Florida, Southeast US brace for Helene

EVACUATIONS ARE UNDERWAY IN FLORIDA AS TROPICAL STORM HELENE RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES AS IT TAKES AIM AT THE STATE’S GULF COAST. 

HURRICANE WARNINGS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA, AS WELL AS MEXICO’S EASTERN COAST. 

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER’S LATEST UPDATES, HAVE HELENE ON-TRACK TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE SUNSHINE STATE LATE THURSDAY AS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE. 

METEOROLOGISTS SAY HELENE WILL BE EXTREMELY LARGE AND POWERFUL — IMPACTING THE SOUTHEAST **FAR BEYOND** JUST FLORIDA. 

THEY SAY TORRENTIAL RAINS, POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING WINDS AND STORM SURGE, AS WELL AS TORNADO THREATS WILL BE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. 

THE LAST CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE U-S WAS IDALIA LAST YEAR — WHICH ALSO MADE LANDFALL IN FLORIDA’S BIG BEND REGION AND BROUGHT RECORD-BREAKING STORM SURGE TO MOST OF THE STATE’S WESTERN COAST. 

THE U-S HOUSE AND SENATE ARE BOTH ON TRACK TO PASS A STOPGAP FUNDING BILL TODAY — THAT WILL AVERT A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN EARLY NEXT WEEK. 

THE MEASURE WOULD KEEP FEDERAL AGENCIES FUNDED AT THEIR CURRENT LEVELS THROUGH DECEMBER 20-TH. 

IT ALSO SETS ASIDE AN ADDITIONAL 231 MILLION DOLLARS TO BOLSTER THE BUDGET FOR THE SECRET SERVICE. 

THAT COMES AS CONCERNS OVER THE AGENCY’S EFFICACY CONTINUE TO MOUNT IN THE WAKE OF TWO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. 

WHILE THE STOPGAP BILL IS THE BRAIN CHILD OF REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON — MANY IN HIS PARTY STILL SAY THEY WILL **NOT** VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT… FORCING HOUSE G-O-P LEADERSHIP TO RELY ON DEMOCRATIC VOTES FOR IT TO PASS.

TURNING TO THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NOW – 

THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SAYING THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN INFORMED, BY U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, ABOUT THREATS FROM IRAN TO ASSASSINATE HIM. 

IN A STATEMENT TUESDAY – A TRUMP CAMPAIGN SPOKESPERSON SAYING QUOTE “PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS BRIEFED EARLIER TODAY BY THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE REGARDING REAL AND SPECIFIC THREATS FROM IRAN TO ASSASSINATE HIM IN AN EFFORT TO DESTABILIZE AND SOW CHAOS IN THE UNITED STATES.” 

ACCORDING TO THE CAMPAIGN, THE OFFICIALS TOLD TRUMP THESE “COORDINATED ATTACKS” HAVE “HEIGHTENED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS” AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE WORKING TO PROTECT THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE,  AND,  THE UPCOMING ELECTION. 

TRUMP LATER POSTING TO TRUTH SOCIAL THAT THERE HAVE BEEN “BIG THREATS” ON HIS LIFE BY IRAN – SAYING WHILE THEY DIDN’T WORK OUT – IRAN WILL TRY AGAIN. 

IRAN’S PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS IN THE NEW YORK HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MEDIA REQUESTS FOR A STATEMENT. 

THIS NEWS COMES AFTER TWO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT – ONE IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA AND ANOTHER AT HIS FLORIDA GOLF COURSE. THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION OF IRANIAN INVOLVEMENT IN EITHER CASE.

ON A RELATED NOTE — THE SENATE HAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A HOUSE BILL THAT WOULD BOLSTER SECRET SERVICE SECURITY FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES — SENDING THE BILL TO THE WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO SIGN. 

THE MEASURE — KNOWN AS THE ENHANCED SECURITY ACT — CLEARED THE HOUSE LAST WEEK.   

THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE AN ** EQUAL STANDARD OF PROTECTION** BE APPLIED TO PRESIDENTS AND ALL MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES. 

THE BILL IS *NOT* EXPECTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION DONALD TRUMP RECEIVES, AS THE SECRET SERVICE SAYS HE WAS ALREADY UNDER THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROTECTION AT THE TIME OF BOTH ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS.

CAROLINE ELLISON — A TOP EXECUTIVE WITH THE FORMER CRYPTOCURRENCY LEADER FTX — WAS SENTENCED TWO YEARS IN PRISON TUESDAY IN CONNECTION TO A FRAUD SCHEME,  THAT STOLE 8 BILLION DOLLARS FROM INVESTORS AND CUSTOMERS.   

THE JUDGE AND PROSECUTORS AGREEING TO GIVE ELLISON A LIGHTER SENTENCE AFTER SHE PLEADED GUILTY AND TESTIFIED AGAINST FTX FOUNDER SAM BANKMAN-FRIED AND HER FORMER BOYFRIEND DURING HIS TRIAL IN NOVEMBER.  HE WAS FOUND GULITY AND SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON. 

THE JUDGE CALLING ELLISON’S COOPERATION QUOTE “VERY, VERY SUBSTANTIAL” BUT ADDED A PRISON SENTENCE WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE SHE PARTICIPATED IN WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE QUOTE “GREATEST FINANCIAL FRAUD EVER PERPETRATED IN THIS COUNTRY OR ANYWHERE ELSE.” 

ELLISON IS TO REPORT TO PRISON NOVEMBER 7.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – SODA OR POP DRINKERS ARE HAVING FLASHBACKS TO THE NEW COKE **MISS** OF THE 1980S AS COCA-COLA IS PULLING ANOTHER VERSION OF ITS SIGNATURE BEVERAGE OFF STORE SHELVES — JUST SEVEN MONTHS AFTER ITS DEBUT. 

COCA-COLA SPICED – WHICH WENT ON SALE IN FEBRUARY AS THE NEWEST ENTRY IN COKE’S PERMANENT LINE-UP — WILL ,NOW, NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE.  

A COCA-COLA SPOKESPERSON SAYING IN A STATEMENT TUESDAY —   “WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS LIKE AND ADJUSTING OUR RANGE OF PRODUCTS. AS PART OF THIS STRATEGY, WE’RE PLANNING TO PHASE OUT COCA-COLA SPICED TO INTRODUCE AN EXCITING NEW FLAVOR IN 2025.” 

THE COMPANY SAID EARLIER THIS YEAR THE SPICED SODA WAS PART OF ITS STRATEGY TO INNOVATE AND RESPOND TO INDUSTRY TRENDS. 

IT ADDED  THE FLAVOR WAS DEVELOPED IN SEVEN WEEKS AS OPPOSED TO THE 12 MONTHS PLUS IT TYPICALLY TAKES THE COMPANY TO DEVELOP A NEW PRODUCT.