By Christine Sexton | Senior Reporter
“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.”—FEMA
Businesses in downtown Pensacola were almost entirely closed on the afternoon of Friday, Oct. 9, hours before Hurricane Isaias was set to make landfall. Businesses used sandbags to stop flooding and police cars were stationed throughout the downtown area. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
Hurricane Isaias weakened to a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall Friday near Destin around 8:30 p.m. Central Time with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. President Donald Trump has approved federal disaster assistance for Florida, according to a notice posted by FEMA. The move authorizes the agency to coordinate recovery efforts.
DeSantis this week withdrew the death warrant for 74-year-old William Thompson convicted for the 1976 murder, kidnapping, and rape of 23-year-old woman in Miami-Dade County. The governor offered no explanation for the withdrawal in the letter he sent to Florida State Prison Warden Randall Park but the move came a week after more than 100 medical professionals asked him to call of the execution.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott knows a little something about close gubernatorial elections, having twice been elected governor by a single percentage point. Scott appeared this week with GOP gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds who, a new public opinion poll released this week shows, is in a dead heat with Democrat David Jolly in the race for governor.
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