Florida Supreme Court Approves Request For Grand Jury To Investigate Human Smuggling
(Tallahassee, FL)-- Florida will take a closer look at how to stop human smuggling, especially of children. The state supreme court yesterday agreed to form a grand jury that will study the issue for a year. One area of focus could be how parents of unaccompanied minors conspire with transnational criminal groups to smuggle children across the border. The court's decision comes two weeks after Governor Ron DeSantis called for the grand jury's formation. He says as more illegal aliens enter the US and settle in Florida, more will seek to have their children illegally smuggled here.
Florida Health Department Explains Vaccine Stance
(Tallahassee, FL) -- The Florida Department of Health is explaining where the state stands on COVID vaccines for younger children. Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo says the state found pre-ordering doses inefficient and unnecessary after concluding there was low demand in the state. He made that statement during a briefing Tuesday in front of a House Select Subcommittee. It was in response to a letter the panel sent to Governor DeSantis earlier this month after the state didn't pre-order shots for kids five years old or younger. Ladapo says there is little data demonstrating vaccines are effective for kids, however healthcare providers can order their own.
Critics Attack Florida's Rising Insurance Rates
(Orlando, FL) -- Florida's insurance rates are continuing to rise. Critics say the blame falls on the state insurance regulators for not taking action and implementing fines. However, industry representatives argue that it's largely caused by policyholders wanting new roofs during hurricane season. A record number of ten property insurance companies have gone under and some companies are increasing rates by a hundred-percent. New laws were passed during this year's legislative session making it harder to sue insurers.
Brevard Schools Planning To Increase Teacher Pay Early
(Melbourne, FL)-- Brevard County Schools will start increasing teachers' pay this week. Superintendent Mark Mullins outlined ways the district is trying to recruit and retain staff, which included implementing a 15-dollar hourly wage as soon as possible. The state law required the hike to start in October, but the school board voted to start payments this Friday. Mullins says the district is facing a shortage of teachers, instructional assistants and bus drivers.
Arrest Made In Seminole County Shooting
(Oviedo, FL)-- The suspect in an apparent road rage shooting in Seminole County is charged with attempted murder. Oviedo Police announced yesterday that Keegan Johnson was arrested for Tuesday's shooting at Alexandria Boulevard and Alafaya Trail. Besides attempted murder, the 22-year-old is also charged with aggravated battery. The 41-year-old woman he allegedly shot is in critical but stable condition.
Orlando Museum Missed 'Red Flags' In Basquiat Controversy
(Orlando, FL)-- The Orlando Museum of Art is accused of missing plenty of red flags about a controversial exhibit. That's what a former FBI agent said yesterday about the 25 Jean-Michel Basquiat [[bahs-kee-aht]] paintings that investigators seized last week at the museum. FBI Art Crime Team founder Bob Wittman says experts have had doubts about the paintings for years. He says the most obvious piece of evidence may be a piece of cardboard Basquiat supposedly painted on that contains a FedEx typeface that the company didn't use until after his death. Wittman tells the Orlando Sentinel that's such an obvious fraud that it's bush league stuff.
Jacksonville Study Uses AI To Prevent Heart Failure
(Jacksonville, FL)-- A study underway in Jacksonville could save the lives of those at risk of heart failure. The Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research is outfitting participants with an app that uses artificial intelligence to detect signs of heart failure in their speech.Dr. Michael Koren is involved with the study, and he tells News4Jax the app looks for changes in the tenor of your voice or the number of words per sentence.
Man With Whistling Scrotum Rushed To Hospital
(Dayton, OH)-- An Ohio man barely escaped death after hearing a mysterious "whistling" noise coming from his genitals. The man heard what he described as a hissing sound eminating from his scrotum and was rushed to the emergency room. Doctors found he had excessive amounts of air in his body, causing his lungs to collapse. An old open wound on the side of the man's scrotum was found to be the cause of the whistling noise. After three days in the hospital his lungs had recovered and he was released in good condition.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2019, President Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to step foot in North Korea.
2016, the Pentagon lifted a ban on transgender troops serving openly in the U.S. military.
1994, the U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding of the '94 National Championship and banned her from the organization for life for the attack on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan.
1992, the first pay bathroom opens in New York City -- the price is 25 cents.
1953, the first Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan. The car sold for just over 32-hundred dollars.