Beierle Fired From Volusia Teaching Job (DeLand, FL) -- Information about the Tallahassee shooter has parents questioning the hiring process in Volusia County schools. Before he killed two people and himself at a yoga studio this weekend, Scott Beierle [[BEER-lee]] was fired after two weeks as a teacher at Hinson Middle School in Daytona Beach. One woman claims her daughter told school officials that Beierle often had his hands down his pants during class, but Beierle was still able to get a job as a substitute teacher. The district tells the News-Journal its hiring process is more stringent than what the state requires, but Beierle wound up being fired again in May after he was accused of inappropriately touching a female student.
Charges Dropped Against Death Row Inmate (Sanford, FL) -- A man who was once on death row is now a free man. Prosecutors yesterday dropped all charges against Clemente Aguirre-Jarquin, who was accused of stabbing two women to death 14 years ago in Seminole County. The 38-year-old spent the last decade on death row, but two years ago, the state Supreme Court overturned his conviction because someone else confessed to the killings. Aguirre-Jarquin was allowed to walk out of prison yesterday, but he's an illegal immigrant and could be deported to Honduras.
Deputy-Involved Shooting In Pinellas County (Palm Harbor, FL) -- A woman is hurt after a deputy-involved shooting in Pinellas County. It happened yesterday at the Stillwater Palms Apartments in Palm Harbor on Cypress Pond Road. A woman called deputies when she noticed her car windows were smashed, and when Deputy Joseph Wodraska was investigating, there was an argument between the woman's boyfriend and a neighbor. When the neighbor pulled what turned out to be a flare gun, Wodraska fired his gun, and one bullet went through a glass door where it hit the neighbor's girlfriend, who's expected to survive.
Brevard County Predicts Record Turnout For Midterms (Titusville, FL) -- Brevard County believes this election will be unlike any midterm ever. Elections Supervisor Lori Scott predicts there will be a record turnout when all the votes are counted, and she tells Florida Today she thinks turnout could exceed 65 percent. That would be three points higher than the record 62 percent turnout Brevard had in the 2002 midterms. Early voting was hugely popular with almost 40 percent of eligible voters casting a ballot.
Political Insiders Predict Wins For Gillum And Nelson (Tallahassee, FL) -- Those closely involved in Florida politics believe it will be a good night for Democrats. The Tampa Bay Times polled 200 Florida Insiders, and they predicted wins for Andrew Gillum in the governor's race and Bill Nelson in his senate re-election race. They also credit Gillum for running the best campaign and Republican opponent Ron DeSantis for running the worst.
NY Woman Uses Tinder To Drum Up Votes (New York, NY) -- New York woman is finding a new use for the app Tinder. Thirty-year-old writer Jen Winston has created a profile on the popular matchmaking app and is using it to persuade people to vote in today's midterm elections in Georgia. Now that she found out she could get away with it, she's planning to create similar profiles in North Dakota, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Texas and is urging other people to do the same.
No State Air Pool Will Keep New Governor Grounded (Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida will elect a new governor tomorrow but he'll be grounded when he takes office because the state no longer has an air pool. Rick Scott uses his private jet for official business and he got rid of the planes once used by the governor and cabinet. Dominic Calabro [[ kuh-LAH-broh ]] at Florida TaxWatch says they need to be replaced so that the governor can travel the state and find out what concerns Floridians. It will cost millions of dollars to rebuild the state air pool and Calabro is urging lawmakers to come up with the cash during next year's legislative session.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2001, The series "24" starring Kiefer Sutherland made its debut on Fox.
1967, "The Phil Donahue Show" debuted on a local station in Dayton, Ohio. The program later went into syndication and stayed on the air for 29 years.
1947, "Meet the Press" debuted on NBC as a local program in Washington, D.C..
1928, the results of Herbert Hoover's presidential election victory became the first message transmitted over the electric sign around the top of the "New York Times" building in New York.
1905, Albert Einstein issued his Theory of Relativity.
and it was this day in 1860 that Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States.