Lawsuits Considered In Florida Recount (Tallahassee, FL) -- The deadline for recounts in the races for U.S. Senate, governor and agriculture commissioner are supposed to be in by 3 p.m. today. Meantime, several lawsuits are being considered in a Tallahassee federal court related to the recount. They involve either tossing-out ballot counting rules or extending deadlines. Democrats asked a federal judge yesterday to set aside a state law that requires mail-in votes be discarded if the signatures on the envelopes don't match the signatures on file.
Senator Nelson Files Lawsuit Against Bay County Elections Supervisor (Bay County, FL) -- Florida Senator Bill Nelson is suing Bay County supervisor of elections Mark Anderson over failure to act quickly on a public records request. Nelson's lawyers filed the complaint yesterday after Anderson did not provide copies of vote-by-mail ballots and other items by a noon Tuesday deadline. Anderson allowed some voters who could not return to the area because of Hurricane Michael to vote by email or fax despite an executive order from the governor forbidding it. Nelson is seeking to examine the mail ballots and is asking for a hearing on the matter.
Rick Scott Recuses Himself From Overseeing Election Recount (Tallahassee, FL) -- Governor Rick Scott is no longer on the panel responsible for overseeing the Florida election recounts. He recused himself from any official involvement today. Yesterday, Senator Bill Nelson asked Scott to step down from the committee overseeing the election results because they involve a race he is competing in. And the League of Women voters was among the groups filing lawsuits to keep Scott from being involved in the recount.
Rick Scott Takes Part In New Member Orientation In Washington DC (Washington, D.C.) -- With the outcome of the Florida Senate race still uncertain, critics are wondering why Florida Governor Rick Scott is taking part in freshman orientation as a Senator-elect in Washington. But supporters say he has the most votes, and every right to be there. Scott also took part in closed door leadership elections yesterday.
Jacksonville Burger King Evacuated After Man Made Threats (Jacksonville, FL) -- A man is in custody, accused of making threats at a Burger King on Jacksonville's Westside. Sheriff's officials say the man walked in to the restaurant on Edgewood Avenue North and told the manager he had a bomb inside of his backpack. The restaurant was evacuated, but the man stayed inside. He surrendered about a half-hour later.
Game Maker Hasbro Introduces Monopoly For Millennials (Pawtucket, RI) -- Hasbro is introducing Monopoly for Millennials with the tag line, "Adulting is hard." The game maker is trying to lure millennials by telling them they deserve a break from the rat race. The new Monopoly game is sold out, but judging by Twitter reaction, many millennials are annoyed by it. Instead of buying up properties, millennials buy experiences, like going to a meditation retreat or music festival or crashing on a friend's couch. Play pieces include an actual hashtag.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2015, Holly Holm knocked out Ronda Rousey with a brutal head kick to become the new UFC Women's Bantamweight champion. This was Rousey's first loss.
1992, NASCAR Hall-of-Famer "King" Richard Petty ended his 35-year racing career in the Hooter's 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
1990, the producer for the duo Milli Vanilli confirmed the pair did not sing on their Grammy award winning debut album "Girl You Know It's True." The two men later returned their Best New Artist Grammy Award.
1969, the first Wendy's Hamburger restaurant opened in Columbus, Ohio.
1937, air conditioning was used in the U.S. House and Senate chambers for the first time.
1926, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) debuted with a network of 24 stations.
1900, Andrew Carnegie established the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation.