Hail Rains Down On Brevard County
(Titusville, FL)-- There's some damage to clean up in Brevard County after an unusual storm. Hail the size of golf balls poured down on parts of the Space Coast yesterday. Traffic on I-95 slowed to a crawl. Wind gusts of 60 miles an hour were reported. Fire Rescue says two people were hurt when an RV was blown onto its side. There's no word on their conditions. In West Melbourne, a business had its roof collapse. One resident tells News 6 the hail was just pouring out of the sky, and it was incredible.
Legislature Gives Final Approval To Hate Speech Bill
(Tallahassee, FL) -- A bill designed to combat hate speech is moving through the Florida Legislature. The state Senate unanimously passed a measure earlier today that would make it a hate crime to distribute flyers onto private property if they are meant to harass someone or threaten their religion. It also bans people from projecting images onto buildings without permission. The legislation was filed following an influx of anti-Semitic incidents reported throughout the state. It will now head to the governor for his signature.
Florida Court Backs FAU's COVID-19 Shutdown
(Tallahassee, FL) -- A Florida appeals court is backing Florida Atlantic University's decision to shut down its campus due to COVID-19. A class-action lawsuit was filed by several students who wanted refunds after they claimed the university breached their contracts by forcing them to pay fees during the pandemic. However, the court upheld a judge's previous decision to dismiss the case since FAU was not required to hold on-campus services, despite it being an expectation. The State Supreme Court is considering a similar case against the University of Florida.
Disney Suing DeSantis
(Tallahassee, FL) -- The Walt Disney Company sued Governor Ron DeSantis yesterday in federal court in Tallahassee. Disney claims DeSantis and other state officials targeted the company for retaliation for their opposition to legislation DeSantis supported. DeSantis' actions allegedly threatened Disney's business operations, jeopardized its economic future in the region and violated its constitutional rights. Disney wants a judge to reverse the new oversight board's vote to void Disney's development deal with the old oversight board. A spokeswoman for DeSantis says this lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of Disney's hope to undermine the will of Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.
New Disney Oversight Board Voids Deal With Old Board
(Orlando, FL) --Disney's new oversight board wants more control over the company's future. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District met yesterday. They voided a 30-year development deal Disney reached in February with the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The CFTOD says the RCID didn't properly notify the affected property owners before the deal was approved. The new board also claims the old board didn't have the legal right to relinquish its powers to a private company.
Five New College Of Florida Faculty Members Denied Tenure
(Sarasota, FL) --More turnover could be in the cards for a Sarasota school. The New College of Florida board of trustees met yesterday and denied tenure to five faculty members. After the vote, faculty rep and professor Matthew Lepinski announced his resignation. Faculty union president Steven Shipman says there are another couple dozen tenure track faculty members who may also leave the school. He tells the Tampa Bay Times yesterday's unprecedented action is a further indication that the board is hostile to the current faculty, and they're intent on destroying the very academic program they're charged with supporting.
Carhop Arrested For Assaulting Complaining Customers
(Humble, TX) -- A teenager working at a Sonic in Humble, Texas was arrested Tuesday for allegedly assaulting a complaining customer. Harris County officials say the teen threw a drink and assaulted a customer after she said her order was wrong, then assaulted the customer's daughter when she tried to get involved. The teen is facing charges.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2022, SpaceX launched its Crew Dragon capsule with four astronauts. This included Jessica Watkins, making her the first black woman to serve on an extended mission on the International Space Station.
1965, R-C Duncan received a patent for "Pampers" brand disposable diapers.
1937, the nation's first Social Security checks were distributed.