Helene’s Deadly Path

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm Thursday at about 11:10 p.m., just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River, about 10 miles west-southwest of Perry.

The monster storm killed at least 64 people along its U.S. path, causing billions in damage and 3.7 million without power in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas. See photos here.

The storm struck Florida with a record storm surge before weakening to a tropical storm Friday morning as it barreled through Georgia, causing life-threatening flooding in Atlanta and the Carolinas.

It was the strongest storm to strike the Big Bend since records began in 1851. In some regions, water depth reached more than 15 feet above ground level.

Third Hit to the Big Bend in 13 Months

Fast-moving Helene put a bullseye on the rural Big Bend region, becoming the third and most powerful hurricane to hit Taylor County in just over a year.

Steinhatchee is left with “overwhelming destruction,” with places like Crabbie Dad’s bar destroyed. You can see photos here.

Hurricane Helene shoved a wall of water estimated to be at least 10 feet high into the lowest-lying areas of Steinhatchee, leaving behind devastation and only concrete steps or partially collapsed tiled floors in the middle of piles of rubble.

Dozens of Perry residents who still had working cars and could access roads waited in line on Saturday morning near semi-trailer trucks full of aid as disaster relief organizations rushed to help.

Worst Storm in a Century for Tampa Area

Hurricane Helene inundated Tampa Bay with several feet of storm surge on its way to making landfall near Perry. Preliminary data indicates the surge smashed records for average high water levels. See photos here.

At least 11 people died in Pinellas County, all in neighborhoods where residents were given a mandatory evacuation order. Some who stayed had to hide in their attics to escape the rising water.

The East Bay measuring station on Hillsborough Bay measured 7.20 feet, surpassing Hurricane Idalia’s previous record of 3.69 feet set in 2023.

Just north of Tampa, the fishing village of Cedar Key is littered with debris that was once a home or a business. Sen. Rick Scott visited on Saturday to survey the damage. See videos and pictures here.

Did you know that the United States sits on the third-largest lithium reserves in the world? That’s a big deal, considering lithium demand projects to grow 20X by 2040. Well, spanning 600 miles from Florida to Texas, there’s a massive opportunity waiting – a reserve so big the entire industry took note. It just so happens to be right in EnergyX’s backyard.

Known as the Smackover Formation, this immense reserve possesses higher lithium concentrations than others in the United States. EnergyX’s patented tech extracts lithium 300% more efficiently than conventional methods. Plus, where modern methods take 12+ months, they need just two days.

➤ Tallahassee: A federal lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of five people with disabilities, alleging that Florida’s healthcare board has not provided adequate oversight of Medicaid managed-care plans that care for people in their homes. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay: PNC Bank announced it will be the official retail bank sponsor of the Tampa Bay Lightning, marking the institution’s largest local sponsorship investment. (More)

➤ Punta Gorda: City leaders may amend the city’s building code to require seismic monitoring for some projects after a resident claimed the Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel demolition damaged his historic home. (More)

➤ Palm Beach: Commissioners are considering a program allowing condo associations to access low-interest loans to assist with special assessments to comply with maintenance required under state law. (See Video)

➤ Miami: City commissioners agreed to pay $12.5 million to settle a years-long lawsuit accusing the city of carrying out a “vendetta” against a group of Little Havana businesses. (See Details)

➤ Miami Beach: Officials voted against parking rate hikes scheduled to take effect in October, striking down a plan by the city administration that was met with swift backlash from the public. (More)

➤ The Bucs dominated the Philadelphia Eagles 33-16 Sunday in a game where temperatures on the field in Tampa topped 100 degrees with high humidity. (See Details)

➤ The Jaguars lost their fourth straight game 20-24 Sunday to the Houston Texans. Texan quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a 1-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left to gain the victory. (See Details)

➤ No. 7 Miami Hurricanes escaped an upset at the hands of Virginia Tech on Friday when a potential game-winning touchdown pass was overturned after review. (Watch Video)

➤ Florida State fell to 1-4 on the year after a 42-16 loss against SMU. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | WNBA | NHL | NASCAR | PGA | LPGA

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➤ Miami-based UrbanLink Air Mobility is adding 27 electric seagliders to its planned local electric transportation network of air and water taxis in South Florida and Puerto Rico. (See Photo)

➤ Financial losses put 13 rural Florida hospitals at risk of closing in as soon as two years, according to a new report. (See Details)

➤ Estero-based Western Global Airlines will pay $85,000 in back wages and interest to resolve allegations of gender-based pay discrimination at its headquarters. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

For General Motors to succeed in meeting its EV transition target by 2035, it’ll need up to 414,469 tons of lithium per year. That’s why the automaking behemoth led a $50M investment round for lithium extraction startup EnergyX. 

Their patented tech extracts lithium 300% more efficiently than conventional methods. Plus, where modern methods take 12+ months, EnergyX needs just two days. That’s why EnergyX has been entrusted with the rights to 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land and a $5M DOE grant toward a recently announced US lithium plant.

➤ Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Manatee County on Saturday, touring Bradenton Beach, one of the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. (See Video)

➤ A Tesla flooded by Hurricane Helene caught fire inside a Pinellas garage. “Electric vehicles that have been flooded in saltwater can catch fire,” the county said in a Facebook post. (See Video)

➤ The Air National Guard helped distribute supplies in Charlotte County this weekend, assisting more than 100 people in just the first few hours. (See Video)

Have you ever voted by absentee ballot?

1. Yes
2. No

Friday’s Results:

It’s National Chocolate Milk Day, do you prefer plain or chocolate milk?

1. Plain: 30.8%

2. I don’t drink milk: 28.8%

3. Chocolate: 28.1%

4. Strawberry: 12.3%

What did 12-year-old Nicholas Fano from Palm City do in 2022 to break two world records?

Show me the answer