case they needed to be redeployed.

    Jan. 2: LAFD personnel returned to the scene to collect the fire hoses. According to the affidavit, it appeared to them that the fire was fully extinguished.

    But investigators determined that during the Lachman fire, a firebrand became seated within the dense vegetation, continuing to smolder and burn within the roots underground. Strong winds brought the embers to the surface, to grow into a deadly conflagration.

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    Alene Tchekmedyian, Richard Winton

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  • 2 years after Hamas-led attack, an Israeli town struggles to rebuild

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    BEERI, Israel  — Little has changed in the house of Miri Gad Messika’s parents from two years ago, when Hamas-led militants blitzed into this tiny community less than three miles from Gaza’s eastern edge, killing more than 100 people and kidnapping 32 others.

    The scorch marks from the fighting that day still mar the walls, and the underbrush of bullet-shattered tiles crackles with Messika’s every step. To the side lay a stuffed panda doll, dusty and discarded on what remained of a kitchen counter.

    “We always used to say this place is 99% heaven and 1% hell,” Messika said, her eyes sweeping across the room before looking out into the ravaged courtyard.

    Miri Gad Messika, a Beeri resident who was in the kibbutz on the day of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, is shown at her parents’ destroyed home on the second anniversary of the attack.

    (Yahel Gazit / For The Times)

    The heaven part was the place she knew all her life as a third-generation resident of Beeri, with its printing press and basketball team. Hell? That was the periodic rocket attacks during the decades of flare-ups between the militant group Hamas and Israel that would send residents racing into their safe rooms.

    “But we knew how to manage that,” she said. “We just went into the safe room and closed the door. That’s it.”

    But 10 minutes into the onslaught that fateful Saturday morning on Oct. 7, 2023, Messika understood it was “a historic event.”

    Visitors point to images of individuals in a photo of a large crowd of people

    Visitors point to photos of their loved ones who were killed at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023.

    (Yahel Gazit / For The Times)

    “We weren’t prepared for such a thing,” she said.

    On Tuesday, the second anniversary of the attack, Messika and others across Israel recalled the day that sparked the country’s longest war, shattered Israelis’ long-held sense of security and entrenched anew the hatreds and divisions long a part of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The scars endure like the lingering smell of soot in her parents’ home.

    Four Beeri residents remain in Hamas’ hands, but none are alive, Messika said, adding to a tally of 102 people who were killed — almost 10% of the kibbutz’s population. And while a few hundred residents have returned to live here, most remain in alternative housing, awaiting a reconstruction project to repair the 134 houses destroyed in the attack, including Messika’s.

    Messika is building a new house and is adamant that she, her husband and their three children will continue to live here among the community of those who survived. But there are days — like Tuesday — when she wakes up with a migraine that makes her “want to never wake up.”

    “How do you digest the loss of 102 people?” she said.

    The Hamas operation began around 6:29 a.m. and involved a rocket and drone barrage, paraglider commandos and teams of fighters fanning out on pickups and motorcycles from Gaza across southern Israel. By the time it ended, about 1,200 people were killed, two-thirds of them civilians, Israeli authorities say, and roughly 250 people were kidnapped.

    There is hope here and across the region that there may soon be a denouement to the war. Last week, President Trump presented a 20-point peace plan that has since been accepted — for the most part — by Hamas and Israel. Final negotiations are underway this week in Egypt, with the expectation that all hostages — the 20 who are alive, and the 28 thought to have died — will be handed over in the coming days.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a statement Tuesday, pledged U.S. support for Israel and said the peace proposal “offers a historic opportunity to close this dark chapter and to build a foundation for a lasting peace and security for all.”

    But even if that were to happen, said Shosh Sasson, 72, there was a sense of something having been irretrievably shattered.

    “I never thought an attack like this would happen here. We always felt safe. But now the ground under our feet feels wobbly. Yes, even now, because the problem is not finished,” said Sasson, who came with her husband to pay their respects at a shelter-turned-shrine on the highway outside Beeri.

    Her husband, Yaakov, agreed. “For the future it will always be like this. Our neighbors don’t want to live with us in a friendly way,” he said.

    Nearby in Reim, the site of the Nova music festival, where about 300 concertgoers were killed, visitors walked around a memorial site, featuring posters bearing images of the victims and a description of their last moments.

    I never thought an attack like this would happen here. We always felt safe. But now the ground under our feet feels wobbly

    — Shosh Sasson, Israeli citizen

    A few yards away, a tour group from Eagles’ Wings, an organization that brings Christians to visit Israel and support it, were listening reverently to 26-year-old Chen Malca as she described her experience surviving the Nova attack. When she finished, a priest led a prayer, putting his hand on Malca’s head as the others raised their hands to the sky.

    “We pray the destruction of Hamas and the destruction of evil, just a couple of yards away from us over in Gaza, Father,” he said.

    As he spoke, an explosion boomed in the distance, then another. One of the Eagles’ Wings organizers reassured the group that it was “the Israeli action activity in Gaza. It’s nothing to be worried about.”

    Standing apart from the mass of people was 55-year-old Kati Zohar, who kept vigil before a memorial for her daughter, Bar, 23, who was killed as she was trying to warn police that Hamas fighters were nearby, Zohar said.

    She and her husband moved four months ago to the city of Sderot — a 20-minute drive away — so as to be near their daughter’s memorial.

    “Every time I feel that I’m missing her, I come here and sit with her, drink a cup of coffee, smoke a cigarette, talk to her … because this is the last place she was alive and happy,” she said.

    Though once a happy person, “I’m not happy any more, and I don’t think I will be again,” she said. “A part of me is missing.”

    Her sadness, Zohar said, was matched by her disappointment that the Israeli army did not do more to stop the attacks and save her daughter, and by her anger that the war was still going on with the hostages still not returned even as the world is turning against Israel.

    Israel’s campaign since the attack has so far killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians, left nearly 170,000 wounded and all but obliterated the enclave, even as almost all of Gaza’s residents are now displaced. The United Nations, rights groups, experts and many Western governments accuse Israel of committing genocide.

    Israel denies the charge, even as it faces unprecedented levels of opprobrium.

    “Everyone is saying Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, so what Gaza did in Israel on the 7th of October, it’s not genocide?” Zohar said.

    She added that she did not believe peace with Gaza’s Palestinians was possible. “If they’re not sending missiles, it’s drones, or balloons, or another 7th of October,” she said.

    “We’re not trying to disturb them, we’re not sending missiles or drones,” she added. “We say, ‘Let us live in peace, you live in peace.’ But they don’t want that.”

    ACLED, a conflict monitor, released a report Tuesday detailing attacks in Gaza by the Israeli military since Oct. 7, 2023. The report tallied more than 11,110 air and drone strikes; more than 6,250 shelling, artillery or missile attacks and about 1,500 armed clashes.

    Messika, the Beeri resident, felt similarly disillusioned about the prospect of peace. Before the war, kibbutzim residents tried to help Gazans, hiring them for jobs or and taking them for medical treatments. And she remembered her father telling her about going to Gaza to eat falafel — “It used to have the best falafel, he always said” — and buying produce in its vegetable markets. But notions of helping Gazans were born of naivete.

    “We know that there are no innocent civilians in Gaza…. They hate us,” she said, adding that Trump’s plan, which involves disarming Gaza, was the right solution. Messika was still debating with other residents whether all the damaged houses should be torn down, or if some should be preserved as a memorial.

    “Some say we can’t come back to live near a place like this. It would be like living near Auschwitz,” she said. But for her, it was a matter of turning Oct. 7 into a learning opportunity. Without that, she insisted, the suffering would all be for nothing. Though the kibbutz’s council said to go ahead with the demolitions, she appealed and was awaiting a new verdict.

    “The next generation, they need to learn and see with their own eyes, to walk through it,” she said. “It’s not enough to make a website, or a memorial. This is evidence for the history, for what happened to our friends. And I don’t want it to be destroyed.”

    About 10 miles away, in Sderot, people flocked to a mountain on the city’s edge, which over the years has become a popular vantage point for a glimpse of Gaza, complete with a telescope — cost: five shekels — for a closer look at the landscape. Suddenly, in the distance, a large cloud of smoke bloomed somewhere beyond the destroyed edge of Gaza’s Nuseirat camp.

    Some lifted their smartphones to record video. Others gave an appreciative nod and lauded the Israeli military’s “work ethic” during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Behind them, children played in the afternoon sun.

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    Nabih Bulos

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  • Federal agents held him in a hospital for 37 days, at times shackled to his bed, without charging him

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    For more than a month, federal immigration officials surveilled Bayron Rovidio Marin in a hospital bed at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he lay recuperating from serious injuries to his leg after an encounter with agents at a Carson car wash they raided. He was never charged and his lawyers say he was shackled to his bed for several days and couldn’t speak privately with doctors or legal counsel.

    Over the weekend, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order requiring immigration officials to remove the guards watching over Bayron Rovidio Marin, take off the handcuffs and leave him unrestrained.

    “He is presently detained under restrictions that limit his access to counsel, medical providers, and family,” U.S. District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela wrote in her Oct. 4 order. “He has been questioned by government officials while in pain and under the influence of medication. He cannot place phone calls and remains handcuffed to a hospital bed despite a broken leg that prevents him from walking. He has received no more than a vague explanation for his detention, and Respondents’ proffered excuses for delaying a formal notice are unsupported by facts.”

    Despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s insistence on holding the man, Valenzuela said the government failed to provide any proof that he had “violated any law or regulation” or show that he was a “flight risk.”

    To date, ICE has not placed Rovidio Marin in removal proceedings, charged him with violating immigration law, set bond, issued a Notice to Appear or otherwise processed him, according to the order. The government told the court that they would determine the immigration status of Rovidio Marin once he was released from the hospital. His attorneys argued being indefinitely held without any charges is a clear constitutional violation.

    The Department of Homeland Security and the medical center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Under federal law, officers initiating warrantless arrests must provide the person in custody a reason why they were arrested or detained and within 48 hours determine if the person will remain in custody, released on bond or given a notice to appear in court and an arrest warrant issued. Those rules are only waived in extraordinary circumstances. The judge noted that the September 11 attacks previously qualified as an “extraordinary circumstance” in delaying notices to appear to noncitizen detainees, but said that Rovidio Marin has been held “substantially longer.”

    Kyle Cheney, with Politico, first posted about the case on social media.

    It’s unclear exactly how he was injured, but his lawyers say that Rovidio Marin had been at the car wash on Aug. 27, when immigration agents doing a “roving patrol” stormed in and raided it.

    In an emailed press statement, Cynthia Santiago, Attorney for CLEAN Carwash Worker Center and Nicolas Thompson-Lleras, Attorney for CHIRLA said he suffered severe injuries and was arrested by Border Patrol agents who transferred him into ICE custody.

    “For 37 days, our client was forced to endure medical treatment and recovery with ICE agents in his room, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” the statement read. “ICE agents listened to every conversation between him and his doctors,” they stated. “They interrogated him while he was in pain and under the influence of medication. They did not permit him to see his family and removed his access to phone calls.”

    According to the judge’s order, Rovidio Marin has been under the supervision of ICE, which contracted with Spectrum Detention Services to provide guards at the hospital where he was taken.

    Once admitted he was placed under what is known as a “blackout” procedure for patients in law-enforcement custody, making it harder for anyone to find him. He was registered under the pseudonym “Har Maine UNK Thirteen.”

    Two to four uniformed guards —either Spectrum employees or ICE agents— “have been continuously stationed in Petitioner’s hospital room, monitoring him at all times, including while he sleeps, eats, uses the restroom, or receives medical care,” according to a declaration referenced in the order.

    “It’s fundamental that you can’t be detained indefinitely without charges,” said Jean Reisz, co-director of the USC Gould School of Law Immigration Clinic, who is representing Rovidio Marin in the habeas case. “Freedom from restraint is the cornerstone of our society and so to arrest someone and withhold their liberty for an extended period of time without any charges, it’s antithetical to our constitutional system and our immigration laws. Our immigration laws do provide for the rights of immigrants as well.”

    The temporary restraining order expires Oct. 18.

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    Brittny Mejia, Rachel Uranga

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