Peterson Arrested For Inaction During Parkland Shooting
(Parkland, FL) -- According to the FDLE, when a gunman opened fire on students inside Stoneman Douglas High School, a man who swore an oath to protect those children did absolutely nothing. SRO Scot Peterson has been arrested on multiple felony charges and one misdemeanor. The now-fired Broward County deputy is facing charges of child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury. FDLE says there's no excuse for Peterson's complete inaction that day and that there's no question his inaction cost lives.Peterson’s attorneys say there is no basis in fact or law for the charges.
Space Startup To Open In Volusia County
(Port Orange, FL) -- A new space industry company will soon call Volusia County home. New Jersey's Orbit Beyond, Inc. revealed yesterday it will open a manufacturing facility in Port Orange by the end of the month. The company plans to hire up to 50 people to build lunar landers for NASA. The company's CEO tells the News-Journal it's about to sign a lease for more than 100-thousand square feet on Hockney Court.
DeSantis Responds To Hill Controversy
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Another Republican is distancing himself from Pensacola State Rep. Mike Hill. Governor Ron DeSantis said yesterday that Hill should apologize for laughing at a suggestion that gay people should be executed. DeSantis also says he trusts House Speaker Jose Oliva to take whatever action is necessary. Hill refuses to apologize, and Orlando Democratic State Rep. Carlos Smith is pushing for Hill to be censured.
Cuba Cruises Affected By Trump Order
(Port Canaveral, FL) -- Action in Washington could derail some plans for upcoming cruises. The White House yesterday issued new travel restrictions for those visiting Cuba from Port Canaveral or elsewhere, effective today. It's not clear how this affects cruises already booked. Norwegian Cruise Lines' Sun travels to Cuba from Port Canaveral, and the company says it's reviewing the new rules.
Woman Arrested After Bringing Machetes To Bar
(St. Petersburg, FL) -- Alcohol may explain a woman's odd and threatening behavior at a bar in St. Petersburg. Victoria Morley was arrested last week after she apparently brought two machetes into St. Pete Axe and Ale on Central Avenue North. Police say the 54-year-old also told customers she had used the machetes to kill over a hundred people, and she would kill anyone who followed her out of the bar. Police believe she may have been drunk, and she pleaded no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct.
NY Closer To Banning Cat Declawing
(Albany, NY) -- New York is one step closer to becoming the first state to ban cat declawing. A bill banning the practice has passed the state legislature and now goes to Governor Cuomo's desk for his signature. Supporters say declawing cats is cruel and barbaric. The state Veterinary Medical Society says declawing should remain legal if the pet owner has a weakened immune system and is at greater risk of infection. If the bill passes, people could be fined one-thousand-dollars for having a cat declawed.
Live Gecko Found In British Shopper's Raspberries
(Essex, England) -- One British shopper made a surprising discovery in a supermarket's fresh fruit aisle. The shopper found a pack of raspberries containing a live gecko at a Sainsbury's in Essex. The gecko was given to a supervisor as the customer said she wanted the animal to be released unharmed. A spokesperson said they are investigating the supplier as they have no idea how the gecko passed through inspection. The gecko was collected by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2013, the British newspaper "The Guardian" reported that the National Security Agency had been collecting phone records of millions of Verizon customers under a secret court order. Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden later revealed himself as the whistleblower who furnished "The Guardian" with the information.
2007, former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison and fined 250-thousand-dollars. Libby was convicted in March on four felony counts of giving false statements to FBI agents and grand jurors looking into how the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame was leaked to the press.
1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot by an assassin while campaigning for the Democratic U.S. presidential nomination in California. He died the next day. Gunman Sirhan Sirhan was arrested for the attack.
1917, American men began registering for the draft in World War One.