Volusia Voters Reject Tax Hike
(DeLand, FL) -- Volusia County residents don't want to pay more in taxes. In a special election yesterday, voters rejected a half-cent sales tax hike with 55-percent voting no. The extra revenue would have paid for road and infrastructure improvements. Also, voters in Osceola County yesterday rejected a one-cent sales tax hike that would have paid for road improvements.
Carjacking Reported Near UCF
(Orlando, FL) -- A search is underway for four people wanted in a carjacking near UCF. The alleged victims say the suspects took their car by force early yesterday morning at a RaceTrac gas station on University Boulevard. One alleged victim was taken to the hospital, but there's no word on their condition.
Dozens Arrested In Prostitution Sting
(Winter Haven, FL) -- Three people caught up in a prostitution sting are believed to be victims of human trafficking in Polk County. Sheriff Grady Judd announced yesterday that 154 people, including five here illegally, were arrested as part of Operation No Spring Fling. Two of the alleged trafficking victims are women, and one is a 17-year-old boy. Judd also says two suspects intended to have sex with a 14-year-old boy.
Feds Detail Problems With CareerSource
(Tampa, FL) -- A new report shows just how far a job placement agency went to lie about its success. The US Labor Department released the findings last week of a year-long investigation into CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay. The report found former CEO Ed Peachey instructed staffers to lie about how many people the agency helped find work, and even used fake Social Security numbers to make their success stories look legit. The agency is also accused of misspending 17 million dollars in public money, and local officials tell the Tampa Bay Times they're hoping they can reduce the amount they might have to pay back.
Cocoa Beach Delays Opening Of Parking Garage
(Cocoa Beach, FL) -- Brevard County residents will have to wait a couple extra days before using a new feature in Cocoa Beach. A new three-story garage across from city hall was supposed to open today, but the opening has been pushed back to Friday. The decision came after FDOT noted some problems, but City Manager Jim McKnight tells Florida Today those issues have been addressed, and the garage's safety is not an issue.
Bears Damage Car In Golden Gate Estates
(Golden Gate Estates, FL) -- A Collier County woman's car is damaged, and some unlikely culprits are to blame. Deputies say a group of bears destroyed an SUV parked outside a home in Golden Gate Estates this week on 32nd Ave Southeast. The bears apparently got in through the unlocked doors and the sunroof, ate a box of Girl Scout cookies and clawed the interior. The SUV's owner tells NBC2 everything was torn to shreds.
New Coke Is Back As Part Of "Stranger Things" Promotion
(Atlanta, GA) -- Younger generations that missed out on the mess that was New Coke will now get a chance to see why it was so loathed. As part of a promotion with the new season of Netflix series "Stranger Things," Coca-Cola is bringing back their greatest failure in a limited supply. The company had replaced the traditional Coca-Cola beverage with New Coke in 1985, and it wasn't long before they were changing it back. The third season of "Stranger Things" is set in 1985. It drops on Netflix on July 4th. Netflix has been ramping up its corporate partnerships in an effort to increase their 149 million paid subscribers. The producers of "Stranger Things" said New Coke was a huge cultural moment in 1985 and leaving it out would have been bizarre.
TODAY IN HISTORY:
2016, women who flew planes during World War Two were once again allowed to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. President Obama signed a bill allowing the ashes of female pilots who flew in the Women Airforce Service Pilots Program to be laid to rest at the military cemetery.
1992, after nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson ended his reign as host of NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Carson's final words to the audience were quote, "I bid you all a heartfelt good night."
1985, U.S. sailor Michael Walker was arrested aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Nimitz. He and his father, John Walker, were later convicted of spying for the Soviet Union.
1947, the first ballistic missile was fired.
1868, the Great Train Robbery took place in Marshfield, Indiana. Seven members of the Reno gang held up the train's crew, unhooked the locomotive, and made off with 96-thousand dollars in cash, gold and bonds.
1803, the first public library opened in Salisbury, Connecticut.