5 Things To Know This Morning

— -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy stories of the morning.

1. Florida Sees First Meningitis Death
The Florida Department of Health has confirmed the state's first death linked to the meningitis outbreak, bringing the national death toll to 12. Another 119 cases have been reported. This is the first Florida death in connection with the outbreak.

2. Extra Security Was Requested in Libya, State Department Official Says
A top State Department security official who told a congressional investigator that he requested more security in Libya in the weeks leading up to the attack that left U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans dead is slated to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform today. Eric Nordstrom, the former regional security officer for the U.s. embassy in Tripoli, will testify that requests for more resources were unsuccessful.

3. Poll: Ann Romney's Popularity Surges
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that 52 percent of Americans view Ann Romney favorably, versus 69 percent for First Lady Michelle Obama. Views of Mrs. Romney have jumped 12 points since April, while Mrs. Obama's have remained unchanged.

4. Death Rate Reflects Ageing US Population
U.S. deaths passed the 2.5 million mark for the first time last year, a reflection of the country's aging and growing population. Before last year, the largest number of deaths was in 2008 when 2.47 million people died.

5. 2012 So Far Warmest on Record
The first 9 months of 2012 were the warmest on record across the U.S., according to a NOAA report released on Tuesday. The national average temperature for those 9 months was 59 degrees – the warmest period on record dating back to 1985.