OPD Officer Involved In Shooting
(St. Cloud, FL) -- A man is hurt after a shooting in Osceola County involving a police officer. Orlando Police Officer Julian Ortiz was off duty at the time of the shooting early yesterday in St. Cloud in the Tohoqua subdivision. Neighbors tell Channel 9 a man in the street fired shots at people on a porch, and the gunman was hit when someone on the porch returned fire. Ortiz was not hurt, but the man who was hit was taken to the ICU.
Two Tampa Bay Residents Diagnosed With Coronavirus
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Two Tampa Bay residents may be the first in Florida to come down with coronavirus. The Florida Department of Health announced yesterday a Hillsborough County and Manatee County resident are presumptively positive, but not confirmed by the CDC. The Hillsborough County resident has a history of travel to Italy, where there have been over a thousand confirmed cases, but the Manatee County resident has no such travel history. The two are being isolated, and Governor Ron DeSantis will be in Tampa today for an update.
Public Health Emergency Declared Due To Coronavirus
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida is now under a Public Health Emergency due to the coronavirus. Governor Ron DeSantis made that announcement yesterday after two Tampa Bay residents tested positive at state labs. The Department of Health says the overall threat to the public is low. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees says we are at the critical early moments of the outbreak, but this is the scenario public health officials plan for every day.
Man Arrested For Threatening Muslim Center
(Kissimmee, FL) -- A man is accused of making what an Osceola County imam calls very scary threats. Deputies this weekend arrested Jaran Tyrell for allegedly making threats over the phone to Kissimmee's American Muslim Leadership Council. Imam Helmi Agha says Tyrell threatened to kill everyone in the mosque and burn the place down. Agha tells WESH 2 News Tyrell's words keep ringing in his ears.
Suspect Found Hiding In Mattress
(Cocoa, FL) -- Despite what he apparently thought was a clever hiding place, a burglary suspect is in custody in Brevard County. Deputies last week arrested James Lupis for stealing and using someone else's credit card. The 30-year-old was found at a home in Cocoa, and during a standoff, deputies entered the home. Inside, they found Lupis hiding in a box spring mattress and placed him under arrest.
Former Congressman Foley Dealing With Prostate Cancer
(West Palm Beach, FL) -- A former South Florida congressman is dealing with a health scare. Mark Foley announced yesterday he has prostate cancer. The Republican represented the 16th District for over a decade before he resigned 14 years ago after sending inappropriate messages to teenagers. The 65-year-old beat prostate cancer nine years ago, and he tells the Sun-Sentinel he's undergoing treatment to stop the spread of the disease.
Street Renamed For Brevard County Pastor
(Cocoa, FL) -- The legacy of a Brevard County pastor will live on in the community he loved. Mobil Ave in West Cocoa was renamed yesterday for Pastor Melvin Chatman, who passed away five years ago. He became head of Parker Memorial Baptist Church in 1993, but his influence spread beyond the church to help the youth and homeless. One parishioner tells Florida Today Chatman really cared for the community and would sometimes go to the courthouse to make sure people were being treated fairly.
Colorado Couple Discovers More Than 150 Snakes Under Home
(Elizabeth, CO) -- A Colorado couple is out about eight-grand after getting rid of more than 150 slithering house guests. Shaynon McFadden and Royce Robins noticed an increasing number of snakes appearing both inside and outside of their home in the months after purchasing it in November of 2018. More than 150 snakes were safely removed and relocated from a snake den under their backyard deck. The removal of the reptiles, cost of a new deck and shed cost the couple about eight-thousand-dollars. The couple says they were not warned about the snakes when they bought the home.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2016, astronaut Scott Kelly returns home from space after almost a year in space- setting a world record.
2004, officials from NASA announced significant findings on the planet Mars. Among them, the discovery that Mars was once drenched with water and that it provided a good habitable environment for living organisms.
1991, Iraq released CBS newsman Bob Simon and his crew who were held captive for nearly six weeks.
1949, the first automatic street light was installed in New Milford, Connecticut.
1877, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was declared the winner of the 1876 presidential election over Democrat Samuel J. Tilden, even though Tilden had won the popular vote.