Hunker Down

Florida braces for Hurricane Idalia. [For the best experience, read in browser.]( August 29, 2023 Good morning! If you haven’t been waking up refreshed, check out these [foods that can help you sleep]( — or it may be time to upgrade to [cooling bamboo sheets]( (that are on sale right now). Speaking of foods, I’m sharing [my effortless pasta recipe]( that makes dinnertime a breeze. We’ll get into all that, after the news. Hurricane Idalia is headed to Florida, where it’s expected to threaten lives and destroy property. We’ve got the latest below.   In the News [palm trees blowing in the wind]( Getty Images Hunker Down Officials are sounding the alarm as Hurricane Idalia barrels towards the Gulf Coast of Florida. The storm strengthened into a hurricane with max. sustained winds of 75 mph early this morning and will likely become far more powerful, with predictions of a life-threatening storm surge by Wednesday. Here’s what we know. Intensifying fast: Thanks to the Gulf of Mexico's unusually warm water, Idalia is expected to grow into a Category 3 storm. The biggest concern is the predicted storm surge, which could cause the tide to rise 11 feet higher than normal and lead to major destruction along the Tampa/Tallahassee coastline. Mandatory evacuation: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a handful of mandatory and voluntary evacuations on Monday; these lists will likely expand. He has also expanded an emergency declaration to 46 of 67 Florida counties, mobilized the National Guard in preparation, and told coastal residents to “expect power outages” and prepare accordingly. Outside the cone: The Gulf Coast of Florida may receive the brunt of Idalia’s force, but the severe weather won’t stop there. Central Florida, Georgia, and even parts of the Carolinas should receive heavy wind, rain, and storm surge, so keep an eye on the weather channel if you live in those areas. Stay tuned tomorrow, when I'll get into this summer of wild weather — and whether the climate crisis is past the point of no return — with climate scientist Daniel Swain.   More Stories [Ron DeSantis in profile]( Getty Images Backlash escalates: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing growing outrage from the state's Black community in the wake of a racist shooting that left three people dead in Jacksonville. He was booed at a vigil for the victims on Sunday, and his administration's assault on school diversity programs, "anti-woke" campaign denying systemic racism, and redrawing of the congressional district maps to erase Black seats are all under scrutiny. Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Black Miami Democrat, told NBC News: "How much can we allow the governor to keep his foot on our neck and not say anything?" Trump's legal latest: The federal judge overseeing [Donald Trump's election interference case]( has set a trial date of March 4, 2024 — the day before Super Tuesday. It's a blow for the former president, who'd hoped to push proceedings into 2026. This comes alongside the news that attorney Ray Smith has become the first of [Trump's Georgia 2020 allies]( to plead not guilty in a Fulton County court filing. Trump and his 17 other co-defendants are set to be arraigned on September 6. LGBTQ rights: California's attorney general Rob Bonta is suing a state school district over a policy that requires schools to notify parents if their kids change their gender identification or pronouns. “For far too many transgender children and gender nonconforming youth, school serves as their only safe haven... We have to protect that,” Bonta said. The district’s board president says state officials are trying to "shut parents out of their children’s lives." Just lose it: Eminem has demanded that [Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy]( cease using his music. Ramaswamy delivered an impromptu rendition of Lose Yourself at the Iowa State Fair, and has previously told a Harvard campus newspaper that he considers the song his personal theme. A spokesman for Ramaswamy has now told the Daily Mail: "To the American people’s chagrin, we will have to leave the rapping to The Real Slim Shady.”   In Focus [Katie Couric and other faces, with ''What I Wish I Knew'' at the bottom]( KCM As both a caregiver and a survivor, I know there's no way to prepare for a cancer diagnosis. But since I joined this club that nobody should have to be part of, I can say one thing with certainty — you are not in this fight alone. With support from Exact Sciences, I asked patients and caregivers to tell me [what they wish they knew]( before cancer, and shared some advice of my own. [WATCH HERE]( [Supported by Exact Sciences](   Must-Reads [Hand lifting up a hamburger bun to reveal someone sleeping on top of it]( A New Nightcap We’ve all heard about the tip to drink warm milk before bed, but there’s a slew of better foods to help you sleep. [Read More »]( [paper cup phones on pink background]( Connectivity Issues Could you be friends with a robot? This company made a virtual companion to fight loneliness, particularly among older adults. [Read More »]( [Hands holding up phones with speech bubbles coming out of them]( Step Up It’s incumbent on all of us to call out racism when we see it, and these 7 social media accounts are a great place to get educated. [Read More »](   Extra Credit Simply delicious: [My summertime pasta recipe]( doesn't require a complicated sauce or intricate prep. Just chop and toss, and then the heat from the pasta will do the work to bring these flavors together to perfection. Last chance: Got a big streaming marathon planned for the long weekend? Put these movies at the top of your list: Here’s [what’s leaving Netflix at the end of the month](. Sleep tight: Dreaming of a good night's sleep? Same. If you spend the night sweaty and miserable, it's time to upgrade to bamboo sheets. [Cozy Earth's Labor Day Sale]( starts early, and you can up to 25% on bedding and loungewear.   The Eyes Have It [Merit eyeshadow and brush]( Merit Beauty If there are two things we look for in makeup, they're ease of use and gentle ingredients, and [Merit's brand-new eyeshadow]( fits the bill. It's a cream-to-powder formula you can apply with your fingers (or [Merit's double-sided brush]() that adds a soft wash of color to your lids while soothing and conditioning the skin — no itchy, irritated eyes or creased finish involved. Choose a neutral tone or one of the subtle color options to complete your everyday look. [SHOP NOW](   One More Thing [Katie Couric poses with one hand in the air while wearing a Walker & Wade dress]( KCM I love Walker & Wade’s comfortable dresses, and I’m teaming up with Stand Up to Cancer to give away a Carrie dress (which I’m sporting above) to one lucky winner! Just [head over to my Instagram]( for directions on how to enter. Don’t want to wait until the winner’s announced? Use code SU2C10 for 10% off, and 10% of your purchase will be donated to Stand Up to Cancer. How’s that for a win-win?   [Know it all, and help your friends catch up, too. Share Wake-Up Call and you'll earn some superb swag.]( Thank you for reading Wake-Up Call and being part of our community. If you have questions or comments, drop us a line at info@katiecouric.com. See you tomorrow! [Alternate text] Update your preferences or [unsubscribe]( If you buy something through this email, KCM may earn a commission. 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