Hurricane Milton updates: Biden visits hard-hit communities in Florida as power outages continue in Tampa

President Joe Biden, during a visit Sunday to the Sunshine State to survey damage from Hurricane Milton, announced $612 million in funding for investments in the power grid, including $94 million for storm-hit Florida.

“In moments like these, we come together to look out for each other — not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans,” Biden said during his address in St. Pete Beach.

“Americans who need help, Americans who would help you if you were in a similar situation. We are a United States. One United States.”

Investments in Florida include $47 million in Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million in Switched Source through a partnership with Florida Power and Light.

Such projects will be part of the state’s long-term recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which struck the state in a period of less than two weeks between late September and this Wednesday, when Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm.

Read more in our full story.

A woman who says she is the daughter of Joseph Malinowski, 54 – a man from Tampa, Florida, who went viral and was nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan” for his decision to ride out the approaching hurricanes Helene and Milton on his boat – is worried about his sudden fame and donations from well-wishers putting her father at risk.

Ashley Ann Malinowski voiced her concerns in a series of TikToks on Friday.

“Without all the money, Lieutenant Dan was doing just fine,” she told viewers in a video.

“You’re going to fuck famous people on TikTok, you’re going to blow him up and he’s going to be dead before he can fucking enjoy this boat and stuff. Because look at him after you all caught him and now he’s awesome in all these videos.”

More details in our full story.

Hurricane Milton didn’t just impact the people of Florida. It also caused massive disruption to the state’s famous wildlife.

Species like the sooty tern and the spruce bird were blown hundreds of miles outside their usual range, to states like Indiana and Kentucky.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Helene disrupted the migration of over 100 million birds. The Washington Post Reports.

Hurricane Milton didn’t just impact the people of Florida. It also caused massive disruption to the state’s famous wildlife.

Species like the sooty tern and the spruce bird were blown hundreds of miles outside their usual range, to states like Indiana and Kentucky.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Helene disrupted the migration of over 100 million birds. The Washington Post Reports.

In a bizarre twist, Florida residents have begun auctioning off parts of Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball stadium whose roof was torn off during Hurricane Milton, on eBay.

Portions of the roof and outfield turf sell for prices ranging from $150 to a whopping $1,000. USA today Reports.

For more details on what happened to the stadium, see our full story.

President Joe Biden, during a visit Sunday to the Sunshine State to survey damage from Hurricane Milton, announced $612 million in funding for investments in the power grid, including $94 million for storm-hit Florida.

“In moments like these, we come together to look out for each other — not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans,” Biden said during his address in St. Pete Beach. Such projects will be part of the state’s long-term recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which struck the state in a period of less than two weeks between late September and this Wednesday, when Milton made landfall as a Category 3 storm.

At least 23 people have died in Florida as a result of Milton.

The fallen include a woman who was crushed by a tree in her bedroom in Ormond Beach, an 89-year-old who had a cardiac emergency after paramedics were unable to answer calls and an Orange County man who was seen cleaning up debris was electrocuted in the storm The Tampa Bay Times.

More details in our full story.

According to Hurricane Milton reports, at least 23 people have died due to Hurricane Milton Tampa Bay Times.

The dead include an elderly woman crushed by a tree in Ormond Beach, an 89-year-old who suffered a cardiac emergency when emergency responders stopped responding to calls and an Orange County man who was found cleaning up debris was electrocuted in the storm.

The state also rescued more than 1,000 people stranded in homes and other buildings, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said yesterday.

While Florida picks up the debris after Hurricane Milton, North Carolina is still reeling from Hurricane Helene.

The hardest-hit city of Asheville still has no running water and 40,000 customers remain without power in the western part of the state.

North Carolina officials say there are 93 storm-related deaths in the state.