By DAVE DOWNEY<\/p>\n
Since Michael just became a tropical disturbance in the Western Caribbean a little more than a week ago, the news media as a whole did an incredibly good job covering the track of Michael from the Yucatan to the Florida Peninsula.<\/p>\n
Although it did take most outlets a little longer than it should’ve to take notice of the potential track of the storm and a possible landfall on the U.S. mainland, coverage from Sunday through Thursday was spot on in providing clear and accurate information.<\/p>\n
The storm is now making its way toward the Atlantic Ocean Friday as during its transition to a post-tropical cyclone with winds gusting at 65 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center.<\/p>\n
More than half a million customers in Virginia are without power.<\/p>\n
Another million customers were without power across Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and Florida, where the storm first made landfall and flattened some coastal\u00a0 communities in the Panhandle.<\/p>\n
Hardest hit were Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach, where both sides of the eye wall came ashore.<\/p>\n
The official death toll is up to 11 persons now, but it is almost assuredly going to rise once officials reach the hardest hit areas near the Florida Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By DAVE DOWNEY Since Michael just became a tropical disturbance in the Western Caribbean a little more than a week ago, the news media as a whole did an incredibly good job covering the track of Michael from the Yucatan … Continue reading