Six Volunteers Back From Haiti (Titusville, FL) -- A member of a Brevard County church group is, in his words, beyond relieved that he's back home from Haiti. Eddie Brace was one of six volunteers from Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church who landed in Florida yesterday.
Their departure was delayed by a few days because of deadly protests in Haiti over rising gas prices. Brace tells Florida Today it was an extremely scary experience, and he's hoping and praying the other church group members can get home safely tomorrow.
New Area Code Announced For Central Florida (Tallahassee, FL) -- A new area code will be coming to Central Florida. The Florida Public Service Commission announced yesterday that new phone numbers will get a 689 area code.
The change will take effect by the end of the year, and those who have a 407 area code will not be affected. The addition is being made because the PSC is running out of phone numbers that can be assigned to the 407.
Former FDLE Official Sentenced For Child Sex Abuse (Pensacola, FL) -- A former FDLE official will spend the rest of his life on the other side of the prison bars. Charles McMullen was sentenced yesterday to eight life terms for sexually abusing four children, including two of his foster children.
The Santa Rosa County Court judge gave McMullen a chance to speak before handing down the sentence, but the Pensacola News Journal reports he declined.
UM Student Bit By Shark (Miami, FL) -- A University of Miami student credits her experience as a surfer with helping her deal with a scary incident. Nineteen-year-old Katarina Elle Zarutskie was in the Bahamas last month when what she thought was a harmless nurse shark bit her arm and dragged her underwater.
She says adrenaline started to kick in, but she relied on her surfing experience to keep calm while she freed herself. She now has a scar, but she tells Local 10 News she's lucky the damage wasn't worse.
World's Birds Eat Hundreds Of Tons In Insects (Undated) -- The world's birds eat somewhere around 450 to 550 tons of insects every year. A new study from "The Science of Nature" puts birds' insect consumption on par with the human consumption of meat and fish. The study was released today, and researchers hope it will raise public awareness and increase the level of appreciation for birds in the world's ecosystems.
TSA Catches Python Smuggling Attempt In Miami (Miami, FL) -- Florida TSA agents see a lot of things while on the job but this week they saw someone trying to smuggle a snake. Security agents say they found a live python someone hidden in a computer hard drive this week at Miami International Airport.
The snake was either a Ball or Royal python, both of which are foreign to the South Florida ecosystem and could cause major damage. TSA officials say the passenger was not allowed to proceed and is facing a fine.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2006, more than 150 people were taken to the hospital after a Chicago subway train derailed sparking a fire in the tunnel. Authorities said most of the injured were suffering from smoke inhalation.
1985, Nolan Ryan became the first pitcher to surpass four-thousand career strikeouts.
1985, Doctor Harlan Stone announced the practice of using zippers instead of stitches on some patients.
1977, the Presidential Medal of Freedom was awarded posthumously to late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
1955, the United States Air Force Academy was dedicated in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
1914, Babe Ruth made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox.
1804, Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States, shot former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton to death in their infamous duel at Weehawken, New Jersey.