Sales Tax Holiday Begins Today
(Tallahassee, FL) -- You can be better prepared for a hurricane and save money at the same time. The 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins today across the state, and it lasts through Thursday. Any item related to disaster preparedness is exempt from sales tax. You can find a list of eligible items at FloridaRevenue.com.
Florida Unemployment Claims Decline
(Undated) -- Florida's unemployment claims declined last week, which is a sign the pace of layoffs is slowing down. Claims filed by newly laid off and furloughed workers dropped by almost 52-thousand from the week before. Similar numbers are being seen nationally.
More Food Assistance For Struggling Florida Families
(Tallahassee, FL) -- More food assistance is on the way for those struggling in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis says there's been federal approval of the state's request to implement a Pandemic EBT program. That would bring added benefits to families of more than two-million children who lost access to free or reduced school meals during school closures.
Three Hurt In Lightning Strike
(Middleburg, FL) -- A lightning strike is responsible for sending three people to the hospital in Clay County. It happened yesterday afternoon in Middleburg while the three were working on the roof of an apartment complex on Iris Street. Fire Rescue says one of three was directly hit and suffered a heart attack, but there's no word on his condition. The other two suffered minor injuries after falling off the roof.
Disney Suspends FastPass Plus
(Orlando, FL) -- Disney's reopening will include some changes. Disney World announced yesterday that it's suspending FastPass Plus and Extra Magic Hours, and all dining reservations are canceled for the rest of the year. Earlier this week, Disney announced the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will reopen July 11th, while Epcot and Hollywood Studios will open July 15th. You can get more info at DisneyWorld.com/Updates.
Disney Cast Members React To Reopening
(Orlando, FL) -- Disney fans aren't the only ones thrilled about the park's plans to reopen. Cast members say they're excited to get back to work after more than two months, but they know things won't be the same. Cast member Melissa Gonzalez usually performs in parades, but with those on hold, she's not sure what she'll be doing. Still, she tells Channel 9 she cried when she heard this week that the park will finally reopen.
Researches Perplexed By Underwater Tornado
(Undated) -- Researchers are confused by an underwater tornado caught on camera off the coast of Australia. Schmidt Ocean Institute researchers were performing a live commentary on a remotely operated vehicle dive in Coral Sea Marine Park near Queensland last week when the underwater tornado appeared on the sea floor. The hosts described the appearance as really unusual and amazing. Marine geologist Robin Beaman said it was similar to a benthic storm, which involves waves traveling under the surface and creating turbulence near the ocean floor.
Police Chase Ends In Hail Of Glitter
(Santa Rosa, CA) -- A police chase in northern California ended Wednesday morning in a hail of glitter. Santa Rosa Police say when they pulled over 42-year-old Aura Palma for leading them on a chase while towing an allegedly stolen trailer, she emerged from her pick up truck with a hand-held blower. At that point, police say the woman activated the blower, showering officers and passing motorists with glitter. She was then taken into custody without further incident.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2019, the World Health Organization no longer considers being transgender as a mental illness.
2018, Starbucks closed over 8-thousand of their stores for racial bias training.
1999, the space shuttle "Discovery" completed the first-ever docking with the international space station.
1974, President Nixon agreed to turn over 12-hundred pages of edited Watergate transcripts.