5 Things To Know This Morning

Oct. 18, 2012 — -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy stories of the morning.

1. Meningitis Death Toll Hits 19
Four more deaths from the nationwide meningitis outbreak have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death toll now stands at 19.

2. Meteor Shower Lights Up Calif. Sky
A meteor shower lit up the sky throughout California on Wednesday night and more are expected to appear frequently through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The reported fireballs are part of the Orionid meteor shower which will peak Saturday evening through Sunday morning's sunrise.

3. Second Suspicious Package Found at NY Home Depot
A second suspicious package was discovered at a Home Depot on Long Island, however no explosives were found. The FBI and Suffolk County police are investigating a pipe bomb that was left at a different Home Depot on Monday, reportedly as part of an apparent extortion attempt. Sources say a note was left at the store demanding $2 million or else more pipe bombs would be left at other shops on Black Friday.

4. Nationwide Earthquake Rehearsal Drill Set For Today
Residents from Los Angeles to New York will duck for cover at 10:18 a.m. in each time zone on Thursday as part of an earthquake rehearsal drill. Local radio stations will simulate news announcers alerting people of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. More than 9 million people in California are due to take part in the drill.

5. Wildfire Threatens Calif. Homes
A wildfire near Santa Barbara, California is threatening a community of about 100 homes there. The fire erupted on Wednesday and has blazed through at least 15 acres.