Suspended Osceola County Sheriff Posts Bond
(Tavares, FL) --The suspended Osceola County Sheriff is now out of jail. Marcos Lopez posted a one million dollar bond last night after three weeks in the Lake County Jail in Tavares. He was arrested this month for racketeering. Prosecutors say Lopez ran an illegal gambling operation that started over five years ago. Others are also facing charges, including Lopez' estranged wife. One suspect remains on the run, and WESH 2 reports she has fled the country.
Volusia County Man Sentenced For Sex Crimes Involving Child
(DeLand, FL) --A Volusia County man will spend the rest of his life in prison. The state attorney's office announced yesterday Ralph Stone was given a mandatory life sentence for child sex crimes. Stone was sentenced after pleading no contest to charges that include sexual battery on a victim under 12. State Attorney R.J. Larizza says Stone's plea avoids a protracted process and jury trial that could have been brutal and terrifying. He adds "justice is not perfect, but at least in this case, it was swift."
Judge Denies Bail For Man Accused Of Stealing From Trust Funds
(Tampa, FL) --A Pinellas County man accused of stealing from the trusts he managed will remain behind bars. Clearwater's Leo Govoni was in court yesterday where the judge denied his request for bond. He's facing fraud and money laundering charges. Prosecutors say he stole about 100-million dollars from trust funds he managed for disabled and injured clients. His accountant is also facing charges. Prosecutors allege there could be thousands of victims who put their money in Govoni's Center for Special Needs Trust Administration.
Florida National Guard Deployed To Alligator Alcatraz
(Ochopee, FL) --The Florida National Guard will deploy dozens of members to a new immigration detention center in the Everglades. The Guard announced yesterday up to one hundred troops will help provide security at what's being called Alligator Alcatraz. State officials say the facility will be able to hold up to five thousand detainees. It's due to open Tuesday.
Miami City Commission Votes To Postpone Elections
(Miami, FL) --Elections won't take place in Miami this year. The city commission voted yesterday to postpone the municipal election until next year. The goal is to increase voter turnout and save money, but critics say it extends commissioners' terms without getting voter approval first. Before the vote, commissioners discussed the possibility of a lawsuit, but Commissioner Ralph Rosado says the city attorney is very confident this change will stand up in a court of law. Commissioner Joe Carollo says even if it's legal, it's still morally wrong because the people elected them to four-year terms, not five.Governor Ron DeSantis wrote yesterday on X he anticipates a swift legal response.
Florida Deputy Resigns Over Theft Charge
(Fort Meade, FL) -- A Florida sheriff's deputy is no longer on the job after being arrested for stealing cash during a traffic stop near Fort Meade. Investigators say Polk County Sheriff Justin Register resigned after he was charged with theft for taking money from a driver's wallet. According to police, after the driver noticed the missing money, Register returned to his patrol car, pulled cash from a bag and then said, "Oh, here it is!" The sheriff's office is now reviewing all of Register's past arrests and traffic stops.
Microsoft Deleting "Blue Screen Of Death"
(Redmond, VA) --Microsoft's "Blue Screen of Death" error message is going away. The computer giant says it's part of a larger revamp following last year's Crowdstrike outage that crashed over eight-million Windows devices, including banks, companies, and airlines. In Windows 11, there won't be a frowny face and QR code appearing during unexpected restarts, like there's been for the past 40 years. The error screen will be black with a short message that tells users they need to restart.
Today in History
2017, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the platform reached two-billion monthly users.