SpaceX Launch Set For Saturday
(Cape Canaveral, FL) -- The goal of bringing broadband internet to the entire world could move a step closer this weekend. SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday morning from Cape Canaveral. The rocket will be carrying 60 Starlink satellites that will help the company provide high-speed internet to the remotest corners of the globe. The launch window opens just after 10:45 a.m. Eastern, and launch conditions are 70-percent Go.
Two Killed In Polk County Plane Crash
(Bartow, FL) -- A Volusia County couple is dead after their plane crashed in Polk County. The single-engine plane came down yesterday morning in Eagle Lake in the yard of a home less than a mile from Bartow Executive Airport. Port Orange 76-year-old Dennis Powell and his 73-year-old wife, Bonnie, were the only ones onboard the Mooney M20J, and they died at the scene. No one on the ground was hurt, and there's no word on a cause.
Shots Exchanged With Miami-Dade Police
(Miami, FL) -- Two men are in custody after an apparent shootout with police in Miami-Dade County. It happened yesterday in Pinewood while police were investigating a domestic violence case. Police say two men in a car exchanged gunshots with officers on Northwest 96th Street before the suspects crashed and ran away on foot. They were found at an apartment building where they surrendered, and no one was hurt.
Boyfriend Accused Of Killing Girlfriend
(Leesburg, FL) -- A woman is dead after what her boyfriend claims was an accidental shooting in Lake County. Leesburg's Renee Aviles was arrested yesterday for killing live-in girlfriend Traci Hamby in their home on Fillmore Ave. Deputies say Aviles claims he was in the bedroom when Hamby barged in, and he grabbed his gun, which accidentally went off. The 37-year-old Hamby died at the scene, and Aviles is charged with manslaughter.
Florida Prosecutor Pressed Woman For Sex
(Hialeah, FL) -- A South Florida prosecutor is arrested. The FDLE says 29-year-old Juan Mercado of Hialeah pressured a woman into having sex with him in exchange for help with her criminal case. He was arrested yesterday and charged with bribery. Mercado served as an assistant state attorney in southwest Florida from May of 2017 to February of last year.
Students Arrested After Setting Off Fireworks At School
(Daytona Beach, FL) -- Three Volusia County students are facing charges for spreading panic at their school. Police say the ninth-graders set off fireworks in a stairwell yesterday at Mainland High School, which led to rumors of a shooting. Police Chief Craig Capri says parents who arrived at the school were hysterical, and other students were traumatized. Adding to those fears, a shooting threat was posted on social media yesterday, and police will be on campus today as a precaution.
Man Arrested For Voyeurism
(Tampa, FL) -- A Pinellas County man is facing voyeurism charges for an incident with a teenager in Hillsborough County. Deputies arrested Oldsmar's Michael Benson this week for allegedly taking an upskirt photo of the girl at a restaurant while she waited in line last month. The 48-year-old was caught after deputies posted video of the incident online and asked for the public's help in finding the suspect.
Pompano Beach Sued Over Panhandling Law
(Pompano Beach, FL) -- A homeless man is taking on the city of Pompano Beach in court. In a federal lawsuit filed this week, Bernard McDonald claims the city violated his free speech rights when he was arrested for panhandling over a year ago. The Florida Justice Institute is representing the 55-year-old. One of his lawyers tells the Sun Sentinel a panhandler asking for change is no different than a politician asking for votes.
Google Ranks Top States Searching For 'Love' Online
(Mountain View, CA) -- Looking for love online, literally. Google is out with the states that search for the word "love" the most. Virginia takes the top spot again followed by Oregon, Mississippi, Texas and California. On the flip side, New Hampshire and Montana are the state least likely to search for love. The word always spikes around Valentine's Day but it's not all about making a match. Google says the most asked questions are "What is love?" and "How to love yourself."
Romantic Place Names Found Across the U.S.
(Undated) -- If you are looking for a place that sounds romantic today, you could try Valentine, Nebraska. The Census Bureau says the town of around 28 hundred is one of two places called Valentine in the country. The other is in Texas with a population of around 127. There are nine places with love in their name. They include Loveland, Colorado; Lovejoy, Georgia; Lovelock, Nevada and Lovelady, Texas.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2018, 17 people were killed and 17 more were injured in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
1980, Walter Cronkite announced his retirement from the "CBS Evening News." Dan Rather was introduced as his replacement.
1929, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place in Chicago, Illinois. Noted gangster Al Capone and his gang killed seven members of a rival gang in a warehouse.
1920, the League of Women Voters was founded.
1912, Arizona was named the 48th state of the union.
1899, the U.S. Congress approved the use of voting machines for federal elections.