At least 15 dead, 2.6 million without power after Hurricane Milton

AT LEAST 8 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND JUST UNDER 3 MILLION HOMES AND BUSINESSES REMAIN WITHOUT POWER AS FLORIDA BEGINS TO PICK UP THE PIECES AFTER HURRICANE MILTON ROARED ACROSS THE STATE. 

IT WAS THE SECOND DEVASTATING STORM TO BATTER THE SUNSHINE STATE IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. 

NOW A POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE — MILTON IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO WEAKEN OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 

WHILE MILTON MADE LANDFALL ON FLORIDA’S WEST COAST — NEAR SARASOTA — MOST OF THE DEATHS REPORTED HAVE BEEN IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE,  WHERE THERE DOZENS OF TORNADOES. 

AND WHILE THE STORM DID **NOT** PROVE TO BE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, RESCUERS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY PULLING AND DRAGGING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, 

FROM FLOODED AREAS, TO SAFETY. 

FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS AND PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAVE BOTH SAID IN THIS CASE — WARNINGS CAME EARLY AND OFTEN, SPURRING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO EVACUATE, SAVING COUNTLESS LIVES. 

STILL — THE CLEANUP AND RECOVERY PROCESSES ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE WEEKS, IF NOT MONTHS — ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA THAT WERE ALSO HIT BY HURRICANE HELENE 13 DAYS BEFORE MILTON BARRELED IN.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY IN COLORADO — 12 PEOPLE ARE NOW SAFE AFTER GETTING TRAPPED AT THE BOTTOM OF A GOLD MINE FOR SIX HOURS. 

UNFORTUNATELY, ONE PERSON  DIED WHEN THE ELEVATOR THEY WERE ON, AT THE POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTION, EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL PROBLEM 500 FEET BELOW THE EARTH’S SURFACE. 

WHILE TRAPPED — THE 12 ADULTS **DID** HAVE ACCESS TO WATER AND WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH AUTHORITIES VIA RADIO. 

AS THAT GROUP WAS STUCK, RESCUERS WERE ABLE TO GET TO ELEVEN OTHER PEOPLE,  WHO WERE RIDING THE ELEVATOR AND GET THEM TO SAFETY. 

THE LOCAL SHERIFF SAID IT IS NOT YET KNOWN WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. 

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED DURING THE FINAL WEEK OF MOLLIE KATHLEEN GOLD MINE’S TOURIST SEASON,  BEFORE IT SHUTS DOWN FOR THE WINTER.

AND IN TEXAS… TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND 35 MORE ARE INJURED AFTER A CHEMICAL LEAK INVOLVING HYDROGEN SULFIDE — A POTENTIALLY TOXIC GAS — AT AN OIL REFINERY IN DEER PARK — NEAR HOUSTON — LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. 

OFFICIALS SAY A GROUP WAS WORKING ON A FLANGE WHEN SOME KIND ACCIDENT HAPPENED —  AND GAS STARTED LEAKING. 

EMERGENCY OFFICIALS URGED RESIDENTS IN THE AREA TO SHELTER IN PLACE AFTER THE INCIDENT — BUT THIS MORNING, THAT’S SINCE BEEN LIFTED AFTER AIR MONITORING SHOWED NO SIGNS HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS HAD GOTTEN INTO THE AIR.

TURNING TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NOW – WITH JUST 25 DAYS UNTIL AMERICANS HEAD TO THE POLLS – VOTERS IN TWO BATTLEGROUND STATES heard FROM TWO FORMER PRESIDENTS ON THURSDAY – AS REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SPOKE TO SUPPORTERS IN DETROIT MICHIGAN WHILE FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA – STUMPING FOR DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS – DELIVERED A SPEECH IN PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA. 

WHILE DELIVERING HIS ECONOMIC ADDRESS TO THE DETROIT ECONOMIC CLUB – TRUMP SPOKE ABOUT HIS GOAL TO REVIVE THE AUTO INDUSTRY – AND BRING A QUOTE “REBIRTH” TO DETROIT. HE THEN TURNED HIS INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES – AND HIS PLAN FOR THEM TO OPEN FACILITIES IN AMERICA. 

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP 

“So here is the deal that I will be offering to the world to companies outside of our world big companies powerful companies that have become powerful because we were stupid, we were stupid, we allowed them to come and raid and rape our country. That’s what they did, ‘oh he used the word rape,’ that’s right, I used the word. They raped our country. The United States will give you the lowest taxes, the lowest energy cost, we have more Liquid Gold under our feet than any other country in the world and it’s the best.” 

“But only if you make your products here in America in other w1ords you get all of these assets but you have to make your product here in America and you have to hire American workers.” 

IN PITTSBURGH – FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA ADDRESSED A CROWD OF DEMOCRATIC SUPPORTERS – LISTING HIS REASONS WHY VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS IS THE BETTER CHOICE OVER TRUMP COME NOVEMBER. 

FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA 

“Kamala is as prepared for the job as any nominee for president has ever been. That’s who Kamala is.” 

“I’m sorry gentlemen. I’ve noticed this especially with some men who seem to think Trump’s behavior of bullying and of putting people down is a sign of strength. I am here to tell you, that is not what real strength is.” 

“Real strength is about working hard and carrying a heavy load without complaining. And telling the truth even when it’s inconvenient. Real strength is about helping people who need it and standing up for those who can’t always stand up for themselves. That is what we should want for our daughters and for our sons and that is what I want to see in a President for the United States of America.” 

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS MEANWHILE PARTICIPATED IN A TOWN HALL IN LAS VEGAS HOSTED BY UNIVISION ON THURSDAY. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PART IN ONE NEXT WEEK.

NOW TO THE LATEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST – WHERE LEBANESE AUTHORITIES SAY ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES TARGETING HEZBOLLAH IN BEIRUT KILLED 22 PEOPLE  AND INJURED 117 OTHERS.   

SOURCES TELLING REUTERS – A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL, TARGETED BY ISRAELI FORCES DURING THE THURSDAY NIGHT STRIKES, WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE. 

ISRAEL HAS NOT COMMENTED ON THE ATTACK. 

MEANWHILE THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS ITS PERSONNEL IS FACING INCREASING DANGER IN LEBANON AS TWO UN PEACEKEEPERS WERE INJURED AFTER AN ISRAELI TANK FIRED AT A WATCHTOWER AT ITS MAIN HEADQUARTERS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTRY. 

ISRAEL ISSUING A STATEMENT ON THIS INCIDENT – SAYING ITS MILITARY OPERATED “NEXT TO” THE UN’S BASE AND HAD INSTRUCTED UN OFFICIALS TO REMAIN IN PROTECTED SPACES BEFORE ITS TROOPS OPENED FIRE. 

THE PEACEKEEPERS WERE SAID TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION AFTER BEING TREATED FOR THEIR INJURIES.

FINALLY THIS MORNING — IN A SIGN OF TRUE SPORTSMANSHIP- EIGHT AMERICAN SPORTS LEAGUES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO BACK A NEW CAMPAIGN – ONE TARGETING HATE IN AMERICA. 

 IT IS AN IDEA FROM NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFT AND HIS FOUNDATION TO COMBAT ANTISEMITISM – 

THE INITIATIVE BRINGING TOGETHER THE HEADS OF THE NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR AND OTHERS TO COME UP WITH PLANS TO CURB HATE OF ANY KIND IN THE COUNTRY. 

THE SPORTS LEADERS ARE SPENDING 50 MILLION DOLLARS TO GET THE WORD OUT.   

THE CAMPAIGN – TITLED “TIMEOUT AGAINST HATE” – LAUNCHED LAST NIGHT DURING THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WITH A COMMERCIAL FEATURING LEGENDARY FIGURES AND CURRENT-DAY ATHLETES FROM ALL SPORTS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST HATE.