Today the nation is 14 days from midterms and early voting is surging across the South, with Georgia surpassing 1 million ballots and North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee in active early-vote windows, while federal-state clashes intensify as the DOJ charges 28 people with voting crimes in California and Colorado River cuts pit Arizona and Nevada against Washington. The Southeast is dominated by college football fallout after Alabama’s second straight loss and Tennessee’s upset, Florida’s record execution pace continues with an execution 40 years after the crime, and the West faces resource and health pressures from a Nevada geothermal lease sale that overlaps solar projects, an early flu surge hitting highest activity in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, and severe thunderstorm alerts for seven states today.
- Alabama: Neyland Stadium Crowd Roars Record Loud As Tennessee Stuns Alabama Ten Twenty-Six Ending Streak
Alabama falls 26-10 to Tennessee, its first back-to-back regular season losses since 2007, sparking questions about offensive identity. - Alaska: Early Flu Surge Hits Alaska Among Eight Western States With Highest Wastewater Activity Reported
CDC projects flu rising in all 50 states, with Alaska, Hawaii, and West Coast seeing highest early activity. - Arizona: Arizona Joins Nevada Lawsuit Challenging Federal Colorado River Cuts For Lower Basin States
State challenges federal plan to drastically cut Lower Basin water, while under severe thunderstorm alert today. - Arkansas: Severe Weather And Early Voting Pressures Mount As Arkansas Braces For Midterm Turnout Surge
State included in southern early voting push and regional clean energy ballot discussions ahead of November 3. - California: Justice Department Charges Twenty Eight For Voting Crimes Escalating Feud With California Officials
DOJ-California fight intensifies over voter rolls through Election Day; September revenues beat forecast by $2.9B on tech boom. - Colorado: Colorado River Groundwater Losses Surprise Scientists While Upper Basin States Avoid Mandatory Cuts
Upper Basin states Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah exempt from cuts as Lower Basin sues. - Connecticut: Raw Cheddar Cheese Recalled Across Seven States Including Connecticut Over Dangerous E Coli Contamination
Family Farmstead Dairy recall distributed to CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA may have reached other states via distributors. - Delaware: Delaware Faces Cool Fair Thanksgiving Forecast With Possible Flurries In Higher Elevations Ahead
Farmers’ Almanac predicts cool, mainly fair conditions for Delaware, Maryland, DC similar to Northeast. - Florida: Florida Executes Cop Killer After Forty Years Amid Record Death Warrant Surge Under Governor DeSantis
State has executed 17 already this year after DeSantis issued 19 warrants last year, four times any other state. - Georgia: Georgia Surpasses One Million Early Votes Marking Twelve Percent Increase Since Twenty Twenty-Two
State one week into early voting for governor and Senate race Ossoff vs Collins; governor race remains tight. - Hawaii: Hawaii Included In West Coast Region Seeing Highest Early Flu Activity Before December Peak
Flu activity in October at levels usually seen in December, wastewater data shows. - Idaho: Idaho Ballot Measure Would Establish Constitutional Right To Abortion Alongside Nevada Virginia Proposals
Abortion rights measures in ID, NV, VA among 50 ballot measures to watch November 3. - Illinois: Illinois Corn Soybean Harvests Run Ahead Of Average As Wheat Board Election Set October Twenty-Eighth
Illinois farmers report 5 days suitable for fieldwork for week ending Oct 18 per USDA. - Indiana: Hoosiers Oppose New Redistricting Push As Poll Shows Majority Against Republican Advantage Plan
Free Press Indiana Poll by Bellwether Research released Oct 20 shows opposition to redrawing before 2028. - Iowa: Iowa Among Twenty Four States Where Shoppers Pay Less For Halloween Candy Due Sweet Rule
Iowa joins SST states with sales tax exemption lowering Halloween candy costs. - Kansas: Kansas Headlines Tuesday October Twenty Twenty Six Highlight Midterms Federal Budget Oil Price Updates
Daily briefing notes Fed blackout ahead of Oct 27-28 decision 14 days before midterms. - Kentucky: Louisville Police Arrest Fourteen In West Louisville Narcotics Operation According To Facebook Post
Operation announced Oct 19 ahead of Thanksgiving snow forecast zone that includes KY. - Louisiana: Troy At Louisiana Game Scheduled Tonight As State Monitors Gulf Severe Weather Threats
ESPN+ matchup 5pm ET while southern states prepare for midterm early voting deadlines. - Maine: Maine Faces Below Average October Temperatures After Nor’easter Flooding Hits Northeast Hard
National Weather Service shows Maine, New England below average; flurry risk in higher elevations. - Maryland: Maryland Included In Seven State Raw Cheddar Recall While Severe Storm Risk Threatens Forty Million
Level 2 severe thunderstorm risk covers eastern PA, northern MD, northern NJ with 50 mph gusts possible. - Massachusetts: Massachusetts Grocery Stores Affected By Cheddar Recall As Northeast Braces For Severe Weather
Up to 40 million people could be affected by heavy rain and strong winds in coastal MA, CT, RI. - Michigan: Michigan Included In Thanksgiving Snow Watch Zone As Midwest Prepares For Possible Travel Disruptions
Farmers’ Almanac warns Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin may see snow showers. - Minnesota: Minnesota Faces Afternoon Headlines October Twenty As Trump Announces Whistleblower Fraud Program Today
Trump claims Walz, Omar guilty of fraud; Minnesota News Network issues afternoon headlines briefing. - Mississippi: Mississippi State Among Teams Receiving Votes After Chaotic SEC Weekend Shakes Rankings
Auburn upset over Georgia and Tennessee over Alabama scramble SEC projections. - Missouri: Missouri Amendment Would Repeal Twenty Twenty Four Reproductive Freedom Amendment Banning Abortion With Exceptions
Missouri Amendment 3 on ballot among closely watched reproductive measures. - Montana: Montana Public Radio Covers DOJ California Voting Fight As State Monitors Early Flu Season
Trump administration’s fight over voter rolls intensifies per Montana Public Radio coverage. - Nebraska: Nebraska Joins Arizona Colorado Washington In First Statewide Votes On School Sports Sex Requirements
Sex-based school sports measures among 50 ballot measures to watch. - Nevada: Federal Government Holds Nevada Geothermal Auction Amid Soaring Industry Interest Today
Fourth of six 2026 sales, first in Nevada this year; Ormat and Fervo active; parcels overlap planned solar farms. - New Hampshire: New Hampshire Governor Candidate Campaigns With Newsom As Polls Show Tight Midterm Races
Newsom campaigns in Nashua Oct 17 as NH races heat up. - New Jersey: New Jersey Among Seven States Hit By Cheese Recall While Severe Storms Threaten North Jersey
Severe thunderstorm Level 2 risk includes northern New Jersey with wind gusts 30-40 mph. - New Mexico: New Mexico Among Seven States On Alert For Major Thunderstorms With Hail Wind Today
U.S. warns severe rain, wind, large hail could hammer New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona Tuesday. - New York: Governor Hochul Leads Blakeman By Four Points In GOP Internal Poll Before NY1 Debate
Democratic incumbent and Republican challenger faced off Oct 13 at Spectrum News NY1 Manhattan debate. - North Carolina: North Carolina Now Home To Cheapest Gas In US After HB3 Passes Lowering Prices
State offers cheapest gas nationally, ahead of Tennessee and Georgia, per latest rankings. - North Dakota: North Dakota And South Dakota To Vote On Constitutional Amendments Among Fifty Measures Watched
Abortion, sex, gender policy measures highlight November 3 ballot. - Ohio: Ohio Sees Brutal Political Ad As Mother Urges Vote Against Daughter Amy Acton In Governor Race
Ad controversy emerges as Vivek Ramaswamy accused of co-opting estranged mother for October surprise. - Oklahoma: Oklahoma Among States Where Downstream Distributors May Have Spread Recalled Cheese Further
Cheese recall may have reached additional states beyond original seven through distributors. - Oregon: Oregon State Trounces Washington State With Ease While Flu Activity Surges On West Coast
Pac-12 quiet Saturday as Oregon State wins; Oregon among highest flu activity regions. - Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Faces Severe Thunderstorm Level Two Risk Affecting Forty Million Coastal Residents Today
Heavy rain and strong winds expected for eastern PA, northern MD, northern NJ today. - Rhode Island: Rhode Island Coastal Areas Brace For Heavy Rain Strong Winds As Storm Threatens Northeast Today
Storm could affect 40 million people across RI, MA, CT, Long Island with gusts up to 50 mph. - South Carolina: South Carolina Early Voting Runs October Nineteen To Thirty One With Absentee Deadline October Twenty
Early voting dates set; Gamecocks football projections scrambled after SEC upset weekend. - South Dakota: South Dakota Constitutional Amendments On Ballot As Thanksgiving Travel Snow Warning Issued For Seventeen States
Farmers’ Almanac snow warning includes Midwest states near South Dakota. - Tennessee: Memphis City Council To Vote On Pausing Data Center Construction After Chaos Over AI Centers
Judge halts ban of state Rep. Justin Pearson and five others from Tuesday meeting after First Amendment lawsuit. - Texas: Texas Defeat To Florida Ends College Football Playoff Dreams As Federal Geothermal Sale Collides With Solar
Texas loss to Florida over weekend likely ends CFP hopes; Texas defense firm involved in Congo funds dispute. - Utah: Utah Exempt From Colorado River Mandatory Cuts As Upper Basin States Avoid Requirements While Lake Falls
Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming not required to take cuts under federal plan. - Vermont: Vermont Faces Cool Mainly Fair Weather With Flurry Risk In Northern Higher Elevation Areas Expected
Thanksgiving forecast shows VT, NH, ME, MA, RI, NJ, NY, PA, CT may see flurries in high elevations. - Virginia: Virginia Abortion Rights Measure On November Ballot As Cheese Recall Includes Virginia Retailers Too
Raw cheddar distributed to VA, MD, MA, CT, NJ, NY, PA recalled over E. coli risk. - Washington: Washington State Among Highest Early Flu Activity As Thanksgiving Cool Fair Forecast Predicts Possible Flurries
West Coast region AZ, CA, HI, NV, AK, ID, OR, WA seeing highest October flu activity. - West Virginia: West Virginia Faces Below Average October Temperatures As Appalachia Prepares For Colder Weather Ahead
Entire Ohio, WV, PA, MD, NJ, NY, CT, MA, RI, VT, NH, ME below average temperatures expected. - Wisconsin: Wisconsin Among States Likely To See Thanksgiving Snow Showers Causing Brief Travel Slowdowns Possible
Farmers’ Almanac warns Midwest could see scattered snow showers or flurries Thanksgiving week. - Wyoming: Wyoming Exempt From Colorado River Cuts While Upper Basin Groundwater Loss Surprises Scientists Today
Upper Basin states CO, NM, WY, UT would not be required to take any cuts under plan.
