$711-Million Affordable Housing Bill Headed to DeSantis' Desk
(Tallahassee, FL)-- A bill to help make housing more affordable for working Floridians is on its way to Governor Ron DeSantis. The House gave final approval Friday to the 711-million dollar measure on a 103-to-6 vote. It's designed to provide incentives for private investment in affordable housing and encourage mixed-use development in commercial areas that are struggling. The bill also bars local rent control laws and preempts local government rules on zoning, density, and building heights in certain circumstances.
Florida Lawmakers Debate Measure To Eliminate Funding For University DEI Programs
(Miami, FL) -- Florida lawmakers are debating a bill that, if enacted, would eliminate state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public universities. The measure - House Bill 999 - prohibits state universities from using funds to "promote, support or maintain" educational programs or campus activities that advocate on behalf of DEI programs. State officials say Florida is not alone in this effort; as many as four other right-leaning states reportedly are pursuing similar defunding efforts. (Sirois Tomorrow at 8am)
Volusia County Wildfire Covers 1200 Acres
(DeLand, FL) -- A wildfire in Volusia County is proving to be a tough one. The Double Gate wildfire in Tiger Bay State Forest covers about 12-hundred acres. The Florida Fire Service reported last night that the fire was just 20 percent contained. Visibility could be impacted in Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. There's no word on how the fire started.
Brevard County School Principals Arrested For DUI
(Titusville, FL)-- Two Brevard County Public Schools principals are facing criminal charges. Lewis Carroll Elementary School Principal Jenifer Born was arrested Saturday. Heritage High School Principal Dr. John Harris was arrested Friday. Both are facing drunk driving charges. The school district says both are now on leave.
Second Lawsuit Filed In Deadly Warehouse Fire
(Orlando, FL) -- SeaWorld is facing another lawsuit for a deadly fire in Orange County. Four people were killed in December when a warehouse where fireworks were stored caught fire in Taft. The father of 24-year-old Landon Bourland [[ber-LIND]] filed his suit over a week ago, just three days after the father of 22-year-old Elizabeth Tiralongo filed suit. The lawsuits accuse SeaWorld, the Magic in the Sky fireworks company and others of not properly storing the fireworks and not training the staff. Bourland is seeking at least 50-thousand dollars in damages.
Jacksonville Officer Shot
(Jacksonville, FL)-- A member of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is hurt after a shooting. Officer Malik Daricaud was shot yesterday morning on the Westside near Morse Ave in Duclay. Sheriff T.K. Waters says Daricaud was shot after knocking on a suspect's door. The 25-year-old was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The shooter was identified as Tyliko Maduro. He was wanted for fleeing a traffic stop over a week ago. Waters says the 32-year-old shot himself to death during a SWAT team standoff.
Homicide Suspect Found Naked In Tree
(West Palm Beach, FL)-- A homicide suspect is in custody after an unusual arrest in Palm Beach County. The sheriff's office says a woman was arrested yesterday morning after a neighbor reported the woman was naked in a tree in West Palm Beach on Magnolia Drive. That's not far from where a woman was found dead in a home, and deputies believe the woman found in the tree was involved in the other woman's death. There's no word on how the woman died, and neither woman has been identified.
Florida Man Drives 100MPH To Get To Taco Bell Job Interview
(Palm Springs, FL)-- A Florida man who was pulled over for driving 100-miles-an-hour says he was speeding because he was trying to get his girlfriend to a job interview at Taco Bell. Arrest records say 22-year-old Jevon Jackson had three kids in the back of his black Mercedes when he was pulled over in Palm Springs, Florida for doing 100 in a 40-mile-an-hour zone. Police say Jackson was also swerving in and out of traffic and driving on a suspended license. He was booked for reckless driving and three counts of child neglect.
Survey: Young Moviegoers More Likely To Pay For Good Seats
(Undated) -- A new survey finds that young people don't mind paying more to see movies on the big screen, if it means they get to sit in the best seats in the house. The survey from Morning Consult found that 54-percent of 18- to 26-year-old Gen Z ticket buyers and 46-percent of Millennials, 27 to 42 years old, said charging the most for the most desirable seats is "appropriate" for movie theater chains. Only 32-percent of 43- to 58-year-old Gen X respondents and 22-percent of 58- to 76-year-old baby boomers felt the same.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2020, former President Trump signed a two-point-two trillion dollar stimulus package.
1998, the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-made drug Viagra, hailing it as a medical breakthrough.
1989, "Sports Illustrated" exposed Pete Rose's gambling activities. The eventual investigation led to Rose's banishment from baseball.