January 1, Hurricane Dorian Kills at Least 5, Heads Closer to U.S.

Good Morning Middle Americans. 

Right now there are more than 2 million people under mandatory evacuation orders as of this morning. Hurricane Dorian has decimated the Bahamas and people from West Palm Beach, Florida all the way north to the coast of the Carolinas have been ordered by the authorities to head inland.  The images of Dorian’s aftermath are dramatic, an ABC News team witnessed a family swimming for their lives.  The Bahamas are going to need some serious help to recover.  Life-long Bahamian witnesses say they’ve never seen destruction this bad. Ever. Stay informed about the Storm with help from The Weather Underground, The Weather Channel and the National Hurricane Center. 

Meanwhile in California, at least 25 people are dead, and more are still missing after a fire that swept through a boat loaded with recreational scuba divers.  Also, we now know that the gunman responsible for the West Texas shooting last weekend called police and the FBI before his rampage. Now investigators are trying to figure out why they weren’t able to stop him. Also, when a Newark Airport employee yells evacuate, chaos ensues.  A false alarm, and a sign of the times. Americans are on edge. Maybe that’s why some people need emotional support horses, on the plane with them.  Read all about it.  

25 Bodies Found After California Boat Fire, More Still Missing

(AP) – “When we looked out, the other boat was totally engulfed in flames, from stem to stern,” said Bob Hansen who owns a boat named The Grape Escape.  

Hansen, told The New York Times  said, estimating it was no more than 100 yards (91 meters) from his craft. “I could see the fire coming through holes on the side of the boat. There were these explosions every few beats. You can’t prepare yourself for that. It was horrendous.”

Read more from the AP here

Texas Gunman Was Fired From Job, Called FBI Before Shooting

(NBC Dallas Ft. Worth) – Odessa Police Chief Michael Gerke said Seth Aaron Ator was fired over the weekend from Journey Oil Services. He said both the 36-year-old and the company called 911 after the man was terminated Saturday, but that the future gunman was gone by the time police showed up.

The gunman also called the FBI’s national tip line. FBI special agent Christopher Combs classified the call as “rambling statements about some of the atrocities that he felt that he had gone through.”

Find out More from NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

False Alarm Causes Chaos at Newark Airport 

(FOX 5 NY) – A terminal was evacuated at Newark Liberty International Airport Monday evening after a panicked airline worker apparently screamed “evacuate” and some passengers thought there was an active shooter at the airport.

The worker also hit an alarm that sounded across the entire terminal, leaving passengers trying to figure out what was going on.

Find out more from Fox 5 New York

Meet “Flirty” the Emotional Support Horse Seen on American Airlines

(The Sun) – American Airlines Passenger Evan Nowak posted the footage of the minature horse to Twitter, which showed “Flirty” calmly sitting near the front of the plane in an aisle seat.

Nowak added: “At this time we would like to begin boarding with any active duty military, families traveling with children under the age of 3, and horses…”

Read more from the U.K.’s the Sun here