Obamacare Won't Die • Bernie Voters For Trump • Hurricane Harvey Is 'Life-Threatening': Patch Morning Briefing

Good morning! You finally made it to Friday, even though it took all week to get here. Here's what you need to know to start your day.

Obamacare Lives

Reports of Obamacare's death have been greatly exaggerated. Despite multiple reports suggesting that dozens of American counties would not have any insurers offering plans on the Obamacare marketplaces by 2018, as of Friday, all counties will have at least one option. This doesn't mean everything is great for consumers, though, as many of the counties have few choices for health insurance, and many Americans say they are paying far too much in premiums and deductibles for their health care. (Patch)

More Bernie Sanders Supporters Voted For Trump Than You May Have Guessed

Partisans and election observers continue to debate the details of the 2016 election, and new survey information released this week is adding fuel to the fire. One finding, in particular, has stood out from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study's data: About 12 percent of people who voted for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary ended up voting for Donald Trump in the general election. (NPR)

Hurricane Season Gets Serious

Hurricane Harvey is quickly strengthening and could be a category 3 storm when it slams into southeast Texas late Friday with winds in excess of 110 miles per hour. Its torrential rains are expected to dump 15 to 25 inches on the middle and upper coast with isolated totals of up to 35 inches. The National Hurricane Center warned of “devastating and life-threatening” storm surge flooding up to 12 feet above ground level for some parts of the coastal bend. If it strengthens as expected, Harvey will be first major hurricane rated category 3 or higher to make U.S. landfall since Wilma arrived in 2005. (Patch)

Quick Hits

Apple To Release 3 New iPhones And A TV (BuzzFeed)

Nike, University Of Oregon Unveil New Football Uniforms Designed By Childhood Cancer Survivors (Patch)

Elon Musk Plans To Tunnel Under LA, But Getting To Mars Might Be Easier (Patch)

Mass. Disappointment: Lottery Pulls $758M Powerball Switcharoo (Patch)

University Of Texas At Austin Sued For Removing Confederate Statues

A relative of a man who donated statues in the 1920s said the school violated an agreement to promote a "Southern perspective of American history." (Patch)

No More 'Whole Paycheck?' Amazon To Lower Whole Foods Prices

Whole Foods will begin lowering prices as soon as Monday in anticipation of the Amazon takeover. (Patch)

Charleston Shooting: Suspect Critically Hurt; Gunshot Victim Dies

Mayor John Tecklenburg said a disgruntled worker shot someone and took a hostage. One gunshot victim has since died. (Patch)

Disturbing Video: Crying Cheerleader Forced To Do Splits For 24 Seconds

Cell phone video shows a high school cheerleader crying out in pain nine times as her coach holds her in an extended split position. (Patch)

Tiger Cub Seized At U.S.-Mexico Border (Photos)

Luis Eudoro Valencia, 18, of Perris, was charged Thursday on suspicion of smuggling a Bengal tiger cub into the U.S. (Patch)

'I've Got Your Back': Man Saves Cape Cod Cop From Stabbing

Cape Cod police said a Good Samaritan stopped a knife-wielding man from attacking an officer during a violent struggle in Hyannis Thursday. (Patch)

National Monument Review: Keep All Of Them But Change Some, Zinke Says

"I've heard this narrative that somehow the land is going to be sold or transferred. That narrative is patently false and shameful." (Patch)

This Day In History

1980 — The African nation Zimbabwe becomes a part of the United Nations

2012 — The space probe Voyager 1 leaves Earth's solar system

Famous Birthdays

1919 — George Wallace, an Alabama governor and four-time presidential candidate

1961 — Billy Ray Cyrus, a country music singer and father to Miley Cyrus

Photo by Maddie McGarvey/Getty Images