Stand Your Ground Case Handed Over To State Prosecutor (Clearwater, FL) -- The case of a deadly and controversial shooting is now in the hands of a state prosecutor. Sixth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bernie McCabe will review the Stand Your Ground shooting that killed Markeis McGlockton last month in Clearwater.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri did not file charges against the shooter because of Stand Your Ground, but McCabe can make a different decision. McCabe has not announced when he'll make that decision.
All Florida Schools Must Complete Security Risk Assessment By Today (Undated) -- All public school districts throughout the state must complete a security risk assessment by the end of today. This is part of a new law passed in the aftermath of the Parkland school massacre.
Law enforcement officers have to walk through every school in their district, and look for ways to make each building less vulnerable to intruders. That information has to then be provided to their school boards, for a vote on how they will fix any problems.
Publix Reports 2Q Sales Increase (Lakeland, FL) -- Publix appears to be bucking a trend in the supermarket business. The Lakeland-based company announced yesterday its second quarter sales revenue increased by four percent.
Same-store sales rose more than one-and-a-half percent at a time when one analyst says online sales are leaving many stores happy to just minimize losses. A trade industry expert tells The Ledger Publix benefits from customer loyalty and its knowledge of the Southeast market, especially Florida.
Viera Regional Park Gets New Playing Surface (Viera, FL) -- Brevard County is celebrating what a tourism official calls a win-win for businesses and the community. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held yesterday for new Astro Turf sports fields at Viera Regional Park.
The five-million dollar project was paid for with money from the Tourist Development Tax. Tourism official PK Kapur tells Florida Today the new fields will help attract visitors through youth sports tournaments.
No Charges Filed Against Former Schools Superintendent (Tallahassee, FL) -- An investigation that lasted four years is over, and the superintendent at the center of it will not face charges. Former Leon County Schools Superintendent Jackie Pons was accused of helping campaign donors secure government contracts, but the FBI told the FDLE in May that it would not charge Pons.
As a result, the FDLE recently said it has also closed its investigation without filing charges. Pons tells the Tallahassee Democrat this proves he was right all along when he said the accusations were a political hit job.
Man Busted On Moped With Stolen Steaks In His Pants (Nashville, TN) -- A Tennessee man is in hot water after getting caught on a moped with stolen meat stuffed down his pants. Nash County Sheriff's deputies say Keith Jordan shoved at least nine packages of steaks down both his pants legs and then walked out of the store without paying on Monday. Jordan allegedly tried to get away on a moped but was chased down and tossed in a jail cell. The steaks' value was about 100-dollars.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
1995, Hurricane "Erin" reached the shores of Vero Beach, Florida. The storm was blamed for eleven deaths.
1987, the Walt Disney classic "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was re-released. The 50-year-old film grossed nearly $20 million in its first two weeks of re-release.
1984, Charles Schultz's comic strip "Peanuts" was picked up by the "Daily Times" in Portsmouth, Ohio. It became the first comic strip to appear in two-thousand newspapers.
1887, Rowell Hodge received a patent for barbed wire.
1858, the first mailboxes in the United States were installed along the streets of Boston and New York City.