Hurricane Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, FL, as a strong 155 mph hurricane.  The storm is now entering the southeast Georgia area while retaining quite a bit of energy.  The 5:00pm EST advisory: Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph (205 km/h) with higher gusts. Michael is a dangerous category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

STORM SURGE: Water levels are beginning to recede in some locations, however, the combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will continue to cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. (read more)
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Hurricane Michael has made landfall east of Panama City Beach in an area called Mexico Beach.  The well defined eye-wall hits the coast as an extremely strong category 4 storm with sustained winds of 155 MPH.  [Cat5 is 157mph]  The area near Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base is taking a direct hit. Wind gauges near the AFB recorded wind speeds of 130mph prior to equipment failure.
All small residential structures on/near the Mexico Beach impact zone are suffering complete structural failure. Larger steel reinforced concrete buildings are under extreme pressure.

[Hurricane Center] At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Michael was located near latitude 30.0 North, longitude 85.5 West. Michael is moving toward the north-northeast near 14 mph (22 km/h). Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 155 mph (250 km/h) with higher gusts
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As a very powerful hurricane Michael approached the Florida panhandle President Trump, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and FEMA Director Brock Long brief the president on current storm response and recovery status.

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Unfortunately the predictions of continued strengthening have proved accurate. Hurricane Michael now holds sustained winds over 130 MPH with additional strengthening likely prior to landfall later today. This makes Michael a Category-4 hurricane; the strongest to hit the Florida panhandle in history.  It looks like Panama City Beach is in the bulls-eye.

[National Hurricane Center] At 100 AM CDT (0600 UTC), the center of Hurricane Michael was located near latitude 27.7 North, longitude 86.6 West. Michael is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h). A northward motion is expected this morning, followed by a northeastward motion later today and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the northeastern Gulf of Mexico this morning.
The center of Michael’s eye is then expected to move inland over the Florida Panhandle or Florida Big Bend area later today, move northeastward across the southeastern United States tonight and Thursday, and then move off the Mid-Atlantic coast away from the United States on Friday.
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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Folks, Hurricane Michael is very serious.  Everyone in the Florida coastal communities of the panhandle and Alabama coast need to take this approaching storm very seriously.  Currently a category-3 storm with winds exceeding 120mph, there is a very real possibility of the storm gaining additional strength before landfall; current forecasts now predict a category-4 storm potential.

#HurricaneMichael will be the strongest storm to impact portions of Florida in more than 100 years. DO NOT IGNORE #EVACUATION ORDERS #alert

— FL Division of Emergency Management (@FLSERT) October 9, 2018

[Hurricane Center] At 700 PM CDT (0000 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Michael was located near latitude 26.6 North, longitude 86.5 West. Michael is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h). A northward motion is expected through tonight, followed by a northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of Michael will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico through tonight.
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A bus-load of professional Marxists from New York City were transported up to New York’s 19th Congressional District to give support for left-wing loon candiate Antonio Delgado. However, before arrival the female organizer told volunteers to keep quiet about being from NYC because the optics of having to bus-in Venezuela Democrats is not so good.

The Washington Free Beacon obtained audio of Kate Linker, president of Greater NYC for Change, telling a group of volunteers on a bus sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) that the Delgado campaign is concerned about the optics of them visiting, saying that they should not post on social media that they are from New York City.

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Tonight President Donald Trump his heading to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he will hold another MAGA rally in advance of the 2018 mid-terms.  President Trump is anticipated to make an announcement about a review for enhanced ethanol use.
President Trump is scheduled to appear at 7:30pm ET, with pre-rally events ongoing:
UPDATE: Video Added

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“We go right back to business” – While departing the White House for a MAGA rally in Council Bluffs, Iowa, President Trump again stops by the media pool for an impromptu press conference to answer the media’s questions.

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The media have so much transparent access the don’t know what to do with themselves.
South Lawn – 3:38 P.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: So we’re heading out to Iowa, where we have a big statement to make, as you know, on ethanol and for our farmers. Likewise, we’re taking care of our refineries and our refiners, and they’ve done a fantastic job. But we want to get more fuel into the system, and this is a great thing.
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