Greenberg Cooperating With Federal Investigators Looking Into Gaetz
(Sanford, FL) -- Info from a former Seminole County official could be bad news for a Florida congressman. The New York Times reported yesterday that former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg has been cooperating with federal investigators since last year. Sources tell the Times Greenberg has told the Justice Department that he and the Panhandle Republican have given women cash or gifts for sex. Greenberg is accused of sex trafficking, and the Times reports he started cooperating once he realized there was overwhelming evidence against him.
Jacksonville Doctor Discusses J&J Vaccine Safety
(Jacksonville, FL) -- A Jacksonville doctor is asking people to put the news of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in perspective. Florida's governor announced yesterday the state will pause administering the J&J vaccine after a recommendation from the CDC and FDA. There are concerns after six women reported blood clots after getting the vaccine, and one of the women died. Dr. Michael Koren is with the Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research, and he tells First Coast News any medical intervention carries some risk, but the health benefits of the J&J vaccine are very, very large.
DeSantis Wants Piney Point Closed
(Palmetto, FL) -- The governor wants to close the book on Piney Point. Ron DeSantis was in Manatee County yesterday to announce plans to have the former phosphate plant closed for good. He says he wants the recent wastewater leak to be the last chapter of the Piney Point story, so he's directing the Department of Environmental Protection to create a plan to close the plant in Palmetto. In the meantime, DeSantis says he's directing over 15 million dollars to find ways to remove nutrients from the water to lessen the impact of any future wastewater dumps into Port Manatee.
Broward Schools To Reopen For Fall Semester
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) -- Broward County is planning another step toward normalcy. Superintendent Robert Runcie announced yesterday that all schools will be open for in-person learning this fall, and no hybrid classes will be offered. The Broward Virtual School will still be an option, though. Runcie says he made the decision based on the growing number of people being vaccinated and the harm some students have suffered learning remotely.
Police Officer Pulls Woman From Canal
(El Portal, FL) -- An off-duty police officer is credited with saving a woman's life in Miami-Dade County. Sabrina Anderson was involved in a crash yesterday that sent her car into a canal off North Miami Ave near Northwest 85th Street. El Portal Police Chief David Magnusson says Officer Angel Lopez was on his way home, saw the car, stopped, went into the water and pulled Anderson out through the car's open window. Lopez has been with the department for five years.
First Fully Digital Taco Bell In NYC
(New York, NY) -- A fully digital Taco Bell is opening Wednesday in New York City. The chain's first completely digital restaurant is located in Times Square and will feature self-serve kiosks instead of traditional menus. It will also be serving alcoholic drinks. The chain's chief marketing officer said he hopes this new outlet will be the highest volume restaurant in the company.
French Town Temporarily Censored By Facebook
(France) -- Officials say Facebook accidentally took the page of a French town down because its name is similar to a sexist slur. Facebook censored the page of Bitche City for almost a month, with various appeals to the social media giant falling flat. Eventually, company leaders from France informed the mayor that the mistake has been rectified and the page was restored. It is said that the name violated Facebook's terms of service, though there is no English translation for the word. The company has not made a public statement. The city's predicament may spell disaster for other French towns such as Condom and Anus if they try to create pages of their own.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2019, South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg announces his run for president and becomes the first openly gay candidate to run.
1985, a record television audience watched Geraldo Rivera open Al Capone's vault at Chicago's Lexington Hotel. He found only broken bottles.
1912, the "unsinkable" ship, R-M-S Titanic, struck an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean and began sinking.
1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Washington's Ford Theatre.
1828, the first edition of Noah Webster's "American Dictionary of the English Language" was published.