Digital Arkansas News

Deadly Russian Strikes On Civilian Convoy As Putin Proclaims Annexation https://digitalarkansasnews.com/deadly-russian-strikes-on-civilian-convoy-as-putin-proclaims-annexation/ Updated September 30, 2022 at 5:28 p.m. EDT|Published September 30, 2022 at 7:44 a.m. EDT Scene from the aftermath of suspected Russian missile strikes that killed at least 25 Ukrainians as they waited to deliver aid and to collect relatives from an area that Russian President Vladimir Putin moved to annex in violation of international law, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Sept. 30, 2022. (Photos by Wojciech Grzedzinski for The Washington Post/For The Washington Post) ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — Hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of this contested region and vowed to protect the people living here, suspected Russian missiles tore through a convoy of civilians — leaving the latest victims of his war lying in body bags on the cold ground. They had waited hours beneath the trees of an old car market to begin the journey from Avtorynok, near the final checkpoint under Ukrainian control in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia province, to towns and cities seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of the war. Washington Post reporters had spoken the day before with men joining the convoy: Some were doctors, crossing battle lines to conduct lifesaving surgeries in hospitals that Russian forces have failed to adequately restock; others were ordinary civilians, trying to rescue loved ones who were too elderly or infirm to make the journey alone. Around 7 a.m. Friday, three suspected Russian missiles destroyed those plans. Explosions rocked the asphalt. The ground was strewn with bodies and shrapnel. Ukrainian officials said that at least 26 people were killed and another 85 wounded. The strikes were part of a wave of Russian missile, rocket and drone attacks launched across the southeast as Putin readied his annexation announcement, Ukrainian officials said. The contrast between the “great liberating mission” Putin claimed to be carrying out in occupied Ukraine and the brutal reality of the war he has inflicted on people here could not have been more stark. “I’m going to treat people with heart diseases as best I can over there, or I’ll put them in the car and bring them back here myself,” a 69-year old-surgeon, Vitaly, had said the day before, shrugging off the risks with a smile. “I’ll be fine.” His mustard-colored Lada was there among the wreckage Friday. Vitaly was one of a handful of shellshocked survivors. His face was a picture of grief. Some of the dead were lying next to their cars, or by bushes where they had searched for safety. When one of Vitaly’s companions received a phone call, the companion picked up and said, simply, ‘I’m here and I’m alive,” then ended the call. Friday’s strikes sent shock waves through a city already transformed by Putin’s war. Hospitals swung into action as casualties poured into their emergency rooms. Volunteers who have spent months turning the parking lot of a major supermarket into a welcome point for civilians fleeing occupied areas scrambled to move to another location, fearing that strikes on other humanitarian positions might follow. At the last checkpoint in Russian-held territory, fear and confusion rippled through a queue of Ukrainian vehicles, full of civilians trying to flee. Russian soldiers walked between the cars and told the drivers that the Ukrainian army was responsible for the strikes, passengers later said. “I didn’t believe it,” said Pavlo, a 23-year-old from the town of Tokmak. Like others interviewed, he spoke on the condition that only his first name be used, fearing repercussions for family members in Russian-held territory. “We had to carry on driving. The other option was staying at home and being conscripted by the Russians to fight against my fellow Ukrainians,” he said. As Putin declares a partial mobilization of Russians at home, Ukrainians in newly annexed lands fear that they may now be forced to fight their countrymen. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have already been killed since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. The International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into what appear to be war crimes on a massive scale. In a move that mirrored the stagecraft of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, Russian soldiers and local puppet authorities staged referendums across the territory they control in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, with victories of over 90% being recorded in each. Some votes were collected at gunpoint, escaped residents say. At the new welcome point in Zaporizhzhia, no one was watching Putin’s annexation speech. They already knew what he would say, and most families were focused on finding a place to spend the night. When asked about Putin’s latest declaration — that they were now Russian citizens “based on historical unity”— several residents rolled their eyes. Recent arrivals said they hoped the Ukrainian army, which has rolled back Russian gains in the east in recent weeks, would one day recapture the lands that Putin has claimed as his own. One of the volunteers, a 17-year-old named Yaroslav, said that he planned to enlist as soon as he reached the legal age of 18. He said that local separatist soldiers allied with Russia were now living in his home in the Zaporizhzhia town of Enerhodar. He had spoken with them before fleeing, he said, and they told him they never believed that Russia’s invasion would take them so far. “We’ve seen people suffering, we’ve seen people dying because of this war,” Yaroslav said. “For what?” As night fell in Avtorynok, possessions of the dead were still on the ground. A small photograph was nestled in the long grass. It showed a young couple beaming, and they looked very much in love. “I miss you so much,” read a note on the back. “Come back to me.” Serhii Korolchuk in Zaporizhzhia contributed to this report. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, following staged referendums that were widely denounced as illegal. Follow our live updates here. The response: The Biden administration on Friday announced a new round of sanctions on Russia, in response to the annexations, targeting government officials and family members, Russian and Belarusian military officials and defense procurement networks. President Volodymyr Zelensky also said Friday that Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, in an apparent answer to the annexations. In Russia: Putin declared a military mobilization on Sept. 21 to call up as many as 300,000 reservists in a dramatic bid to reverse setbacks in his war on Ukraine. The announcement led to an exodus of more than 180,000 people, mostly men who were subject to service, and renewed protests and other acts of defiance against the war. The fight: Ukraine mounted a successful counteroffensive that forced a major Russian retreat in the northeastern Kharkiv region in early September, as troops fled cities and villages they had occupied since the early days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video. Read More Here

U.S. Justice Dept Seeks Expedited Ruling In Trump Special Master Case https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-s-justice-dept-seeks-expedited-ruling-in-trump-special-master-case/ WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department on Friday moved to expedite its appeal of an order appointing a special master to review all of the records the FBI seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate. In a court filing late on Friday, the Justice Department said its inability to access the non-classified documents held at Trump’s estate is still hampering significant aspects of its investigation that pertain to the classified records. The Justice Department is asking the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to finish briefing in the case by Nov. 11, and hold any necessary hearing in the case as soon as possible. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Trump’s lawyers are opposing the request, the government said. The Justice Department said an expedited schedule may allow the government, if it wins the appeal, “to more quickly resume its full investigation without restraints on its review and use of evidence seized pursuant to a lawful search warrant.” The government attorneys added that, if the Atlanta-based appeals court rules in the Justice Department’s favor, it would end the litigation over materials seized in the search as well as the outside review of those documents. That outside review, being conducted by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, is currently set to end by Dec. 16. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Kanishka Singh, Rami Ayyub, Jacqueline Wong and Jacqueline Thomsen in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Ian Downgraded To Post-Tropical Cyclone After Striking South Carolina And Leaving At Least 42 Dead In Florida | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ian-downgraded-to-post-tropical-cyclone-after-striking-south-carolina-and-leaving-at-least-42-dead-in-florida-cnn/ Editor’s Note: Affected by the storm? Use CNN’s lite site for low bandwidth. You also can text or WhatsApp your Ian stories to CNN +1 332-261-0775. CNN  —  Ian has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone after pummeling South Carolina Friday afternoon with destructive winds and life-threatening storm surge, and after killing at least 42 people in Florida, leaving behind a trail of apocalyptic destruction. The storm, which made landfall near Georgetown as a Category 1 hurricane, continues to pack winds of 70 mph as it moves farther inland over the Carolinas. “It should be emphasized that just because Ian has become a post-tropical cyclone that the danger is not over,” the National Hurricane Center warned. “Dangerous storm surge, flash flooding and high winds are still in the forecast from this cyclone.” Reports of property damage, power outages, and water-rescue calls have multiplied as officials across the state continue to issue dire warnings to residents to stay inside. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES A hurricane warning was issued from the Savannah River at the Georgia-South Carolina state line to Cape Fear, North Carolina. Considerable flooding is possible from seawater and rain, especially in parts of coastal South Carolina, where storm surge up to 7 feet and 4 to 12 inches of rain could hit, forecasters say. And a tornado watch covering nearly five million people is in effect until 10 p.m. ET for parts of the Carolinas and Virginia, including Myrtle Beach, Wilmington, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, according to the Storm Prediction Center. More than 200,000 power outages were reported in South Carolina, as well as more than 138,000 in North Carolina, by 3:50 p.m. ET, according to PowerOutage.us. In Virginia, more than 17,000 customers have lost power, largely on the east and south sides of the state. Additionally, two piers in South Carolina – Cherry Grove Pier in North Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island Pier north of Charleston – partially collapsed Friday due to the storm. Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry told CNN the water has receded on the two causeways connecting the island to the mainland. No one is allowed back on the island until the damage has been assessed, Henry said, adding that there is a “tremendous amount of debris strewn across the island on the roads.” “It’s a pretty scary sight,” Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said of Hurricane Ian. “I’m seeing way too many cars passing by. And I think people just don’t realize how dangerous it is to be out in these types of conditions. We’ve seen so many people’s cars get stuck and emergency personnel has to go out and rescue people.” Shelters in Charleston County will remain open until 4 p.m. on Saturday, the county said in a press release. Buses will start taking people from the shelters back to the original pick-up locations Saturday morning. “A lot of prayers have been answered,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said. “This storm is not as bad as it could have been, but don’t let your guard down yet. We are not out of the woods, there is water on the roads, still heavy winds, and it is still dangerous in many parts of the state.” Charleston International Airport’s airfield closed Friday because of high winds, the airport said. And Myrtle Beach residents are urged to stay inside during the storm, Mayor Brenda Bethune told CNN. Coastlines along Georgia and South Carolina may sustain significant alterations because the powerful waves and storm surges brought by Ian could inundate coastal sand dunes, according to the US Geological Survey. In addition to flooding communities behind the dunes, the storm may push sand back and deposit it inland, which could “reduce the height of protective sand dunes, alter beach profiles and leave areas behind the dunes more vulnerable to future storms,” the agency said. Meanwhile, Florida confronts the dizzying destruction Ian wrought through much of the peninsula Wednesday and Thursday after it smashed into the southwest coast as a Category 4 storm and plowed through central and northeastern areas. At least 42 deaths have been reported in the state. Homes on the coast were washed out to sea, buildings were smashed throughout the state, and floodwater ruined homes and businesses and trapped residents, even inland in places like the Orlando area. Hundreds of rescues have taken place by land, air and sea, with residents stuck in homes or stranded on rooftops, and searchers have made many wellness checks, especially in the Fort Myers and Naples areas, where a storm surge inundated streets and homes. Roger Desjarlais, manager of Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, told CNN Friday that it isn’t an overstatement to say that Hurricane Ian decimated parts of the area and “there has to be many fatalities.” “It looked as though someone had just dropped from the sky picked up hotels and buildings and took them away. So much so that in many places there wasn’t even debris,” Desjarlais said. “We also know that not as many people evacuated from those islands as we had hoped for. We know there has to be many fatalities yet to be accounted for.” President Joe Biden continued to pledge federal support for Florida as it deals with the devastation caused by the storm, which he said was “likely to rank among the worst… in the nation’s history.” “We’re just beginning to see the scale of that destruction,” Biden said, adding that the largest team of search and rescue experts “in recent history” was currently deployed to the state. “It’s going to take months, years to rebuild.” And now, the storm’s aftermath poses new, deadly dangers of its own. Some standing water is electrified, officials warned, while maneuvering through debris-strewn buildings and streets – many without working traffic signals – risks injury. Lack of air conditioning can lead to heat illness, and improper generator use can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. In North Port between Fort Myers and Sarasota, Rosanna Walker stood Thursday in the flood-damaged home where she rode out the storm. Part of her drywall ceiling was hanging down. “And all of a sudden, the water was coming in through the doors – the top, the bottom, the windows over here,” she told CNN. “It’s all in my closets; I’ve got to empty out my closets.” “Everything got ruined.” Claudette Smith, the public information officer for the sheriff’s office in Charlotte County, just north of Fort Myers, told CNN that the county is in desperate need of help as emergency services continue to be inundated “We need everything, to put it plain and simple. We need all hands on deck,” Smith said. “The people who have come to our assistance have been tremendously helpful, but we do need everything.” Many members of the community are without homes, water, and electricity, and there is currently only one operating hospital in the county. Here’s what to know about the destruction in Florida: • Deaths in Florida: At least 42 deaths that are suspected to be related to Ian have been reported in Florida. That includes 16 in Lee County, 12 in Charlotte County, eight in Collier County, three in Volusia County, one in Polk County and two in unincorporated Sarasota County, according to officials. Unconfirmed death cases are being processed by local medical examiners, who decide whether they are disaster-related, state emergency management Director Kevin Guthrie said. • Power outages: Florida had more than 1.6 million power outages as of Friday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. Most counties with the highest percentage of residents without power lie in the southwest, including Lee, Charlotte, DeSoto and Hardee. • Historic flooding in Florida: Record flooding was recorded across central and northern Florida, including at least three rivers that hit all-time flood records. Officials in Orlando warned residents of dangerous flooding, which exceeded a foot in some areas. • Hundreds of rescues and thousands of evacuations: The US Coast Guard has performed over 275 rescues in Florida, Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson told CNN. More than 700 rescues have happened across Florida so far, the governor said Thursday, and thousands of evacuees have been reported. In Lee County, a hospital system had to evacuate more than 1,000 patients after its water supply was cut off, while other widespread evacuations have been reported in prisons and nursing homes. In Fort Myers, the fire chief was “pretty comfortable” by Friday morning that everyone needing help there had been rescued, Mayor Kevin Anderson said. The Coast Guard is treating this like a military operation searching “block by block to make sure that everybody gets out.” • Much of Fort Myers Beach obliterated: A helicopter flight over Fort Myers Beach shows utter devastation: empty or debris-littered lots where homes and businesses used to be and boats tossed into mangroves. “You’re talking about no structure left. … You’re talking about homes that were thrown into the bay. This is a long-term fix, and it’s life-changing,” Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said. • Coastal islands isolated from mainland: Sanibel and Captiva islands in southwest Florida are cut off from the mainland after several parts of a critical causeway were torn away. At least two people were killed in the storm in Sanibel, and the bridge may need to be completely rebuilt, local officials said. Chip Farrar, a resident of the tiny island of Matlacha, told CNN that 50 feet of road essential to reaching the mainland bridge has been washed out, and a second nearby bridge has also collapsed. • Insured losses in Florida may be enormous: Ian may have caused as much as $47 billion in insured losses in Florida, according to an estimate...

From Arkansas To D.C.: Benton Teen Speaks At White House Conference https://digitalarkansasnews.com/from-arkansas-to-d-c-benton-teen-speaks-at-white-house-conference/ BENTON, Ark. – On September 28, the White House held a conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Central Arkansas teen, Bella Crowe, was invited to the conference to give a youth perspective. Bella Crowe is a 15-year-old student at Benton High School. Aside from her advanced placement classes, Crowe spends a lot of time advocating for her social impact initiative – “Voices for Choices – Advocating for Teen Health”. Through this, she became an advocate for the American Heart Association. This association is who nominated Crowe to attend the conference. Crowe attended the conference as an advocate and a representative for the state of Arkansas. Crowe was able to listen to President Biden speak about what the US Government plans to do to help with hunger and nutrition in America. She then had the opportunity to speak with various government officials about the things she sees every day in school, and out in the community while volunteering and what she does in Arkansas – in hopes they will take it back to their state. Crowe became involved through the Miss America Organization, using the urgent issues as her social impact initiative. She took this impact statement to Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen Pageant in June where she placed in the top fifteen. Crowe gave up her title of Miss Metro’s Outstanding Teen on September 17 – but won the title of Miss Greater Little Rock’s Outstanding Teen the same night. She is taking this issue back to vie for the title of Miss Arkansas Outstanding Teen. She tells us she is taking a lot out of her trip to D.C. and ask everyone to get involved and help her with urging congress to pass the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill – a bill that hasn’t been reauthorized since 2010. “Go out there, be confident in what you believe in, if you believe your moral compass is taking you in the right direction, it is,” said Crowe. “So, have confidence in yourself, young people are powerful, were the leaders of today, leaders of yesterday, and the leaders of tomorrow.”  Read More…

Men's Cross Country Posts Strong Times At Chile Pepper XC Festival – Concordia University Texas Athletics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/mens-cross-country-posts-strong-times-at-chile-pepper-xc-festival-concordia-university-texas-athletics/ FAYETTEVILLE, AR – The Concordia Texas men’s cross country team produced astounding times at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas. In what served as their first 8k meet of the season, sophomores Kamron Loera (27:06.8) and Thomas Hughes (28:08.2) reached new personal bests at Agri Park on Friday.  Loera finished in 66th out of 368 competitors to finish in the top 19 percent of the field. HIs blistering time serves as the fourth fastest 8k run in school history. Hughes exhibited dramatic improvement as his new personal record is over three minutes faster than his time in the Chile Pepper Festival last year and 44 seconds faster than his previous record. Overall, four Tornados in total ran under 29:35 with Samuel Valdez finishing at 29:16.9 and Lawson Meiers  clocking in at 29:34.4 in their first collegiate 8k. Rounding out the field for CTX were junior Jacob Ismir (31:07.3) and freshman Aaron Ramos (31:31.0). Overall, CTX placed 27th out of 38th in a loaded field. The men’s and women’s cross country team will now take a week off from competition before heading to Marshall, Texas to race in the ETBU Tiger Invitational on Oct. 14. The women will start at 5:00 p.m. with the men scheduled for 5:45 p.m. CTX 8K FINISHERS To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX cross country program, follow us on social media (@ctxathletics) and visit athletics.concordia.edu. Read More Here

Charts Suggest It’s ‘way Too Early’ To Expect The Stock Market To Rebound, Jim Cramer Says https://digitalarkansasnews.com/charts-suggest-its-way-too-early-to-expect-the-stock-market-to-rebound-jim-cramer-says/ CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday warned investors that the stock market is unlikely to recover anytime soon. “The charts, as interpreted by Mark Sebastian … suggest that this market’s got more downside, and it’s way too early to go really bullish,” he said.  related investing news “Unlike him, I also believe we could get a sharp spike up, but, for our Charitable Trust, if that happens we’re going to have to do some selling,” he added. The S&P 500 closed out its worst month since March 2020 on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 8.8% for the month, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 10.5%. Before getting into Sebastian’s analysis, Cramer first explained that when the S&P 500 goes lower, the CBOE Volatility Index, also known as the VIX or fear gauge, typically moves higher. And when the S&P moves higher, the VIX typically goes lower.  He then examined a pair of charts showing the daily action in the S&P and the VIX: While the S&P and VIX moved at the same pace in June, things took a turn in August. Sebastian notes that when the S&P started falling in late August, the VIX had a “slow-rolling rally” instead of roaring like it typically would, according to Cramer. This mismatch in movement between the S&P and VIX’s movements continued through early September but only really exploded this week, Cramer said, adding that the market still is a long way from recovering. “Sebastian’s waiting for the S&P to go down while the VIX also goes down — that’s a classic tell that a sell-off’s coming to an end,” he said. “That is not happening right now.” For more analysis, watch Cramer’s full explanation below. Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing Click here to download Jim Cramer’s Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter. Read More Here

Library Supporter Worried About After-School Programs Amid Petition https://digitalarkansasnews.com/library-supporter-worried-about-after-school-programs-amid-petition/ JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – After-school programs may be on the chopping block with a new petition to possibly cut the funding for the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library in half. Supporter of the library Chenoa Summers said this petition will really affect the elderly, underprivileged, and maybe most importantly children across the area. “There are after-school programs there are afterschool hangouts for kids that are still in school and taking that away could really affect them,” she said. Summers, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Dan Sullivan in the Arkansas Senate District 20 race in November. He said there is no reason for a library to have a surplus and agreed with the petition. The library said if the petition passes, they will be forced to change their hours as well as cut different after-school programs and other adult programs. Summer said a lot of kids use the library’s extended hours for tutoring and if they have to change their hours due to funding, it could hurt children in the classroom. The petition will be on the November ballot for Craighead County residents to vote on. Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Are Biden https://digitalarkansasnews.com/are-biden/ Standing at the podium as part of a White House forum on food and hunger, President Joe Biden began working through the list of people to thank. He made it bipartisan. He thanked several Republicans and got to his friend Jackie. “Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?” Biden asked. Jackie is Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana who died over a month ago in a car crash. There is no good way to consider what happened. Biden knew Walorski died. He mentioned it over a month ago. He is about to sign legislation, with her family present, to rename a VA hospital in her honor. His press secretary said the deceased congresswoman is “top of mind” for Biden because he knew he would be spending time with her family later in the week. If she really was top of mind, shouldn’t he have known she could not be present at the event? We should consider the options. First, his advance staff failed to prepare him. Prior to the president taking the stage, the event showed a brief video reflecting on Walorski’s life. An advance team should, in every case, brief their leader on everything happening at an event, including those events that happened right before he goes on stage. Second, perhaps they briefed him but failed to remind him that the congresswoman died. Whether it is the first reason or the second reason, the president’s staff has let him down again. We know that Chief of Staff Ron Klain has had a hard time navigating relationships in Congress, often undermining the president’s agenda. We also know that Biden has been bullied by his staff into taking policy positions that directly contradict the president’s own instincts. The student loan bailout is just one example, and it is the most recent example that will haunt the Democrats’ midterm cycle. It is not out of bounds to consider that Biden has a highly ideological progressive staff that is very long on opinions and short on competence. Of course, there is a third option. What if the team did tell Biden, did brief him, did do everything right, and Biden forgot that quickly? That would be the most troubling because it would be a sign the president’s age is getting the better of him. Perhaps Biden cannot get his staff to set policy based on his instincts because he cannot operate at the level necessary to have his will, as president, implemented by his team. They, in turn, are taking advantage of his infirmities. When former President Donald Trump served in the office, videographers caught him very, very carefully walking down a ramp at West Point. “Trump’s Halting Walk Down Ramp Raises New Health Questions,” the New York Times headline blared. The subheading was, “The president also appeared to have trouble raising a glass of water to his mouth during a speech at West Point a day before he turned 74, the oldest a president has been in his first term.” At CNN, its regulator regurgitator of stale conventional wisdom, Chris Cillizza, wrote a piece with the headline, “Why the Donald Trump-West Point ramp story actually matters.” Among the reasons Cillizza said it mattered was: “He is the oldest person ever elected to a first term in the White House,” and “Trump’s medical past is a total mystery.” Biden is now the oldest President ever and his health is no mystery. He had two brain aneurysms, both of which required surgery. Now, he’s calling out to dead congresswomen on stage who happen to be, in his press secretary’s telling, “top of mind” — just not top of mind enough to know she’s dead. “Trump tries to explain his slow and unsteady walk down a ramp at West Point,” read the headline of Phil Rucker’s story about Trump’s ramp walk in The Washington Post. He said, “Elements of Trump’s explanation strained credulity.” Does the Biden administration’s explanation for Biden not strain credulity? Of course it does. But note the relative lack of media coverage. If only Biden had delicately walked down a ramp instead of searching for a dead woman in a crowd, maybe the media would ask the tough questions. — To find out more about Erick Erickson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Read More Here

Ex-Trump Adviser Accused Of Unwanted Sexual Advances Takes Plea Deal https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ex-trump-adviser-accused-of-unwanted-sexual-advances-takes-plea-deal/ LAS VEGAS — An ex-adviser to former President Donald Trump has taken a plea deal to resolve allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances to a GOP donor at a Las Vegas event. Corey Lewandowski entered into a plea agreement earlier this month involving a charge of misdemeanor battery, according to online Clark County records. While he does not admit to any wrongdoing, Lewandowski will undergo eight hours of impulse control counseling and 50 hours of community service. Court documents dated Monday state that the charge will be dismissed if he satisfies these requirements and stays out of trouble for one year. “A misdemeanor case was filed but we are pleased to say the matter has been resolved,” defense attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld said in a statement. “The court set conditions that Mr. Lewandowski will fulfill and the case will ultimately be dismissed.” The plea agreement was first reported by Politico. Trump donor Trashelle Odom publicly alleged Lewandowski repeatedly touched her without her permission, made lewd comments and stalked her throughout a September 2021 fundraising event. Odom is the wife of Idaho construction executive John Odom. The allegations led to several Republican figures cutting ties with him. Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC. Read More Here

New Poll Shows Most Voters Say No To Trump 2024 Run – Live – The Bharat Express News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-poll-shows-most-voters-say-no-to-trump-2024-run-live-the-bharat-express-news/ Former US President Donald Trump Claims He Can Declassify Top Secret Documents Just Thinking About It Bad news for Donald Trump this week, as a Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that the majority of voters don’t think he should run in 2024 given the myriad legal issues he faces. Its support within the Republican Party has also waned due to the bump it received after the FBI search for Mar-a-Lago. In another lawsuit by Trump’s legal team, it was revealed that he had hoarded about 200,000 pages of federal documents at his Palm Beach home. The submission was intended to argue that a TBEN for scanning and reviewing the documents in early October is unrealistic as they cannot be processed quickly enough. There are reports that Mr Trump is ignoring some of the legal advice he is receiving on this matter. In his other legal news, Mr. Trump avoided explanation for a long-running class action fraud case by settling in Florida as Hurricane Ian crashed. A statement had to be rescheduled as plaintiffs’ attorneys told a federal judge in New York that the former president would not move the meeting to his home in Bedminster, New Jersey. The new TBEN for impeaching Trump is October 31. Today in ‘Reality Disconnected Statements’: Hurricane Ian Was Made to Punish DeSantis Alex Woodward reports the latest from the conspiracy theories: While Florida residents and emergency services are investigating the devastation from Hurricane Ianwhich continues to flow down the East Coast, two former far-right congressional candidates floated a baseless conspiracy theory that the federal government created the storm to “punish” and “target” Republicans. Lauren Witzke, a QAnonSupporting conspiracy theorist who was the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Delaware in 2020, said she has “no doubt” that “technology exists to manipulate the weather” that could be used to appoint Florida’s governor fall Ron DeSantis. “We know the technology exists,” she told former GOP congressional candidate Deanna Lorraine on her far-right conspiracy theory streaming channel, over a caption that read “Biden is building a transhuman cyborg army using immigrants.” Former GOP Candidates Push QAnon Conspiracy Theory Hurricane Ian Was Manufactured Two far-right former Republican congressional candidates bolster baseless conspiracy theory that ‘deep state’ triggers storms to attack Republicans Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 22:10 Poll: Majority of Americans want Trump blocked from 2024 A new poll shows that the majority of Americans do not believe Donald Trump will be allowed to serve as president again, given “what we know about the ongoing investigations” into him. The Yahoo News/YouGov poll of 1,566 registered voters found that 51 percent would oppose the former president by 2024. Another 14 percent are unsure and just over a third (35 percent) say he can serve again. Majority of Americans want Trump blocked from 2024, polls show Bump in Republican support after search for Mar-a-Lago also disappear Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 9:40 PM Mar-a-Lago Papers: Trump Reportedly Ignored Lawyer’s Advice He Paid $3 Million Advance Weeks after paying a respected Florida attorney a $3 million commission to represent him in Justice Department relations following the Aug. 8 search of his home, former President Donald Trump is reportedly ignoring the attorney’s advice. in favor of tactics that are much more combative but put him at greater legal risk. According to The Washington Post, Mr Trump has largely sidelined ex-Florida Attorney General Chris Kise after the veteran trial attorney advised him to “turn the temperature down” at the Justice Department. Andrew Feinberg has the latest. Trump reportedly ignores $3 million lawyer’s advice in Mar-a-Lago documents case According to The Washington Post, Trump has largely sidelined ex-Florida Attorney General Chris Kise because the veteran trial attorney advised him to “lower the temperature” at the Justice Department. Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 21:10 GOP Pursues Legal Challenges Against North Carolina’s Election Law A week before North Carolina election officials begin processing mail ballots in the closely watched Southern Swing State, the GOP is pursuing its latest legal challenge against election procedures set by the Democrat-led State Board of Directors. Elections. The Republican Party of North Carolina filed two motions this week in the Wake County Superior Court asking the court to block the board from enforcing the ban on checking signatures on absentee voting documents. GOP seeks court order over rejected signature check motion The GOP continues its latest legal challenge against North Carolina electoral procedures set by the Democrat-led State Board of Elections Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 8:40 PM DeSantis: from provocateur to crisis manager Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed his way through the national conversation this month, first putting migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds, then shifting to a more traditional crisis manager role as one of the strongest hurricanes. that ever hit the US in its state. DeSantis shifts from provocateur to crisis manager after Ian Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed his way through the national conversation this month, first putting migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds, then shifting to a more traditional crisis manager role as one of the strongest hurricanes. that ever hit the US in its state Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 20:10 Jury Selected for First Incendiary Conspiracy Trial on Capitol Riot On Thursday, a jury was selected in the seditious conspiracy case against the founder of the extremist group Oath Keepers and four associates in the top prosecution following the Capitol riots to reach a trial. A panel of 12 jurors and four deputies was chosen after three days of questioning about their feelings regarding the January 6, 2021 uprising, and possible prejudice against the far-right group accused of conspiracy to use force to transfer the presidential election. power to stop. Opening statements are expected to begin Monday in federal court in the case against Stewart Rhodes and his associates — the first Jan. 6 defendants to appear in court on charges of inflammatory Civil War conspiracy charges. Jury of Capitol Riot Selected for First Incendiary Conspiracy Trial A Washington jury has been selected in the inflammatory conspiracy case against the founder of the extremist group Oath Keepers and four associates Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 19:40 Trump begged for political donations from Mar-a-Lago as hurricane hit Florida Donald Trump turned to social media to advocate for donations to his political campaign as parts of Florida began rescue and recovery efforts after Hurricane Ian. Speaking in a video on Wednesday from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, South Florida, the former president pleaded for donations to his Save America PAC ahead of a fundraising TBEN. Trump begs for donations from Mar-a-Lago amid Hurricane Ian Call for Political Funds During Hurricane Devastation Follows TBEN’ $3.2 Billion Estimated Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 19:10 Can Trump Control His QAnon Supporters? Among the hordes of supporters at Donald Trump’s latest rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, were supporters of the QAnon conspiracy — the right-wing movement that postulates the former president was trying to thwart a satanic pedophile gang that has since developed several other baseless ideas. Can the former president keep them under control, Eric Garcia asks. Can Donald Trump Control His QAnon Supporters? Trump has promoted more and more overt QAnon conspiracy theories in recent weeks, Eric Garcia and Alex Woodward report Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 6:40 PM Still no date for the next hearing on January 6 January 6, Select Committee Chair Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Liz Cheney just emerged from a meeting in the office of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi They told waiting reporters that a date has still not been set for the next hearing, but Mr Thompson says it will be “definitely” not next week, but “definitely” before the midterm elections. The interim report will also be published before voting day in early November. Speaker Pelosi said the meeting was “strictly for me to thank them for their service”. Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 6:28 PM ICYMI: Trump Told Maggie Haberman She Was ‘Like His Psychiatrist’ Donald Trump told New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman she was “like my psychiatrist” during a post-presidency interview for her new book trust man. According to an excerpt published in The Atlantic Ocean, the former president turned to two aides during their interview in Mar-a-Lago, saying: “I love being with her; she is like my psychiatrist.” Trump told Maggie Haberman she was ‘like his psychiatrist’ “The reality is that he treats everyone as if they were his psychiatrists,” New York Times reporter Ms. Haberman writes in a new book. Oliver O’ConnellSeptember 30, 2022 18:10 Read More Here

PONY BRADSHAW TO RELEASE HIGHLY- ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM NORTH GEORGIA ROUNDER ON JANUARY 27 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/pony-bradshaw-to-release-highly-anticipated-new-album-north-georgia-rounder-on-january-27/ Article Contributed by All Eyes Media | Published on Friday, September 30, 2022 Acclaimed singer/songwriter Pony Bradshaw announces the release of his forthcoming album North Georgia Rounder on January 27th, 2023 (Soundly Music). North Georgia Rounder is the follow up to Bradshaw’s 2021 acclaimed release Calico Jim and finds the troubadour expanding on his penchant for storytelling, crafting lyrics inspired by the woods, rivers, and mountains of Appalachia, the area he’s called home for the past 15 years. Pre-save North Georgia Rounder HERE. An avid reader, Bradshaw often credits the rich imagery in his songs to the authors that shaped his world. North Georgia Rounder begins with “Foxfire Wine” which offers his vivid lyrics alongside twangy guitar leads and atmospheric pedal steel. Inspired by Bruce Chatwin’s book Songlines about nomadic peoples in Australia, Bradshaw shaped the song to fit his region of Southern Appalachia. The brooding “Safe in the Arms of Vernacular” shares the personal tale of Bradshaw’s father bringing him a gas mask after serving during Desert Storm. The powerful words, accompanied by his soulful voice, sear an indelible impression on the listener on the momentary and long-lasting effects of war. Listen via DSPs starting September 30 HERE. North Georgia Rounder is not only about the geographical place Bradshaw holds dear, but it also relates to life as a touring musician with a family and finding balance between the two spaces. Bradshaw shares, “I long for a well-ordered life and it gets tricky trying to reconcile that need with spending half my life on the road. But stories need to be told and I’ve somehow finagled my way into a position to tell them.” The album was recorded in just five days at Jason Weinheimer’s Fellowship Hall Sound in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he had also tracked Calico Jim. North Georgia Rounder captures Bradshaw creating his life’s work. And while that may seem daunting to some, Bradshaw finds himself just where he is supposed to be. “I learned, after quite a bit of time, and trial and error, that we’re all original if we are just who we are. If we just create or make what we find value in and what interests us we’ll be fine. I no longer fight who I am. I revere the traditions and old ways and try to find my path somewhere in the middle.” PONY BRADSHAW 2022 TOUR DATES October 7 – Pittsburg, KS – Miner’s Alley October 8 – Little Rock, AR  – White Water Tavern October 9 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge November 10 – Austin, TX – Saxon Pub November 11 – Kerrville, TX – Arcadia Live – with David Ramirez November 12 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill Tavern – with David Ramirez November 13 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall – with David Ramirez Look for more tour dates coming in 2023 Read More Here

How To Protect Your 401(K) In A Bear Market | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/how-to-protect-your-401k-in-a-bear-market-cnn/ Editor’s Note: This is an updated version of a story that originally ran on August 29, 2022. Stocks and bonds are trading in bear territory. And given current circumstances, it’s fair to assume the markets will remain volatile for awhile. Interest rates are rising quickly in the US and Europe amid government efforts to tamp down rampant inflation. Recession fears remain. And a steep drop in the British pound coupled with rising UK debt costs is causing concern. After getting clobbered in the first half of 2022, then regaining some lost ground, stocks are once again deep in the red for the year, with the S&P 500 down more than 20% year to date. The S&P US aggregate bond index, meanwhile, is down about 14%. And investors may see a lot more churn over the next year. “Markets are likely to be volatile – both up and down – over the next six to 12 months as the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates in their fight against inflation,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Independent Advisor Alliance. “If you are planning to buy stocks at this point, you are going to need to be patient and hold those positions for a much longer timeframe than many people are used to – potentially two to three years, in some cases.” While it may be a bumpy road ahead, here are some ways to mitigate the potential damage to your long-term nest egg. Bearish markets can be a bear on your psyche. There may be times when you are tempted to sell your equity investments and move the proceeds into cash or a money market fund. You’ll tell yourself you will move the money back into stocks when things improve. But doing so will just lock in your losses. If you’re a long-term investor – which includes those in their 60s and early 70s who may be in retirement for 20 or more years – don’t expect to outwit the current downward trends. When it comes to success in investing, “It’s not about timing the market. It’s about time in the market,” said Taylor Wilson, a certified financial planner and president of Greenstone Wealth Management in Forest City, Iowa. “During bull markets people tend to think the good times will never end and during bear markets they think that things will never be good again. Concentrating on things you can control and implementing proven strategies will pay off over time.” Say you’d invested $10,000 at the start of 1981 in the S&P 500. That money would have grown to nearly $1.1 million by March 31, 2021, according to Fidelity Management & Research. But had you missed just the five best trading days during those 40 years, it would only have grown to roughly $676,000. And if you’d sat out the best 30 days, your $10,000 would only have grown to $177,000. If you can convince yourself not to sell at a loss, you still may be tempted to stop making your regular contributions to your retirement savings plan for awhile, thinking you’re just throwing good money after bad. “This is a hard one for many people, because the knee-jerk reaction is to stop contributing until the market recovers,” said CFP Sefa Mawuli of Pavlov Financial Planning in Arlington, Virginia. “But the key to 401(k) success is consistent and ongoing contributions. Continuing to contribute during down markets allows investors to buy assets at cheaper prices, which may help your account recover faster after a market downturn.” If you can swing it financially, Wilson even recommends boosting your contributions if you haven’t already maxed out. Besides the value of buying more at a discount, he said, taking a positive step can offset the anxiety that can come from watching your nest egg (temporarily) shrink. Life happens. Plans change. And so may your time horizon to retirement. So check to see that your current allocation to stocks and bonds matches your risk tolerance and your ideal retirement date. Do this even if you’re in a target date fund, Wilson said. Target date funds are geared toward people retiring around a given year – e.g., 2035 or 2040. The fund’s allocation will grow more conservative as that target date nears. But if you’re someone who started saving late and who may need to take on more risk to meet your retirement goals, he noted, your current target date fund may not be offering you that. Mark Struthers, a CFP at Sona Wealth Advisors in Minneapolis, works with 401(k) participants at organizations that hire his firm to provide financial wellness advice. So he’s heard from people across the spectrum who express concerns that they “can’t afford to lose” what they have. Even many educated investors wanted out during the downturn early in the pandemic, he said. Struthers will counsel them not to panic and to remember that downturns are the price investors pay for the big returns they get during bull markets. But he knows fear can get the better of people. “You can’t just say ‘don’t sell’ because you’ll lose some people and they’ll be worse off.” And it’s been especially discouraging to investors to see that bonds, which are supposed to reduce their portfolio’s overall risk, are down too. “People lose faith,” Struthers said. So instead of trying to contradict their fears, he will try to get them to do something to assuage their short-term concerns, but do the least long-term damage to their nest egg. For instance, someone may be afraid to take enough risk in their 401(k) investments, especially in a falling market, because they’re afraid of losing more and having less of a financial resource if they ever get laid off. So he reminds them of their existing rainy-day assets, like their emergency fund and disability insurance. He then may suggest they continue to take enough risk to generate the growth they need in their 401(k) for retirement, but redirect a portion of their new contributions into a cash-equivalent or low-risk investment. Or he may suggest they redirect the money to a Roth IRA, since those contributions can be accessed without tax or penalty if need be. But it’s also keeping the money in a retirement account in the event the person doesn’t need it for emergencies. “Just knowing they have that comfort cash there helps them from panicking,” Struthers said. Read More Here

Before, After Images Show Hurricane Ian Storm Surge Completely Destroyed Some Sanibel Island, Florida Hotels | CNN https://digitalarkansasnews.com/before-after-images-show-hurricane-ian-storm-surge-completely-destroyed-some-sanibel-island-florida-hotels-cnn/ CNN  —  Many beach cottages that lined the shores of Sanibel Island were wiped away by Hurricane Ian’s storm surge, new aerial imagery from NOAA shows. Most homes on Sanibel and Captiva islands are still standing, but appear to have sustained some form of roof damage, in addition to certain storm surge and flooding damage. Near the Casa Ybel Beach Resort, large scars in the sands are seen – the surge eroded much of the beach and dunes. An aerial view of beach erosion near Casa Ybel Beach Resort on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA If you are unable to see the images, click here. Shalimar Cottages & Motel is gone, too. Its 14 cottages and entire motel building were wiped away by the storm. At least four cottages – or what remains of them – are sitting in the street. An aerial view of the Shalimar Cottages & Motel on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA Mitchell’s SandCastles has also been completely destroyed. There are no buildings left and the property is covered in sand. An aerial view of Mitchell’s SandCastles on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA Only one building remains of the Waterside Inn on the Beach. The only thing remaining of the eight buildings on the property, which encircle the swimming pool, is debris. An aerial view of the Waterside Inn on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA The roofs of the four buildings that comprise Ocean’s Reach have sustained significant damage. It’s unclear how things fared inside the buildings, but a significant debris field is seen behind the buildings. The covered parking structure behind the buildings has been destroyed as well. An aerial view of the Ocean’s Reach on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA Near the Casa Ybel Beach Resort, large scars in the sands are seen – the surge eroded much of the beach and dunes. An aerial view of beach erosion near Casa Ybel Beach Resort on Sanibel Island, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA Even though storm surge is no longer covering Sanibel, a number of homes remain underwater located on the Sanibel Island Golf Club. An aerial view of Sanibel Island Golf Club, Florida, before and after Hurricane Ian. NOAA Read More Here

Ian Downgraded To Post-Tropical Cyclone; Rain, Winds To Increase In NC | LIVE COVERAGE https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ian-downgraded-to-post-tropical-cyclone-rain-winds-to-increase-in-nc-live-coverage/ RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Ian is moving closer to North Carolina, with rain and wind ramping up across the region. 5:00 p.m. Ian downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone. Heavy rain, strong winds expected to continue across North Carolina. 2:15 p.m. Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Georgetown, South Carolina. The National Weather Service said the storm will now begin to rapidly weaken as it pushes inland across South Carolina and through North Carolina. The rain from Ian will continue in North Carolina through Friday evening. Ian is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone overnight and dissipate sometime Saturday. LIVE UPDATES: 12:45 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch for all of eastern North Carolina until 10 p.m. A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornado formation. It does not mean any tornadoes are imminent. The ABC11 First Alert Weather Team said the chance for tornadoes during this particular storm is low but possible. Ian’s North Carolina forecast Ian is expected to make landfall early Friday afternoon near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. However, nearly all of the storm’s rain is located north of its center. That’s why rain bands arrived in North Carolina early Friday morning — and it’s also why the majority of the rain will be over by the end of the day. A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for most of central North Carolina. This means we’re going to see a lot of rain and a lot of wind. ABC11 Meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy said most of us can expect between 2-6 inches of rain Friday. Although isolated areas will get heavier downpours which will amount to more than 6 inches. Isolated flooding will be possible in and around those areas. In North Carolina, the strongest winds from the storm will happen closer to the South Carolina border. Those areas around the Sandhills will certainly see sustained winds near 40 miles per hour. As the storm moves north and west, it (and its winds) will weaken. Storm threats For North Carolina, wind and rain will be the biggest factors with this storm system. Wind gusts, which started picking up Thursday, will continue through Friday with some gusts getting up to 50 or 60 miles per hour Those strong winds combined with saturated ground could cause trees to topple, putting power lines at risk. Power crews across the state are on high alert and ready to respond as quickly as possible, but still it’s likely that some people will be without power for at least a little while. If you lose power, you should contact your power company. Here’s a list of numbers to call and other power outage tips. Widespread flooding and river flooding are not huge threats. However, flash flooding is a big concern. That’s because some areas will see periods of heavy downpours. As with most storms, tornados are possible. However, in this case they are not likely. Big Weather’s hurricane emergency kit North Carolina prepares for Ian On Thursday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper gave an update on state preparations. Cooper urged North Carolinians to pay close attention to the weather and take necessary measures as the remnants of Hurricane Ian approach the state. “Hurricane Ian reminds us how unpredictable these storms can be and North Carolinians should be prepared when it reaches our state,” Cooper said Thursday. “Heavy rains, up to seven inches in some areas, are likely to bring some flooding. Landslides are a threat in our mountains and there’s a chance of tornadoes statewide. Coastal flooding and gusty winds are likely as the storm passes through. This storm is still dangerous.” Several schools closed or opted for remote learning days. You can view the full list here Copyright © 2022 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved. Read More Here

Majority Of Americans Want Trump Blocked From 2024 Run, Poll Finds https://digitalarkansasnews.com/majority-of-americans-want-trump-blocked-from-2024-run-poll-finds-2/ A new poll shows that the majority of Americans do not believe Donald Trump should be allowed to serve as president again given “what we know about the ongoing investigations” into him. © REUTERS Former U.S. President Trump holds a rally for North Carolina Republican nominee for U.S. Senate Ted Budd, in Wilmington The Yahoo News/YouGov poll of 1,566 registered voters found that 51 per cent are against the former president running again in 2024. Another 14 per cent are unsure and just over one-third (35 per cent) say he should be allowed to serve again. The survey was conducted between 23-27 September, immediately after New York state Attorney General Letitia James filed her bombshell lawsuit against Mr Trump and three of his adult children for committing fraud by over-valuing assets to “obtain beneficial financial terms”. The lawsuit filed by Ms James is just one of a myriad of legal problems facing the former president since he left office in January 2021. Mr Trump also faces potential charges from a number of other sources, including: possible election interference in Georgia; ramifications from the 6 January House select committee investigation; fallout from the discovery of 200,000 pages of federal documents at his Palm Beach home (including classified information); and the defamation case against him brought by E Jean Carroll connected with her allegation that he raped her in the fitting room of a New York department store in the mid-1990s. Donald Trump calls Letitia James a ‘crazy, radical, leftist nutjob’ during rally UP NEXT While just one of these might irreparably damage someone else’s political reputation, Mr Trump has to date avoided such consequences. The significance of the Yahoo News/YouGov survey is that the cumulative effect of all of these various investigations may be coalescing to damage any political future for the former president. Previous polling by the group has focused on the individual cases against Mr Trump, but this was the first to ask about them taken together. All of the polls were framed in the context of what was known to date and not whether he was found guilty or not. The former president also faces bad news from within his party. According to the poll, the bump in support he received from fellow Republicans after the search of Mar-a-Lago by the FBI has dissipated with fewer than half in favour of his candidacy. In the new survey, 2024 primary support for him among Republicans and Republican leaners has fallen by seven points (to 47 per cent) while support for someone else has risen by three points (to 36 per cent). Another 17 per cent say they’re not sure who they will support. From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here. Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Read More Here

DeSantis Drops Provocations — For Now — In Response To Ian https://digitalarkansasnews.com/desantis-drops-provocations-for-now-in-response-to-ian/ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has whipsawed his way through the national conversation this month, first by putting migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds and then shifting to a more traditional role of crisis manager as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the U.S. barreled into his state. Facing a reelection in November that could be a precursor to a presidential campaign, the approach has been awkward at points. Navigating one of his state’s darkest moments, DeSantis, a Republican, must partner with a Democratic president he has spent the better part of two years demeaning. He’s also gladly accepting the type of federal disaster aid and assistance he rejected as wasteful while he was a member of Congress. But together, the developments over the past two weeks offer insight into how DeSantis might govern if he wins another term as governor or advances in a 2024 presidential contest. He’s willing to use — and potentially exceed — the raw executive power of his office to pick at America’s most sensitive divides on issues like immigration. In a sudden moment of disaster, however, he’s capable of striking a more unifying tone in a way that former President Donald Trump — once a close ally and now a potential 2024 rival — rarely demonstrated. “At the end of the day, I view this as something that you’ve got folks that are in need, and local, federal and state, we have a need to work together,” DeSantis said at a briefing late Thursday, taking a far more conciliatory tone toward an administration he bitterly criticized just days earlier. He expressed appreciation that FEMA has approved every request for aid he has made, and said he welcomed the agency’s director to travel with him to view destruction. The shift in tone is almost certainly temporary. When a 12-story condo building in Surfside, Florida, collapsed last year and killed 98 people, DeSantis appeared with local officials, including Democrats who praised his assistance. He sat next to President Joe Biden during a briefing with first responders and local officials in Miami. Within months, however, he returned to partisan brawls. Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., left, prepares to enter a vehicle, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Punta Gorda, Fla. Hurricane Ian caused damage in the area. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Wilfredo Lee Facing another tragedy, DeSantis didn’t answer questions this week about whether he would meet with Biden, saying he wasn’t sure about the president’s travel plans. At a FEMA briefing on Thursday, Biden also aimed to set aside hostilities, saying he would visit Florida when conditions allow and meet with DeSantis “if he wants to meet.” Biden and DeSantis both said they have spoken more than once. And at DeSantis’ request, Biden on Thursday declared a major disaster in parts of Florida, freeing up additional federal assistance to state and local governments and individuals. “We’re going to build it back with the state and local government,” Biden said. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre tweeted that Biden and DeSantis spoke again by phone on Friday, as the FEMA administrator is on the ground in Florida. DeSantis’ embrace of federal help is a shift from his early days as a congressman, when he voted against a federal relief package for New York and New Jersey after Hurricane Sandy. That drew criticism this week from some New York-area officials and other Democrats who described the turnaround as a move from cruel to hypocritical. Richard Conley, a University of Florida political science professor, said DeSantis is doing what he needs to do, pragmatically and politically. While DeSantis is popular in the reliably Republican area of southwest Florida that was hardest hit by Hurricane Ian, he said people will inevitably become frustrated if it takes too long to get help, and will look for someone to blame. “He’s just got to get the job done,” said Conley. “The question will be: Going forward, does he look very statesmanlike? Does this help him with an eventual 2024 run? I don’t know, it remains to be seen.” Since his early years running for governor, DeSantis has been linked to Trump. DeSantis was a relatively obscure third-term congressman when he announced his 2018 bid for governor — and a Trump endorsement — on Fox News. He echoed some of Trump’s favorite lines as he campaigned, pledging, for example, to “drain the swamp” in Tallahassee. Trump took credit for the victory, though their relationship is said to have chilled amid the 2024 talk. As governor, DeSantis has elevated issues that excite the conservative base and used his resources and the power of his office to get things done his way, even if it pushed the limits of his legal authority. During the COVID pandemic, DeSantis insisted Florida would remain open. He shunned guidance from federal health experts and once said of Dr. Anthony Fauci that someone should “chuck him across the Potomac.” He also stripped funding from school districts that implemented mask mandates. This spring, DeSantis signed legislation stripping Disney of a special agreement that allowed the theme park to govern itself, after the company criticized a new state law that critics called “Don’t Say Gay. ” DeSantis also suspended an elected Democratic prosecutor in Tampa from office over statements about not pursuing criminal charges in abortion, transgender rights and certain low-level cases. The prosecutor has since filed a federal free speech lawsuit against the governor. In recent weeks, Florida under DeSantis’ direction paid for two flights of migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. DeSantis was the latest GOP governor, frustrated over the federal government’s response to policing the southern border, to transport the migrants to Democratic cities. DeSantis defended the move as a way to make immigration a “front-burner issue” ahead of the midterms. Critics questioned the legality, and his Democratic opponent for governor said it represented a new low level of shrewdness. “It’s amazing to me what he’s willing to do for sheer political gain,” Charlie Crist, his gubernatorial challenger, said. Conley, who wrote a book about Trump and populism, said he understands the comparisons between the two men, both often provocative Republicans. But he noted key differences, including that DeSantis is more disciplined and restrained with statements on social media. “He may say controversial things, but I don’t think he’s going to sit around at 3 or 4 in the morning and contemplate how to get back at (Senate GOP Leader) Mitch McConnell or something” as Trump would do, Conley said. Trump also drew criticism for his responses to natural disasters, which often failed to convey empathy. After Puerto Rico was flattened by Hurricane Maria, he flew to San Juan and threw paper towels into the crowd, withheld aid and questioned whether a death toll in the thousands was contrived by Democrats to make him look bad. On a trip to Houston after Hurricane Harvey, he was criticized for not meeting with storm victims. When he returned days later, Trump urged those at a shelter to “have a good time.” Natural disasters have historically put U.S. politicians in predicaments. Years earlier, President George W. Bush left the impression of overlooking Hurricane Karina’s devastation in New Orleans when he flew over the city while returning to Washington from vacation. He later praised FEMA Director Michael Brown as doing “a heck of a job.” Both New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, and Democratic President Barack Obama felt political effects of a friendly greeting after Hurricane Sandy. The image may have helped Obama project a moderate, bipartisan front days before his election for a second term but conservatives derided Christie for what they called a “hug.” At Thursday’s afternoon briefing, DeSantis spoke of surveying the damage, from a wiped out causeway between the mainland and Sanibel Island off Fort Myers to destroyed homes and hundreds of people rescued. “These are resilient folks,” he said. “They will bounce back, but we just want to make sure that we can kind of pave the way for them.” Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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New York AG Seeking To Expedite Fraud Suit Against Trump And Company – Deltaplex News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-york-ag-seeking-to-expedite-fraud-suit-against-trump-and-company-deltaplex-news/ (WASHINGTON) — New York Attorney General Letitia James wants to accelerate her $250 million fraud lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, his children, his company, and two of its executives. James, in a letter to the state’s chief administrative judge, signaled her intention to push for a trial before 2024 and asked him to keep the civil case before Judge Arthur Engoron, who had presided over disputes between the attorney general and the Trump legal team during the investigation. The Office of the Attorney General “intends to seek an expedited preliminary conference to set a trial date before the end of 2023,” James’ letter said. “Allowing for an expedited trial schedule on an enforcement proceeding after extensive litigation over subpoena enforcement is precisely the circumstance that warrants keeping this case before Justice Engoron in the interests of judicial economy.” Trump had asked for the case to be assigned to someone other than Engoron, who earlier held him in contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena during the probe. Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, accused the attorney general’s office of trying to keep the case before a friendly judge. “OAG’s actions appear to be nothing less than a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules of the Individual Assignment System and to ‘judge shop,”” Habba said in a letter asking for the case to be reassigned to the Commercial Division of New York State Supreme Court. The AG, in contrast, argues that Engoron is already familiar with the material so for expediency’s sake the case should stay with him. James has accused Trump of “staggering” fraud and alleges that the former president, with the help of his three eldest children and two corporate executives, “grossly inflated” his net worth by billions of dollars. The lawsuit accuses them of preparing hundreds of fraudulent and misleading financial statements that overstated the values of nearly every major property in the Trump portfolio, thereby convincing banks and insurers to giving Trump better terms than he otherwise would have received. All of the defendants have denied wrongdoing. Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Majority Of Americans Want Trump Blocked From 2024 Run, Poll Finds https://digitalarkansasnews.com/majority-of-americans-want-trump-blocked-from-2024-run-poll-finds/ A new poll shows that the majority of Americans do not believe Donald Trump should be allowed to serve as president again given “what we know about the ongoing investigations” into him. The Yahoo News/YouGov poll of 1,566 registered voters found that 51 per cent are against the former president running again in 2024. Another 14 per cent are unsure and just over one-third (35 per cent) say he should be allowed to serve again. The survey was conducted between 23-27 September, immediately after New York state Attorney General Letitia James filed her bombshell lawsuit against Mr Trump and three of his adult children for committing fraud by over-valuing assets to “obtain beneficial financial terms”. The lawsuit filed by Ms James is just one of a myriad of legal problems facing the former president since he left office in January 2021. Mr Trump also faces potential charges from a number of other sources, including: possible election interference in Georgia; ramifications from the 6 January House select committee investigation; fallout from the discovery of 200,000 pages of federal documents at his Palm Beach home (including classified information); and the defamation case against him brought by E Jean Carroll connected with her allegation that he raped her in the fitting room of a New York department store in the mid-1990s. While just one of these might irreparably damage someone else’s political reputation, Mr Trump has to date avoided such consequences. The significance of the Yahoo News/YouGov survey is that the cumulative effect of all of these various investigations may be coalescing to damage any political future for the former president. Previous polling by the group has focused on the individual cases against Mr Trump, but this was the first to ask about them taken together. All of the polls were framed in the context of what was known to date and not whether he was found guilty or not. The former president also faces bad news from within his party. According to the poll, the bump in support he received from fellow Republicans after the search of Mar-a-Lago by the FBI has dissipated with fewer than half in favour of his candidacy. In the new survey, 2024 primary support for him among Republicans and Republican leaners has fallen by seven points (to 47 per cent) while support for someone else has risen by three points (to 36 per cent). Another 17 per cent say they’re not sure who they will support. Read More Here

Only 35% Of Voters Believe Donald Trump Should Be Eligible To Serve As President Again: Poll https://digitalarkansasnews.com/only-35-of-voters-believe-donald-trump-should-be-eligible-to-serve-as-president-again-poll/ More than half of voters surveyed in a new poll believe that the ongoing investigations into Trump should disqualify him from becoming president again down the road Published on September 30, 2022 03:53 PM A new poll seems to show waning support for former President Donald Trump‘s political future, with more than 50% of respondents saying he should be barred from serving as president again down the road. The poll — conducted by Yahoo News/YouGov shortly after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a new lawsuit against the Trump family — asked nearly 1,600 registered voters whether the former president should “be allowed to serve as president again in the future,” given “what we know about the ongoing investigations.” Fifty-one percent of respondents said that in light of his legal troubles, he should not be allowed to serve as president again. Only 35% said he should be allowed back in the White House. The remaining 14% were not sure. Previous polls by Yahoo News/YouGov have asked voters if Trump being found guilty of various allegations would change their opinion on whether he’s fit to be president. This is the first poll to ask if information gleaned from the investigations already is enough to rule him out, regardless of whether he’s ultimately found guilty — and the results are, perhaps surprisingly, decisive. Even as the new poll reveals skepticism in Trump’s fitness for public office, it produced one good result for the 45th president. Asked in the same survey whether people would vote for Joe Biden or Trump in a hypothetical rematch in 2024, respondents only favored Biden by 2 percentage points (47% to Trump’s 45%); when Yahoo News/YouGov asked voters the same question three weeks ago, Biden held a 6-point lead over his predecessor. As Americans have learned in previous elections, political polling should be taken with a grain of salt. But while Trump continues to weigh launching a presidential campaign for 2024, any sign of diminishing momentum poses a challenge in gaining the support required for a successful bid. Read More Here

Decision In The Mitten: An Expert Look At Michigan https://digitalarkansasnews.com/decision-in-the-mitten-an-expert-look-at-michigan/ Democrats strong in top races, legislature remains competitive Andrew Mullin, Midland Daily News Sep. 30, 2022 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 1of11 Republican nominee Tudor Dixon takes on incumbent Democratic Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 8 in Michigan’s general election. This is the first time in Michigan’s history that two women have competed to be governor. Associated PressShow MoreShow Less 2of11 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Sept. 14, 2022.   Paul Sancya/APShow MoreShow Less 3of11 4of11 Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon speaks at a primary election party in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022.   Paul Sancya/APShow MoreShow Less 5of11 In this Sept. 24, 2020, file photo, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks in Detroit. Election officials preparing for this year’s midterms have yet another security concern to add to an already long list – threats from within.  Paul Sancya/APShow MoreShow Less 6of11 7of11 Kristina Karamo, candidate for the Secretary of State of Michigan, center, attends a conference on conspiracy theories about voting machines and discredited claims about the 2020 presidential election at a hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. The event featured Republicans running for statewide offices that oversee elections in some of the most important battleground states.    Jim Rassol/APShow MoreShow Less 8of11 gfjhyth Photo provided/APShow MoreShow Less 9of11 10of11 Matthew DePerno, endorsed by former President Trump in his bid for Michigan attorney general, is accused of helping obtain improper access to voting machines just three months before voters head to the polls in key statewide races. Jake May/The Flint Journal for APShow MoreShow Less 11of11 Beginning this week, Michigan voters have started receiving and returning their absentee ballots. Voting is underway in the Nov. 8 general election.  Among the choices for county commission and local school boards, voters will select candidates for Michigan’s top three statewide offices − governor, attorney general and secretary of state − during a particularly divisive campaign season. It’s also the first state-wide election held since new voting districts were drawn.  Will a blue wave sweep through the Great Lakes State on Nov. 8? Or will Republicans maintain a steely grip on the state legislature and state Senate amid a turbulent political season? Issues like abortion, inflation, education and election integrity are shaping elections not only in Michigan this year, but across the country.  Here is an overview on what the races at the top of the ticket are shaping up as Michiganders begin to cast their ballots.   Political landscape Earlier this year, the GOP was considered to be in a strong position to win elections across the country.  Gongwer News Service Executive Editor Zach Gorchow said the GOP was riding high on President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings amid economic downturns. Kyle Melinn, editor of MIRS (Michigan Information & Research Service), added that many Michigan Republicans expected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to play defense based on her response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both political analysts agree that the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade was a turning point in this year’s political landscape. As Republicans defend their anti-abortion stances, Gorchow said the Supreme Court decision has energized Democrats to polls in special election nationwide. “The Dobbs decision leaks … that really changes things. All of a sudden, Democratic voters that were dispirited because Biden was struggling and Democratic congress had not achieved much suddenly become motivated, particularly women and suburban women,” Gorchow said. “Now they are very motivated to come out and vote.” Gorchow said as inflation continues to negatively impact families, along with other economic hardships, it could still have the ability to hurt Democrats nationwide.  President of polling firm EPIC MRA Bernie Porn said a recent poll shows that abortion and inflation are tied as the number one issue on the minds of Michigan voters this fall at 24%, according to his polls. Porn said 61% of Michigan voters gave a negative rating to the Michigan economy in a recent poll of his, and among those folks who give a negative rating, 55% are voting for Dixon. These issues are influencing races here in Michigan as well. Gubernatorial race After a tumultuous GOP primary, Tudor Dixon defeated four male challengers and was selected to be the party’s nominee for the governor’s race when the dust settled. A relative unknown compared to the incumbent Democratic governor Whitmer, it is the first time have two women have faced off in the governor’s race.  So far that competition has been one-sided. Most polls and political analysts predict a resounding victory for Whitmer. Dixon has been running on a platform of increased policing, tax cuts and promoting “parental rights” in public schools. Whitmer’s campaign has been highlighting Dixon’s views on abortion, including bans for cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk. A recent Detroit Free Press poll showed Whitmer about 16 points ahead of Dixon, with 55% to Whitmer and 39% to Dixon. Porn said something “catastrophic” would have to happen before November for Whitmer to lose the election. Political analyst and former State Rep. Bill Ballenger said “the kindest poll results” have Dixon trailing Whitmer by 5%-6%. Part of the reason Dixon continues to trail Whitmer is because the incumbent governor has outspent her. As of Aug. 22, Whitmer’s campaign had $14 million in the bank. while Dixon had just over $523,000. On Monday, Dixon appeared in Midland at a fundraising event at the Red Keg at Midland Brewing Company hosted by Bill Schuette, Bill G. Schuette, Judy Rapanos, David Kepler and ABC of Midland. “She has very little money compared to Whitmer,” Ballenger said. “Unless some outside groups come in to help, she could get buried, and if she gets buried at the top of the ticket, it is not going to bode well for races further down the ticket. I think Whitmer is outspending, and will outspend, Dixon by an 8-1, up to a 10-1 margin in this race. “Dixon has got to come up with more money or she’s going to get blown out.” Would a different GOP candidate have been more competitive against Whitmer? Melinn said ex-Detroit Chief of Police James Craig would have been a more viable candidate – if he had appeared on the ballot. Craig was one of five GOP candidates whose nominating petitions to qualify for the ballot were rife with signature fraud, according to the Bureau of Elections. He also said Garrett Soldano would have been better at inspiring excitement and getting people to the polls. While Whitmer seems to have a clear path to victory, who runs in her place in 2026 is less clear. Gorchow said current Lieutenant Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter are emerging candidates to watch for. The race for governor also includes Mary Buzuma from the Libertarian Party, Donna Brandenburg from the U.S. Taxpayers Party, Kevin Hogan from the Green Party, and Daryl Simpson from the Natural Law Party. Brandenburg’s petition to appear as on Republican primary election also was disqualified for not having enough valid signatures.  Secretary of State and Attorney General Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and Attorney General candidate Matthew DePerno, both Republicans, have largely centered their campaigns around questioning election integrity and promoted allegations of tampering with voting machines. Both are backed by former President Donald Trump. Karamo and DePerno are similarly trailing their gubernatorial counterparts in the polls. DePerno and others involved in an alleged Michigan vote tabulator tampering scheme, are being investigated by a special prosecutor D.J. Hilson, Muskegon County Prosecutor, to determine if any should face criminal charges on allegations they tampered with voting machines. Porn said recent polls show Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel at 48% to DePerno’s 39%, which is up by nine points from previous polling. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is at 51% over Karamo’s 37%, up by 14 points. Melinn said there has been similar funding issues with these races, particularly from a lack of financial support from Trump. Ballenger agrees, saying that Nessel and Benson could bury their opponents with TV ads in the closing weeks of the campaigns and that these races could be blowouts. “His (Trump’s) endorsement does great in a Republican primary – and that’s all you need,” Melinn said. “If you are running in a general election, your normal independent does not give a rip about whether Trump endorsed you or not. They are more influenced by paid media.” The Secretary of State race also includes Libertarian Gregory Stempfle, Christine C. Schwartz of the U.S. Taxpayers Party, and Larry Hutchinson Jr. of the Green Party. The Attorney General race also includes Libertarian Joseph McHugh Jr. and Gerald Van Sickle of the U.S. Taxpayers Party. Ballot proposals Three ballot proposals will also appear before voters on Nov. 8. Proposal One is the Legislative Term Limits and Financial Disclosure Amendment, which would amend the state constitution to reduce the maximum length legislators can serve in the legislature from 14 years to 12 years. It allows them to serve the full tenure in one chamber. Lawmakers elected for Senate in 2022 would still be subject to the current term limits. The bill also would require state lawmakers, the governor, the secretary of state an...

Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall Near Georgetown, SC Continues Path To North Carolina | LIVE COVERAGE https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hurricane-ian-makes-landfall-near-georgetown-sc-continues-path-to-north-carolina-live-coverage/ RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Hurricane Ian is moving closer to North Carolina, with rain and wind ramping up across the region. 2:15 p.m. Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Georgetown, South Carolina. The National Weather Service said the storm will now begin to rapidly weaken as it pushes inland across South Carolina and through North Carolina. The rain from Ian will continue in North Carolina through Friday evening. Ian is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone overnight and dissipate sometime Saturday. LIVE UPDATES: 12:45 p.m. The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch for all of eastern North Carolina until 10 p.m. A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for tornado formation. It does not mean any tornadoes are imminent. The ABC11 First Alert Weather Team said the chance for tornadoes during this particular storm is low but possible. Ian’s North Carolina forecast Ian is expected to make landfall early Friday afternoon near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. However, nearly all of the storm’s rain is located north of its center. That’s why rain bands arrived in North Carolina early Friday morning — and it’s also why the majority of the rain will be over by the end of the day. A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for most of central North Carolina. This means we’re going to see a lot of rain and a lot of wind. ABC11 Meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy said most of us can expect between 2-6 inches of rain Friday. Although isolated areas will get heavier downpours which will amount to more than 6 inches. Isolated flooding will be possible in and around those areas. In North Carolina, the strongest winds from the storm will happen closer to the South Carolina border. Those areas around the Sandhills will certainly see sustained winds near 40 miles per hour. As the storm moves north and west, it (and its winds) will weaken. Storm threats For North Carolina, wind and rain will be the biggest factors with this storm system. Wind gusts, which started picking up Thursday, will continue through Friday with some gusts getting up to 50 or 60 miles per hour Those strong winds combined with saturated ground could cause trees to topple, putting power lines at risk. Power crews across the state are on high alert and ready to respond as quickly as possible, but still it’s likely that some people will be without power for at least a little while. If you lose power, you should contact your power company. Here’s a list of numbers to call and other power outage tips. Widespread flooding and river flooding are not huge threats. However, flash flooding is a big concern. That’s because some areas will see periods of heavy downpours. As with most storms, tornados are possible. However, in this case they are not likely. Big Weather’s hurricane emergency kit North Carolina prepares for Ian On Thursday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper gave an update on state preparations. Cooper urged North Carolinians to pay close attention to the weather and take necessary measures as the remnants of Hurricane Ian approach the state. “Hurricane Ian reminds us how unpredictable these storms can be and North Carolinians should be prepared when it reaches our state,” Cooper said Thursday. “Heavy rains, up to seven inches in some areas, are likely to bring some flooding. Landslides are a threat in our mountains and there’s a chance of tornadoes statewide. Coastal flooding and gusty winds are likely as the storm passes through. This storm is still dangerous.” Several schools closed or opted for remote learning days. You can view the full list here Copyright © 2022 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved. Read More Here

Student Debt Forgiveness Curveball Means 4 Million Borrowers Won https://digitalarkansasnews.com/student-debt-forgiveness-curveball-means-4-million-borrowers-won/ Student loan forgiveness was thrown a bit of a curve after one group of borrowers discovered that a limited backdoor strategy suddenly closed. It’s estimated that up to 4 million borrowers are not going to be eligible for forgiveness if they hold older Federal Family Education Loans and Perkins loans that are not held by or on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, according to Mark Kantrowitz, a student loan expert and author of “How to Appeal for More Financial Aid.” We are talking about some fairly old loans here, including loans for those who graduated from college or left school 10 years ago or more. The FFEL program ended June 30, 2010. Due to the maturity of the student loan portfolio, many of those loans are likely to be in an extended or income-based repayment plan, Kantrowitz said. Some loans could still be in a standard 10-year repayment plan, he said, but it’s likely those borrowers entered repayment more recently than 12 years ago or took advantage of deferments or forbearances. Kantrowitz said he’s using the 4 million figure based on data published by the U.S. Department of Education in the FSA Data Center. He maintains earlier news reports suggesting that around 770,000 to 800,000 people would lose the option for forgiveness underestimate the extent of this change.   CNN reported earlier that around 770,000 people will be affected by the change, according to an administration official. Kantrowitz acknowledged that it is possible that a significant number of borrowers applied for consolidation after the Aug. 24 announcement and before the change was made Sept. 29. But he doubts the group of applications would be so large that the figure would drop to 770,000.  As part of earlier discussions involving the new forgiveness program, it was expected that these borrowers would have been able to consolidate those loans into a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan to qualify for the one-time forgiveness program, Kantrowitz said. “They are out of luck,” he said. Six GOP-led states brought a lawsuit against the Biden administration to try to halt the sweeping forgiveness plan, charging that the administration overstepped its executive powers. The states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Carolina. The Biden administration quickly dropped the eligibility for this limited group in response to that lawsuit. The borrowers have loans backed by the federal government but owned by private banks. More: How parents get helpStudent debt forgiveness applies to PLUS loans The Education Department put out a notice this week saying that as of Sept. 29, “borrowers with federal student loans not held by Education Department cannot obtain one-time debt relief by consolidating those loans into Direct Loans.” To confuse matters further, the Education Department noted that borrowers who had applied to consolidate into the direct loan program before Sept. 29 are eligible. The news will no doubt spark more uncertainty about what kind of debt relief borrowers can expect. The Education Department also said it is “assessing whether there are alternative pathways to provide relief” to these borrowers and is discussing options with the private lenders. Here are five questions you might want to know about debt relief: When is the application available? We’re looking at sometime in October. See StudentAid.gov. The online application will be short, the Education Department said, and borrowers won’t need to upload any supporting documents or use their FSA ID to apply. You should aim to try to meet a Nov. 15 deadline. Borrowers should file an application for student debt forgiveness fairly quickly for adjustments to be reflected in student loan monthly payments, which will resume in January after a pandemic-related moratorium of almost three years on payments. You’d have until Dec. 31, 2023, to apply, but you’d want to apply as soon as possible. Who needs to apply? Tens of millions of borrowers who have federal student loans will need to apply. Only 8 million borrowers or so are expected to see automatic relief. You’d get an email and text message — if you’re signed up for text alerts — if the Education Department determines that you qualify for relief without applying. More: Questions answeredStudent debt forgiveness ahead It all depends what kind of data is available about your financial situation. When it comes to automatic relief, the department will look at information for tax years 2020 or 2021 as supplied on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and income-driven repayment applications on file. “If we have borrower data for both years, we’ll use the year with the lower income,” the Education Department stated in its online fact sheet. Will all my debt be forgiven? Don’t you wish. Some will see up to $10,000 in federal loans forgiven. Others would see up to $20,000 in debt relief if they had a federal Pell Grant while in college.  Borrowers with loans held by Education Department are eligible for this relief if their individual income is less than $125,000 or $250,000 for households. Will Michigan tax this forgiven debt? No. The State of Michigan will not treat student loan relief as taxable income. The federal government won’t treat debt forgiven in this program as taxable income. It’s estimated that The 1.4 million borrowers in Michigan could save thousands of additional dollars if they qualify for federal student loan forgiveness. Can I decide what loans will be forgiven? No. The highest-cost debt will be forgiven first. Relief will apply to loans in the following order, according to the Education Department: Defaulted loans held by the Education Department. Defaulted loans under the commercial Family Federal Education Loan program. Loans in the Direct Loan Program and Family Federal Education Loan program held by the Education Department. Perkins loans held by the Education Department. If you have multiple loans in the same program, forgiveness first applies to the loans with the highest rate. If rates are the same, unsubsidized loans would be forgiven before subsidized loans. Contact Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. To subscribe, please go to freep.com/specialoffer. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter. Read More Here

Chris Tomlin, MercyMe Delivering Holiday Cheer This Winter https://digitalarkansasnews.com/chris-tomlin-mercyme-delivering-holiday-cheer-this-winter/ Two of the most successful touring acts in Christian music will deliver a sack full of Christmas cheer to Arkansas this December.(Simmons Bank Arena) Published: Sep. 30, 2022 at 2:01 PM CDT|Updated: 56 minutes ago NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Two of the most successful touring acts in Christian music will deliver a sack full of Christmas cheer to Arkansas this December. Chris Tomlin and MercyMe will perform at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets range in price from $27.75 to $154. There is a 9-ticket limit per household. Groups of 10 or more should email mstonecipher@simmonsbankarena.com. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at the arena box office or at ticketmaster.com. Copyright 2022 KAIT. All rights reserved. Read More…

The Fed’s Preferred Inflation Measure Remains Stubbornly High https://digitalarkansasnews.com/the-feds-preferred-inflation-measure-remains-stubbornly-high/ Inflation stayed far above the Federal Reserve’s goal in August, as prices climbed more quickly than economists expected. A shopping center in Los Angeles this month. Consumers continued to spend in August, the Commerce Department reported.Credit…Mark Abramson for The New York Times Sept. 30, 2022Updated 2:21 p.m. ET The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge remained elevated in August, data released on Friday showed, further evidence that the central bank is contending with a stubborn problem as it tries to choke off the worst inflation in four decades. The Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation measure, which is the measure the Fed officially targets as it tries to achieve 2 percent annual inflation, climbed 6.2 percent over the year through August. While that was a slowdown from 6.4 percent in July, it was higher than the 6 percent that economists in a Bloomberg survey had expected. The details of the report were even more concerning. Price increases have been moderating somewhat on an overall basis, partly because gas prices have been declining. But after volatile fuel and food prices were stripped out to get a sense of underlying inflationary pressures, the index climbed 4.9 percent over the year through August, an acceleration from 4.7 percent the month before. And on a monthly basis, the core index picked up by 0.6 percent, the fastest increase since June. Consumers also continued to spend in August, particularly on dining, travel and other services, the report showed, though the pace was slowing. Incomes rose, buoyed by a hot job market. The data underlined the challenging path the Fed faces as it tries to guide the U.S. economy toward slower inflation. Both the economy and price pressures have retained momentum, even as central bankers raise interest rates to try to cool demand. As a result, the Fed has become steadily more aggressive in its efforts to constrain spending and temper inflation, and it is likely to keep raising rates and keep them elevated for a while. Inflation F.A.Q. Card 1 of 5 What is inflation? Inflation is a loss of purchasing power over time, meaning your dollar will not go as far tomorrow as it did today. It is typically expressed as the annual change in prices for everyday goods and services such as food, furniture, apparel, transportation and toys. What causes inflation? It can be the result of rising consumer demand. But inflation can also rise and fall based on developments that have little to do with economic conditions, such as limited oil production and supply chain problems. Is inflation bad? It depends on the circumstances. Fast price increases spell trouble, but moderate price gains can lead to higher wages and job growth. Can inflation affect the stock market? Rapid inflation typically spells trouble for stocks. Financial assets in general have historically fared badly during inflation booms, while tangible assets like houses have held their value better. “Inflation is very high in the United States and abroad, and the risk of additional inflationary shocks cannot be ruled out,” Lael Brainard, the Fed’s vice chair, said in a speech on Friday. She later added that policymakers were “committed to avoiding pulling back prematurely.” The Fed has lifted interest rates five times this year, including three unusually large three-quarter-point increases, and Ms. Brainard reiterated that it would need to restrict the economy for some time to make sure inflation was back under control. But she also emphasized that future rate increases would depend on incoming data, suggesting that the Fed will keep an eye on the economy as it slows down and calibrate its moves accordingly. Economists remain hopeful that healing supply chains, a slowing housing market, cooling consumer demand and a moderating labor market will combine to pull inflation lower in the months ahead. Spending on goods fell in August for the second month in a row, which should ease pressure on factories and shipping routes, and overall spending may slow further as consumers draw down the extra savings they built up earlier in the pandemic. But Russia’s war in Ukraine poses a constant risk to the global supply of food and oil, and some industries, including automobiles, remain severely disrupted. Rents and other service costs have been rising sharply, and labor shortages spanning many industries have pushed wages up, which could feed through to higher prices. Those factors have informed the Fed’s decision to stage its most aggressive campaign in decades to bring inflation under control. Fed officials signaled in their latest economic projections that they expect to lift interest rates by another 1.25 percentage points by the end of the year. The report probably keeps them on track for such a plan, said Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Société Générale. The above-expectation inflation number “has to be somewhat troubling, but I don’t think it changes anything for the Fed,” she said. “They have more work to do.” Still, the Fed’s war on inflation comes at a risk. Higher interest rates take time to filter through the economy, and the Fed is moving so quickly in its bid to choke off inflation that it isn’t waiting to see the effect of its moves before ushering in new ones. “They have to choose between being forward looking versus backward looking,” said Blerina Uruci, a markets economist at T. Rowe Price. She said the fresh consumption data suggested that consumers were pulling back, but that is taking time to show up in inflation data — so by focusing on the price figures, the Fed could end up raising rates more than is needed. And other central banks are also raising rates, which could combine with turmoil from the war in Ukraine and other factors to sharply slow the world’s economy. Fed officials themselves have acknowledged that the global situation is in a state of flux. “The Federal Reserve’s policy deliberations are informed by analysis of how U.S. developments may affect the global financial system, and how foreign developments in turn affect the U.S. economic outlook and risks to the financial system,” Ms. Brainard said on Friday. As higher rates play through the economy to slow spending and weaken the labor market, they could push up unemployment and even cause a painful recession. While officials are hoping that outcome can be avoided, they admit that the chances of averting a bad outcome have grown slimmer as inflation has remained persistently and painfully high and their policy path has become more aggressive. Still, central bankers have suggested that it is a necessary gamble. While a recession would be bad for Americans, costing them jobs and most likely slowing their wage gains, today’s inflation is also a burden on many households. Families are finding that it is harder to afford basic necessities like housing, clothing and food, which is a particular burden for consumers with lower incomes who have less room to cut spending from their budgets or to substitute with cheaper options. As inflation drags on, people and businesses may get used to today’s rapidly climbing prices. If that happens, they may adjust their behavior accordingly, with workers asking for more frequent pay increases and businesses passing those higher labor costs along to customers in the form of higher prices. If that happens, inflation could become a self-fulfilling prophesy. Fortunately, measures of inflation expectations seem to be relatively stable, and have even declined somewhat in recent months. But Fed officials have been clear that after more than a year of rapid price increases, they do not want to take that stability for granted. “The longer the current bout of high inflation continues, the greater the chance that expectations of higher inflation will become entrenched,” Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, said at his news conference on Sept. 21. Read More Here

2022 Midterms: Top 10 States To Watch – September 2022 #2 | JD Supra https://digitalarkansasnews.com/2022-midterms-top-10-states-to-watch-september-2022-2-jd-supra/ The 2022 midterm elections kicked off with primaries in Texas on March 1, 2022. Additional high-profile primary elections will be held throughout the summer in Governor and Senate races in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina and beyond. Those contests will tee up Election Day on November 8, when control of the U.S. House and Senate will be up for grabs as well as several high-profile gubernatorial races in key battleground states. Ten states in particular will play a significant role in deciding the balance of the U.S. House and Senate and shaping the map of governorships going forward. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania are home to targeted U.S. Senate and House and Governors races. Kansas has targeted House and Governors races. New Hampshire, Ohio and Wisconsin each have targeted Senate and Governors races. In North Carolina, there will be a high-profile, open seat election for Senate as well as targeted House races. McGuireWoods Consulting is carefully watching the primary election results in these 10 states and will capture the significance of the results as the elections unfold on our website and social media channels. New Hampshire Florida Wisconsin Arizona Kansas Nevada Georgia North Carolina Pennsylvania Ohio New Hampshire Midterm Elections Update The final primary in our series concluded on September 13, 2022, with the New Hampshire primary. The closely watched races were to fill the Republican nominees for Senate and U.S. House. After national Republicans failed to recruit popular Gov. Chris Sununu to challenge Sen. Maggie Hassan, the attention on the Granite State has lessened. However, Republicans are confident that their pick of retired Army Brigadier General Donald Bolduc will be competitive in November. Bolduc ran as an unabashed supporter of former President Trump and said he believed that President Biden was not the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. Bolduc edged out more mainstream GOP pick State Senate President Chuck Morse by just shy of 2%. Bolduc ran strong in the rural parts of the state and linked himself to supporters of the former President. Nonetheless, Sen. Maggie Hassan is slightly favored to win the upcoming election due to her large stockpile of campaign funds and is betting on her challenger’s strict view on abortion to sway independents in this largely libertarian state. In the House, Republicans selected Karoline Leavitt to take on Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas in a Congressional District that many think will be a bellwether in November. Leavitt is a 25-year-old veteran of the Trump Administration and is modeling herself after rising Republican star Rep. Elise Stefanik. In the less competitive 2nd District, GOP nominated Robert Burns will take on Congresswoman Ann Kuster. Kuster has been in the House since 2013 and is seen as the safer of the two seats; although trouble for her on election night could spell trouble for Democrats early in their battle to keep the House. Florida Midterm Results Update Republicans dominated turnout in Florida’s primary elections on Aug. 23, 2022, with 195,000 more Republicans voting than did Democrats despite having no competitive statewide races at the top of the ticket. This is not a good omen for Democrats in competitive races throughout the state of Florida, as their turnout lagged significantly behind 2018 off-year election primary turnout. If these turnout trends are similar in November, it will be a tough general election for Florida Democrats trying to make inroads into heavy Republican majorities and statewide offices. Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book held off a tough primary challenge and will remain a state senator representing Broward County. With an endorsement from DeSantis, political outsider Kiyan Michael, won the state primary for House District 16. Former members Bruce Antone, a Democrat, and Republican Kim Berfield won their respective state legislative primaries for seats 41 and 58. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the defeat of a number of incumbents on various school boards across Florida. Mirroring the issues raised in the Virginia election months ago related to parental rights in education, candidates across the state battled over ideological issues pertaining to teachings in the classroom on race, gender, and political ideology. When the dust settled, DeSantis claimed victory in many of these races, as the overwhelming majority of candidates he endorsed won their races. These primaries will set up contentious battles in the November general election, with between five and seven state Senate seats and 15 to 20 state House seats expected to be competitive races. Read the full analysis from the MWC Florida team here. Wisconsin Midterm Results Update On Aug. 9, 2022, the polls were open in Wisconsin for the primary races ahead of the midterms in November. There is increased focus in the state races as Republicans in Wisconsin are looking for a state trifecta by holding control of the governor’s mansion, state House, and state Senate. In the Republican primary race for governor, businessman Tim Michels won with 47.2% of the vote. Michels had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, which helped solidify the lead over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. Kleefisch had the endorsement of former Vice President Mike Pence and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Michels will face current Democrat Gov. Tony Evers in November. Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson is up for re-election, winning his primary with an 83.7% lead against former educator David Schroder. Johnson will face current Democratic Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who received 77.8% of the vote. Barnes won easily following basketball executive Alex Lasry and state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski withdrawing from the Democratic primary. There has also been national attention surrounding the U.S. House race in Congressional District 3, a small-town, mostly rural district that historically leans Democrat. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Ron Kind is retiring, and following redistricting, Trump would have won the district in 2020. Republicans consolidated around one candidate, retired Navy SEAL Derrick Van Orden. Van Orden will face Democratic state Sen. Brad Pfaff after winning the four-way primary Democratic race. Arizona Midterm Results Update On Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona voters took to the polls to decide their primary elections. One key race was the Republican nomination for governor in which another Trump-endorsed candidate fought against a Pence-backed primary candidate. In the end, after several days of counting ballots, Trump-backed Kari Lake, a former television news anchor, won the nomination. Lake will face Katie Hobbs, the former Democratic secretary of state in November. Blake Masters, who was endorsed by former President Trump and tech-entrepreneur Peter Thiel, won the nomination for U.S. Senate, with 39% of the vote against Mark Brnovich and Jim Lamon. Masters will face incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly, who gained the position after winning the special election in 2020. The secretary of state position is left open following Katie Hobbs’s decision to run for governor. The Republican primary field for secretary of state included Mark Finchem, Beau Lane, Shawnna Bolick, and Michelle Ugenti-Rita. Finchem won the Republican primary with 41% of the vote following the support of former President Trump. Finchem will face Democrat Adrian Fontes on Nov. 8. Kansas Midterm Results Update On Aug. 2, 2022, the Kansas primary election took center stage, with Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, winning the race. Kelly will face a difficult general election after former President Trump won the state by 15 percentage points in 2020. Kelly will face Derek Schmidt, the current attorney general, who took the majority in each county and won by 80.6% of the vote. Sen. Jerry Moran, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, is up for re-election. Moran will face former Kansas City Mayor Mark Holland, who won the Democratic nomination. Holland won by 38% of the vote; however, the state was divided giving votes to Paul Buskirk and Patrick Wiesner. Buskirk works for University of Kansas Athletics and Wiesner works as a lawyer, each gaining a portion of the state’s support. Nevada Midterm Results Update On June 14, 2022, Nevada voters made key decisions heading into the general election on Nov. 8. The key races in the state are the U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor races. Adam Laxalt won all but one congressional district in the U.S. Senate Republican primary. The former attorney general won the primary with 56.1% of the vote against the retired Army captain with a Purple Heart, Sam Brown. Laxalt became the front-runner following the backing of former President Trump. Laxalt will face the incumbent Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the Senate, in the general election. Masto won 90.1% of the vote in the primary. Former President Trump’s pick for governor, Joe Lombardo, won the primary in that race. Lombardo, Clark County sheriff, took 38.4% of the vote after a tight race. Lombardo will challenge current Democrat Gov. Steve Sisolak. The key House race was the First Congressional District. Congresswoman Dina Titus was able to hold off a more progressive challenger Amy Viela by winning 82.4% of the votes in the district. Titus will face Republican Mark Robertson in the general election in a redder district following redistricting. Georgia Midterm Results Update On May 24, 2022, Georgia voters went to the polls to cast their votes for the nominees they want to see represent their party in the November’s general election. Voter turnout was significantly higher among both parties compared to the previous midterm elections in 2...

Zelensky Pushes ‘accelerated’ Application For Ukraine NATO Membership https://digitalarkansasnews.com/zelensky-pushes-accelerated-application-for-ukraine-nato-membership/ KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, in an apparent answer to Russia’s move to illegally annex four of the country’s partially occupied regions. The remarks were more symbolic than practical: The speedy admittance of Ukraine to the alliance would require members to immediately send troops to fight Russia, under collective defense obligations. Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, but Zelensky conceded in March that Ukraine had to accept that it was not going to be accepted into the Western military alliance, despite receiving security assistance from countries in it. “De facto, we have already made our way to NATO,” Zelensky said in a Telegram statement. “De facto, we have already proven compatibility with Alliance standards. They are real for Ukraine — real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction. We trust each other, we help each other, and we protect each other.” In practice, the chances of Ukraine joining NATO have only grown slimmer in the course of the Russian invasion. Member countries, including the United States, have drawn clear lines: They arm Ukraine, but they don’t have their own troops on the ground out of concern for triggering a World War. Just an hour before Zelensky’s announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s illegal annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, which Russian forces have partially occupied. At the time of Putin’s speech, Zelensky was meeting with his National Security Council. “There will be no negotiations with Russia while Putin is the president,” Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, said on Telegram. “We are moving forward. To victory.” Read More Here

Another Major Brand Is Discounting Its Extra Inventory | CNN Business https://digitalarkansasnews.com/another-major-brand-is-discounting-its-extra-inventory-cnn-business/ New York CNN Business  —  Add Nike to the list of brands and stores discounting excess merchandise to clear it off shelves. Nike (NKE) said Thursday its inventory levels soared 65% in North America, its largest market, and 44% overall last quarter from a year ago. After navigating limited supply in 2021 Nike is now carrying far too much product, particularly when it comes to clothing. “We effectively have a few seasons landing in the marketplace at the same time,” creating a glut, Nike CEO John Donahoe said on a call with analysts Thursday. Donahoe explained that when Nike factories in Vietnam and Indonesia had to close after Covid-19 outbreaks, goods arrived late for this year’s spring, summer and fall seasons. Then Nike’s upcoming holiday season orders arrived earlier than planned. Meanwhile, the brand still has merchandise orders in transit. Nike will discount items to move them, and those promotions will weigh on its profitability for the coming quarters, he added. Nike’s stock tumbled 11% during afternoon trading Friday. Investors also are worried about other athletic companies’ inventory, Under Armour (UA), Adidas (ADDDF), Dick’s (DKS) and other athletic companies all fell sharply Friday as well on the Nike news. To unload goods that are now out of season and shift to the appropriate holiday selection, Nike will move more clothing to its own factory stores, promote online and sell more to discount stores such as TJ Maxx. Nike in recent years has been pulling back on selling products to other retailers. Sending its goods to discount chains is a last resort. “We are taking decisive action to clear excess inventory, focusing on specific pockets of seasonally late products, predominantly in apparel,” Donahoe said. Inventory glut has been an issue across retail companies, with Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT) and others saying in recent weeks that they expect the upcoming shopping season to be packed with discounts. This year, retailers seriously misjudged what’s in demand and are sitting on too much casual clothing, home goods, electronics and other non-essentials. But the level of Nike’s excess inventory was not expected. “The surprise of the quarter was the magnitude of promotional activity needed to move through excess apparel,” Lorraine Hutchinson, an analyst at Bank of America, said in a note to clients Friday. Despite the inventory glut, Nike did have some positive news to share: Demand remained strong, especially for sneakers, even in the face of high inflation. Overall, Nike’s sales jumped 4% last quarter from the same period a year ago. “We see strong consumer demand in North America currently,” Donahoe said. “There’s no signs of any softness.” Read More Here

Hurricane Ian Live Updates: 2 Million Still Without Power, DeSantis To Speak https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hurricane-ian-live-updates-2-million-still-without-power-desantis-to-speak/ Live updates will be posted here regarding the impacts of Hurricane Ian on our region. Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole counties are now eligible for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Ian. Individuals and households in Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole counties can apply for FEMA Individual Assistance, which may include temporary housing assistance, basic home repairs and certain other uninsured disaster-related needs. These counties join Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties, which were previously approved for Individual Assistance. Survivors can apply for disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to, youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw. For information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Ian, visit fema.gov/disaster/hurricane-ian. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema. Gov. Ron DeSantis will give an update on the efforts made in the wake of Hurricane Ian’s devastation in Florida from the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee on Friday morning with the press conference slated to begin at 8:45 a.m. In attendance will be Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, the Florida National Guard’s Major General James O. Eifert and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. The press conference will be streamed at thefloridachannel.org. Richard Tribou More than 2 million homes and businesses in the state remain without power as of 7:30 a.m. Friday, according to poweroutage.us. More than 2.6 million had been out on Thursday with the hardest hit counties in Southwest Florida still reeling. “Lee and Charlotte are basically off the grid at this point,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said noting power restoration will take time. “Charlotte and Lee reconnects are really going to likely have to be rebuilding of that infrastructure.” The state has 42,000 linemen responding to the power outages. Richard Tribou Passenger flights at OIA will resume Friday afternoon | 9:45 p.m. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s CEO Kevin Thibault said the Orlando International Airport will resume passenger flights Friday afternoon after an assessment of the property found little to minor damage. GOAA ceased commercial operations on Wednesday out of an abundance of caution pending the arrival of Hurricane Ian. Thibault said airport crew members inspected the area and are working to remove water buildup in order to resume operations by tomorrow afternoon. They inspected the airfield, airside property, gate and terminal links (trams), landside facilities and roads to ensure safe passage for buses and cars, an announcement said. Travelers are being advised to arrive at the airport for their departure after 10 a.m. to give enough time for airport workers and partners to prepare. Those wishing to adjust their flight should check with their individual airlines and rental car companies as many are adjusting their schedules and adding relief flights over the weekend. Amanda Rabines Disney, the first to announce its reopening plan around 2:45 p.m. Thursday, also unveiled its reopening times for Friday. At Magic Kingdom, early entry time is at 8 a.m. with general admission at 10 a.m. Early opening time at Epcot is at 9 a.m. with the park opening to all guests at 11 a.m. Early entry times at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively, with general admission open two hours later. Reservations are needed. Disney Springs will be open from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. First responders have conducted about 700 confirmed rescues of people put in peril by Hurricane Ian, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday evening. The majority of those rescues were done in areas hit hardest by the storm including Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island. The rescues were conducted by air, sea and via high water vehicles, DeSantis said. Still, DeSantis said he expected more deaths from the storm. He declined to give a number of deaths so far, saying the figure was still being tallied. Unofficially, at least 11 deaths have been reported. Emergency management chief Kevin Guthrie said further deaths can be avoided if residents steer clear of power lines and using equipment such as chainsaws if they don’t know how to use them. David Harris The barricaded perimeter around Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs wasn’t the only thing stopping curious neighbors from entering after Hurricane Ian dropped a massive amount of rain over Central Florida Wednesday evening. The lake was overflowing by Thursday covering most of the park and its paved one-mile-long walkway with a layer of floodwater that stretched all the way to the corner entrance on East Central Parkway and Festival Drive. By Thursday evening as Hurricane Ian moved off Florida’s East Coast and strengthened again, the park was left with the wreckage it caused the night before. Massive amounts of debris covered the upland areas. Cranes Roost Lake’s water levels reached above the boardwalks that hover over the lake and connect pedestrians to the walkways on land. Water covered most of the stadium-style seating that fronts the Eddie Rose Amphitheater – making it look more like the floating amphitheater it was originally designed to be. Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Martz was not immediately available to respond to questions about drainage procedure. Earlier Thursday morning an emergency executive order in Altamonte Springs enforced a strict 5 mph speed limit on certain roads, including Central Parkway and Cranes Roost Boulevard, due to severe flooding. Amanda Rabines Rainfall levels along Ian’s trajectory reached from 14 to nearly 17 inches as the storm moved from coastal counties such as Sarasota inland to Orange, Osceola, and Polk Counties, even leaving more than 14 inches on the east coast’s Brevard and Volusia Counties. About 20 miles north of the storm’s landfall, the seaside town of Nokomis in Sarasota County was slammed with 14.20 inches of rain. In Polk County, just inland, Ian’s fury left 16.99 inches on Lake Wales, about midway between Sebring and Orlando. Osceola County’s town of Campbell as inundated with 15.65 inches, and in Orange County, Orlando was hit with 14.37 inches and Union Park, about 10 miles east of Orlando, received 14.88 inches. As the storm progressed northeast, it dumped 16.14 inches on Seminole County’s Lake Mary and 15.11 inches in Winter Springs. Ian maintained wind up to 81 mph as it reached the east coast’s Brevard County, where Titusville was hit with 14.07 inches of rain and the Nasa Shuttle Facility received 14.45 inches. In Volusia County just to the south, New Smyrna Beach got slammed with 15.42 inches. Bill Kearney Universal Orlando will begin reopening in phases to hotel guests only Friday, according to the resort. “We continue to conduct assessment and recovery efforts across our entire destination with the safety of guests and team members being our top priority,” the resort said in a statement. Universal began recalling employees to work Thursday night, according to its employee website. Before publicly announcing the phased resort reopening Thursday, Universal told employees scheduled for Friday they should be prepared to work. Katie Rice As Hurricane Ian leaves the state, 2.6 million people were without power as of Thursday evening, according to poweroutage.us. The majority of those outages were in southwest Florida where the storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon. Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier Thursday described the area, particularly Charlotte and Lee counties, as “off the grid.” Charlotte has 112,000 of 127,000 customers out while Lee has 412,000 customers out of the 471,000. In Collier County, 196,000 out of out of the 262,000 customers are out. As far as Central Florida: Orange: About 209,000 out of 603,000 customers are without power. Osceola: 19,000 out of 200,000 Polk: 162,000 out of 305,000 Seminole: 131,000 out of 225,000. Lake: 30,000 out of 169,000 Volusia: 247,000 out of 312,000 Brevard: 92,000 out of 330,000 David Harris Hurricane Ian has regained its strength over the Atlantic as the storm was once again upgraded to Category 1 hurricane during the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. update. Although the storm has moved offshore from Central Florida, the NHC advised that major-to-record river flooding will continue across portions of central Florida, including the Little Wekiva River, which is already causing substantial area flooding and isn’t expected to crest until Sunday. A storm surge warning remains in effect for the St. Johns River and the NHC advises that hurricane conditions may continue into tonight for northeastern Florida. Hurricane Ian is currently located 240 miles south of Charleston, S.C., with maximum sustained winds of 75 MPH. Hurricane Ian is again a Category 1 storm as it heads for the coasts of North and South Carolina. Gatorland’s parking lot is flooded and an alarm is going off at the front entrance. Gatorland’s parking lot is flooded and an alarm is going off at the front entrance after Hurricane Ian. Legoland Florida in Winter Haven will also remain closed through Friday because of Hurricane Ian, the resort said Thursday. The resort will allow guests with tickets dated Wednesday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Oct. 2 to redeem the tickets on another date through the end of the year. Legoland noted that its call center offices are temporarily closed as staff shelters fro...

Ian Duty Gives DeSantis The Chance To Act Like A Normal Governor Just Before The Election https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ian-duty-gives-desantis-the-chance-to-act-like-a-normal-governor-just-before-the-election/ After two years of seeming to govern to please the Republican Party’s Trump base, Florida’s Ron DeSantis will have the chance to sound and act like a normal governor as he leads the state’s response to Hurricane Ian — and just in time for the November election. With visits to stricken areas, news conferences about the cleanup and recovery, and the excuse to be too busy working to engage in partisan fights, the devastating storm could provide DeSantis a glide path into a second term, should he choose to take it. “This is an opportunity to do something different and be a little less objectionable, a little less repulsive,” said Mac Stipanovich, a GOP consultant who left the party after its takeover by former President Donald Trump. And, at least so far, DeSantis appears to be following that strategy. At a news conference in hard-hit Charlotte County on Thursday, DeSantis got through 23 minutes without once mentioning migrants, critical race theory, transgender people, or any of the other culture-war issues that have consumed much of his public appearances as part of a presumed run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, speaks as he stands with Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, during a news conference on Sept. 26 in Largo, Florida. via Associated Press “I’m really impressed with the resiliency we’re seeing in Charlotte County,” he said. “The response here and just the way people have reacted is very, very impressive.” “That’s obviously something that we’ll rebuild, but it’s not something that will happen overnight,” he added in answer to a question about the destruction of the sole causeway linking devastated Sanibel Island to the mainland. DeSantis, of course, is able to take advantage of the state’s emergency management infrastructure that has been improved and streamlined following Hurricane Andrew’s landfall on southern Miami-Dade County in 1992. First Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles and then Republican Jeb Bush worked with lawmakers from both parties to create a Department of Emergency Management that has become a model for how it prepares for approaching storms and deals with their aftermaths. “We have a pretty good apparatus. This is something we’re practiced in,” said Dan Gelber, the Democratic mayor of Miami Beach. “Everybody knows how to salute smartly and do what they’re supposed to do.” Charlie Crist, the former Republican governor of Florida who is now the Democratic nominee challenging DeSantis in November, said a Florida governor nowadays does not need to do much beyond staying out of the way. “There’s a great machine that’s been put together by some great leaders, and all you’ve got to do is turn it on,” he said. Crist, who recently resigned the congressional seat he’d held for almost three terms to focus on campaigning for his old job, has been criticizing DeSantis for more than a year for not taking more aggressive measures to fix the state’s property insurance crisis. He said Hurricane Ian’s trail of destruction across the state will now make Floridians suffer because of DeSantis’ inaction. “A lot of it is his fault,” Crist said. “He called a special session, and he did virtually nothing, in terms of helping consumers.” Neither DeSantis’ campaign nor his governor’s office responded to HuffPost queries for this story. In this aerial view, parts of Sanibel Causeway are washed away along with sections of the bridge after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Sept. 29 in Sanibel, Florida. Joe Raedle via Getty Images In May, the state legislature passed a bill DeSantis backed and later signed into law that created a new, taxpayer-funded $2 billion program to help insurance companies get “reinsurance” through the state’s catastrophe fund. The companies are required to pass along savings back to consumers, but that was not expected to happen until at least a year later. In the meantime, Floridians have continued to see massive increases in their premiums or have their policies canceled outright. Crist said he would have insisted on a more comprehensive package that lowered rates immediately, as he did when he became governor in 2007. He said that with Ian’s passage, thousands of Floridians are about to get a firsthand primer on how bad the system has become, and millions more will do so when all insurance policies are assessed fees to bail out the catastrophe fund. An initial analysis by the industry research firm Fitch Ratings said damage caused by Ian could be as much as $40 billion in Florida. “It’s a disaster on top of a disaster. Good luck getting your home repaired,” Crist said. Working in DeSantis’ favor, though, is timing. Most, if not all, of the negative consequences on the insurance market are unlikely to present themselves for several months — long after the Nov. 8 midterms. “He will probably have the benefit, and this is a ghoulish thing to say, of this hurricane for his reelection bid,” Stipanovich said. “Absentee ballots are in the mail now … The bad stuff that might result from the hurricane, that is a deferred cost.” Crist, who is trailing in most polls by several points, agrees that DeSantis has the opportunity now to cast himself as a more normal leader, but it remains to be seen whether he will continue to avail himself of that or whether Floridians will buy into the new image. “Only if they see this very late-term turn to normalcy as reality rather than a necessity,” he said. “Is it a late-term awakening? Or a temporary lapse of the insanity?” Read More Here

Zinke Put On Defensive Over Past Lies In U.S. House Debate https://digitalarkansasnews.com/zinke-put-on-defensive-over-past-lies-in-u-s-house-debate/ Associated Press  |  Associated Press BUTTE, Mont. — Former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke faced sharp attacks for past dishonesty from his Democratic opponent in a Montana U.S. House race debate on Thursday night, as the Republican sought to downplay recent reports from federal investigators who said he lied to them in two separate cases. Zinke narrowly won the June Republican primary over a lesser-known opponent in his bid to return to Congress after resigning from Trump’s cabinet amid numerous ethics investigations. He’s challenged by Democrat Monica Tranel, a Missoula attorney and Libertarian John Lamb, a farmer from Norris. The Interior Department’s inspector general, a Trump appointee, said Zinke lied to federal investigators examining a Native American casino proposal in Connecticut that Zinke effectively blocked and his involvement in a real estate project in his hometown of Whitefish. Zinke sought to turn the tables and accused Tranel of misleading voters about his record when the issue came up just minutes into the live debate at Montana Technological University. “After five years, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, you know what the report concluded? That I didn’t follow the employee handbook and had a lack of candor. I don’t know that means. I answered their questions. They just didn’t like my answers,” he said. Prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges and Zinke has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. But Tranel encouraged voters to read the inspector general’s reports themselves. “Don’t take our word for it,” Tranel said. “That’s exactly what they do say — that Ryan Zinke lied to investigators.” Tranel, a former Olympic rower, cruised to victory in the Democratic primary. But in Zinke she faces a well-financed opponent with wide name recognition from his time in Congress and previously in the state Senate. Zinke repeatedly linked Tranel to national Democratic policies that he blamed for a sharp increase in inflation since President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump and took office last year. He said Tranel’s legal work at the Montana Consumer Council advocating against utilities such as NorthWestern industry had resulted in higher energy prices that would only get worse if she and other Democrats prevail in November. “You can’t kill U.S. oil and gas,” said Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, who oversaw a sharp rise in domestic oil and gas drilling at Interior and worked to ease environmental restrictions on the industry. Tranel said climate change has to be addressed including the role that America’s energy usage plays in it. The 2020 Census gave Montana a second congressional district for the first time in 30 years. The district is considered to lean Republican, but Democrats are hoping to win their first U.S. House race in the state since 1997, when former Democratic Rep. Pat Williams left office. Lamb, a supporter of the anti-government Bundy family, has not reported raising any money for his campaign. He said his candidacy gives voters an alternative to the major parties. “Big money corrupts,” Lamb said. “It makes politicians corrupt and the people need a grassroots-type candidate to lead this western district and I believe I’m the middle guy.” The start of the debate was briefly delayed when Zinke complained minutes before it was to start about Tranel bringing notes to the lectern. Zinke said the debate rules said notes would not be allowed, but relented when the event organizers said there had been no such agreement. Campaign filings show Zinke’s campaign has raised and spent far more money than Tranel, but Democrats have narrowed the gap through outside groups that have spent heavily opposing the Republican. Read More Here