DeSantis Delivers State Of The State Speech
(Tallahassee, FL) --Ron DeSantis is governor of what he calls the number one state in the nation. DeSantis gave his State of the State Address yesterday in Tallahassee. He cited gains in jobs, new businesses, tourism and the state's low tax rate. DeSantis defended his response to the pandemic and said because we did it our way, Florida is the number one destination for Americans looking for a better way of life. He adds, though, that now is not the time to rest on our laurels, and we'll swing for the fences, stand strong, hold the line and won't back down.
Florida Lawmakers Kick Off Legislative Session
(Tallahassee, FL) --Florida lawmakers kicked off this year's legislative session by proposing a bill that would restrict abortion access. State Senate and House Republicans filed the bills yesterday. The measures would ban the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for victims of rape or incest. It also prohibits state funding from being used for a person to travel to another state to get an abortion. This comes as a lawsuit challenging whether the current 15-week ban is constitutional remains ongoing. The legislative session is scheduled to last through early May.
Four Killed In Polk County Plane Crash
(Winter Haven, FL)-- Four people are dead after two planes collided in mid-air in Polk County. It happened yesterday afternoon in Winter Haven over Lake Hartridge. One of those killed was Winter Haven 19-year-old Zachary Mace. He was a student at Polk State College. Winter Haven 24-year-old Faith Baker was also killed. The sheriff's office says Baker was a pilot and flight instructor at Sunrise Aviation in Ormond Beach. A third victim was identified as a 67-year-old man from Pennsylvania. The fourth victim has not been identified. Mace and Baker were in one plane. The other two were in the other plane. No one else was involved. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.
Deadly Shooting In The Villages
(Lady Lake, FL)-- A man is dead after a shooting in Lake County. Lady Lake Police say he was shot during a fight yesterday morning inside an Applebee's in The Villages on Bichara Boulevard. Police say the man had gotten into a fight outside the restaurant and three shots were fired. An employee let him into the restaurant where there was another fight, and a customer shot and killed him. No one else was hurt. No one involved has been identified, and no charges have been announced.
Liftoff Planned For 3D-Printed Rocket
(Cape Canaveral, FL)-- A new kind of rocket is set to blast off today from Cape Canaveral. The Terran One rocket was built almost entirely by a 3D printer. This saves on money and construction time. Today's mission is just a test flight to get the rocket into orbit. Liftoff is set for 1 p.m. If successful, it'll be the first time a private company has reached orbit on its first attempt.
Stolen Gator Returns Home
(New Braunfels, TX)-- An alligator stolen as a hatching nearly two-decades ago is back home at a Texas zoo. The gator, now almost eight-feet long, was living in a nearby backyard the entire time.Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo in New Braunfels said Friday that a woman who used to volunteer at the zoo allegedly stole the gator and just kept it as a pet. A game warden accidentally discovered the gator while in the neighborhood on a separate investigation. The woman has been cited for two misdemeanors, illegal possession of an alligator egg and possession of an alligator without the proper permits.
Hershey Launches Vegan Reese's
(Hershey, PA)-- Hershey is launching vegan Reese's. The company announced two new dairy free products: the Reese's plant based peanut butter cups and a vegan chocolate Hershey bar with almonds and sea salt. Both are made with oats instead of dairy and made to taste like milk chocolate. The new Reese's will be available across the nation later this month. The new Hershey bar is set to hit shelves in April.
TODAY IN HISTORY
1972, the Goodyear blimp flew for the first time.
1913, the Internal Revenue Service began to levy and collect income taxes.