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‘Reverse Storm Surge’: Hurricane Milton Could Flood Tampa Bay — Or Shockingly Dry It (Maria)
The author writes, “Depending on where Hurricane Milton lands, the Tampa Bay area could be flooded with a huge storm surge — or it could have its bay sucked dry of water. The ‘reverse’ storm surge phenomenon … is truly one of the strangest results of a hurricane, and Tampa Bay is especially vulnerable, experts say. It happened in Florida during Hurricanes Irma and Ian, and it could happen this week too if Milton makes landfall to the south of Tampa Bay, said WeatherTiger meteorologist Ryan Truchelut. As of Tuesday morning, the forecast track of the center of Milton shows it hitting land just to the south of Tampa Bay, the National Hurricane Center said.”
Harris Is Running a Much Bigger Campaign Than Trump. Will It Matter? (Russ)
The authors write, “Harris is running a campaign about three times the size of Trump’s operation, according to recent spending reports. She has placed $263 million in ads between the end of the Democratic convention and Oct. 4, nearly 2½ times as much as the $109 million spent by Trump, according to AdImpact.”
Three Pending Supreme Court Rulings That May Change America (Sean)
From Newsweek: “The new Supreme Court term [began] on Monday, October 7. With it comes major cases that will help define life in the United States, from gun control to online pornography. Here are the major cases the court will be considering this term.”
Antisemitic Incidents in US Surge to Record High — Report (Mili)
The author writes, “Reports of antisemitic incidents in the US have reached a record high since last year’s Hamas attack in Israel, according to a preliminary report from the Anti-Defamation League Center for Extremism (ADL). The group found more than 10,000 incidents from 7 October 2023 to 24 September of this year, more than a 200% increase compared to the same period a year earlier. It is the highest ever since the ADL began tracking such incidents in 1979.”
‘I Saw a Mirror’: Marcellus Williams’s Execution Enrages Palestine Solidarity Protesters (Laura)
From The Intercept: “Activists are drawing parallels between the state-sanctioned killing of Williams in Missouri and U.S. backing for Israel’s war on Gaza.”
Sonora Ranchers Warn Imperiled San Pedro Aquifer Will Impact Arizona, Too (Reader Steve)
From the Arizona Daily Star: “The scarcity of water in Sonora’s portion of the binational San Pedro River aquifer is sounding an alarm for activists trying to save the arid Southwest’s last free-flowing river and its national riparian conservation area in Arizona. Reports of a dwindling water supply from northern Sonora ranchers and conservationists are also calling into question long-held assumptions about how much water moves from the headwaters of the San Pedro, near Cananea, Sonora, and flows north into Arizona.”
After 31 Years, a French Treasure Hunt May Have a Winner. The Prize: A Valuable Golden Owl (Dana)
The author writes, “A 31-year-long treasure hunt that drew in thousands of enthusiasts across France appeared to have come to an end Thursday, after official social media accounts linked to the search said the token needed to claim the grand prize had been found. The hunt, ‘On the Trail of the Golden Owl,’ was based on a book of riddles published in 1993. Participants had to solve 11 puzzles in the book — and a 12th one that was hidden — to decipher the exact location of the token.”
From Our Archives:
With Idalia Barreling Down on Florida, State’s Homeowners Insurance Woes on Display
The author, a member of WhoWhatWhy‘s Mentor Apprentice Program, writes, “With increased hurricanes and flooding playing a large role in their choice to leave, major insurance companies had all but abandoned Florida by 2009. Since then, Floridians have seen premiums skyrocket and affordable options dwindle. By 2022, Florida had more homeowners without coverage per capita than any other state.”
