Social media influencer arrested after filming herself getting ready to steal from store using fake barcodes: Police
Cape Coral Police Department
(CAPE CORAL, FL) — A 22-year-old social media influencer on TikTok with nearly 300,000 followers has been arrested after using fake barcodes to steal from Target and filming herself getting ready before the alleged theft, police say.
The Cape Coral Police Department in Florida responded to a Target branch located at 1890 NE Pine Island Road in Cape Coral last Wednesday regarding a past retail theft that occurred on Oct. 30, according to a statement from the Cape Coral Police Department.
“Loss Prevention at Target stated that on October 30, 2024, an unknown female entered the store and selected items listed for sale,” police said. “Once at the self-checkout register, the female suspect did not scan the items’ barcodes, instead scanning a false barcode with cheaper prices.”
In total, 16 items of miscellaneous household goods and clothing were stolen with a total retail value of $500.32, which was verified by officers via Target’s security cameras.
In an attempt to help identify the suspect through public assistance, the Cape Coral Police Department’s Facebook and Instagram accounts posted the female’s picture, describing her as appearing to be “approximately 20-35 years old, had long black hair, and was wearing a tan shirt, tan pants, and glasses.”
An anonymous caller who saw the post on social media subsequently contacted the police and gave the possible identification for the suspect as Marlena Velez and informed them of her social media profiles.
“Officers then found Marlena’s TikTok account, which documents her getting ready on October 30, 2024, in the same outfit and glasses and going to Target,” police said. “Marlena documents herself picking out items inside the store and placing them in her car after exiting the store. Marlena appears to be a content creator with almost 300,000 followers.”
Velez has since been arrested and taken to the Lee County Jail and charged with petit theft of less than $750.
(NEW YORK) — Helene — which has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane — is taking aim at Florida, where it’s forecast to make landfall along the Big Bend area on Thursday night.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Hurricane Helene is now a Category 4 storm
As Hurricane Helene nears landfall in Florida, the storm has grown to Category 4 strength with 130 mph winds.
Red Cross calls for blood donations ahead of Hurricane Helene
After blood shortages in August, the American Red Cross told ABC News the organization’s blood supply is no longer at emergency levels, but encouraged people in areas unaffected by Hurricane Helene to donate.
Ahead of the storm’s landfall in Florida, the Red Cross sent hundreds of blood products to Florida, and distributed blood products to ensure blood remains available for patients in the affected areas.
“Our immediate concern is the potential interruption of our blood collection efforts in the Southeast due to Hurricane Helene. We anticipate a number of blood drives in the impacted areas to be canceled or otherwise affected in the coming days, disrupting our ability to collect necessary and lifesaving blood products,” a Red Cross spokesperson told ABC News.
“We really need people in unaffected areas to step up and donate blood to help make up for the uncollected donations that will result from Hurricane Helene,” the spokesperson added.
Over 200,000 customers without power in Southern states
As of 5:00 p.m. ET, 205,914 customers are without power in the South with most of the outages in Florida, where Hurricane Helene is expected to make landfall Thursday evening.
There are 181,621 customers in Florida without power.
North Carolina power outages rose to 13,223 customers.
And there are over 11,000 customers without power in Georgia.
Harris addresses Hurricane Helene: ‘Take this storm very seriously’
Vice President Kamala Harris began a White House event on gun violence Thursday by first addressing Hurricane Helene, forecast to make landfall in Florida tonight.
“The president and I, of course, are monitoring the case and the situation closely, and we urge everyone who is watching at this very moment to take this storm very seriously and please follow the guidance of the local officials,” Harris said.
Harris said she and President Biden will continue working with state and local officials “to ensure that everyone is safe and to protect communities before, during and after the storm,” Harris said.
Hurricane Helene still on track to become Category 4 storm at landfall
Helene is still expected to be a hazardous Category 4 hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida Thursday between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. ET, with winds of at least 130 mph.
Currently a Category 3 hurricane, Helene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 125mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is likely to continue leading up to landfall.
At 5:00 p.m. ET, Helene was located 130 miles west of Tampa and 175 miles south of Tallahassee.
Helene is a very large storm with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 60 miles from the center and tropical-storm force winds extending outward up to 310 miles from the center.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Over 173,000 customers without power in Florida
More than 173,000 customers in Florida have lost power so far as Hurricane Helene nears landfall.
At least 1,200 flights canceled
Airlines have canceled at least 1,200 flights across the country as Hurricane Helene moves in.
The airports seeing the biggest impacts are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers and Tampa International Airport.
Tampa International Airport, Tallahassee International Airport and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport are all closed on Thursday.
Latest forecast
Hurricane Helene is forecast to make landfall as a major hurricane between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 pm. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region.
Because Helene is a very large hurricane, it will impact nearly all of Florida.
Helene is set to bring catastrophic storm surge up to 20 feet to the Big Bend area. Four to 8 feet of storm surge is expected around Tampa Bay.
The major 110 mph winds will cause widespread tree damage and power outages across the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area.
Tornado watches are in effect for most of Florida and parts of Georgia and South Carolina through Thursday night.
By Friday morning, Helene will weaken to a tropical storm as it moves north through Atlanta with heavy rain and strong winds.
Georgia should be prepared for hurricane-force wind gusts to cause damage and power outages.
Rainfall totals from Helene will be 6 to 12 inches, with locally up to 20 inches in some areas.
Catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding, as well as significant landslides, are expected across portions of the southern Appalachians through Friday. There is an extreme flood risk from Tallahassee, Florida, to Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
All of Georgia will be impacted, governor warns
All counties in Georgia are under a state of emergency as Hurricane Helene nears.
“This is a big storm — it’s going to affect the entire state,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said.
“This storm is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen in the Atlantic in terms of size, covering nearly 500 miles,” he said.
Kemp cautioned about the potential for flash flooding and tornadoes, particularly in areas on the “dirty side” of the storm
“This storm will bring strong winds and a lot of rain. Flooding and even landslides in mountainous areas are a real possibility,” he said.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
Helene strengthens to major Category 3 hurricane
Helene strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120mph winds on Thursday afternoon.
Helene could strengthen even more before it makes landfall Thursday night.
‘Take the storm seriously,’ FEMA administrator warns
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is warning everyone in the path of Hurricane Helene to “take the storm seriously.”
“Listen to your local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, please do so. And if they tell you to shelter in place, then that’s what you should do,” she said at a news conference. “They’re going to give you the best information that you can do, for your specific situation. Those decisions can save lives.”
Over 1,100 personnel from the federal government are supporting storm efforts, Criswell said.
“We also have an additional 700 personnel from FEMA that are already in these states, supporting other disasters, that we can quickly pivot to support any of the response needs as needed,” Criswell said. “Some of the resources that we have already deployed include eight search and rescue teams across Florida and Georgia, as well as resources from the Coast Guard, the Department of Defense to immediately support any lifesaving operations as needed.”
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
North Carolina flooding could be catastrophic, governor warns
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper described Helene as an unusually dangerous storm that threatens to bring heavy rain and potentially catastrophic flooding to central and western North Carolina on Thursday night and Friday.
Helene is forecast to drop more than 1 foot of rain to parts of western North Carolina, and even cities like Charlotte could see flash flooding despite not being in the storm’s direct path, officials said.
President Joe Biden has approved emergency declarations for states in Helene’s path, including North Carolina.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Latest forecast
Helene is forecast to strengthen to a major Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds by 8 p.m. Thursday.
Landfall is expected Thursday night, between 10 p.m. and midnight, southeast of Tallahassee.
After landfall, the fast-moving Helene will push strong winds inland to northern Georgia.
On Friday morning, catastrophic flash flooding is a major threat from northern Georgia to Asheville, North Carolina. That area already saw up to 6 inches of rain over the last 24 hours from a separate storm, and Helene could drop another 10 to 20 inches of rain.
The remnants of Helene will stall over the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. Flooding is possible in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
‘Very large’ Hurricane Helene nearing Category 3 winds
Helene is now a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds as it barrels toward the Florida Panhandle.
Category 3 — which is considered a major hurricane — begins when the storm’s winds reach 111 mph.
Helene is forecast make landfall Thursday night, between 10 p.m. and midnight, as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 winds.
Helene is “very large,” so the storm’s rain, wind and storm surge “will extend far away from the center and well outside the forecast cone, particularly on the east side,” the National Hurricane Center warned.
“Comparing the system with previous hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico over the past couple of decades, Helene is at the upper bound in terms of size,” the NHC said.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
North Florida residents in evacuation zones should leave now: Governor
North Florida residents who are in evacuation zones should leave now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Thursday morning, since Hurricane Helene’s outer bands are quickly approaching the coast.
Florida’s Division of Emergency Management has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to shelters for Floridians under a state of emergency. Riders can use the code HeleneRelief, officials said.
At least 80 health care facilities — including hospitals and nursing homes — are evacuating, officials said.
One of the biggest hazards is falling trees, DeSantis said. He urged people to take cover if they hear trees cracking.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
‘Catastrophic’ flooding in the forecast
Hurricane Helene is forecast to bring six to 12 inches of rain, with isolated totals around 18 inches, to the Southeast.
The intense rainfall could cause “catastrophic and potentially life-threatening” flooding, the National Hurricane Center warned.
What to know about storm surge
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula.
Storm surge could reach 15 to 20 feet in the Florida Panhandle. The Tampa area could get 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.
Helene strengthens to Category 2
Helene has strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 100 mph.
The storm will continue to strengthen throughout the day and is forecast to be a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday night.
Damaging winds expected as Helene’s speed increases
Hurricane Helene’s landfall may see “damaging winds” penetrate as far inland as major metro areas like Atlanta, Georgia, the National Hurricane Center warned.
A hurricane warning is currently in place for parts of Florida and Georgia. This includes Tallahassee and Apalachicola, Florida, and Valdosta, Columbus and Macon, Georgia.
A tropical storm warning is in place for cities including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Atlanta. Dothan, Alabama, Charleston, South Carolina, and Asheville, North Carolina are also under tropical storm warnings.
The hurricane is expected to gather speed to Category 3 status — with winds of 111 mph and above — by the time it makes landfall on the Florida coast on Thursday night.
Helene’s damaging winds could reach Atlanta and other cities by Friday morning, subsequently passing into the Appalachians and Ohio Valley by Friday afternoon.
Helene strengthening ahead of Thursday landfall
Hurricane Helene is strengthening as it approaches landfall in Florida, with winds at 90 mph as of Thursday morning.
Helene remains a Category 1 hurricane. Category 2 status begins with winds of 96 mph.
Landfall is projected after 9 p.m. ET on Thursday southeast of Tallahassee.
The National Hurricane Center predicted that Helene will be a Category 3 hurricane — with winds of more than 111 mph — by the time the storm makes landfall.
Storm surges are predicted to be 15 feet and above in Florida’s Big Bend area and between 4 and 8 feet in the Tampa Bay area.
Extreme flash flooding remains a major concern in Georgia and the Carolinas through Thursday night and into Friday morning.
Latest forecast
Helene — currently a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 85 mph — is now located about 425 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida.
The worst of the storm surge — up to 20 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
Landfall is forecast between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph.
Six to 12 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 18 inches projected locally.
MLB postpones Mets-Braves games in Atlanta due to weather forecast
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that the scheduled games between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Truist Park in Atlanta this week have been postponed due to the forecast and the inclement weather.
The games originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday nights have been moved to a doubleheader on Monday, Sept. 30, according to the MLB’s statement.
The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m. ET and the second game will begin 40 minutes after the last out of the first game, the MLB said.
Monday is a single-admission doubleheader with only one ticket required for both games, according to the statement.
Helene forecast to make landfall as Category 4
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall as a major Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 mph.
Landfall is forecast between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday in Florida’s Big Bend region.
Mandatory evacuations in effect in at least 20 Florida counties
Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 20 Florida counties, including Taylor, Sarasota, Gulf and Hillsborough.
North Carolina, Georgia declare states of emergency
North Carolina and Georgia have declared states of emergency ahead of Hurricane Helene, their governors announced on Wednesday.
“The current forecast for Hurricane Helene suggests this storm will impact every part of our state,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warned in a statement. “We are not taking anything for granted, which is why I have directed appropriate state agencies to work around the clock to ensure we’re prepared for whatever is heading our way.”
The heavy rain, flash flooding and winds are also threatening the mountains and Piedmont areas of North Carolina, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. The state is preparing water rescue teams and urban search and rescue teams to help respond to the storm, he said.
Universities, schools close as Helene approaches
Florida A&M University, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida and Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus have all announced closures ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The University of Tampa is under a mandatory evacuation order.
Younger students will also be out of school. Only six out of Florida’s 67 counties have public school districts that will remain open on Thursday. Public schools are also closed in Atlanta on Thursday and Friday.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire West Coast of the Florida Peninsula.
The worst of the storm surge — up to 18 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
The Tampa Bay area could see up to 8 feet of storm surge; coastal flooding is possible as far south as Fort Myers and Naples.
After Thursday night’s landfall, Helene will bring heavy rain and high winds to the inland Southeast.
Flash flooding is a risk from the Florida Panhandle up to Asheville, North Carolina, and the Appalachians through Friday.
Five to 10 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 15 inches projected locally.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene, currently a Category 1 hurricane, is forecast to make landfall between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Thursday as a major Category 3 hurricane.
Helene is a large storm, so it could bring life-threatening storm surge for the entire West Coast of the Florida Peninsula.
The worst of the storm surge– up to 18 feet — is expected in Florida’s Big Bend area, where Helene’s set to make landfall.
The Tampa Bay area could see up to 8 feet of storm surge; coastal flooding is possible as far south as Fort Myers and Naples.
After Thursday night’s landfall, Helene will bring heavy rain and high winds to the inland Southeast.
Flash flooding is a risk from the Florida Panhandle up to Asheville, North Carolina, and the Appalachians through Friday.
Five to 10 inches of rain is in the forecast, with 15 inches projected locally.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Mandatory evacuations in effect in at least 19 Florida counties
Mandatory evacuations are in effect in parts of at least 19 Florida counties, including Taylor, Sarasota, Gulf and Hillsborough.
Tampa, St. Pete-Clearwater airports to close
The Tampa International Airport will close at 2 a.m. Thursday ahead of Hurricane Helene, officials said.
Airport officials expect to reopen Friday.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport is also closing on Thursday and plans to reopen Friday.
Universities, schools close as Helene approaches
Florida A&M University, the University of Tampa, the University of Florida and Florida State University’s Tallahassee campus have all announced closures ahead of Hurricane Helene’s landfall. The University of Tampa is under a mandatory evacuation order.
Younger students will also be out of school in counties including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus, Sarasota, Leon and Hillsborough.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
University of Tampa students ordered to evacuate
The University of Tampa is ordering all students who live on campus to evacuate by 1 p.m. Wednesday, citing mandatory evacuation orders from Hillsborough County officials.
Hurricane Helene is forecast to bring dangerous storm surge to the Tampa Bay area.
“The residence halls will be closed after the evacuation concludes, and there will be no entry allowed into residential buildings until they are reopened following the storm,” the university said in a message to students.
The University of Tampa said it plans to resume operations on Monday.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Helene strengthens to Category 1 hurricane
Helene has strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph.
Helene — now located about 500 miles south-southwest of Tampa, Florida — is the fifth hurricane to form in the Atlantic Basin this season.
64 of Florida’s 67 counties under watches or warnings
Sixty-four out of Florida’s 67 counties are under alerts as Helene nears the state, said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Only three counties — Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa — are not under some type of watch or warning, like tropical storm, storm surge or hurricane, he said.
Wednesday is the last day for Floridians to finalize preparations before Helene hits, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned.
All Floridians should be prepared for power outages, DeSantis added.
At least 12 health care facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, are evacuating, and more may choose to do so in the coming hours, the governor said.
-ABC News’ Alex Faul
Extreme flash flooding possible in Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, Carolinas
Extreme flash flooding is possible in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
First, a storm system separate from Helene is hitting the south on Wednesday. Up to 6 inches of rain is possible over the next 24 hours, bringing a flash flood risk from Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina.
Then, Thursday afternoon through Friday morning, Hurricane Helene will bring even more extreme rain and flooding to the southern Appalachians.
A rare “high risk” alert for heavy rain has been issued. Up to 15 inches of rain is possible in some spots.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
How storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous
Helene is forecast to bring 10 to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge to Florida’s Big Bend area, and 4 to 8 feet of storm surge to Tampa Bay.
In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, at least 1,500 people died “directly, or indirectly, as a result of storm surge,” according to the National Hurricane Center.
Click here to read how storm surge works and why it’s so dangerous.
Helene nears hurricane strength
Tropical Storm Helene is nearing hurricane strength Wednesday morning as it churns just of the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Helene is about 100 miles west-southwest from the western tip of Cuba.
Tropical storm forecast to ‘rapidly’ intensify into major hurricane
Tropical Storm Helene was expected to “rapidly” strengthen and grow in size as it moved on Wednesday into the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. weather officials said.
The storm as of about 4 a.m. local time had maximum sustained winds of about 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday, before further strengthening into a “major” hurricane on Thursday, the center said.
Helene early Wednesday was traveling northwest at about 9 mph, the center said.
“On the forecast track, the center of Helene will pass near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula this morning, move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico on later today and Thursday, and reach the Big Bend coast of Florida late Thursday,” the center said.
Biden approves Florida emergency declaration ahead of Helene’s landfall
As Florida residents prepare for Tropical Storm Helene to make landfall Thursday, the White House has approved the state’s emergency declaration.
President Biden’s approval allows for federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts, according to the White House’s statement.
Biden’s approval Tuesday comes as officials in Sarasota County announced a Level A evacuation order for portions of two neighborhoods beginning Wednesday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Officials encouraged residents in Curry Creek, Hatchett Creek, Venice and those in Forked Creek, Englewood to be aware of the conditions and stay alert for further updates.
Hurricane warnings issued for portions of Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast
On the current track, Tropical Storm Helene is forecast to make landfall late Thursday night, between 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ET, as a major Category 3 hurricane with winds up to 115 mph in the Florida Big Bend region.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for Florida’s Panhandle, Big Bend and Gulf Coast regions and hurricane watch warnings have extended into southern Georgia.
Officials have issued tropical storm warnings from Naples and Fort Myers to Orlando and tropical storm watch warnings are in place across Florida’s east coast up to Savannah, Georgia.
Helene’s latest forecast
Helene is expected to strengthen to a hurricane on Wednesday as it enters the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen further to a major Category 3 hurricane by Thursday morning.
A hurricane watch is in effect in Florida from Tallahassee to Tampa, where hurricane conditions will be possible late Wednesday night through late Thursday night.
Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Helene’s outer bands will start to lash Florida’s Gulf Coast. The worst of the conditions will be throughout the day on Thursday.
Helene is forecast to make landfall Thursday night along Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane. Winds could be up to 115 mph during landfall.
Helene is expected to be a large hurricane, which means impacts will extend significantly beyond the center, impacting most of Florida and much of the Southeast.
After landfall, Helene is forecast to quickly move north into Georgia, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the South.
A significant flash flood risk stretches from the Florida Panhandle to South Carolina — including Tallahassee to Atlanta — Thursday night into early Friday.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
How much rain, storm surge to expect
Ten to 15 feet of dangerous storm surge is forecast for Florida’s Big Bend area. Tampa Bay could see 4 to 8 feet of storm surge.
Four to 8 inches of rain is expected from Helene, with 12 inches locally, bringing major flash flooding.
Tornadoes are also possible on Wednesday and Thursday.
Damaging wind gusts over 100 mph will be possible in Tallahassee and Florida’s Big Bend area during landfall Thursday night.
-ABC News’ Melissa Griffin
Universities, schools close ahead of Helene
Ahead of Helene, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee canceled class from Tuesday afternoon through Friday. The university will be closed Wednesday through Friday.
Florida A&M said this weekend’s home football game and parents’ weekend will be rescheduled.
Florida State University said its Tallahassee campus will be closed from Wednesday morning to Sunday night.
FSU Tallahassee students can stay on campus during the closure, but should plan for possible power outages and be prepared to possibly stay inside all day Thursday, the university warned.
Officials in Florida are also closing public schools in multiple counties, including Pasco, Pinellas, Hernando, Citrus and Sarasota.
Mandatory evacuations have been announced in parts of Charlotte and Franklin counties.
Helene strengthens to tropical storm: Latest forecast
Helene, currently located about 180 miles east southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, strengthened to a tropical storm on Tuesday morning.
The forecast shows Helene moving through the Yucatan Channel Wednesday morning, bringing near hurricane-force wind gusts to Cancun, Mexico.
By Thursday morning, coastal flooding will reach Florida, including Naples and Fort Myers.
On Thursday night, Helene will make landfall near Apalachicola, Florida.
Dangerous wind gusts up to 105 mph are expected and storm surge will be a major threat for the Tampa Bay area.
By Friday morning, the center of Helene will be near Atlanta, bringing strong winds to Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Downed trees and power lines will be a major danger across the Southeast.
The flash flood threat will continue into the weekend in the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.
State of emergency declared in 61 Florida counties
Helene is forecast to be a major hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday night, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday.
A state of emergency has been declared in 61 of Florida’s 67 counties, DeSantis said.
“The Big Bend and Panhandle should be especially prepared for a direct impact,” the governor said, and he urged residents to know their evacuation zone.
“You have time to be able to put this place into place,” DeSantis said, noting Helene’s impacts could begin Wednesday.
Latest forecast
Helene will strengthen to a hurricane Tuesday night, and rain is expected to begin in Florida Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning.
On Thursday evening, Helene will make landfall along Florida’s Big Bend area, located between Tallahassee and Gainesville.
Storm surge could reach up to 15 feet in the Big Bend area.
Heavy rain and strong winds are also major threats.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Florida’s Gulf Coast and a tropical storm watch was issued from Orlando to the Florida Keys.
By Thursday night into Friday, the storm will quickly push into Georgia with very heavy rain, gusty winds and possible flash flooding.
This weekend, the storm will stall over the Mid-South, bringing heavy rain and possible flooding to the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys.
A flood watch has been issued in Florida from Fort Myers to Tampa to Tallahassee, as well as in southern Georgia and Alabama.
(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has recommended resentencing for Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are each serving two life prison terms without parole.
“We are going to recommend to the court [on Friday] that the life without the possibility of parole be removed and they would be sentenced for murder,” which would be a sentence of 50 years to life, Gascón said at a news conference Thursday. But because of their age — they both were under 26 at the time of the crimes — they would be eligible for parole immediately, he said.
“I believe that they have paid their debt to society,” he said.
“The final decision will be made by the judge,” he stressed.
Gascón told ABC News this month that any recommendation for resentencing would take into account the decades that the brothers already served and their behavior in prison. The brothers’ attorney, Mark Geragos, called them model prisoners who worked tirelessly to reform themselves with no expectation they’d be released.
The decades-old case began on Aug. 20, 1989, when Lyle and Erik Menendez fatally shot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in the family’s Beverly Hills home. Lyle Menendez, then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, used shotguns they bought days earlier.
Prosecutors alleged the brothers killed their wealthy parents for financial gain.
The defense argued the brothers acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father.
Their first trials — which captured the nation’s attention with cameras in the courtroom — ended in mistrials.
In 1996, at the end of a second trial — in which the judge barred much of the sex abuse evidence — the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.
The sensational case gained new attention this fall with the release of the Netflix drama “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and the Netflix documentary “The Menendez Brothers.”
Gascón said this month that his office was evaluating new evidence: allegations from a member of the boy band Menudo who said he was molested by Jose Menendez, and a letter Erik Menendez wrote to a cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse.
Erik Menendez’s cousin testified about the alleged abuse at trial, but Erik Menendez’s letter — which would have corroborated the cousin’s testimony — wasn’t unearthed until several years ago, according to Geragos.
“Their actions, while tragic, were the desperate response of two boys trying to survive the unspeakable cruelty of their father,” Kitty Menendez’s sister, Joan Andersen VanderMolen, said. “As their aunt, I had no idea of the extent of the abuse they suffered.”
“It’s time to give them the opportunity to live the rest of their lives free from the shadow of their past,” she said.
Behind bars, the siblings “sought to better themselves and serve as a support and inspiration for survivors all over the world,” added Jose Menendez’s niece, Anamaria Baralt. “Their continued incarceration serves no rehabilitative purpose.”
The brothers “deserve a chance to heal, and our family deserves a chance to heal with them,” Baralt said.
Despite the massive show of support, one relative — the brothers’ uncle, Milton Andersen — is adamant about keeping them behind bars. He said in a statement he firmly believes his nephews were not sexually assaulted and were motivated by greed.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(MEMPHIS) — A former Memphis police officer on trial in the beating death of Tyre Nichols texted photos of a bloodied Nichols to his then-girlfriend, she said Wednesday during testimony.
Brittany Leake, an officer with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) who used to date Demetrius Haley, said Haley texted her and one of her family members a photo of Nichols that showed the 29-year-old leaning against a police car, bleeding from his mouth, wearing a torn shirt, appearing dirty and with his eyes closed, according to WATN, the ABC affiliate in Memphis covering the case in the courtroom.
Haley is on trial along with Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean, who were charged on Sept. 12, 2023, with violating Nichols’ civil rights through excessive use of force, unlawful assault, failing to intervene in the assault and failing to render medical aid. These charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The officers have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“I wasn’t offended, but it was difficult to look at,” Leake said, claiming she deleted the photo, according to WATN.
Leake said she told Haley that Nichols needed to go to the trauma center, according to WATN. She claimed Haley previously sent her other photos from his patrols, including pictures of a burned suspect. Leake testified that she has never sent photos from the job in her two years as an MPD officer because it is against department policy, according to WATN.
Prosecutors on Wednesday also called to the stand Jesse Guy, a former Memphis Fire Department paramedic who cared for Nichols on the scene and in the ambulance that transported him to St. Francis Hospital, according to WATN.
Guy said when he first arrived on the scene, an emergency medical technician (EMT) told him Nichols “just went out,” according to WATN. Guy claimed he heard one of the officers say Nichols took something.
Guy testified that Nichols was unresponsive, had head swelling, scratches and marks around his neck and blood spilling from his mouth, according to WATN.
“It’s time to go,” Guy told prosecutors he was thinking after Nichols had no pulse and was unresponsive to Narcan, an overdose reversal drug, according to WATN. “I felt like something was going on.”
Guy said he gave Nichols oxygen, intubated him, removed his wet clothes and attempted with no success to defibrillate his heart, according to WATN. After giving Nichols epinephrine, more oxygen and sodium bicarbonate, Guy said there was still no pulse.
“I was trying to save his life,” Guy said, according to WATN.
Guy claimed he decided Nichols must go to the closest hospital to get better care, according to WATN. By the time they arrived at St. Francis Hospital, the former paramedic said they were able to get Nichols’ heart beating again.
Guy noted that when he asked one of the officers involved in the encounter what happened, the officer responded with a sigh.
“Never mind,” Guy said he told the officer because the paramedic thought the policeman was going to give him “B.S.” according to WATN.
Guy said during cross-examination that EMTs on the scene when he arrived had not assessed Nichols and didn’t tell him much about Nichols’ health status, according to WATN.
When defense attorneys asked Guy about information he received from the EMTs who were already on site, Guy claimed that the EMTs told him they heard Nichols moan in response to one of the medics.
Michael Stengel, Haley’s attorney, asked Guy when he knew Nichols was going through a medical emergency, according to WATN.
“When I laid eyes on him,” Guy said.
Body-camera footage shows that Nichols fled after police pulled him over on Jan. 7, 2023, for allegedly driving recklessly, then shocked him with a Taser and pepper-sprayed him.
Officers allegedly then beat Nichols minutes later after tracking him down. Nichols, 29, died on Jan. 10, 2023. Footage shows the officers walking around, talking to each other as Nichols was injured and sitting on the ground. The incident triggered protests and calls for police reform.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said she has been unable to substantiate that Nichols was driving recklessly.
The prosecution told ABC News last week that they will not have any statements until after the trial. The defense attorneys did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
After the police encounter, Nichols was transferred to the hospital in critical condition. The medical examiner’s official autopsy report for Nichols showed he “died of brain injuries from blunt force trauma,” the district attorney’s office told Nichols’ family in May 2023.
Emmitt Martin III and Desmond Mills Jr., the two other officers who were also charged in this case, have pleaded guilty to some of the federal charges. Martin pleaded guilty to excessive force and failure to intervene, as well as conspiracy to witness tamper, according to court records. The other two charges will be dropped at sentencing, which has been scheduled for Dec. 5, according to the court records. Mills pleaded guilty to two of the four counts in the indictment — excessive force and failing to intervene, as well as conspiring to cover up his use of unlawful force, according to the DOJ. The government said it will recommend a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, based on the terms of Mills’ plea agreement.
The five former officers charged in this case were all members of the Memphis Police Department SCORPION unit — a crime suppression unit that was disbanded after Nichols’ death. All of the officers were fired for violating MPD policies.
ABC News’ Deena Zaru and Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.
