Southeast
'Hamilton' former cast member missing, car found abandoned near national park
A Broadway dancer has been missing for over a week from his home in South Carolina.
Zelig Williams, a 28-year-old professional dancer who appeared in “Hamilton” in 2016, was last seen driving in the area of Congaree National Park.
Authorities located his abandoned vehicle at the Palmetto Trail Parking lot off Bluff Road — about a 30-minute drive from the location where Williams was last spotted, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
“RCSD was contacted by a family member on Oct. 04, 2024, and stated that Williams had not been heard from by any family member since Oct. 03,” RCSD said in a press release. “This is out of character for Williams to go without contact.”
2 BOASTERS MISSING AFTER SAILING TO AVOID HURRICANE MILTON: COAST GUARD
Less than a month prior to his disappearance, Williams took to Facebook to announce that he was “10 days away from Broadway Dance Bootcamp.” Williams had been teaching dance lessons to children between the ages of 11 and 18 in Columbia.
“They will learning musical theatre [sic] combos that I’ve choreographed and will be getting information on what’s important to bring with you to a Broadway audition!” Zelig wrote in one post.
EQUESTRIAN FOUND DEAD IN MONTANA RIVER AFTER MISSING FOR DAYS, HORSE AND CELLPHONE LEFT BEHIND
Anyone with information about Zelig’s disappearance should contact the Richland County Sheriff’s Office at 803-576-3000.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Top Republican demands answers as billions in FEMA relief are still going to COVID: 'Legitimate concern'
EXCLUSIVE: A top Republican lawmaker sent a scathing letter demanding several facts and figures from FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell after discovering nearly half of a recent congressional appropriation for disaster relief was spent on non-hurricane-related interests.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said that FEMA lifted its August restrictions on immediate needs funding (INF) on Oct. 1 – right after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida.
While recently-criticized FEMA funds used for migrant issues is formally partitioned from disaster relief (DRF), Roy said COVID-19 response-related funding falls in the disaster relief pot.
“The American people have legitimate concerns regarding the availability of FEMA funding to respond to these hurricanes and future events in the near term,” wrote Roy, who sits on the House Budget Committee.
BIDEN ADMIN HIT WITH FOIA SUIT SEEKING 25TH AMENDMENT-RELATED COMMS
“FEMA is rapidly spending billions out of the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) on non-immediate needs, including billions in unnecessary funding for COVID-19, which threatens to deplete the fund despite there being nearly two months left in hurricane season,” he added.
Roy called the decision to lift the INF restrictions “questionable” and said that as of Wednesday, FEMA has spent $344 million on Helene response efforts with more reportedly on the way.
He questioned the “sheer amount” of funding going to COVID-19 relief nearly two years after the official coronavirus “emergency” ended.
$1.2 billion has gone to the state of California alone, and nearly half of DRF funding initially delayed due to INF restrictions went to COVID-19 projects, according to a FEMA document obtained by Roy.
NEW BILL WOULD PROHIBIT US FINANCIAL AID TO AFGHANISTAN UNTIL WRONGFULLY DETAINED AMERICANS RELEASED
Roy went on to demand Criswell answer as soon as possible as to why FEMA lifted INF restrictions as images of devastation in the Smokies were very much public.
He also asked for specific figures for appropriations for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 projects, as well as appropriations for Helene and Milton recovery efforts.
“Please explain how FEMA will ensure that COVID-19 projects do not continue to jeopardize FEMA’s ability to use the DRF in the future to respond to disasters, absent a massive increase in congressional appropriations,” he added, floating the idea that Congress could ban DRF funds from going to COVID-19 projects any longer.
“If we are going to appropriate dollars for disaster relief, both FEMA and Congress should ensure the DRF prioritizes individuals impacted by disasters . . .” he said.
Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia – leading to the Pigeon River completely washing out crucial Interstate 40 in Haywood County, N.C. Cities like Asheville, N.C., Newport, Tenn., and Damascus, Va., were deluged with floodwaters despite their collective altitudes.
Effects of the massive storm were felt as far west as Tishomingo, Miss., and up into the Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky.
Within days, Hurricane Milton made landfall south of Tampa Bay and spawned several tornadoes on the other side of the Sunshine State, where multiple people died near Port St. Lucie.
Fox News Digital has reached out to FEMA and its overarching agency DHS for comment.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Women drive from Illinois to Florida to save 93-year-old grandmother in Milton's path
A woman and her mother drove a total of 54 hours to take their family member out of Hurricane Milton’s path.
Jennifer Seaman and her mom, Sue Schaffnit, began to worry about Schaffnit’s mother who was living in Venice, Florida, in an assisted living home.
Seaman’s grandmother, 93, was located just south of Sarasota, Florida, where residents were affected by the Category 3 hurricane landfall.
GRANDMOTHER’S BIBLE SURVIVES HURRICANE HELENE AFTER STORM DESTROYS HER HOME: ‘IT WAS THE LORD’
Seaman told SWNS that she and her mother wanted to make sure their family member was safe during the storm — but all flights out of the area were full.
“Around 9:00 p.m. [Oct. 6] when things started to get more severe, I was talking to my mom,” she said, adding, “We were back and forth on the phone, checking flights, but everything was booked.”
An hour later, the pair decided to get in the car and drive from Peoria, Illinois, to Venice and pick up Grandma themselves.
FLORIDA MAN WON’T EVACUATE FOR HURRICANE MILTON, PLANS TO ‘SWIM OUT’ TO SAFETY AFTER SURGE HITS
Seaman said, “I went to my mom’s house, and we spent about five minutes deciding what we were going to do and went. We didn’t pack bags or have a change of clothes.”
The two women spent 20 hours driving in the car before arriving in Venice — a 1,210-mile journey.
Seaman said the home her grandmother was staying in had planned to shelter in place and encouraged the residents to stay through the storm.
“I think for my mom and I, if something bad was to happen or if the storm was to take a massive turn and wipe people out, the last thing we wanted was my grandma to have died without family with her,” she said.
HURRICANE CHASER IN FLORIDA SAYS MILTON PROMPTED ‘RACE’ FOR RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE
After picking up Grandma, the women got back on the road to leave Florida — sitting in gridlocked traffic for six hours while only moving 100 miles.
“As we were getting out, the storm was picking up intensity,” Seaman told SWNS.
The three of them found a hotel outside of Atlanta, Georgia, where they checked in for a three-hour power nap, according to the outlet.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle
After that, they got on the road and drove the remaining way back to Illinois.
Seaman told SWNS that her grandmother was “very relieved” to leave before the hurricane hit, but wants to get back to Florida.
“She is anxious to get back and see how everything is, but we have seen the flooding in Venice and the power is out, so we can’t contact her assisted living home,” Seaman said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Seaman for additional comment.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Tennessee authorities trying to dispose of large box with dynamite that prompted evacuations
Tennessee authorities on Friday were investigating a box containing large amounts of dynamite at a metal recycling business that prompted evacuations of people living near the site.
An explosive ordnance robot was deployed to get a sample of the explosives found inside a box Thursday at CMC Recycling, the Knoxville Police Department said.
The sample tested positive for ammonium nitrate, which is consistent with dynamite. Bomb squad technicians were working to remove the explosives from the box for disposal.
3 EX-OFFICERS CONVICTED IN FATAL BEATING OF TYRE NICHOLS
It was initially reported that the box contained around 200 sticks of dynamite, but technicians haven’t verified how many pieces were in the box, authorities said.
They will “methodically” remove the explosives from the box, douse the dynamite in diesel fuel, and burn it, police said. There was no evidence the box was placed at the site with malicious or criminal intent, police said.
MORE THAN 50 SEMI-TRUCKS TIRES VANDALIZED AT TENNESSEE TRUCK STOP, DEPUTIES SAY
It was left at the site for several days. The dynamite inside was discovered when employees at the metal recycling plant were using a torch to salvage the box and unintentionally set it on fire, authorities said.
Knoxville’s police department has consulted with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which recommended the immediate area be evacuated.
Evacuations remained in place for those living within 3,000 feet of the box, police said.
Read the full article from Here
-
World1 week ago
Ukrainian stronghold Vuhledar falls to Russian offensive after two years of bombardment
-
World1 week ago
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange says he pleaded ‘guilty to journalism’ in order to be freed
-
Technology1 week ago
Beware of fraudsters posing as government officials trying to steal your cash
-
Health1 week ago
Health, happiness and helping others are vital parts of free and responsible society, Founding Fathers taught
-
Sports1 week ago
Freddie Freeman says his ankle sprain is worst injury he's ever tried to play through
-
News1 week ago
Lebanon says 50 medics killed in past three days as Israel extends its bombardment
-
Entertainment3 days ago
Hold my beer can: Museum says a worker thought unique art installation was trash
-
Entertainment4 days ago
'The Office' star Jenna Fischer reveals private breast cancer battle: 'I am cancer free'