While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1.DebateDueling Town Halls: Trump in Miami, Biden in Philadelphia
Thursday was supposed to mark the second of three presidential debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Instead, Trump and Biden will hold town hall forums on opposite networks in a hope to sway voters to the polls by November 3. The town hall forums will air Thursday evening at 8 p.m. You can watch Trump's town hall in Miami on WPTV.
Vice President Mike Pence will also be in Miami today hosting a campaign rally.
2. Emails Again: Trump's seizes on questionable Biden-Ukraine story
Trump’s campaign has seized on a tabloid story offering bizarre twists to a familiar line of attack: Biden’s relationship with Ukraine.
Given that the emails came directly from Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, there are questions on the authenticity of the emails, which the Post reports came from a device left by Hunter Biden at a repair shop.
The email reportedly is from Vadym Pozharskyi, an adviser to Burisma’s board, and reads thank you "for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent (sic) some time together. It’s realty (sic) an honor and pleasure.” However, the email's don't seem to resemble G-Mail formatting.
The Biden campaign told the Associated Press that it could not find a meeting between the then vice president and Pozharskyi on Biden's schedule and no one has been able to independently confirm a meeting.
3. Sophie's Choice: Save homes from flooding or save the river from bacteria?
Fresh water from Lake Okeechobee is now being released into the St. Lucie River at a rate of 1,800 cubic feet per second, according to the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
The announcement to help save homes around the lake from flooding was made on Wednesday, but experts say the discharges from the lake are now being included with an already overwhelming amount of freshwater flowing from local canals.
"Even without lake discharges, that water comes with high nutrients, it comes with sometimes fecal bacteria that makes it not safe to recreate in the water," said John Maehl, Ecosystem Restoration Management Manager in Martin County.
4. Should more Florida counties get rid of mask mandates?
Martin County has done away with their mask mandate and Indian River County will debate about mandatory masks at schools today.
Palm Beach County and St. Lucie County mask mandates remain in effect, but the debate to remove them raged on our Facebook page.
MASK MANDATES 😷 Do you think it's time for mask mandates to be done with, or are they still needed to stop the spread of COVID-19? STORY 👉 https://bit.ly/2FsRIiW
Posted by WPTV on Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Olayemi Osiyemi tells WPTV the virus is not gone and going without masks with no vaccine available is a recipe for disaster.
5. SEC: Schools Enveloped with Coronavirus
The game between No. 10 Florida and defending national champion LSU won't be played this weekend. Saturday's game has been postponed because of the positive coronavirus tests and subsequent quarantine of individuals on Florida's team.
Alabama coach Nick Saban and athletic director Greg Byrne have tested positive for COVID-19, four days before the Southeastern Conference's biggest regular-season showdown. The second-ranked Crimson Tide is set to face No. 3 Georgia on Saturday and might be without their iconic 68-year-old coach.
Today's Forecast
Isolated rainfall with a couple of late-day storms.
Get your complete hour-by-hour forecast here.
On This Day In History
On October 15, 1989, Los Angeles King Wayne Gretzky breaks Gordie Howe’s points record (1,850) in the final period of a game against the Edmonton Oilers. Gretzky’s record-setting goal tied the game; in overtime he scored another, and the Kings won 5-4.
Remember, you can join Mike Trim and Ashleigh Walters every weekday on WPTV NewsChannel 5 beginning at 4:30 a.m. And you can always watch the latest news from WPTV anytime on your favorite streaming device. Just search for "WPTV."
