Daily Briefing: Idalia is now a hurricane

Idalia strengthened into a hurricane early Tuesday on its treacherous trek toward Florida's Gulf Coast, where it is expected to make landfall with potent storm surge and powerful winds. Also in the news: An incumbent Democratic governor is up against a Republican attorney general in Kentucky's gubernatorial race and Coco Gauff bounced back to victory on Day 1 of the U.S. Open.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Are paper straws actually not so eco-friendly?

Now, here we go with uesday's news.

Idalia now a Category 1 hurricane on its trek toward Florida's Gulf Coast

Florida residents loaded up on sandbags and evacuated from homes in low-lying areas along the Gulf Coast Monday as Hurricane Idalia intensified. Forecasters predicted it to carry dangerous winds, life-threatening storm surge, and heavy, flooding rain.

Extremely warm waters in the Gulf are fueling Idalia, which now has maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

• While some parts of Florida such as Tampa Bay will not see landfall, experts warn the key threat from Idalia is going to be the storm surge – a rapid increase in water levels that push inland up rivers and streams.

• Several counties along the Gulf of Mexico began evacuations on Monday for coastal communities and low-lying areas, and more evacuations were expected. An emergency order by Gov. Ron DeSantis covered 46 of the state’s 67 counties.

• Check your summer vacation plans: The system is certain to impact travel and is already causing some airports, airlines, cruise lines and theme parks to announce operational changes.

One faculty member dead following shooting and hours-long lockdown at UNC Chapel Hill

A faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was shot and killed in a campus building Monday afternoon, officials said in a press conference. Shortly after 1 p.m. ET, UNC Police were notified of shots fired at Caudill Laboratories, a chemistry building near the center of campus. Officers arrived at the scene and found one faculty member shot. No one else was injured, UNC Chief of Police Brian James said. The motive of the shooting is still unknown. Read more

• A sheriff detailed how a white man fatally shot three Black people at a Florida store over the weekend.

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was booed at a vigil honoring victims of a Jacksonville shooting.

• Republican lawmakers silenced the ''Tennessee Three'' Democrats on the House floor for a day.

More news to know now

• A Republican lawyer was stabbed to death in his New Hampshire home, authorities say.

• Eminem told GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to stop using his music on the campaign trail.

• California sued a school district over a policy requiring parents be notified of gender identity changes.

• Spanish soccer federation officials are calling for Luis Rubiales' resignation following an unsolicited kiss.

• On today's 5 Things podcast, why former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows argues his Georgia charges should be moved to federal court. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

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

Ex-president and 18 allies to be arraigned Sept. 6 in Georgia

Former President Donald Trump and 18 of his allies indicted for allegedly conspiring to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results will be arraigned Wednesday, Sept. 6, before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. All 19 defendants are accused of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which penalizes activities of individuals engaging in organized crime. Other charges they face include conspiring to commit election fraud, conspiring to commit false statements and writings and perjury. At 9:30 a.m. Sept. 6, Trump will be the first defendant to be arraigned. The other defendants will follow in 15-minute intervals. Trump and several of his allies have denied wrongdoing. Read more

Voting rights for former felons could be on the line in Kentucky

Much like the last two gubernatorial elections in Kentucky, whoever wins the race this year could determine whether tens of thousands of Kentuckians who have completed a felony sentence will have the right to vote over the next four years. Kentucky is one of only three states where people convicted of a felony can only have their voting rights restored by actions of the governor, though two blanket executive orders – one of which was rescinded – affected the right to vote for a significant portion of the commonwealth's population over the past decade. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear now finds himself in a competitive reelection race against Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, raising questions about whether his voting rights order could survive a potential Cameron administration. This story is for USA TODAY subscribers. If that's you, keep reading. If not, you can sign up to support our newsroom here.

Just for subscribers:

• They've opened Arizona's floodgates to protect the border wall, but who's protecting us?

• The Hollywood writers strike impact reaches all the way to Nashville's storied music scene.

• Even in the most depressed county in America, a stigma around mental illness persists.

• Why parents who moved kids to alternative schools amid pandemic are keeping them there.

These articles are for USA TODAY subscribers. You can sign up here. 

Coco Gauff enters US Open as a favorite

Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old from Florida who has lost her past two Grand Slam matches — including a first-round exit at Wimbledon last month — did not want to leave quietly or quickly on Day 1 of the U.S. Open. With thousands of fans getting rowdier by the moment, the sixth-seeded Gauff finally converted on her eighth break point of that game, and wound up beating German qualifier Laura Siegemund 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the second round at Flushing Meadows. Read more about Gauff's game.

• Maria Sakkari called out a marijuana smell during her US Open upset.

• Novak Djokovic won in his return to the US Open to ensure he will regain the No. 1 ranking.

• A collaborative effort helped US men's basketball cruise past Greece into the World Cup second round.

• A retired US swimming champion's death in US Virgin Islands was caused by a fentanyl intoxication.

Quick hits

• Student loan repayments start in October: Know your servicer sooner rather than later

• Want to live healthier longer? Visual guide shows how longevity science looks to slow diseases of aging.

• ''Rich Men North of Richmond,'' ''Sound of Freedom'' and the conservative pop culture moment.

• Wear chrome, Beyoncé tells fans: Fast-fashion experts ring the alarm on concert attire.

• Here are the 10 best places to buy gender-inclusive clothing.

• Are you getting the best flight deal? Google Flights lets you know to book now or later.

Photo of the day: Simone Biles wins a record 8th US Gymnastics title

Gymnastics star Simone Biles has won her record eighth U.S. Championship, a full 10 years after she first ascended to the top of her sport as a teenage prodigy. Biles' competition included a massive Cheng, only the second-most difficult vault performed today and one she got back just a few weeks ago. 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 or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Idalia, UNC Chapel Hill shooting, Trump Georgia indictment, Kentucky governor race, Simone Biles, Coco Gauff: Daily Briefing