CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Standard Apartments was not in a mandatory evacuation zone, and when Hurricane Helene passed through the region, there was no flooding. That all changed early Thursday morning as residents weathering Hurricane Milton started to see the waters rise in the parking lots and into the first-floor apartments.By 8:00 a.m., those who did not get out before the water rose up to six or eight feet were stranded in second-floor units. Multiple calls went out for any first responders with boats or high-water vehicles to help rescue trapped people from the complex. Blaze Media was with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers who were sent to the Tampa Bay area ahead of Milton making landfall. FWC is Florida's law enforcement and research agency that protects the state's famous wildlife and resources. FWC used a swamp buggy to help the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office take people and their pets out of the flooded area.Millions of Floridians lost power, and wind damage was extensive.The task was made difficult because the water level was high enough to reach up to first responders' necks but was too shallow for bigger boats to be used. The swamp buggy offered a key advantage in that it allowed more people to be taken away in one trip, but it was also limited to the more shallow parts of the flooded zone. At first, the mission was to take only residents who wished to leave as some who lived on the second floor said they wanted to stay, but that changed after authorities expressed concerns about water messing with the electricity and potentially starting fires. The order was given to evacuate everyone out of the apartments.Within five hours, FWC, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, and Clearwater's police and firefighters ferried over 450 people out of the area. Thursday's rescue operation in Clearwater was one of the few that needed so many emergency personnel. That is because Hurricane Milton, while still a strong storm, did not make landfall into Tampa Bay. A landfall there would have been devastating as the 15-foot storm surge would have brought the water not just into the peninsula, but also to Downtown Tampa and the immediate surrounding area with a larger population.Milton landed just south in Sarasota County, demonstrating how close to an epic disaster Tampa Bay came. While the worst-case scenario did not take place, millions of Floridians lost power, and wind damage was extensive. Governor Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday morning said power had been restored to over 630,000 accounts by 6:00 a.m.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Fans of the New York Jets were stunned when the team announced the unceremonious mid-season firing of head coach Robert Saleh, but the Council on American-Islamic Relations is adding fuel to the dumpster fire. The 45-year-old was fired Tuesday over a slow start to the team's season, which saw only two wins and three losses, as well as perceived animosity between him and their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 'We encourage the Jets to thoroughly explain its unusually hostile reported treatment of Coach Saleh.' CAIR pounced on a report claiming that the team's ownership had security physically walk Saleh out of their building, a decision that was seen as disrespectful and insulting. It also referenced some speculation that Saleh wearing a Lebanese flag at a game had angered the owner amid war between Israel and terrorists in Lebanon. “We commend Coach Robert Saleh for making history as the first American Muslim head coach in NFL history," read the statement from CAIR. "Although no one should jump to conclusions about why the Jets fired Coach Saleh, the report that Jets security physically escorted Saleh out of the building does raise concerns about the possible motive for such unusual hostility—especially given that Saleh wore a Lebanese flag pin at a game just days ago and that owner Woody Johnson is a former Trump administration official who has been accused of making racially charged remarks," it added. "We encourage the Jets to thoroughly explain its unusually hostile reported treatment of Coach Saleh," the statement concluded. In 2020, Johnson, who had accepted an ambassadorship in the Trump administration, was accused of racist comments against black athletes and inappropriate comments against women. He denied the accusations. The Jets will face the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football game in a home game from Rutherford, New Jersey. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

If you imagine a game all about building a settlement with a ton of beavers, you’re no doubt thinking about something far more rustic than Timberborn. This city builder lets you put together huge metropolises that span massive areas of a post-apocalypse Earth, all with a beavery twist. Still in early access, it’s just launched one of its biggest updates yet, with water its standout feature. Continue reading New Timberborn update floods the city building game with tons of water MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best city building games, Best strategy games, Best management games

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Image: Ticketmaster Ticketmaster announced today that it will be the first ticketing company to use Apple’s upgraded Apple Wallet tickets for iOS 18. With the improved tickets, you’ll be able to see event information “such as a map of the venue and parking details, recommended playlists from Apple Music, local forecasts from Weather, and easy access to location sharing to help fans find their friends when they arrive,” Ticketmaster says. Venues and teams will also be able to add links to their app or website. The first Ticketmaster event to use the upgraded tickets will be the October 19th Los Angeles Football Club game at BMO Stadium. Ticketmaster says the Miami Heat will be “next to debut” the new ticket experience, though the company didn’t say exactly... Continue reading…

Kitsune (狐狸精), the Japanese fox-spirit, is also known as the Kumiho (구미호) in Korea and the Huli Jing (狐狸精) in China. They are basically the same creature but with a few differences based on region. Read moreSection: NewsMyths & LegendsAsiaRead Later