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Happening Today: Florida Panhandle, Cardinal Wuerl, CPR, Fleetwood Mac, Fyre Festival, Ryan Coogler

What to Know

  • Florida Panhandle beachfront homes were so obliterated by Michael's surging seas and winds that only slabs of concrete in the sand remain
  • New York-Presbyterian Hospital created a Spotify playlist and shared it via Twitter to help raise awareness about effective CPR
  • Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham is suing the group after they kicked him out, NBC News reported

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After Michael's Rampage on Florida Panhandle: 'Nothing Left'

Linda Marquardt rode out Hurricane Michael with her husband at their home in Mexico Beach. When their house filled with surging ocean water, they fled upstairs. Now their home is full of mud and everywhere they look there's utter devastation in their Florida Panhandle community: fishing boats tossed like toys, roofs lifted off of buildings and pine trees snapped like matchsticks in 155 mph winds. Row after row of beachfront homes were so obliterated by Michael's surging seas and howling winds that only slabs of concrete in the sand remain, a testament that this was ground zero when the epic Category 4 hurricane slammed ashore at midweek. The destruction in this and other communities dotting the white-sand beaches is being called catastrophic — and it will need billions of dollars to rebuild. At least six deaths were blamed on Michael, the most powerful hurricane to hit the continental U.S. in over 50 years, and it wasn't done yet: Though reduced to a tropical storm, it brought flash flooding to North Carolina and Virginia, soaking areas still recovering from Hurricane Florence.

Pope Francis Accepts Archbishop Cardinal Wuerl's Resignation

The pope accepted the resignation of the embattled archbishop of Washington, D.C., the Vatican announced. "Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the resignation first offered on November 12, 2015, when I reached my 75th birthday," Cardinal Donald Wuerl said in a statement. "I am profoundly grateful for his devoted commitment to the well-being of the Archdiocese of Washington and also deeply touched by his gracious words of understanding. "The Holy Father's decision to provide new leadership to the Archdiocese can allow all of the faithful clergy, religious and lay, to focus on healing and the future. It permits this local Church to move forward. Once again for any past errors in judgment I apologize and ask for pardon. My resignation is one way to express my great abiding love for you the people of the Church of Washington." It's unclear if the church is cutting all ties with Wuerl.

New York-Presbyterian Hospital Creates Life-Saving CPR Playlist

Perhaps you’re familiar with the rumor that humming “Stayin’ Alive” while doing chest compressions is the best way to perform CPR on someone. Some of you might even remember when Michael Scott memorably sang the Bee Gees’ hit when learning CPR with his co-workers on "The Office." While chaos ensued in the rest of that episode, this CPR secret can still be beneficial to incorporate in everyday life, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital is here to help you do that. The top-ranked NYPH created a Spotify playlist and shared it via Twitter to help raise awareness about effective CPR, and help everyday individuals easily remember how to time chest compressions. The NYPH staff, and specifically Dr. Holly Andersen, a cardiologist, have worked hard to raise more awareness on bystander CPR, and believe this playlist helps make situations like that less scary so that bystanders are more likely, and able to jump in and help.

Lindsey Buckingham Sues Fleetwood Mac After Band Booted Him

Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham is suing the group after they kicked him out, NBC News reported. The lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court says he was kicked out of the band, which cost him at least $12 million in tour proceeds. He was a member of Fleetwood Mac on and off for 33 years. The suit seeks unspecified damages, attorney's fees and interest on money he claims he is owed as a legal "partner" of the act. The claim names Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood and reads almost as a history of Buckingham's contributions since he joined in 1975 on the condition, he said, that then-girlfriend Nicks was also accepted. A publicist for the group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "I remain deeply surprised and saddened, as this decision ends the beautiful 43-year legacy we built together," Buckingham said in a statement.

Fyre Music Festival Promoter Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

The promoter of a botched, highly publicized music festival in the Bahamas has been sentenced to six years in prison. Billy McFarland was sentenced in Manhattan federal court. McFarland has twice pleaded guilty to charges. First, he admitted earlier this year he defrauded investors in the 2017 Fyre Festival. Then, weeks later, he pleaded guilty to charges in a ticket selling scam. McFarland's pleas pertained to the bungled spring 2017 Fyre Festival on the Bahamian island of Exuma that cost over 80 investors a total of $26 million. Prosecutors had sought over 15 years in prison for McFarland.

Coogler to Return as Writer-Director of 'Black Panther 2'

Ryan Coogler isn't leaving Wakanda: The filmmaker will write and direct the sequel to "Black Panther." A person close to the production who requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to announce the deal confirmed Coogler's return to the Marvel franchise. The Hollywood Reporter first reported Coogler's widely expected involvement in the "Black Panther" sequel. Neither a start date nor a release date has yet been announced. "Black Panther" earlier this year grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide, including $700 million domestically — a new record for a Marvel release. Coogler is also a producer on the upcoming "Creed 2," a sequel to the Coogler's 2015 Apollo Creed film.

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