LEGISLATURE TAMPERING WITH TIME...
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Sen. Nelson Calls NASA Abandonment Of ISS A 'Non-Starter' (Washington, DC) -- A proposal that could bring big changes for the Space Coast is a non-starter to one senator. That's what Bill Nelson said yesterday about President Trump's proposal for NASA to abandon the International Space Station by 2025. NASA says the proposal calls for the agency to focus on flying to the moon and Mars. Nelson, though, says it makes no sense to turn off the lights and walk away from the ISS.
Panhandle Can Remain In Central Time (Tallahassee, FL) -- Northwest Floridians who don't want to change time zones are being heard loud and clear in Tallahassee. That's what Gulf Breeze State Senator Doug Broxson said yesterday after a proposal to put the entire state on Eastern time was removed from a bill. Broxson says his constituents had no desire to change time zones. Panama City State Senator George Gainer called the proposal a solution in search of a problem. A Senate committee, though, did pass a bill yesterday that would put the entire state on daylight saving time all year.
Maddox Denies Being Part Of Bribery Scheme (Tallahassee, FL) -- A city commissioner who's being investigated for bribery is promising to continue to be the voice of fiscal responsibility. Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox made the comment yesterday, announcing he will not resign his seat. The FBI believes Maddox took payments to help clients of a company he founded get business passed through the commission. In an email sent yesterday to the "Tallahassee Democrat," Maddox says the allegations aren't true. Paige Carter-Smith is accused of paying Tallahassee Maddox in exchange for Maddox helping her clients with city business. Carter-Smith's lawyer, though, says his client was just paying Maddox money she owed him for a real estate loan for nine condos she bought.
Latvala Defends Use Of Campaign Cash Despite Abandoning Campaign (Clearwater, FL) -- Despite abandoning his campaign for governor, Jack Latvala is still spending the money he raised during the campaign. Some donors asked for their money back and the former Clearwater senator has complied, but he also spent more than 200-thousand-dollars he raised before sexual harassment allegations led to his resignation. Candidates usually spend their donations on fundraising efforts, but Latvala hasn't raised any money since December. He recently told the "Times/Herald" that he consulted with a state election law expert on the proper use of his campaign donations.
UNF Poll Finds Candidates For Governor Not Well Known (Jacksonville, FL) -- The results of a new poll are a little surprising to one analyst. The poll released yesterday by UNF finds a lot of voters haven't heard of any of the candidates running for governor. More than 70-percent say they have never heard of Palm Coast Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis, but more than 80-percent say they never heard of Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. UNF's Dr. Michael Binder says the results highlight the challenges the candidates have in getting out their messages.
Van Carrying Body Stolen (Jacksonville, FL) -- The search is on for a stolen van with unusual cargo. The van was carrying a body when it was stolen yesterday outside Affordable Cremation Solutions in Jacksonville. The car was unlocked, and the keys were in the ignition. The JSO believes the theft was a crime of opportunity and the thief might have not known there was a body inside.
Man Fails To Make Case That DWI Laws Discriminate Against Alcoholics (San Antonio, TX) -- A Texas man will remain behind bars after his failure to convince a court that DWI laws discriminate against alcoholics. Ralph Friesenhahn of San Antonio took his case to court and argued that his four-year prison term should be tossed out because the state's legal blood-alcohol limit discriminates against those who have a high tolerance for alcohol. His claim was that it's a 14th Amendment violation of equal protection and is unconstitutional. The 3rd Court of Appeals said no way. BETTER THAN, I’LL DRINK TO THAT!
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2016, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died in his sleep at the age of 79. He was appointed to the Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, where he served until his death. He was the first Italian-American justice and the longest serving justice on the Supreme Court.
2000, Charles Schulz's final "Peanuts" strip ran in Sunday newspapers, the day after the cartoonist died in his sleep at his California home at age 77.
1935, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was found guilty of first degree murder in the kidnapping death of aviator Charles Lindbergh's infant son.
1920, the National Negro Baseball League was formed.
1741, "The American Magazine" was published for the first time. It was the first magazine in the American colonies.