LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN DETROIT. LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON STARTS NOW. HURRICANE IN IS BARRELING
TOWARDS FLORIDA AS A POWERFUL
CATEGORY FOUR STORM THAT HAS THE
POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING A
CATEGORY FIVE. IT SAID TO HIT
THE GULF COAST AS WE GIVE YOU A
LIVE LOOK RIGHT NOW FROM FLORIDA
. THERE’S ANOTHER STORM IS
BEGINNING TO HIT THE COAST RIGHT
NOW, RIGHT NEAR FORT MYERS. IT
CERTAINLY IS, AND IT IS SET TO
MAKE LANDFALL IN CHARLOTTE AND
LEE COUNTIES. THIS IS ALL JUST
SOUTH OF TAMPA. YOU ARE TAKING A
LOOK RIGHT NOW AT PORTS
CHARLOTTE, WHICH IS RIGHT IN THE
DIRECT TRACK OF THE EYE OF THAT
STORM, AND YOU CAN SEE
CONDITIONS THERE ARE ALREADY
DANGEROUS WITH COUNTIES IN THE
AREA, SAYING THAT EMERGENCY
SERVICES HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN
UNTIL IAN MOVES OUT IN TAMPA.
THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY IS NOW
CLOSED AS LIVE PICTURES. WOW IT
REALLY SHOWED SWAYING THERE. THE
BRIDGE CONNECTS TAMPA BAY TO ST
PETERSBURG AND THE WINDS THERE
ARE AS HIGH AS 60 MILES AN HOUR.
YOU CAN SEE THE CAMERA SHAKING,
BUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE STATE IN DELRAY BEACH AND
PALM BEACH COUNTY, THIS IS ON
THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA.
POSSIBLE TORNADOES CAUSED BY
THOSE HURRICANE WINDS HAVE HIT
OVERNIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THE FORCE
OF THE TORNADO. IT’S FLIPPED
OVER CARS. IT’S DAMAGED
BUILDINGS. TWO PEOPLE SO FAR
HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. THE
STORM IS ALREADY CHANGING TAMPA
BAY. TAKE A LOOK HERE THERE WAS
ONCE WATER HERE BUT IS THE
HURRICANE APPROACHES? IT IS
SUCKING THE WATER RIGHT OUT OF
THE BIG BODIES OF WATER.
FLORIDA’S GOVERNOR IS WARNING
ANYONE STILL IN THE STORM’S PATH
TO STAY PUT. STORM OF THIS
MAGNITUDE WILL PRODUCE
CATASTROPHIC FLOODING AND LIFE
THREATENING STORM SURGE ON THE
GULF COAST OF FLORIDA IN THE
HIGHEST RISK AREAS ARE RANGING
FROM COLLIER COUNTY UP TO
SARASOTA’S COUNTY. THE CURRENT
TRACK HAS THE STORM MAKING
LANDFALL IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY IF
YOU ARE IN ANY OF THOSE COUNTIES
, IT’S NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO
SAFELY EVACUATE. IT’S TIME TO
HUNKER DOWN AND PREPARE FOR THIS
STORM. IT IS A POWERFUL STORM
PACKING ABOUT 155 MILE PER HOUR
WINDS. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN
FLORIDA THAT ARE STILL
DETERMINED TO RIDE THIS OUT.
DESPITE THOSE EVACUATION
RECOMMENDATIONS AND ORDERS
EARLIER THIS WEEK, ABSOLUTELY
CRISP ALONE IS ACTUALLY IN TAMPA
AREA THAT’S SEEING INTENSE RAIN
ALREADY. WE’RE FACING THE
IMMINENT LANDFALL OF E N IN
SHORT ORDER HERE IN THE
SOUTHWEST PART OF FLORIDA, THE
STORM IS SLATED TO COME ASHORE
SOUTH OF TAMPA, WHERE I’M
STANDING RIGHT NOW. ALL MORNING
LONG. THIS AREA HAS BEEN
BATTERED BY HEAVY RAIN AND HEAVY
WINDS, AND IT’S ONLY GETTING
MORE AND MORE INTENSE AS THE DAY
GOES ALONG. THE CONDITIONS HAVE
BEEN GETTING WORSE. OVER THE
COURSE OF THE MORNING. THE STORM
WAS CLOCKED AT HAVING 155 MILE
AN HOUR WINDS. THAT’S CATEGORY
FOUR. BUT IT’S TWO MILES AN HOUR
LESS THAN A CATEGORY FIVE STORMS
, SO WE UNDERWENT RAPID
INTENSIFICATION OVERNIGHT. THE
NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAID
THAT THE STORM SURGE IN A PLACE
LIKE PORCH CHARLOTTE SOUTH OF
HERE IS WORSE THAN THEY
PREDICTED. 12 TO 18 FT OF STORM
SURGE NOW EXPECTED IN THAT AREA,
THAT MEANS IT’S GOING TO BE
CATASTROPHIC WHERE THE STORM
COMES ASHORE AND THEN THIS IS
GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD. THE
STORM ONCE IT COMES ASHORE IS
EXPECTED TO SLOW DOWN. IT WILL
DUMP TONS OF RAIN, THE MAYOR OF
TAMPA, SAYING THIS AREA COULD
STILL GET 20 INCHES OF RAIN
BEFORE ALL IS SAID AND DONE. THE
STORM WILL CONTINUE TO DUMP RAIN
OVER THE CENTRAL PORTION OF
FLORIDA LIKE ORLANDO BEFORE
GOING OUT TO THE EAST COAST AND
CAUSING MORE STORM SURGE ALL THE
WAY UP TO JACKSONVILLE. SO
OFFICIALS SAY IT’S TOO LATE TO
GET OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
REMAINED IN EVACUATION ZONES.
IT’S BEST FOR THEM JUST TO STAY
HOME AND RIDE IT OUT AND HOPE
FOR THE BEST. THAT’S A STORY
FROM TAMPA. I’M CHRIS PALLONE,
NBC NEWS SO MUCH RAIN ON THE
CAMERA THERE EVEN ARE WE SURE
THAT WAS CHRIS? I’M JUST SAYING,
WE’RE CERTAINLY PRAYING FOR THE
BEST HE’S SAYING, HOPING FOR THE
BEST. BUT BRANDON, THE WORST OF
IT IS HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT
FEW HOURS IS AND THE CONCERNS
ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM
STORM SURGE FLOODING RAINS TO
100 125 MILE AN HOUR WINDS AND
THEN TORNADOES AS PARTS OF THIS
STORM HIT THE FRICTION OF THE
LAND MORE SO ACROSS THE EASTERN
PART OF THE STATE, BUT FROM ALL
THE WAY WEST TO ALL THE WAY EAST
ABOUT 550 MILES ACROSS WITH THIS
STORM, AND YOU SEE THE WELL
DEFINED I JUST OFF OF FORT MYERS
AND JUST SLOWLY DRIFTING TO THE
NORTH, SO IT WILL MAKE LANDFALL
IN THE NEXT COUPLE 23 HOURS,
LIKELY AS A CATEGORY 455 MILES
AN HOUR WINDS RIGHT AROUND THE
EYE. AND IF IT HITS LAND AT THAT
THAT’S WHAT FOLKS ALONG THE GULF
COAST WEST SHORELINES OF FLORIDA
WILL BE DEALING WITH AND THEN 24
HOURS LATER THROUGH THURSDAY,
STILL A CAT THREE WITH 120 MILE
AN HOUR WINDS POSSIBLE NEAR
ORLANDO DRIFTING THEN OUT INTO
PARTS OF YOU KNOW, JACKSONVILLE
. WE COULD ACTUALLY GET A LITTLE
CLOUD COVER FROM THIS THIS
WEEKEND, BUT A FOOT AND A HALF
TO TWO FT OF RAIN BETWEEN TAMPA
AND FORT MYERS WILL WATCH OUT
FOR TORNADOES. AND THEN, OF
COURSE, STORM SURGE AS WELL.
WE’LL TAKE A LOOK A LITTLE
CLOSER AT THAT. AND OF COURSE
YOU’RE ALL IMPORTANT FORECAST
JUST MINUTES AWAY. THANK YOU.
WE’LL CHECK BACK IN WITH HIM,
METRO DETROITER SAYS. YOU CAN
IMAGINE STEPPING UP TO HELP IN A
VERY BIG WAY, ALREADY HELPING
FLORIDA IN ANTICIPATION OF
WHAT’S TO COME THAT THERE ARE
VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE MAKING THEIR
WAY DOWN. THERE ARE ALREADY DOWN
THERE READY TO HELP AND
WINCHESTER IS WITH THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS OUT THERE IN WEST
OUTER DRIVE, AND HANK. WE KNOW
THEIR TEAM IS READY TO GO TO
WORK. AND THEY CERTAINLY ARE
THERE GOING TO BE LEAVING THIS
LOCATION IN DETROIT. IN A MATTER
OF MINUTES, AND ON THE GROUND,
YOU’LL FIND HUNDREDS FROM METRO
DETROIT OUT TO HELP. MANY OF
THEM ARE GOING TO BE DRIVING
BANDS JUST LIKE THIS ONE. LET ME
GIVE YOU A PEEK INSIDE. SEE
THOSE COOLERS RIGHT THERE. THOSE
ARE GOING TO BE FILLED WITH HOT
MEALS AND DRINKS, THINGS THAT
PEOPLE NEED IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES. AND THEN THOSE
VOLUNTEERS WILL THEN SERVE THOSE
MEALS RIGHT HERE. FROM THIS
WINDOW. LISTEN, THEY MAKE THEIR
WAY INTO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS
AFTER THESE STORMS AND THESE
DISASTERS, AND THEY SAY THEY ARE
JUST FLOODED WITH THANKS AND
PRAISE AND LOVE FROM PEOPLE WHO
ARE SO THANKFUL TO GET HELP.
DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, WE
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO
ONE OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS OF SHORT
TIME AGO. HERE’S WHAT HE HAD TO
SAY ABOUT THE EFFORT. WE’VE GOT
FIVE VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING
DOWN THERE. THEY’RE ALL HAVE TO
BE DOWN THERE, LEAVING SO THEY
COULD BE DOWN THERE BY SATURDAY.
THEY’RE ARRIVING AT THE ACTUALLY
THE PAD. THAT’S DOWN THERE. EACH
VEHICLE HAS TWO VOLUNTEERS ON
IT. BUT WE’VE GOT AND THEY’RE
GOING TO BE DOING FEELING OUT
THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS
PARTICULAR VAN RIGHT HERE,
DRIVEN BY A LOCAL HUSBAND AND
WIFE BOTH RETIRED. THEY’VE DONE
A FEW OF THESE BEFORE DIFFERENT
NATURAL DISASTERS OVER THE YEARS
, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE ABOUT 24
HOURS TO MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN TO
FLORIDA. WAIT FOR THE GREEN
LIGHT FROM THE AUTHORITIES TO BE
ABLE TO GET INTO THOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE HARDEST
HIT. AND THEN WHAT THEY DO IS
THEY SET UP SHOP. THEY START
GETTING FOOD AND MEALS OUT TO
THOSE THAT NEED IT MOST. OF
COURSE, THE RED CROSS ASKING FOR
YEAR HELP IN THIS EFFORT TO IF
YOU’D LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION,
UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THE
MONEY THAT IS RAISED GOES
DIRECTLY TO THOSE WHO NEED IT
AND EFFORTS JUST LIKE THIS ONE.
WE’RE LIVE THIS NOON HOUR HERE
IN DETROIT. HANK WINCHESTER
HELPED ME HANK LOCAL 4 THESE
VOLUNTEERS MAKE IT THEIR LIFE’S
MISSION TO HELP IN TIMES AND
NEED IN CRISIS AND WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL FOR THEIR VOLUNTEERISM
. AND THANK YOU, HANK FOR
BRINGING THAT TO US. ALSO ARE
METEOROLOGIST KIM ADAMS IS IN
VENICE, FLORIDA RIGHT NOW, SHE
IS GETTING A LOOK AT THE
CONDITIONS THERE, AND SHE’S
GOING TO HAVE LIVE REPORTS FOR
US BEGINNING AND LOCAL 4 NEWS
FIRST AT FOUR, AND DURING OUR
FIVE AND SIX O’CLOCK NEWSCAST
AND ALL DAY YOU YOU CAN WATCH
COVERAGE STREAMING ON LOCAL 4
PLUS OUR SISTER STATION RIGHT
DOWN THERE IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA
IS DOING AROUND THE CLOCK
COVERAGE AND WE ARE CARRYING IT
LIVE AS WELL TO KEEP YOU
INFORMED IF YOU HAVE FAMILY AND
FRIENDS THERE. IN OTHER NEWS
THIS AFTERNOON. WE’RE WORKING ON
GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE SHOOTING ON DETROIT’S EAST
SIDE. POLICE TELL US THAT A MAN
WAS SHOT AND KILLED EARLIER THIS
MORNING, RIGHT IN YOUR CHALMERS
AND CEDAR GROVE. THAT’S A FEW
BLOCKS EAST OF AGGRESSION. SO
FAR, THERE’S NO WORD ON A
POSSIBLE MOTIVE OR ANYONE HAS
BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO
THE SHOOTING. AND HERE’S THE
DEVELOPMENT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
GARLAND GILCHRIST, ANNOUNCING
THAT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WILL
NOT TREAT ANY STUDENT LOAN
FORGIVENESS FROM THE GOVERNMENT
AS A TAXABLE INCOME. THAT MEANS
1.4 MILLION MICHIGAN RESIDENTS
COULD SAVE THOUSANDS OF
ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IF THEY
QUALIFY FOR ANY OF THE FEDERAL
STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PLANS
WERE REALLY WORK HARD TO PROVIDE
RELIEF AND TO MAKE SURE THAT NO
PERSON IN MICHIGAN UM, HAS TO
GIVE UP ON THEIR EDUCATION HAS
GIVE UP ON THEIR SKILLS TRAINING
HAS TO GIVE UP ON THEIR DREAM
AND THEIR FUTURE SIMPLY BECAUSE
THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT PAYING OFF
STUDENT LOANS. A LOT OF TIMES
WHEN PEOPLE TOOK ON STUDENT
LOANS YOU TOOK THEM ON BECAUSE
YOU WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS GOOD
DEBT. YOU WERE TOLD THAT THIS
WAS RIGHT TO INVEST IN IT BETTER
YOURSELF. AND I WANT THAT TO BE
TRUE. I WANTED TO FEEL TRUE. WE
HAVE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN
SIGN UP FOR THAT FEDERAL STUDENT
LOAN FORGIVENESS AND ALL THE
CRITERIA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR IT
ON OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ON THE
TRADE .COM JUST TYPE STUDENT
LOAN FORGIVENESS AND THE SEARCH
TAB. SO AFTER TWO YEARS OF BEING
SHUT DOWN, THE BELLE ISLE NATURE
CENTER IS BACK OPEN. YES, IT IS
. THE DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY
, WHICH OPERATES THE CENTER SAYS
IT IS UNDERGONE A MAJOR OVERHAUL
. SEVERAL TRANSFORMATIVE
RENOVATIONS ARE THERE NOW
THEY’VE BEEN WORKING ON IT THE
LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THE CENTER
IS OPEN DAILY FROM 10 AM INTO
ALL FIVE. ADMISSION IS FREE
THROUGH THE MEMBERS. THERE IS A
IT’S FREE FOR EVERYONE, BUT
THERE IS A FEE, OF COURSE TO GET
ONTO THE ISLAND BECAUSE IT’S A
STATE PARK OR YOU MUST HAVE THAT
STATE PARK TAB ON YOUR LICENSE