Some Beaches Reopen For Sunbathing In Brevard County
(Titusville, FL) -- Those looking to get out of the house have new options in Brevard County. The cities of Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach announced yesterday the beaches are now open for sunbathing, but groups are limited to five people and beach parking is closed. The beaches were already open for recreational activities and exercise. The Indian Harbour Beach City Council will discuss a similar measure tomorrow.
Orange County Estimates $100M Loss In Tourism Tax Revenue
(Orlando, FL) -- Orange County has a clearer picture of how the coronavirus is affecting tourism. Finance official Randy Singh told the county commission yesterday COVID-19 will cost Orange at least 100 million dollars in tourism tax revenue. That represents a drop of over 30 percent, and a quick turnaround is unlikely, as Singh predicts tourism tax revenues won't reach pre-pandemic levels for another four years. He also anticipates a drop of over 20 percent, or 40 million dollars, in sales and gas tax revenue, but Singh also says the county's general fund is in good shape.
Jacksonville On The 'Right Track' In Coronavirus Response
(Jacksonville, FL) -- Jacksonville could soon start a slow return to normal. Mayor Lenny Curry said yesterday the number of coronavirus cases are trending downward, and the city is on the right track toward reopening some businesses. Curry emphasized the reopening must be responsible and incremental so as not to reverse the gains that have been made. Curry says he doesn't have a specific date in mind for when the city may reopen.
Broward County Looking At Reopening Public Spaces
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) -- Parts of Broward County could start to reopen soon. County Mayor Dale Holness said yesterday he's looking at reopening some public spaces as soon as next week. The first areas to reopen could be parks, boat ramps and golf courses.
USF Doctor Doubtful Curve Has Flattened In Florida
(Tampa, FL) -- The governor says Florida has flattened the curve, but a USF doctor is skeptical. Dr. Janice Zgibor [[ GIBB-er ]] said yesterday it's too soon to be sure we have reached our coronavirus peak. She says we'll need to see a downward slope of the curve for a couple weeks, and even then, we'll still need to be cautious. The epidemiologist tells News Channel 8 more testing is needed, and we need to keep a close eye on nursing homes.
Bucs Trade For Gronk
(Tampa, FL) -- Tom Brady is bringing an old friend with him to Tampa. The Buccaneers announced yesterday they acquired former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in a trade. The Bucs sent New England a fourth-round pick in this week's draft. Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht [[ light ]] says Gronk is one of the best tight ends in NFL history, and he'll bring a championship mindset and work ethic.
"Friends" Cast Joins All In Challenge With Tickets To Reunion Special
(Burbank, CA) -- Grab five friends for a chance to watch the most famous "Friends" reunite on stage. The stars of the hit show are offering six tickets to the taping of their HBO Max special. The winners even get to sip coffee with them at "Central Perk." It's all part of the "All In Challenge" to raise money for charities helping in the coronavirus crisis. Simply go online and donate from 10 to 100-dollars.
Apple Bringing Back 'Fraggle Rock' To Streaming Service
(Cupertino, CA) -- Apple is headed down to Fraggle Rock. The tech giant is bringing back the Jim Henson series for its digital platform, Apple-TV-plus. And characters like Gobo, Red, Boober, Mokey, Wembley, and Uncle Traveling Matt are also coming back. Each episode will be three-to-five minutes long, premiering every Tuesday for free.
Florida Man Tried To Avoid Arrest Using COVID-19 Sign
(Putnam County, FL) -- Police in Florida say one man tried to avoid arrest by using a fake coronavirus sign. In a Facebook post, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said 28-year-old Joshua Price placed a piece of paper on his front door reading "COVID 19 infected since 4/8/20" so authorities would not take him in. Despite no confirmed case, officers still wore protective gear when arresting Price for fleeing and eluding law enforcement as well as probation violation. The sheriff's office says no fake COVID-19 sign will stop them from kicking in a door when you have several felony arrest warrants.
Canadian Woman Saved By Silicone Breast Implants
(Canada) -- One Canadian woman is alive thanks to her silicone breast implants. A new study in the SAGE medical journal shows how the implants deflected a close-range bullet, stopping it from hitting any of the 30-year-old's vital organs. The woman, who was shot in Toronto in 2018, managed to walk herself to the hospital shortly after the incident. Hospital staff reported that the silicone gel protected her heart and lungs from the gunshot. She suffered a broken rib and ruptured implants but was fine otherwise.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2018, Four people died and several were injured in a mass shooting happened at a Waffle House restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee. A customer, James Shaw Jr., was able to wrestle away a semi-automatic weapon away from the suspect, Travis Jeffrey Reinking, in a move that authorities said undoubtedly saved lives.
2004, former NFL player Pat Tillman, who walked away from a multimillion dollar contract with the Arizona Cardinals in 2002 to join the Army's elite Rangers, was killed in action in southeastern Afghanistan where his unit was hunting al-Qaeda and Taliban guerrillas. Tillman was 27 years old.
2000, in a dramatic pre-dawn raid, armed immigration agents seized Elian Gonzalez from his relatives' home in Miami.
1976, Barbara Walters became the first female nightly news anchor when she teamed with Harry Reasoner to co-host the "ABC Evening News."
1898, the Spanish-American War began when the U.S.S. Nashville captured a Spanish merchant ship off Key West, Florida.
1864, Congress issued a mandate calling for all U.S. minted coins to bear the inscription "In God We Trust."