Grieving Brevard County Woman Wants Justice
(Melbourne, FL) -- A grieving Brevard County woman is demanding justice over the death of her grandson. Eighteen-year-old Sincere Pierce was shot to death by a deputy last year during a traffic stop near Cocoa. His grandmother, Cynthia Green, called yesterday in Melbourne for the state attorney to release the findings of an FDLE report issued in February into Pierce's death. State Attorney Phil Archer says he has been in touch with Green's lawyer, but he will not discuss the case publicly while the investigation is underway.
Planned Rocket Launch Expected To Boost Space Coast Businesses
(Cape Canaveral, FL) -- Space Coast businesses are among those excited about an upcoming rocket launch. SpaceX is expected to send four astronauts to the International Space Station tomorrow from the Kennedy Space Center. County officials expect about 200-thousand people to visit the area for the launch, set for 6:11 a.m. One restaurant owner tells News 6 she expects tourists will fly in from all over, get a hotel and maybe stay the weekend.
DeSantis Signs Online Sales Tax Bill
(Tallahassee, FL) -- More online shoppers may have to pay sales tax in Florida. Governor Ron DeSantis announced late Monday night that he signed a bill requiring out-of-state online retailers to collect sales tax. This is expected to generate a billion dollars in revenue, which will go to the unemployment trust fund. The Florida Retail Federation says the law creates a level playing field for businesses, but critics say it's a tax that especially hurts poor shoppers.
Tallahassee Police Launch New Effort To Help Those In Mental Distress
(Tallahassee, FL) -- There's a new effort underway in Tallahassee to help those with mental illness. The police department and the Apalachee Center started the Tallahassee Emergency Assessment Mobile unit, or TEAM, last month. An official kickoff ceremony will be held today. Under the pilot program, mental health professionals respond to non-violent emergency calls so police officers can respond to calls more in line with their expertise.
HillsCo School Board Member Questions Superintendent's Leadership Over Layoffs
(Tampa, FL) -- Hillsborough County's superintendent is facing questions about his leadership. School board member Jessica Vaughn is unhappy with Superintendent Addison Davis' decision to lay off about a hundred teachers. She also says there was a lack of communication between him and the board over the job cuts, and she questions if he's the right fit for the district. Vaughn recently told 8 On Your Side the board may put Davis on a corrective action plan, and a Facebook Town Hall is set for tonight at 6:30 to address parents' concerns.
Florida Transgender Athlete Bill May Be Over
(Tallahassee, FL) -- A bill banning transgender women and girls from participating in female sport's leagues may be history. The bill was approved in the Senate last week, but has now stalled in the Senate. Proponents say it could protect female athletes from competing against athletes who are born male. Opponents say the bill might kick students off of teams that they already play on.
Rubio Believes Daylight Saving Time Bill Will Pass
(Washington, DC) -- Marco Rubio believes it's just a matter of time before we stop changing clocks twice a year. Senator Rubio addressed the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Monday. He discussed his bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent.He says he's confident it will pass because it has bipartisan support. He says shifting time back and forth makes no sense, and no one can explain why we do it.
California Man Pleads Guilty To Breaking Into House, Downloading Porn On Resident's Laptop
(Orange, CA) -- A California man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison for breaking into a home in the city of Orange, downloading porn on a resident's laptop, and then performing a sex act on himself. The man pleaded guilty to the 2018 break-in and was immediately sentenced on Monday. According to prosecutors, the man broke into the home and stole refreshments from the kitchen before he started using the computer. He was tracked down after traces of semen were found on the computer. Arresting officers also found the man with underwear belonging to one of the residents.
California Family Calls Police On Vacuum Cleaner
(Natomas, CA) -- A California family can sleep easier after finding out a suspected home intruder wasn't even a person. Yana Sydnor told KOVR-TV she was woken up at one in the morning by crashing noises downstairs. Once police kicked down their home's door, they discovered the suspect was actually the owner's robot vacuum cleaning the floors. Sydnor says her son decided to use the vacuum for the first time in two years to avoid doing chores.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1982, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey performed the first successful heart implant in Houston, Texas.