Report Questions How Housing Funds Were Spent
(Jacksonville, FL) --A new report shows millions in federal funds weren't spent as intended in Jacksonville. The Inspector General's report released yesterday looked at money that Jacksonville Housing Authority tenants were supposed to use for utilities between October 2022 and October 2023. Of the combined two million dollars disbursed to eligible residents, only 13 percent was actually used for utility bills. The report recommends the city find a way to prevent the wasteful expenditures of government funds. A city official tells News4Jax while the money is meant to be used for utilities, it's not a requirement, and the money can be used at the family's discretion.
DeSantis Announces Millions For Water Improvement Projects
(Tallahassee, FL) --Hundreds of millions of dollars will be spent to clean up Florida waterways. Governor Ron DeSantis announced yesterday over 200 million dollars has been awarded to 27 statewide projects to reduce harmful nutrients in our waterways. The projects include septic-to-sewer upgrades, wastewater treatment projects, stormwater projects and a regional agricultural project. DeSantis says it's important to protect and restore our waterways and to preserve the Florida way of life that has made us the fishing and boating capital of the world.
Pinellas County Deputy Resigns After Letting Suspect Go
(Clearwater, FL) --A Pinellas County deputy is no longer on the job after his actions following a deadly hit-and-run. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said yesterday that Deputy Junior Lewis resigned. He was under investigation for an incident in July. Lewis pulled over a driver suspected in a deadly hit-and-run but let her go. Investigators say the car had obviously been in a crash, the driver showed obvious signs of impairment, and Lewis failed to check her license or see if there were any warrants for her arrest. He also allegedly shut off his body camera during the traffic stop. The driver and passenger were allowed to switch seats before driving off, but Lewis apparently didn't check if the passenger had a valid license. The woman was eventually charged for the crash. Gualtieri says if Lewis didn't resign he would have been fired.
Three Men Accused Of Killing South Florida Plane Mechanic
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) -- Three men are facing federal charges in connection to a suspected murder-for-plot in South Florida. Authorities say 36-year-old Suren Seetal was last seen working on planes at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport on November 2nd. The suspects are accused of kidnapping and murdering the mechanic before dumping his body in the Big Cypress Indian Reservation. The victim's body was found more than two weeks after his disappearance. State prosecutors say the men could face the death penalty or life in prison.
Florida Warns Of Growing Utility Bills Scheme
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning residents about an uptick in utility bills scams. A scheme is circulating around the state where suspected criminals are threatening to leave victims in the dark unless they send over money immediately. Moody says utility companies will never threaten to disrupt services the first time they contact customers for a late payment. She is reminding residents to look over their bills and always double check with their providers. Moody says it is easier to stay vigilant rather than try to recover the stolen money later.
Forest Service Weighs In On Viral Video Of Tesla Cyber Truck Mishap On Public Lands
(Modesto, CA) --The National Forest Service is weighing in on a viral video of a Tesla Cyber Truck sliding down a snowy hillside. The video shows the truck with a Christmas tree tied to its roof and then getting stuck at the bottom of the hill. A driver in a Ford pickup truck comes to the rescue and gets the Tesla back to safer ground. The Forest Service is now using the mishap to educate people about online maps and the best off-road practices on public lands.
Texas Lottery Ticket Could Send People To Space
(Austin, TX) --A new scratch-off game being offered by the Texas Lottery has a second-chance prize that's truly out of this world. Anyone who doesn't win a prize on the new one-million-dollar Cash Blast ticket can enter a second-chance drawing for a trip to Florida's Kennedy Space Center. During the trip, four people plus their invited guest will be selected for a flight to the edge of space provided by a company called Space Perspective. During the flight, one of the travelers will also be awarded 100-thousand dollars. The contest will run through next summer.
TODAY IN HISTORY
2019, the United States Space Force was founded.
2017, one of the biggest tax overhaul in decades happened when the U.S. House and Senate passed a one-point-five-trillion-dollar tax and jobs bill.
1956, the city of Montgomery, Alabama, removed race-based seat assignments on its city's buses. The bus integration ended a boycott by the area's black commuters that began a year earlier after Rosa Parks refused to surrender her bus seat to a whit