Forecasters Track Tropical Storm Arthur
(Pensacola, FL) --Tropical Storm Arthur has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, becoming the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. While the storm is expected to track along the northern Gulf Coast and weaken as it moves inland, residents across the Florida Panhandle should be on alert.Forecasters say Arthur could bring periods of heavy rain, gusty winds, and localized flooding, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Florida CFO Wants Kissimmee Mayor Investigated
(Kissimmee, FL) --Florida's chief financial officer wants the mayor of Kissimmee investigated after possible COVID-19 relief fraud. Blaise Ingoglia says the city's BOOST 2.0 program distributed funds to several businesses, including ones owned by Mayor Jackie Espinosa. Her husband applied for and received 50-thousand dollars in grants.Ingoglia says his office has referred the matter to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's public corruption unit.
Florida CFO Accuses Osceola County Of Excessive, Wasteful Spending
(St. Cloud, FL) --Osceola County is accused of excessive and wasteful spending. Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia made that allegation yesterday in St. Cloud. He says he identified over 165 million dollars in spending that was unnecessary. Ingoglia says the county has increased its General Fund budget more than 100 percent since the 2019-20 fiscal year. He says a budget increase of that magnitude is further proof local governments have not been good stewards of taxpayer dollars. The county commission says it has already implemented several initiatives to improve efficiency, like a zero-based budget approach.
Two FHP Troopers Arrested For Overtime Fraud
(Kissimmee, FL) --Two state troopers find themselves on the wrong side of the law in Osceola County. The sheriff's office arrested two troopers yesterday for overtime fraud. They are Captain Lenita Wright King and Trooper Maurice Vilsaint. King is charged with grand theft, fraud and falsifying records. Deputies haven't announced what charges Vilsaint is facing.
Bear Alert In Seminole Co.
(Seminole Co., FL) -- Seminole County officials have issued a warning about black bear activity in the area.The say numerous sightings have been reported this summer, including in Longwood where a bear stole an Amazon package.Residents are advised to secure trash cans and avoid interactions with bears. It's also important not to feed them.
Civil Grand Jury Finds L.A. Zoo in Crisis
(Los Angeles, CA) -- A new report from a civil grand jury finds the Los Angeles Zoo is in a crisis. The L.A. Zoo is the last major American zoo still run by a city government. The report says that's part of the problems. The report also says the zoo is suffering from declining membership and has facilities in need of repair. It even mentions out-of-date signage, that in some cases, identifies animals that are no longer at the zoo. The grand jury is recommending new leadership if the zoo wants to survive.It's also urging some sort of public-private partnership, a model almost all other zoos across the U.S. have already adopted.
Today in History
2018, then President Trump ordered the creation of the sixth branch of the U.S. military. It would be known as the space force.
1873, Susan B. Anthony was fined 100 dollars for attempting to vote in the 1872 election -- the fine was never paid.