Daily Briefing: The cost of evacuating Milton

As Hurricane Milton closes in on Florida, so does a deluge of scams and schemes charging exorbitant prices for basic essentials such as fuel, water and shelter. A series of new lawsuits claim TikTok is hurting kids. America's lead pipes are set to be removed in the next decade.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert , Daily Briefing author. Oh my gourd!

Price hikes haunt Florida evacuees

Many Florida residents were in the midst of recovering from Hurricane Helene – removing soaked furniture, tearing down walls, contacting their flood insurance providers – when Hurricane Milton began churning toward the state, forcing them to drop everything again.

Then came a different kind of disaster: Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has received more than 200 complaints about price gouging as many thousands of residents prepare to evacuate from Milton.

• An Airbnb for $6,000 a night?! This was the cost of a "room in Tallahassee," reflecting instances of price hikes for overnight accommodation targeted at evacuees urgently looking for a place to stay.
• Scams already cropped up after Helene tore through six states. More than 450 complaints of price gouging were received after Helene, with most claims about fuel.
• Exhausted Floridians are prey to schemes . Milton's immense power has prompted urgent and dire warnings from officials, making desperate attempts to reach safety worth any cost.

If you're evacuating Milton, here's how to avoid scams .

Is TikTok harming kids?

TikTok faces new lawsuits filed by 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that accuse the popular social media platform of harming and failing to protect young people. The lawsuits filed separately in New York, California, the District of Columbia and 11 other states, expand Chinese-owned TikTok's legal fight with U.S. regulators, and seek new financial penalties against the company. The states accuse TikTok of using intentionally addictive software designed to keep children watching as long and often as possible and misrepresenting its content moderation effectiveness. Read more

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What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here .

America's lead pipes are about to get a major overhaul

President Joe Biden will travel to Wisconsin to tout a landmark rule that would require water utilities to replace virtually every lead pipe in the country within 10 years, tackling a major threat that is particularly dangerous to infants and children. The White House announced the measure this week and hopes the new policy will address racial disparities and environmental issues in the wake of water contamination crises in recent years, including in Newark, New Jersey and Flint, Michigan. Read more

Arrest in ISIS-related Election Day terrorist plot

An Afghan national living in Oklahoma City was charged Tuesday with conspiring to conduct a terrorist attack on Election Day in the United States on behalf of ISIS, the Department of Justice announced. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, allegedly conspired and attempted to "provide material support to ISIS and obtained firearms and ammunition to conduct a violent attack on U.S. soil in the name of ISIS," the Justice Department said. Read more

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Lawyers slam Garth Brooks: 'He publicly named a rape victim'

Garth Brooks has responded in court to a sexual assault and battery lawsuit anonymously filed last week by his former hair and make-up artist. In Tuesday's amended complaint, Brooks names the woman accusing him of raping her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019. Roe's lawyers denounced Brooks for naming their client in his filing: "Garth Brooks just revealed his true self. Out of spite and to punish, he publicly named a rape victim," the attorneys said. "With no legal justification, Brooks outed her because he thinks the laws don't apply to him. Read more

Photo of the day: Padres outlast Dodgers in raucous Game 3

A sellout crowd was bonkers when the San Diego Padres knocked off the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-5, Tuesday night, moving to within one game of reaching the National League Championship Series. Read more

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Daily Briefing: The cost of evacuating Milton