DeSantis Activates National Guard Over Migrant Surge In Keys
(Tallahassee, FL)-- Governor Ron DeSantis activated the National Guard on Friday in response to a surge in migrants in boats landing in the Florida Keys. The executive order DeSantis signed declared the situation a "major disaster" and directed state law enforcement agencies to support local governments in South Florida. More than 14-hundred migrants, mostly from Cuba and some from Haiti, had been encountered on land and at sea between December 30th and this past Monday. A political and economic crisis in Cuba is driving rising migration.
French Montana Speaks Out After Music Video Shooting
(Miami Gardens, FL)-- Rapper French Montana is speaking out after a shooting left ten people injured near where he was shooting a video Thursday in Miami Gardens. The rapper said he was in "the wrong place, at the wrong time" when the incident occurred, and that his thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families right now. A spokesperson for Montana said their group was taking pictures and videos outside of the restaurant when bullets began to fly. Luckily, everyone who was hit by gunfire is expected to pull through.
Deadly Shooting In Volusia County
(Port Orange, FL)-- A man is dead and a woman is hurt after an apparent case of domestic violence in Volusia County. Port Orange Police say a 73-year-old man shot a 43-year-old woman Saturday at a home on Downing Drive in Pickwick Village. A 60-year-old man then reportedly shot the 73-year-old in self-defense. The 73-year-old died. The woman is in critical condition.
Landlord Shot In Dispute With Tenant
(Sanford, FL)-- A man is hurt after a landlord-tenant dispute turned violent in Seminole County. The sheriff's office says Michael Mathews shot his landlord during an argument Saturday at a home in Sanford on South Crystal View. Landlord Michael Baker was shot in the shoulder and was taken to the hospital. He's expected to survive. Mathews is facing charges that include attempted second-degree murder.
SpaceX Launch Postponed
(Cape Canaveral, FL)-- A rocket launch will light up the night sky in Brevard County and beyond.SpaceX is set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 11:50 tonight. The launch was supposed to take place last night, but SpaceX says it was postponed to complete pre-launch processing. The rocket will carry 40 broadband satellites as part of OneWeb 16's mission to provide internet access to rural and remote communities and businesses. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft is set to undock from the ISS today and splash down Wednesday off the Florida coast.
Boa Constrictor Found In Carry-On Baggage
(Tampa, FL)-- The TSA's says their latest bizarre discovery at a security checkpoint was a small boa constrictor. The four-foot snake was found coiled up in a woman's carry-on baggage at Tampa International Airport on December 15th after passing through the X-ray machine. The nonvenomous reptiles are native to Mexico and Argentina, and it's unclear exactly why it was inside the traveler's luggage. There's also no word on possible charges against the woman. Thanks to the TSA's intervention, no travelers were confronted with a snake on a plane.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone at the Macworld 2007 convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Using a touch screen, the new device combined the features of Apple's iPod with a mobile phone, allowing users to field phone calls and play music and videos.
1951, the United Nations headquarters officially opened in New York City.
1894, the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company installed the first battery operated switchboard in Lexington, Massachusetts.