The leftovers from Hurricane Milton are not filling

You know, our headline is a tad misleading. “Leftovers” suggests that Hurricane Milton is all done when, really, it isn’t.

Yes, the physical storm has passed, but the story of Hurricane Milton continues. The impacts continue to be felt. A sizable portion of the Tampa Bay area, for example, remains without power. The damage south of Tampa Bay is even worse in some parts. Many residents have been displaced because of flooding and other storm damage. That displacement is temporary for some, permanent for others.

The point is Hurricane Milton continues to wreak havoc even though the wind and rain and storm surge have passed.

Last week, I praised national networks for their coverage of Hurricane Milton. And that praise came from someone who lives and works in St. Petersburg, Florida — home of the Poynter Institute.

However, what is disappointing is that after the rain and wind go away, so does a lot of the national TV coverage. Prominent news anchors who came to town to stand in knee-deep water and shout into driving rain have long left the area, even though there is still a story to be told — the story of residents dealing with the aftermath of the storm. That includes power outages, severe gas shortages, a lack of groceries in stores and many other hardships.

Look, I get it. One of the most consequential presidential elections in our nation’s history is just a little more than three weeks away. It’s hard for the country and news organizations to think about anything else, especially a small section of the country. And I admit that maybe it’s because me and my family and friends and neighbors and colleagues have been directly affected by Hurricane Milton that I wish more attention was still being given to the storm’s aftermath. But … well, I wish more attention was still being given to the storm’s aftermath.

And I’m just talking about Hurricane Milton, not to mention those from Florida to North Carolina who are still dealing with the awful impact of Hurricane Helene just a few weeks ago.

Having said all that, here are a few hurricane-related stories that deserve some of your attention, starting with two pieces from superb local writers …

• This story perfectly captured what it’s like to be a Floridian during hurricane season. The Tampa Bay Times’ Christopher Spata with “13 days, 2 hurricanes, and incalculable anxiety in Tampa Bay.”
• Tampa Bay Times columnist Stephanie Hayes with “After two ferocious storms, making peace with Florida.”
• The Washington Post’s Kevin Crowe, Shannon Osaka and John Muyskens with “FEMA maps missed parts of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene, Post analysis shows.”
• Also in the Post: Emily Heil, Andrea Sachs and Hannah Sampson with “‘It’s devastating’: Asheville braces for a peak season without visitors.”
• And one more in the Post. Brianna Sacks with “After 3 hurricanes in 2 years, Fort Myers Beach residents wonder if it’s time to let go.”
• The New York Times’ Audra D. S. Burch, Eduardo Medina and Kate Selig with “A Tale of Two Hurricanes Finds More That Differs Than Is the Same.”
• In a guest essay for The New York Times, Katelyn Ferral, a freelance writer who teaches fourth grade at a public school in Tampa, with “After Hurricane Milton Left, My Town Revealed Itself.”
• “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker deserves credit for opening her interview Sunday with House Speaker Mike Johnson by asking about federal relief for those affected by the hurricanes.

A NOTE FROM POYNTER

So powerful a hurricane couldn’t stop them.

The Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media has transformed the careers of more than 650 people. Each participant learns to manage teams more effectively, hone and communicate their strategic vision and steer their organizations toward success. But perhaps more importantly, graduates join a global community of support — a community so strong, they rode out a hurricane together.

Read more and apply now.

And now for the rest of the newsletter, including media news, tidbits and interesting links …

• New York Times opinion columnist Ezra Klein’s latest: “Ignore the polls.” Klein’s point is the polls for the presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are all so tight that they are within the margin of error. Klein writes, “Which is all to say: The polls can’t tell you the way in which they’re going to be wrong, nor by how much. But that’s what matters now.”
• But speaking of polls, for The New Yorker, Jelani Cobb with “What the Polls Really Say About Black Men’s Support for Kamala Harris.”
• Mediaite’s Kipp Jones with “Trump Obliterates Fox News Just Hours After Giving Network an Hour-Long Interview: ‘We Must Win, DESPITE Them.’”
• The New York Times’ Kate Conger, Tiffany Hsu and Aaron Krolik with “Twitter Barred Them. What Happened When Elon Musk Brought Them Back?”
• NPR’s Steve Inskeep interviewed New York Times executive editor Joe Kahn: “New York Times top editor answers critics — including some inside his newsroom.”
• Semafor’s Max Tani reports that The Daily Mail is adding former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and media writer Michael Wolff to its political coverage. Conway told Tani, “I am excited to pen a regular column at such a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Just as I do on Fox News and Fox Nation, my goal will be to push past the soundbites to provide a substantive look at the issues, ideas, individuals and images that readers crave.”
• If Ariana Grande’s music career ever goes in the tank — not like that is ever going to happen — she easily could become a cast regular on “Saturday Night Live.” Grande hosted Saturday night and, just like her past “SNL” appearances, she was fantastic. She’s an incredible impressionist, and completely nailed impersonations of Céline Dion and Jennifer Coolidge. The whole show was terrific, including a political cold open with Democrats vs. Republicans in a game of “Family Feud” that included former cast members Maya Rudolph playing Kamala Harris and Dana Carvey playing Joe Biden. Also check out Grande’s fun opening monologue.
• For “CBS News Sunday Morning,” Ben Mankiewicz profiles one of our greatest all-time actors: “Al Pacino on becoming Al Pacino.”
• The Athletic’s Liam Tharme with “How ‘shoe doping’ changed marathon times forever – in ways we still don’t fully understand.”
• Finally, thanks for reading and bearing with us as we find our footing again following Hurricane Milton. This is my last missive from Dothan, Alabama, where I evacuated from the storm. As of this writing, my home still has no power, nor does the Poynter Institute. But, my wife (and our cat) are heading back home today and, hopefully, within the next day or two, things will return closer to normal.

More resources for journalists

• Try our free Grant Writing for Journalists self-directed course.
• Encourage an outstanding colleague to apply for Leadership Academy for Women in Media.
• Understand U.S. Immigration From the Border to the Heartland — Start any time.

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected].