GOP Voters May Be More Open To DeSantis Following Debate
(Undated) -- A new Reuters-Ipsos poll suggests GOP voters may be more open to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following the first Republican debate. The poll, taken two days after the primetime debate in Milwaukee on Wednesday, found that around half of the Republicans who followed the event were more inclined to a bid from DeSantis. He's been running a distant second to former President Donald Trump in polls for months.
Four Dead Following Yesterday's "Racially Motivated" Shooting/Suicide In Jacksonville
(Jacksonville, FL)-- Two men and a woman are dead following what authorities say was a racially motivated shooting and subsequent police standoff at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville Saturday afternoon. Police say the shooter barricaded himself inside the store after the shootings, prompting a standoff with law enforcement officers that ended when he took his own life. The victims, who officials say were targeted because they were Black, were declared dead at the scene. Federal officials are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Governor DeSantis Declares State Of Emergency As Tropical System Approaches Florida
(Undated) -- A state of emergency is in effect in 33 Florida counties in response to a tropical system forming off the west coast of Mexico. Governor Ron DeSantis issued the order Saturday that affects roughly half the state. The storm is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours, likely maturing into Tropical Storm Idalia before it nears the Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday.
Viera High School Football Season Can Resume
(Viera, FL)-- A Brevard County football team involved in hazing allegations can resume their season. The school district announced yesterday that Viera High School can continue with its varsity and JV schedules. All activities were suspended over a week ago after officials learned of an alleged hazing incident involving players in the locker room. The district says it decided to resume the season after players and coaches took part in an anti-hazing educational program.
Man Arrested For Driving At Pinellas County Deputies
(Tarpon Springs, FL)-- A man is facing charges for an incident that led police officers to fire their weapons in Pinellas County. The sheriff's office says Joey Young was wanted for speeding in Clearwater on US 19 Saturday morning. Two deputies found him in a parking lot near Tarpon Springs, but he drove off, came back to the parking lot and drove at the deputies. They opened fire, but Young was not hit. The 24-year-old was arrested on charges that include aggravated assault on law enforcement. The deputies are on paid leave.
UCF Students Lose Lawsuit Calling For Refunds
(Orlando, FL)-- UCF won't have to refund money to students for shutting down campus during the pandemic. An appeals court last week ruled against two students who sued the school. The plaintiffs claimed UCF should have repaid them for services the school denied them during the shutdown. The court ruled that UCF has sovereign immunity as a public school, and the plaintiffs were unable to prove the school breached a contract with the students.
Two Men Accused Of Scamming Uber Out Of $1M
(Fort Lauderdale, FL)-- Two Florida men are accused of scamming UberEats out of more than one-million dollars. Police say Trayon Morgan and Roy Blackwood created fake accounts to operate the scheme in Broward and Palm Beach counties starting at the beginning of last year.The men reportedly used stolen or fabricated identities to make the profiles. They would pose as drivers and customers in order to make fake delivery orders and get gift cards with company-issued credit cards. The suspects were arrested over the last two weeks.
Studies Show Swearing Is A Sign Of Intelligence
(North Adams, MA)-- If you have the mouth of a sailor, you could just be more intelligent than most. Studies have shown that swearing is a sign of higher intelligence and also helps manage pain. A Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts professor who has studied the subject for over four decades says the benefits of using vulgar language have been discovered using "a lot of research on the brain and emotion, along with much better technology to study brain anatomy." A 2015 study showed that well-educated people were better at coming up with swear words than those who were less verbally fluent. Another study showed that those who curse are more honest and have higher levels of integrity.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2005, residents in New Orleans were forced to evacuate their homes and seek refuge in the city's Louisiana Superdome as Hurricane Katrina bore down on the state of Louisiana.
1972, Mark Spitz won the first of seven gold medals in the 1972 Olympic Games.
1922, the first radio commercial was broadcast on WEAF in New York City. The commercial was for an American estate agent, Queensboro Realty.