Moody Warns About Disaster-Related Scams
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida leaders are warning communities about disaster-related scams as Debby continues to impact the state. Attorney General Ashley Moody issued a Consumer Alert yesterday asking residents to be cautious of price gouging and other schemes bad actors could use to try to take advantage of those affected by the storm. Some of the scams could include contractor fraud or fake debris-removal companies. Moody says qualified contractors are usually in high demand and become booked out for months. She is urging people to do their research and verify licenses before accepting services from a business.
Florida Warns Port Canaveral Over Controversial Dock Plans
(Tallahassee, FL) -- The state of Florida is warning one of the world's busiest cruise ports about a project that could impact its chance of future funding. The state's Department of Commerce and Department of Transportation sent a letter to Port Canaveral leaders late last week, saying they don't support current dock plans that appear to favor cruise terminals over the space industry. The state says if the project is not reversed, the port could lose millions of dollars in current and future investments. Port leaders are expected to take up the issue at its meeting later this month.
Professors Told To Review Course Materials About Israel
(Tallahassee, FL) --A UCF faculty member is pushing back against new instructions issued by the head of the state university system. State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues sent an email Friday telling professors to review their course materials about Israel, Palestine and Zionism. He also asks for schools to report any cases of anti-Semitism to his office. Robert Cassanello is chair of the faculty union at the University of Central Florida. He tells the Orlando Sentinel this is insidious, and it could lead professors and other instructors to impose self-censorship.
CPD Detective Arrested For Public Corruption
(Clearwater, FL) --Clearwater's police chief is angry beyond belief at one of his officers. That's what Chief Eric Gandy said yesterday after Detective Fredrick Lise [[ lease ]] was arrested for public corruption. The sheriff's office says Lise informed two alleged drug traffickers they were being watched as part of an investigation called Operation Snow Cap. The men were the main suspects. Lise has been with the CPD for nine years, and he has been on the narcotics beat for the last two. He's also president of the police union. Gandy accuses Lise of putting the interests of drug traffickers over those of his own officers. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says Lise has betrayed everything that law enforcement officers stand for, and at the end of the day, he's a corrupt cop that needs to go to prison.
DOJ To Return "QAnon Shaman's" Confiscated Items
(Washington, DC) --The convicted Capitol rioter known as "QAnon Shaman," will get his spear and other items back from the Justice Department on orders from a federal judge. Jacob Chansley stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021 and was sentenced to 41-months in prison. He requested the government return the property it confiscated from him during his arrest. That includes a "horned coyote-tail headdress."
Today in History
1942, U.S. forces landed at Guadalcanal. This marked the start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World War Two.
1882, the famous feud between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky broke out.
1789, Congress established the U.S. War Department.
1782, during the Revolutionary War, United States General George Washington created the Order of the Purple Heart. It was re-established in 1932.