DeSantis Signs Executive Order To Ease Some Election Rules
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida is helping election officials in communities impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton. Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order yesterday, easing some rules connected to the voting process this year. The state Supervisors of Elections sent a letter to the governor earlier this week, asking him to waive several requirements in affected counties. The temporary changes will give officials longer deadlines to decide on polling sites, extend early voting, and provide more flexibility for vote-by-mail ballots. This will not adjust the voter registration deadline, which passed last week.
Polk County Sheriff Announces Arrests In Human Trafficking Operation
(Bartow, FL) --Over a hundred people are facing charges after a human trafficking operation in Polk County. Sheriff Grady Judd yesterday announced 157 arrests as part of Operation Autumn Sweep. Over two weeks, deputies arrested suspects for solicitation, offering to commit prostitution or aiding and abetting prostitutes. Three were arrested for traveling to sexually batter juveniles. Judd says 25 of the suspects may be in the country illegally. The suspects come from nine states and the United Kingdom, they range in age from 15 to 61, and three of them work at Disney World. Investigators identified four possible human trafficking victims.
Fake Cop Arrested In Orlando
(Orlando, FL) --A New York man is accused of robbing a woman in Orlando while posing as a cop. Orlando Police announced yesterday that Michael Darren Jesse Rodriguez is facing charges for an incident two months ago at a hotel near Universal Boulevard and International Drive. The OPD says the 27-year-old forced his way into a woman's hotel room, claimed to be a police officer, put her in handcuffs and stole her wallet while displaying what appeared to be a handgun in his waistband. Orlando Police say Rodriguez was arrested last month in Georgia, and he's now awaiting extradition to Orange County. He'll face charges that include falsely personating an officer to commit felony with a weapon.
Details Released On FBI Raid In Miami-Dade County
(Aventura, FL) --A music executive in Miami-Dade County is facing charges for his alleged role in what the FBI calls a ruthless and violent drug smuggling ring. The FBI announced yesterday Aventura's Nahim Jorge Bonilla was arrested after his multi-million dollar home in Island Estates was raided Wednesday morning. The raid was part of the FBI's investigation into a drug smuggling operation that spanned Mexico, Colombia, Canada, and the US. The 36-year-old Bonilla and 15 others are accused of smuggling about 60 tons of cocaine annually. They're also blamed for four murders. The alleged ringleader is former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding. He and three others remain on the loose.
Comic Con 2024 Gets Underway In NYC
(New York, NY) --The largest comic book convention in North America kicks off today at the Javits Center in New York City. Comic Con 2024 is expected to draw more than 200-thousand fans, many of them dressed as their favorite superheroes and characters. Stars who will be in attendance include Josh Brolin and Paul Bettanny. Movie studios and TV networks use the four-day convention to gauge audience interest for upcoming movies and pilots.
Today in History
1977, New York Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson earned the nickname "Mr. October" by hitting three home runs on three successive pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Six of the World Series. The Yankees went on to win the series four-games-to-two.
1867, the U.S. took formal possession of Alaska from Russia. America bought the state for seven-point-two-million-dollars.