Isaias Takes Aim at the Panhandle

Hurricane Isaias is expected to come ashore near the Florida-Alabama line tonight or early Saturday as a Category 2 storm.

Isaias became the Atlantic season’s first hurricane overnight on Wednesday, with sustained winds of 80 mph. It’s on track to be the first hurricane to make U.S. landfall since Milton two years ago.

Forecasters expect 5 to 7 feet of storm surge from Indian Pass to Pensacola, plus 4 to 6 inches of rain with isolated totals up to 12 inches. Tornadoes are possible across the western Panhandle tonight and Saturday.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties earlier this week. Mandatory evacuations are underway in coastal Okaloosa, Walton, and Franklin counties, and Okaloosa lifted its tolls to speed the exodus.

Storm Season’s Breakfast Barometer

As Isaias bears down on the Gulf Coast, many Southerners will size it up the old-fashioned way: by checking whether the Waffle House is open.

Craig Fugate thought up the Waffle House Index in 2004 while running Florida’s emergency management, when the only meal he could find amid Hurricane Charley’s wreckage was a limited menu at a Waffle House. He later took it to Washington as FEMA administrator.

The chain posts maps before and after storms using a color code: green for a full menu, yellow for a limited one (often on generator power), and red for closed.

After Hurricane Katrina destroyed seven locations and shut 100 more in 2005, the company built a storm playbook including its own storm center and portable generators.

Lost Dog Turns Himself In to Tampa PD

A lost German shepherd in Tampa apparently decided to report himself missing, walking up to a police district office on Sept. 30 and greeting the officers who opened the door.

Officers had him checked by a vet, where his microchip led them to his owner. “I was crying this morning. Thank you, sir. Thank you. He made me crazy!” she said on bodycam, then hugged him as he got out of a patrol car.

The department joked that its K-9 roster is currently full, so the “hopeful recruit” went home instead. “He may not have gotten the job, but he definitely stole our hearts,” police said, adding that the reunion is a good reminder to get pets microchipped.

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➤ Statewide: Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia called for greater transparency after a state-commissioned analysis found property insurers claimed $432 million in losses from 2017-19 while paying affiliated companies $1.3 billion in fees. (More)

➤ Broward County: The Seminole Tribe sued DraftKings, alleging its prediction market operates as an illegal sportsbook that violates Florida’s exclusive 2021 gaming compact. (See Details)

➤ Miami: Eastbound SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway) will close from 11 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday, and westbound I-395 from 11:59 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, as crews install a steel reinforcement structure for a bridge support. (More)

➤ Naples: A 60-year-old cast-iron pipe broke at the city’s water reclamation facility on Wednesday, spilling about 330,000 gallons of raw wastewater, with most contained on-site and an estimated 30,000 gallons reaching the Gordon River. (See Details)

➤ Lehigh Acres: The community’s first Chick-fil-A opened Thursday to customers who camped out overnight, bringing about 120 jobs and a $25,000 donation to support local hunger relief through the Harry Chapin Food Bank. (More)

➤ Jacksonville: The sheriff’s office urged gun owners to store firearms at home after 388 guns were reported stolen from vehicles this year, up from 330 at this point last year. (More)

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➤ The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 Thursday for their first win as Bucky Irving rushed for 165 yards and scored twice, while Alex Anzalone sealed the victory with a late interception. (More)

➤ Florida State football visits Louisville tonight, looking to snap a 13-game losing streak away from Tallahassee, a week after its defense piled up 10 sacks in a 38-7 rout of Virginia. (See Preview)

➤ Florida State postponed tonight’s women’s soccer match against No. 1 North Carolina after the threat of Hurricane Isaias led the school to suspend campus operations Friday afternoon. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | NHL | Soccer | NBA | Golf

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➤ Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex will offer Brevard County residents $21 admission Oct. 12-25, down from $77, and $16 tickets for children ages 3-11, with residency proof required and a six-ticket limit per person. (See Details)

➤ World Elite Sumo brings 12 wrestlers to Caribe Royale Orlando for its “Pro Era V” tournament on Nov. 21, including local MMA fighter Brennen Moorefield, who weighs 230 pounds. (More)

➤ Fort Lauderdale police arrested a mail carrier for DUI after reports of screaming, saying he nearly struck an officer while driving a USPS truck and had a blood alcohol level of at least 0.15%. (Read Story)

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The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ More than 60 million children have been automatically enrolled in Trump Accounts, no parental sign-up required. (Hear Details)

➤ The USS Abraham Lincoln is home after a 321-day deployment that raised alarms over shortages and sailor mental health. (Podcast Available)

➤ One of New York’s best-known nightclubs is threatening permanent bans for anyone caught carrying smart glasses inside. (Listen Now)

Which Waffle House Index level best describes your mornings?

1. Green, full menu
2. Yellow, limited operation
3. Red, completely closed
4. Still waiting for coffee

Yesterday’s Results:

Which hurricane supply do you check first?

1. Water: 50%
2. Generator fuel: 19%
3. Batteries: 14%
4. Medications: 11%
5. Other: 6%

Which Florida town is home to the state’s oldest continuously operating library?

Show me the answer