Pulse Shooter Widow NOT GUILTY (Orlando, FL) -- Noor Salman has been found not guilty in the Pulse nightclub trial. A jury found her not guilty of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting her husband Omar Mateen in providing material support to ISIS. She faced life in prison if convicted. Court reporters say there were audible "gasps" from the defense table as the verdict was read.
Dozens Displaced By Fire Started By Cigarette (Daytona Beach, FL) -- Carelessness is responsible for a fire that left dozens needing a place to stay on Easter. The fire started yesterday afternoon in Daytona Beach on South Beach Street on the second floor of an apartment building. Fire officials say it started when someone failed to properly dispose of a cigarette. No one was hurt, but the "Daytona Beach News-Journal" reports 30 people, including ten children, are displaced.
Dry Season Raises Concerns Of More Brush Fires (Titusville, FL) -- The weather that has helped spread several brush fires is likely to get worse. Now that it's April, we'll be heading into the driest part of the year, and fire crews are preparing to be very busy. In anticipation of that, the Florida Forest Service tells "Florida Today" it has been conducting some controlled burns. So far this year, there have been 13 brush fires reported in Brevard County, including eight in March.
Family Displaced By Easter Fire (Miami, FL) -- A family is in need of a place to live after an Easter tragedy. While a Miami family was at church yesterday morning, their home on Northeast 82nd Terrace caught fire. An elderly person inside was saved, but the family dog died. The family of three is displaced after the home sustained lots of damage, and there's no word on a cause.
Man Arrested For Trying To Solicit Underage Girl (Bartow, FL) -- A Disney World employee is facing charges for trying to solicit two underage girls. Volusia County's Kevin Van Orman was arrested last week after Polk County deputies say he was trying to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl he met online. Both turned out to be undercover detectives. The 35-year-old married father of two from South Daytona is now on unpaid leave from Disney, where he's a bus driver.
Murder Suspect Killed By Tampa Police (Tampa, FL) -- A man wanted for killing his girlfriend is dead after a shootout with police that reminded a witness of something out of a movie. Timothy Wyatt was wanted in Georgia, and Tampa Police were following him last night after learning he was in the area. Wyatt was killed after exchanging shots with police near East 28th Ave. No police officers were hurt, and a witness tells the "Tampa Bay Times" it was like a scene from 007.
Chinese Space Station Burns Up In Atmosphere (Undated) -- Chinese space officials say a defunct space station has re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and mostly burned up. The Tiangong-1 space lab broke up over the South Pacific. The space craft was launched in 2011 and ended service in March 2016. It was one of China's biggest space projects and served as a prototype for a possible permanent Chinese space station. Michigan, never in the path of the falling station, can now stand down their Emergency Operations Centers and focus on tonight’s national championship basketball game!
Selfie Museum Debuts In Glendale (Glendale, CA) -- The Museum of Selfies is open in Glendale. The interactive pop-up gallery on Brand Boulevard that's devoted to smartphone self-portraits will run for two months with tickets costing 25 dollars. The museum will reportedly go beyond the surface value of the social phenomenon and explore all of its universal aspects. Most museums have banned selfie sticks. However, the co-founder of the Glendale exhibit says the hand-held gadgets will be welcome and encouraged. AND PEOIPLE WILL PAY TO GO SEE THE NONSENSE THEY CAN SEE FOR FREE ON THEIR SMART PHONES.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2009, disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted by a federal grand jury. He was charged with 16 felony counts for allegedly trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama following his presidential election victory.
1992, John Gotti was convicted of murder and racketeering.
1902, the Electric Theater opened in Los Angeles. It was the first full-time movie theater in the U.S.
1889, Charles Hall patented aluminum.
1792, Congress authorized the first United States mint be located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PLACE A STEVE BERRY BOOK COULD BE WRAPPED AROUND… WE TALK WITH THE FICTION WRAPPED IN HISTORY AUTHOR IN OUR 8AM HOUR.