Eight firefighters injured as truck rolls over while returning from wildfire in California, officials say

(TAMPA, Fla.) — One man was killed and two other men were injured when a man drove his semi-truck into a strip club after getting kicked out of the establishment following an argument with several patrons, officials said.

The incident occurred at 4:19 a.m. Tuesday when officers responded to reports of a vehicle that had crashed through the entrance of Emperors Gentlemen’s Club at 5718 E. Adamo Drive in Tampa, Florida, according to a statement from the City of Tampa.

“Upon arrival, officers found the truck had crashed into the front area of the building that leads to the entrance,” city officials said in their statement. “Witnesses reported the driver had just been kicked out of the club and then returned to drive the truck into a group of people standing at the entrance.”

An adult male was killed in the crash and two other adult males were injured but are expected to survive their injuries, according to the City of Tampa.

The driver was taken into custody and is currently hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

“This is an unbelievably tragic and completely avoidable incident,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “We will work to get justice for the victims and their families. We are thinking of all those impacted including the innocent bystanders who witnessed this horrific ordeal.”

City officials say that charges are expected to be forthcoming, and that the investigation is currently ongoing.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — The storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding from Hurricane Helene have been catastrophic, flooding neighborhoods, stranding residents, destroying homes and toppling trees in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

Dozens have been killed.

Helene, which made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region Thursday night as a massive Category 4 hurricane, was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Big Bend on record.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Tennessee OHSA investigating reports people swept away during Helene

The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) has opened an investigation following reports that flash flooding from Helene swept away employees from Impact Plastics in Erwin, Tennessee, which is located in Unicoi County.

TOSHA and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are working to determine what led to the “workplace fatalities” at the Erwin facility, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce said in a statement.

In their evening flash update, TEMA has confirmed that four people have died due to weather-related injuries, and six people remain missing in Unicoi County. Authorities have not confirmed how many fatalities and missing people are associated with Impact Plastics.

VP Kamala Harris thanks officials for recovery efforts

Ahead of a Wednesday briefing in Augusta, Georgia, Vice President Kamala Harris thanked officials for their work in the post-Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts.

In her remarks, Harris thanked “all of the folks who are here on the ground doing this extraordinary work.”

“I’ve been reading and hearing about the work you’ve been doing over the last few days, and I think it really does represent some of the best of what we each know can be done, especially when we coordinate around local, state and federal resources, to meet the needs of people who must be seen, must be heard,” she said.

“These are very difficult times, and in a moment of crisis, I think that really does bring out the best of who we are. And you, each, epitomize that important and good work,” Harris added. “So, I’m here to thank you and to listen.”

Number of missing people still unknown in Buncombe County, NC

The number of people missing in Buncombe County, North Carolina, is still unknown, according to county manager Avril Pinder.

Pinder was unable to provide even an estimate of the number of people unaccounted for on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, there are still 57 people confirmed dead in the county.

Asheville City Schools have minimal damage, but most are still with power and water, and a large number of employees remain unaccounted for, Pinder said.

1.2 million customers still without power in some southern states

As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic force continue, 1.2 million customers are still without power in some southern states.

As of Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., 1,276,750 customers are without power across the South, according to poweroutage.us.

The hardest-hit states are South Carolina with over 484,410 customers without power, North Carolina with over 343,632 customers without power and Georgia with over 354,418 customers without power.

Outages are also reported in Florida (40,724 customers), Virginia (40,184 customers) and West Virginia (13,382 customers).

Helene death toll rises to 177

The confirmed death toll for Hurricane Helene rose to at least 177 people as of Wednesday, The Associated Press reported, as recovery efforts continue across the Southeast.

President Joe Biden will travel to North and South Carolina on Wednesday to survey the destruction while rescuers continue their search for the missing. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Georgia, which was also badly affected.

“We have to jump start this recovery process,” Biden said Tuesday. “People are scared to death. This is urgent.”

-ABC News’ Jessica Gorman

Biden deploying up to 1,000 active-duty troops to support NC National Guard

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday he has directed the deployment of “up to one thousand active-duty soldiers to reinforce the North Carolina National Guard.” The announcement comes as Biden will travel to South Carolina and North Carolina Wednesday to survey the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

“These soldiers will speed up the delivery of life-saving supplies of food, water, and medicine to isolated communities in North Carolina — they have the manpower and logistical capabilities to get this vital job done, and fast. They will join hundreds of North Carolina National Guard members deployed under State authorities in support of the response,” Biden said in the statement.

“Hurricane Helene has been a storm of historic proportion. My heart goes out to everyone who has experienced unthinkable loss. We are here for you — and we will stay here for as long as it takes,” Biden added.

The White House fact sheet says the soldiers will “support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities,” to impacted communities. The fact sheet adds the deployment is effective immediately. The soldiers are part of the Infantry Battalion Task Force based in Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and includes a Forward Support Company, according to the administration.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

1.3 million customers still without power in some southern states

As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic force continue, 1.3 million customers are still without power in some southern states.

As of Wednesday morning, 1,309,419 customers are without power across the South, according to poweroutage.us.

The hardest-hit states are South Carolina with over 493,000 customers without power, North Carolina with over 347,000 customers without power and Georgia with over 372,000 customers without power.

Outages are also reported in Florida (40,012 customers), Virginia (44,999 customers) and West Virginia (10,968 customers).

Helene death toll rises to 166

The confirmed death toll for Hurricane Helene rose to at least 166 people as of Wednesday, The Associated Press reported, as recovery efforts continue across the Southeast.

President Joe Biden will travel to North and South Carolina on Wednesday to survey the destruction while rescuers continue their search for the missing. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Georgia, which was also badly affected.

“We have to jump start this recovery process,” Biden said Tuesday. “People are scared to death. This is urgent.”

-ABC News’ Jessica Gorman

Bipartisan senators call on Congress to address Hurricane Helene damage

In a joint letter released Tuesday, Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell and several other senators on both sides of the political aisle called on Congress to meet following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

“Although the true level of devastation is still unfolding, it is clear that Congress must act to meet the unmet needs in our states and address the scope and scale of destruction experienced by our constituents,” the leaders wrote in the letter.

The senators suggested Congress convene in October to “ensure we have enough time to enact legislation before the end of this calendar year.”

“Tens of millions of Americans were impacted by Hurricane Helene, and we look forward to working with you to provide relief to those impacted by this horrific storm,” the senators wrote

Bipartisan senators call on Congress to address Hurricane Helene damage

In a joint letter released Tuesday, Senate leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell and several other senators on both sides of the political aisle called on Congress to meet following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

“Although the true level of devastation is still unfolding, it is clear that Congress must act to meet the unmet needs in our states and address the scope and scale of destruction experienced by our constituents,” the leaders wrote in the letter.

The senators suggested Congress convene in October to “ensure we have enough time to enact legislation before the end of this calendar year.”

“Tens of millions of Americans were impacted by Hurricane Helene, and we look forward to working with you to provide relief to those impacted by this horrific storm,” the senators wrote

1.4 million customers still without power in some southern states

As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic force continue, 1.4 million customers are still without power in some southern states.

As of Tuesday evening, 1,469,304 customers are without power across the south, according to poweroutage.us.

The hardest-hit states are South Carolina with over 551,000 customers without power, North Carolina with over 367,000 customers without power and Georgia with over 422,000 customers without power.

Outages are also reported in Florida (57,054 customers), Virginia (57,255 customers) and West Virginia (13,399 customers).

Helene’s death toll climbs to 159

At least 159 people have been killed by Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.

Death toll rises to 57 in Buncombe County, North Carolina

Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller confirmed that 57 residents have died from the impact of Hurricane Helene.

Over 100,000 people remain without power in the county, Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said in a press conference Tuesday.

Water and meals will continue to be provided at several distribution sites in the county. Neighboring counties have stepped in to help and are now receiving overflow 911 calls from Buncombe County, Pinder said.

There are “miles of complete devastation” in Buncombe County, said Scott Dean, with the responding National Urban Search and Rescue team.

Officials said there are 19 federal urban search and rescue teams on the ground in the state, working to get to those who cannot leave their homes and to provide assistance. Local police and fire departments are responding to more accessible areas to answer calls.

Buncombe County and state officials are also discussing deploying and using mobile morgues in the county, Pinder said.

Biltmore Village no longer has standing water, but roads remain blocked from the devastation, which will continue to make it difficult to respond and remove debris from the Asheville neighborhood, said Pinder.

Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, Buncombe County’s medical director, said that the county is accepting donations of certain medications and providing primary health care to adults in need. The NC Board of Pharmacy is helping direct people to pharmacies currently open in the state.

Asheville Assistant City Manager Ben Woody reiterated that it would take weeks for water services to be fully restored in the city.

-ABC News’ Victoria Arancio

38 confirmed deaths in North Carolina, number expected to grow

There have been at least 38 deaths in North Carolina from Helene, Gov. Roy Cooper said in a briefing Wednesday afternoon, but he added he expects that number to grow.

Cooper spent Monday in western North Carolina and will be returning this afternoon, he said. First responders are continuing to rescue people and rush aid to the mountain communities.

More than 460,000 customers are without power down from a peak of more than a million, Cooper confirmed. There are more than 1,100 people being housed in 29 shelters and Cooper said he is still urging people to continue to stay off the roads.

“As heartbreaking as this damage has been, it’s encouraging to see the way people are working together,” Cooper said. “I talked with a number of first responders and medical workers and volunteers who have left their won families to take care of our communities.”

The National Guard currently have 800 guardsmen on duty with 275 vehicles. Almost 200,000 pounds of food and commodities were delivered out of the Asheville airport.

“I have committed to the governor that I will stay here until the event is stabilized and we will continue to bring in as many federal resources as needed, not just for the ongoing response, but as we move into recovery,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul

Kamala Harris to travel to Georgia on Wednesday

Vice President and presidential nominee Kamala Harris will travel to Georgia on Wednesday to check out damage from Hurricane Helene, according to her office.

“Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Georgia to survey the impacts of Hurricane Helene and receive an on-the-ground briefing about the continued recovery efforts that are occurring in communities across the state,” according to a statement.

The statement did not say exactly where Harris will visit. President Joe Biden is set to visit North Carolina and South Carolina on Wednesday as well.

Harris’ competitor in the presidential race, Donald Trump, visited Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday.

Helene’s death toll climbs to 139

At least 139 people have been killed by Hurricane Helene in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.

That includes at least 40 people in Buncombe County, North Carolina, which includes the city of Asheville, local officials said Monday.

Public health emergency declared in South Carolina, Tennessee

A public health emergency has been declared in South Carolina and Tennessee in the wake of Helene, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, following the same declarations in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

“We will do all we can to help officials in South Carolina and Tennessee respond to the health impacts of Hurricane Helene,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “We are working closely with state and local health authorities, as well as with our partners across the federal government, and stand ready to provide additional public health and medical support.”

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response deployed about 200 personnel to assist local officials with the storm’s impacts to hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities, according to HHS.

The government’s National Disaster Medical System has already deployed 29 trucks filled with equipment to help patients in health care facilities, many of which were totally knocked off the grid.

6,300 National Guardsmen mobilized for recovery efforts

There have been more than 6,300 members of the National Guard mobilized to “support ongoing disaster relief, rescue, and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

There will be guardsmen from 12 different states moving into the South to help, especially in North Carolina.

“We continue to stand by the people and communities of North Carolina and all those affected,” Austin added.

FEMA has delivered 1 million liters of water and 600K meals to North Carolina

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper called the impact of Hurricane Helene on the state “absolutely catastrophic” in a statement Monday.

“This is an unprecedented response and an absolutely enormous coordinated effort by the state, federal and local partners,” Cooper said.

Cooper, who inspected the staging area at the Asheville airport Monday, said “Hundreds of thousands of pounds of supplies are being flown in, packed onto helicopters and flown into areas that can’t be reached by vehicles.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has delivered 1 million liters of water and 600,000 meals to people in North Carolina, Cooper said.

The governor added that there are 92 search and rescue teams working to help bring residents to safety.

Biden says he’ll travel to North Carolina on Wednesday

President Joe Biden told reporters from the Oval Office he will travel to North Carolina on Wednesday to survey the damage.

He said he plans to land in Raleigh for a briefing and then do an aerial tour of Asheville to avoid straining on-the-ground resources.

He said he will visit Georgia and Florida “as soon as possible after that.”

Asked by ABC News’ Karen Travers how Americans can help out, Biden recommended people reach out to the Red Cross — and gear up for a long recovery.

“There is a lot to do, and this is just beginning,” Biden said. “We’ve been through this before, but not — not like this. This is the worst ever.”

Harris to impacted communities: ‘Our nation is with you’

Vice President Kamala Harris called the storm damage throughout the Southeast the “worst destruction and devastation that we have seen in quite some time” during remarks from FEMA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., Monday afternoon.

“In coordination with state and local officials, President Biden and I will continue to make sure that communities have the support and the resources that they need — not only to respond to this storm and its immediate aftermath, but also the resources they will need to recover,” Harris said.

Harris said more than 3,300 federal personnel are on the ground to assist with recovery efforts, including deploying food, water and generators as well as helping to restore water and power.

“To everyone who has been impacted by this storm, and to all of those of you who are rightly feeling overwhelmed by the destruction and the loss, our nation is with you,” she said. “We will continue to do everything we can to help you recover and to help you rebuild. No matter how long it takes.”

Harris said she has spoken to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and plans to be “on the ground as soon as possible” without disrupting any emergency response operations.

Storm ‘unprecedented’ for western North Carolina

Helene is “an unprecedented storm” for western North Carolina, requiring an “unprecedented response,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday.

“We’re dealing with a situation that is unlike anybody’s ever seen in western North Carolina,” he said.

The damage is “extensive and devastating” and is “going to require significant resources, both in the short-term and the long-term,” the governor said.

Ninety-two rescue teams are out conducting search and rescues right now, Cooper said.

More than 300 roads are closed and some bridges have been destroyed, officials said.

Over 7,000 North Carolina residents have registered for FEMA individual assistance and that money is already flowing in, according to Will Ray, director of North Carolina Emergency Management.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell promised that the agency will “be here as long as it takes to finish this response and continue through the recovery.”

“We have the resources here in North Carolina to help,” Criswell said. “We will continue to send additional resources in.”

Full extent of damage still unclear: Homeland security adviser

Homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood Randall said the full extent of the damage from the hurricane is still unclear.

“It probably will take several more days, as communities begin to be opened up by the debris clearance on the roads, and we can get in, and really understand what’s happened to them,” she said.

Sherwood-Randall said about 600 people are unaccounted for.

“We’re very hopeful that some of those people just don’t have cellphones working and actually are alive,” she said.

Sherwood-Randall said 3,500 federal response personnel have been deployed to the region and additional personnel is expected to arrive in the coming days.

With communication remaining a major challenge, Sherwood-Randall said, “Today, FEMA will install 30 Starlink receivers in western North Carolina to provide immediate connectivity for those in greatest need.”

She also highlighted that in states that have received major disaster declarations, FEMA is working to distribute serious needs assistance, which gives “an immediate $750 direct payment to eligible households, to allow them to pay for essential items like food, baby formula, water, medications and other emergency supplies.”

-ABC News’ Molly Nagle

Sen. Rick Scott calls for Senate to reconvene to pass emergency aid

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is calling upon the Senate to reconvene to approve an emergency aid package for victims of Hurricane Helene.

“While I know from my experience with previous hurricanes that FEMA and [Small Business Administration] damage assessments take time, I am today urging Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to immediately reconvene the U.S. Senate when those assessments are completed so that we can pass the clean supplemental disaster funding bill and other disaster relief legislation, like my Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act, needed to ensure the full recovery of families in all impacted communities,” Scott said in a statement Monday.

Any additional funding, beyond the funding approved by President Joe Biden and able to be drawn down from FEMA, would need to be approved by both chambers of Congress.

The Senate let out on Wednesday after approving a stopgap funding bill to keep the government funded through Dec. 20. The Senate is not scheduled to return until Nov. 12. The House is also out of session and would need to return to approve any aid.

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

How to help

Click here for a list of charities and organizations that are supporting relief efforts, including the Red Cross and Americares.

Trump visits hard-hit Valdosta, Georgia

Former President Donald Trump visited hard-hit Valdosta in southern Georgia on Monday to distribute supplies and “stand in complete solidarity with … all of those suffering in the terrible aftermath of Hurricane Helene.”

“Valdosta has been ravaged,” Trump said. “The town is, very, very badly hurting, and many thousands are without power. They’re running low on food and fuel. We brought a lot of it down with us.”

“We’ll continue to help until you’re bigger, better, stronger than ever before,” Trump said.

The former president held a “moment of silence and prayer” for those killed in the storm.

Twenty-five people in Georgia have died in the storm, Gov. Brian Kemp said.

Trump said he’ll also visit North Carolina as the state works to recover from Helene.

Biden plans to visit storm zone Wednesday or Thursday

President Joe Biden said Monday that Helene is “not just a catastrophic storm — it’s a historic, history-making storm.”

Biden said he will travel to the impact zone as soon as possible, ideally Wednesday or Thursday. He said he’s been told it’d be disruptive to visit immediately, and he does not want to interfere with these areas accessing the relief they desperately need.

“Communities are devastated. Loved ones waiting, not sure if their loved ones are OK, and they can’t contact them because there’s no cellphone connections. Many more folks displaced have no idea when they’ll be able to be return to their home, if ever, if there’s a home to return to,” he said.

“There’s nothing like wondering, ‘Is my husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father, alive?’ And many more who remain without electricity, water, food and communications,” he said.

Biden said he’s directed his team “to provide every available resource as fast as possible.”

Biden vowed, “We’re not leaving until the job is done.”

Helene ‘spared no one’ in Georgia, governor says

Hurricane Helene “literally spared no one” in Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday.

Twenty-five people in Georgia have died in the storm, Kemp said. The victims include: a 27-year-old mother and her 1-month-old twin boys, who died when a tree fell on their home; Leon Davis, an assistant fire chief from Blackshear, who died when a tree fell on his car while he was responding to a call; and a 7-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl who died when a tree fell on their burning house, he said.

More than 500,000 customers in Georgia remain without power after Helene damaged over 5,000 poles, the governor said. Kemp said Georgia Power officials are calling Helene the most devastating storm they’ve faced.

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit hard-hit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday.

35 dead, hundreds unaccounted for in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina

Thirty-five people are dead and 600 people remain unaccounted for in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, according to county officials.

County officials said people will go door-to-door to check on those who have been reported missing.

Shelters are at capacity, officials said.

The city of Asheville has partnered with Verizon to establish a temporary cellphone tower, officials said.

-ABC News’ Alex Faul and Jessica Gorman

600 people still unaccounted for in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina

Six-hundred people remain unaccounted for in hard-hit Buncombe County, North Carolina, which encompasses Asheville, according to county officials.

County officials said people will go door-to-door to check on those who have been reported missing.

Thirty people in Buncombe County have been confirmed dead from the hurricane, the sheriff said Sunday.

Buncombe County remains under a state of emergency.

-ABC News’ Jessica Gorman

Helene remnants move into mid-Atlantic

After dumping more than 30 inches of rain on North Carolina and producing the biggest local flood in recorded history, the remnants of Helene are forecast to move on Monday into the mid-Atlantic.

As southeastern United States worked to clean up from Helene, some of its remnants are moving into Mid-Atlantic today with heavy rain forecast for West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland.

There is an elevated flood threat on Monday in Virginia and West Virginia, where the already saturated ground could get additional 1 to 2 inches of rain, which could produce flash flooding.

-ABC News’ Max Golembo

Harris planning visit to communities impacted by Helene

Vice President Kamala Harris intends to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene “as soon as it is possible without disrupting emergency response operations,” according to a White House official.

Harris, who was briefed by FEMA on the federal response to the hurricane, reached out to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

At a rally in Las Vegas on Sunday, Harris addressed those who were impacted by the hurricane by sending her “thoughts and prayers” and thanking first responders.

“I know that everyone here sends their thoughts and prayers for folks who have been so devastated in Florida, in Georgia, the Carolinas and other impacted states. And we know that so many have been impacted. Some have died, but I want to thank everyone for doing everything you can to think about them,” Harris said. “Send them your thoughts and your prayers. I want to thank the first responders who have done so much. I stand with these communities for as long as it takes to make sure that they are able to recover and rebuild.”

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Gov. DeSantis says power restored to all but 111K in Florida

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared a major update on power restoration progress in the state on Sunday.

DeSantis said a post on X that most customers who lost power after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend area last week, have had their electricity restored.

The governor said power was back for 2.3 million customers, and 99% of the state has power.

He added that power remains out for 111,000 customers.

Biden intends to visit hurricane zone this week

President Joe Biden spent his Sunday evening receiving briefings on the damage from Hurricane Helene, and speaking to local officials from the impacted areas.

In a statement, the White House said Biden intends to travel to the impacted areas this week, “as soon as it will not disrupt emergency operations.”

Additionally, Biden spoke by phone Sunday with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Valdosta, Georgia, Mayor Scott Matheson and Taylor County, Florida, emergency management director John Louk, according to the White House.

The president also reached out to additional officials across North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.

“In each conversation, the President received updates on response and recovery efforts, and he shared how the Biden-Administration will continue providing support to impacted communities – for as long as it takes,” the White House said in the statement.

-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky

Trump to visit Valdosta, Georgia

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to receive a briefing on the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, help distribute supplies and deliver remarks, his campaign said.

President Joe Biden said Sunday that the photographs showing Hurricane Helene’s damage are “stunning.”

When asked by reporters about his message to the victims, Biden said, “It’s tragic.”

“My FEMA advisor is on the ground in Florida right now. … We’re working hard,” Biden said.

Asked by ABC News if there are more resources the federal government could be providing, Biden responded, “No, we’ve given them. We have pre-planned a significant amount, even though they didn’t ask for it yet — hadn’t asked for it yet.”

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart

25 dead in South Carolina

Hurricane Helene’s impact on South Carolina has been “devastating,” and the storm has claimed the lives of 25 people in the state, Gov. Henry McMaster said Sunday.

“We don’t want to lose any more,” McMaster said.

Nearly 1.3 million customers lost power in South Carolina at Helene’s peak. As of Sunday afternoon, more than 800,000 customers remain in the dark.

The governor emphasized that power companies are working around the clock to restore electricity. Thousands of workers are on the ground, but downed trees tangled in power lines are delaying efforts, he said.

-ABC News’ Jason Volack

FEMA sending more search and rescue teams to North Carolina

FEMA Director Deanne Criswell said the agency is sending more search and rescue teams to western North Carolina, where residents are facing “historic” flooding from Hurricane Helene.

“I don’t know that anybody could be fully prepared for the amount of flooding and landslides that they are experiencing right now. But we have had teams in there for several days. We’re sending more search and rescue teams in there,” Criswell told CBS’ Face the Nation.

Gov. Roy Cooper described Hurricane Helene’s damage in western North Carolina as “catastrophic.”

“This unprecedented storm dropped from 10 to 29 inches of rain across the mountains, leading to life-threatening floods and landslides,” he said Sunday.

Water systems have been impacted and some roads have washed away, hampering the ability for officials to set up food and water distribution sites.

“We have sent bottled water in, but we also have the Army Corps of Engineers that’s getting ready to start assessments today to see what we can do to help get those water systems back online quickly,” Criswell said.

“We’re also moving in satellite communications, Starlink satellites, into the area to help facilitate the lack of communication that part of the state is experiencing,” Criswell added.

-ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart and Jason Volack

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LAS VEGAS) — A former Nevada politician was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on Wednesday of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022.

As the jury’s foreperson read out the guilty verdict, former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles looked down and shook his head.

Telles was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after a minimum of 20 years served.

In a press conference after the verdict was announced, Clark County District Attorney Steven Wolfson thanked the jury for their work on the case.

“Today’s verdict should send a message, and that message is a clear message that any attempts to silence the media, or to silence or intimidate a journalist, will not be tolerated,” Wolfson said.

Prosecutors said former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles, 47, stabbed the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death after German exposed corruption in his office, destroying both his political career and his marriage. German’s story detailed an allegedly hostile work environment in Telles’ office — including bullying, retaliation and an “inappropriate relationship” between Telles and a staffer — all of which Telles denied.

Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. Police said DNA evidence found in Telles’ home tied him to the crime scene, and a straw hat and sneakers — which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance footage — were found cut up in his home. His DNA was also found on German’s hands and fingernails, police said.

He had pleaded not guilty to murder.

In her opening statement, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect.

“In the end, this case isn’t about politics,” Weckerly said. “It’s not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It’s not about who’s a good boss or who’s a good supervisor or favoritism at work — it’s just about murder.”

Telles took the stand in his own trial on Aug. 21, “unequivocally” maintaining his innocence and insisting he was “framed” in a sweeping conspiracy by a real estate company that he said he was investigating for alleged bribery.

“Somebody framed me for this, and I believe that it is Compass Realty, and I believe it’s for the work that I’ve done against them,” Telles told the court.

In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in January, Compass Realty owner Takumba Britt denied Telles’ conspiracy claims, calling him a “desperate man who has been charged with violently murdering a beloved local journalist” who would “do and say anything to escape answering for this charge.”

Wolfson also hit back against Telles’ conspiracy claims after the jury announced its verdict.

“There was no conspiracy,” Wolfson said. “The only conspiracy was between him and his evil mind.”

When police took Telles into custody, he had what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds. His defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, said the suicide attempt was not out of guilt, but because Telles’ “life was coming apart.”

Draskovich echoed Telles’ claims of a conspiracy against him, saying in his opening statement the “old guard” in the public administrator’s office had been upset by Telles’ efforts to root out internal corruption. He also claimed that, because of German’s track record of investigating corrupt figures, there were other people who may have wanted him dead.

“There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter — he would ultimately get to what the truth was,” Draskovich said.

Ahead of sentencing on Wednesday, German’s three siblings addressed the court, speaking about what their oldest brother meant to them.

“Jeff was our leader — he was the older brother we all leaned on,” his brother, Jay German, said.

The siblings remembered him as a “wonderful” uncle, a “fearless” journalist and a lover of football and sitcoms.

His sister, Jill Zwerg, who said German was “like a second father,” recalled how he bought a whole round of champagne for the bar when she told me she’d gotten engaged.

“He’s so deeply missed every day,” Zwerg said through tears.

Telles’ wife and ex-wife also spoke, tearfully asking the jury not to sentence him to life in prison without parole.

“I would love at some point to give my children the chance to have their father back,” his wife, Mary Ann Ismael, said.

Telles wept as his mother, Rosalinda Anaya, took the stand.

“I accept the verdict, but if you could — please — give my son the chance of parole,” Anaya said. “His family is still very young and I would like for him to someday be back with them again.”

Before sending the jury off to deliberate on sentencing, Draskovich urged jurors not to hand down a life sentence.

“Give him the opportunity — give his children the opportunity — decades from now, to have their father back,” Draskovich said.

But prosecutors argued a life sentence — either with or without parole — was necessary in such a case. Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Hamner said Telles “decided to be judge, jury, and literally executioner” of German “because he simply wasn’t happy about what was being written about him.”

“When you think about the situation he was in, the world wasn’t going to end. He simply lost an election,” Hamner said. “The way Robert Telles chose to handle this was devastating, and it was his choice and his choice alone.”

German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as “unusual,” and said that “the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome.”

“It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government,” Lombardo said. “And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it’s very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case.”

In a statement published by the paper, Las Vegas Review-Journal executive editor Glenn Cook praised the verdict “as a measure of justice” for German, as well as for “slain journalists all over the world.”

“Jeff was killed for doing the kind of work in which he took great pride: His reporting held an elected official accountable for bad behavior and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job,” Cook wrote. “Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who’ve gone on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back in it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.”

“Let’s also remember that this community has lost much more than a trusted journalist,” Cook added. “Jeff was a good man who left behind a family who loved him and friends who cherished him. His murder remains an outrage. He is missed.”

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