Some Brevard County Bars Close As Virus Cases Rise
(Titusville, FL) -- Several bars and restaurants in Brevard County are taking action to slow the spread of the coronavirus. At least ten establishments have closed recently because of positive cases among customers, employees and the general public. The executive director of Melbourne Mainstreet, Inc tells Florida Today businesses are doing everything they can to protect the public.
Layoffs At Universal Orlando
(Orlando, FL) -- Universal Orlando is making further staff cuts. The theme park announced yesterday that it's laying off some employees, but it didn't say how many. The company had already cut pay for some workers by 20 percent and furloughed part-time hourly employees. Universal says the layoffs were necessary as the tourism industry will take time to fully recover.
Jax Council Discusses Renaming Hemming Park
(Jacksonville, FL) -- The descendants of a Civil War soldier are fighting plans to rename a park in Jacksonville. City Councilman Garrett Dennis yesterday introduced a measure to rename Hemming Park, which was named in 1899 for Confederate soldier Charles Hemming. Hemming's great-great-great-nephew, Elwood, says Charles stood for reconciliation between the North and South, and the family should have some input into the decision to rename the park. Dennis tells News4Jax he looks forward to a deep discussion with the community.
St. Pete Police Chief Discusses Minority Recruitment
(St. Petersburg, FL) -- At least one Tampa Bay police chief is finding it difficult to put together a diverse force. St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway, who's black, says it's a challenge to find black men and women who want to be police officers. He says he wants the police force to mirror the community, but it's trying to find qualified candidates.
Volusia Sheriff Meets Man Whose Life He Saved
(Daytona Beach, FL) -- A man who describes himself as a 'nobody ex-con' credits Volusia County's sheriff for giving him a second chance at life. Chris Smith met Sheriff Mike Chitwood yesterday to thank the sheriff for saving his life seven years ago. Smith had cut himself in the Intracoastal Waterway in a suicide attempt, but Chitwood and others were able to get him out of the water and into a hospital. Smith reached out to Chitwood this month to set up yesterday's meeting, and Smith says every day is a gift he wouldn't have if it wasn't for Chitwood.
Bidet Company To Pay Someone 10K To Study Own Pooping Habits
(Brooklyn, NY) -- When you gotta go, you might as well get paid for it. A bidet [[ BIH-DAY ]] company in New York is looking for someone to study their own bowel movement habits and will pay that person ten-thousand dollars. The brand, Tushy, is on the search for a "VP of Fecal Matters" and will have to record their experiences everyday for three months then share it on the company's social media platforms. The company's founder told the New York Post that amid the current unemployment numbers from the pandemic, she wanted to offer job that pertains to everyone since "anybody can poop."
Florida Woman's Lawsuit Seeks Paternity Test For Goats
(Odessa, FL) -- A Florida woman is taking legal action against her neighbor to get a paternity test for goats she bought. In the lawsuit Kris Hedstrom filed against Heather Dayner, it says she either wants a nine-hundred-dollar refund or a DNA test to prove the goats' lineage. The suit says Hedstrom was under the impression that she would be able to register the goats' pedigrees with the American Dairy Goat Association. Because Dayner is not an active member, Hedstrom was unable to do so. Dayner offered to take the goats back and give a refund.
Indian Man Dead After Relatives Unplug Ventilator For AC Unit
(India) -- A 40-year-old COVID-19 patient from India is dead after his relatives allegedly unplugged his ventilator to use an AC unit. The Indian Express reports the man was admitted to the ICU at a hospital in northern India, during which daily temperatures topped out at 106 degrees. His family is said to have brought an air conditioner unit to the room and unplugged the other machine when they could not find an outlet. The hospital's AC had been turned off to limit the spread of COVID-19. Staff were not notified of the plug change, and the man's backup battery ran out in 30 minutes leading to his death. An investigation into the incident is now underway.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2016, nearly two dozen people were killed in the worst flooding West Virginia had seen in a century.
1998, some 12-thousand farmers lost 80-million-dollars in crops in the worst wildfires in Florida in a half century.
1922, the American Professional Football Association changed its name to the National Football League.