WEATHER ALERT
CFP Bracket Watch: BYU claims No. 4 seed with top 3 the same; A&M at Texas penciled in for 1st round
Read full article: CFP Bracket Watch: BYU claims No. 4 seed with top 3 the same; A&M at Texas penciled in for 1st roundOregon, Georgia and Miami remained the top three seeds in The Associated Press College Football Playoff bracket projection with BYU overtaking Iowa State for No. 4.
Detectives find suicide report was murder after 2 deputies’ marriage struggles with on-duty affair
Read full article: Detectives find suicide report was murder after 2 deputies’ marriage struggles with on-duty affairEloilda and Anthony Shea were a couple in law enforcement. They were married, had two daughters, and worked for the same police department in Central Florida when he was accused of an on-duty affair. Detectives reported he nearly fooled them into thinking her murder was a suicide.
Shedeur Sanders throws for 290 yards, 3 TDs to lead improved Colorado to 48-21 rout of UCF
Read full article: Shedeur Sanders throws for 290 yards, 3 TDs to lead improved Colorado to 48-21 rout of UCFShedeur Sanders threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns to help Colorado match its victory total for all of last season with a 48-21 rout of UCF.
Hurricane and storm surge watches issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast as major hurricane threat looms
Read full article: Hurricane and storm surge watches issued for Florida’s Gulf Coast as major hurricane threat loomsHurricane and storm surge watches were hoisted early Tuesday for a wide stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast ahead of what’s forecast to be a major hurricane strike come late Thursday or early Friday.
Florida Big Bend prepares for Debby; DeSantis mobilizes National Guard
Read full article: Florida Big Bend prepares for Debby; DeSantis mobilizes National GuardTropical Depression Four was moving slowly over western Cuba on Saturday and was forecast to strengthen into a tropical depression and later into Hurricane Debby.
Florida arts groups left in the lurch by DeSantis veto of state funding for theaters and museums
Read full article: Florida arts groups left in the lurch by DeSantis veto of state funding for theaters and museumsAll over Florida, arts groups are scrambling to plug large budget gaps after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unexpectedly vetoed $32 million in arts funding.
Florida elementary school principal faces charges for allegedly beating special needs student
Read full article: Florida elementary school principal faces charges for allegedly beating special needs studentA Central Florida school administrator is facing charges after deputies say he was caught on camera beating a student.
Police: Cocaine bricks hidden in lamp help investigators working to solve 2 murders
Read full article: Police: Cocaine bricks hidden in lamp help investigators working to solve 2 murdersInvestigators knew someone used a lamp fixture to hide two cocaine bricks, and mailed the lamp from Puerto Rico to Osceola County. This helped them during an ongoing investigation to identify suspects in two murders in Central Florida.
This orange and blue lizard has invaded Florida. Here’s where it’s been spotted
Read full article: This orange and blue lizard has invaded Florida. Here’s where it’s been spottedFor many Florida residents, there’s a chance they’ve recently spotted lizards with an orange head and dark blue body scurrying about in their neighborhoods.
Body found after Homestead woman carjacked, kidnapped in Central Florida
Read full article: Body found after Homestead woman carjacked, kidnapped in Central FloridaA body has been discovered following the Thursday carjacking and kidnapping of a Homestead woman in Central Florida, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis M. Lemma confirmed at a news conference Friday.
San Jose State close to hiring former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, AP sources say
Read full article: San Jose State close to hiring former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, AP sources sayTwo people with direct knowledge of the negotiations tell The Associated Press that San Jose State is working to finalize a deal with former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo to replace Brent Brennan as head coach.
King, Haynes help Georgia Tech overcome 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in Gasparilla Bowl
Read full article: King, Haynes help Georgia Tech overcome 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in Gasparilla BowlHaynes King threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Georgia Tech rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl.
MONDAY HUDDLE: Florida State survived Florida, but can it do same against Louisville to keep playoff hopes alive?
Read full article: MONDAY HUDDLE: Florida State survived Florida, but can it do same against Louisville to keep playoff hopes alive?3 key takeaways from the state’s football scene -- and a glimpse at what’s to come next week.
Florida theme parks, airports monitor Hurricane Idalia
Read full article: Florida theme parks, airports monitor Hurricane IdaliaIf you have plans to visit Central Florida's theme parks this week, there may be some changes in the air as Hurricane Idalia strengthens and makes its way to Florida's gulf coast.
Nature photographer hears splash; sees alligator attacking another gator
Read full article: Nature photographer hears splash; sees alligator attacking another gatorA nature photographer had just finished taking pictures of nesting birds in Central Florida, when she happened on a very frightening scene.
Investigators work to identify human remains, possibly connected to missing South Florida Lyft driver
Read full article: Investigators work to identify human remains, possibly connected to missing South Florida Lyft driverInvestigators are working to identify human remains found close to where a Palm Beach Gardens man went missing last week.
Florida rental car workers save toddler who was left in returned vehicle
Read full article: Florida rental car workers save toddler who was left in returned vehicleRental car employees reported finding a toddler in a locked rental car that had been returned at Daytona Beach International Airport on Monday.
This Week in South Florida: Aramis Ayala
Read full article: This Week in South Florida: Aramis AyalaFlorida’s incumbent attorney general Ashley Moody has sued the Biden Administration over mask mandates, won settlements against drug companies over opioids and pursues justice from a politically conservative perspective.
Police: Florida officer faces DUI charges after allegedly driving 4 times over legal limit
Read full article: Police: Florida officer faces DUI charges after allegedly driving 4 times over legal limitOfficers in Central Florida arrested one of their own, after receiving calls about an erratic driver on an Apopka roadway.
Father of teen killed on Florida ride fears death forgotten
Read full article: Father of teen killed on Florida ride fears death forgottenThe father of a Missouri teenager killed after falling from a Central Florida amusement park ride said Monday he fears his son’s death will be forgotten with tragic consequences for future ride patrons.
Miami Beach hosts American Black Film Festival opening with Crump documentary
Read full article: Miami Beach hosts American Black Film Festival opening with Crump documentaryFlorida-based civil rights attorney Ben Crump, best known for taking on high-profile cases, like representing the families of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, is now the focus of a new Netflix documentary.
‘Ghost’ candidate, 2 operatives face charges in shill candidate scheme
Read full article: ‘Ghost’ candidate, 2 operatives face charges in shill candidate schemeA former no-party-affiliated state Senate candidate and the chairman of the Republican Party of Seminole County are among the three people arrested in connection to the shill candidate scheme in Central Florida.
New boundary lines drawn for Florida’s congressional district but Gov. has veto power
Read full article: New boundary lines drawn for Florida’s congressional district but Gov. has veto powerEvery ten years new boundary lines are drawn for a state's congressional districts and in Florida it's usually a bitter battle that ends up in court.
Bowser boosts UCF to 29-17 Gasparilla Bowl win over Florida
Read full article: Bowser boosts UCF to 29-17 Gasparilla Bowl win over FloridaIsaiah Bowser ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan O’Keefe had 85 yards on seven receptions, and Central Florida earned Sunshine State bragging rights by beating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night.
DeSantis promotes monoclonal antibodies, calls other states’ COVID measures ‘insanity’
Read full article: DeSantis promotes monoclonal antibodies, calls other states’ COVID measures ‘insanity’Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday touted Florida’s promotion of monoclonal antibodies as a COVID-19 treatment and pledged that the state won’t be shutting down schools or businesses because of increasing infections.
Invasive tegu lizards expand in Florida and eat tortoise babies
Read full article: Invasive tegu lizards expand in Florida and eat tortoise babiesThe Argentine black and white tegu is multiplying and mobilizing in the backwoods and backyards of Florida — a creature more ominous than pythons because of its cold hardiness and indiscriminate palate.
Lawyer who represented George Zimmerman arrested in Florida
Read full article: Lawyer who represented George Zimmerman arrested in FloridaHal Uhrig, a Florida defense attorney who briefly represented George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin case, is accused of witness tampering in a juvenile rape case.
Large crowd remembers Miya Marcano at funeral in Broward
Read full article: Large crowd remembers Miya Marcano at funeral in BrowardFamily and friends filled the Cooper City Church of God on Thursday for the funeral of Miya Marcano, where a crown rested atop the late college student’s painted casket.
‘We are going to find Miya’: Search spreads out for Florida college student
Read full article: ‘We are going to find Miya’: Search spreads out for Florida college studentResidents of the Arden Villa apartments in Orange County were sent an email saying law enforcement will be entering all occupied garages and storage units throughout the day, as had been seen by drone a day earlier.
Expect periods of heavy rain related to well-developed tropical disturbance
Read full article: Expect periods of heavy rain related to well-developed tropical disturbanceThe Tropical Disturbance we have been following offshore of Central Florida has a well-defined circulation with strong thunderstorms on the south and east side.
Two Florida cities make list of top 10 cities for couples who love food
Read full article: Two Florida cities make list of top 10 cities for couples who love foodIf you and your significant other are living in the Sunshine State, you’re currently living in one of the best states to have a delicious date night.
The Brightline train from Miami to Orlando is almost here
Read full article: The Brightline train from Miami to Orlando is almost hereThe Brightline from Miami to Orlando is almost here. The modern, eco-friendly high-speed rail has officially passed the halfway mark for construction on its extension to Orlando.
Florida ranch goes on sale for the first time in over 100 years for $140 million
Read full article: Florida ranch goes on sale for the first time in over 100 years for $140 millionOSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – For over 100 years, Green Island Ranch in Central Florida has been owned by the Partin family. According to SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate, Green Island Ranch, located in St. However, the massive property is more than just a real estate opportunity for investors — it’s also a historical landmark in Florida’s history. Since then, the working ranch has been in the Partin family’s ownership and, at one time, was the largest ranch east of the Mississippi at 60,000 acres. AdFurther adding to the ranch’s historical significance, the real estate company states the Partin family introduced Brahman cattle and quarterhorses to the state of Florida.
Florida supera los 1,000 casos de variantes de COVID-19, la mayoría en el sur
Read full article: Florida supera los 1,000 casos de variantes de COVID-19, la mayoría en el surDavid Selig is the Digital Executive Producer at WPLG, overseeing Local10.com. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Concerns grow in Central Florida over U.K. /covid-19 variantIf you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526.
Have you seen this missing child in Florida?
Read full article: Have you seen this missing child in Florida?Authorities are searching for a 9-year-old boy who went missing out of Central Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a missing child alert Tuesday for John Weldon, who was last seen in the area of Mount Dora, which is north of Orlando. Authorities say the boy might be with 42-year-old Daryl Weldon and that they may be driving in a 2014 silver Mitsubishi Outlander with Florida tag IB14FR. The boy is 4-feet-6, weighing about 55 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. If you have any information, call 911 or the Mount Dora Police Department at 352-735-7130.
Florida adds fewest new COVID-19 cases since October
Read full article: Florida adds fewest new COVID-19 cases since OctoberThe location at 3101 W. Princeton St. in Orlando is the only Central Florida Walmart to feature a pop-up clinic for COVID-19 vaccines. Florida’s health department confirmed 1,700 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, which is the smallest day-to-day increase of cases in the state since Oct. 12, when 1,533 cases were reported. The state has now verified 1,910,921 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began and 30,999 resident deaths, according to health department data. A look at the statewide positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases across Florida over the past two weeks. The United States has confirmed over 28.6 million cases and has had more than 513,000 deaths from COVID-19, the highest totals in the world.
UCF hires former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to lead Knights
Read full article: UCF hires former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to lead KnightsFILE - Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn argues a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Auburn, Ala., in this Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, file photo. Central Florida hired Gus Malzahn as its football coach Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, a little more than two months after he was fired by Auburn. “I truly believe that this is a program of the future in college football,” Malzahn said. Arkansas State won a conference title that season before Malzahn returned to Auburn as head coach. Ad“This is one of the top 25 coaching jobs in all of college football,” Malzahn said.
Florida man uses $7.2M from PPP to buy mansion, Maserati and more, feds say
Read full article: Florida man uses $7.2M from PPP to buy mansion, Maserati and more, feds saySEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A Bradenton man is accused of using $7.2 million from Paycheck Protection Program funds to buy a Central Florida mansion and three luxury cars, according to court records. Records show Cisternino applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan established as part of the federal CARES Act relief bill. Prosecutors said Cisternino is accused of using the money to buy a Maserati, a $89,000 Lincoln Navigator, a $251,000 Mercedes-Benz and a $3.1 million home in Chuluota. AdCisternino is accused of saying MagnifiCo had 441 employees with an average monthly payroll of $2.88 million. Records show after the application the Small Business Administration issued $7.2 million in PPP funds to MagnifiCo.
NCAA probe is 'speed bump' to Vols' new coach Josh Heupel
Read full article: NCAA probe is 'speed bump' to Vols' new coach Josh HeupelNew Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel, left, shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey speaks during an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. (Caitie McLekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)Josh Heupel believes he can win quickly at Tennessee and position the football program for long-term success. Heupel was introduced Wednesday as the program's 27th head coach and fifth, not counting interim or acting coaches, since the end of the 2008 season. New athletic director Danny White said Tennessee ran an “exhaustive nationwide search” led by the same search firm that helped land White. White was hired last week to replace the retiring Phillip Fulmer and hiring a new coach was his first task.
Florida man with ties to Proud Boys arrested in connection with Capitol attacks, documents show
Read full article: Florida man with ties to Proud Boys arrested in connection with Capitol attacks, documents showORLANDO, Fla. – A man with ties to the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys was arrested in Central Florida on federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., according to official documents. Biggs is a member of the Proud Boys and describes himself as an organizer of some of their events, according to a federal affidavit. A Deerfield Beach man’s Instagram story showed a struggle with Capitol police to open a door to the Capitol on Jan. 6, feds say. A Coral Springs man, Felipe Marquez, 25, was charged with illegally entering the Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct. And Gabriel Garcia, a Miami member of the extremist Proud Boys group, made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday over allegations he participated in the siege.
DeSantis announces new vaccine sites at select Publix stores in South Florida
Read full article: DeSantis announces new vaccine sites at select Publix stores in South FloridaDeSantis said seven Publix locations in Martin County will also offer the vaccine. For Broward’s mayor, the issue right now isn’t the number of vaccination sites, but rather the number of doses available. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released a statement saying: “Miami-Dade is home to over 10% of all Florida seniors 65+. Earlier this month, DeSantis announced that several Publix locations in the state would serve as COVID-19 vaccination sites for seniors. Registration at the Publix vaccination sites in South Florida opens at 6 a.m. Wednesday and appointments will begin on Thursday.
No. 11 Houston uses big first half to cruise past UCF 75-58
Read full article: No. 11 Houston uses big first half to cruise past UCF 75-5811 Houston used a dominant first half to cruise to a 75-58 win over UCF on Sunday. Houston (11-1, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) won its fourth straight game since its loss to Tulsa. “It was a great game for us,” Houston guard DeJon Jarreau said. “They made a lot of shots to start the first half off and kind of knocked us back,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. Sampson passed former Houston coach Tom Penders.
No. 7 Cincinnati stays unbeaten with 36-33 win over UCF
Read full article: No. 7 Cincinnati stays unbeaten with 36-33 win over UCFCincinnati tight end Leonard Taylor (11) is stopped by Central Florida defensive back Richie Grant (27) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
You can now snow tube in Florida
Read full article: You can now snow tube in FloridaDADE CITY, Fla. – Floridians no longer have an excuse to say they have never seen snow. Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park in Dade City has officially opened. A snow park in Florida, right?” said Adam Thomas from Florida sports coast. Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park (WKMG-TV)Thrill-seekers who are ready for some tubing fun can go down the run as a single rider, tandem or family-style with between four and 10 riders per large circular tube. Snow tubing at Snowcat Ridge in Dade City, Florida is now open.
‘Bump in the night’: Florida driver hits gator on U.S. 1
Read full article: ‘Bump in the night’: Florida driver hits gator on U.S. 1COCOA, Fla. – Need any more evidence that it’s Friday the 13th in the year 2020? A driver in Central Florida ran over a gator on U.S. 1 overnight. Luckily, the driver and the alligator are OK, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is finding the gator a “safer place to roam,” police in the city of Cocoa say. The things that go bump in the night: patrol officers rescued this little guy as he wandered into dangerous territory. He was fine and the driver was not injured.”Be careful out there!
Evidence suggests several state Senate candidates were plants funded by dark money
Read full article: Evidence suggests several state Senate candidates were plants funded by dark moneyMIAMI – Why would candidates for Florida Senate seats do no campaigning, no fundraising, have no issue platforms, nor make any effort to get votes? Local 10 News has found evidence to suggest three such candidates in three Florida Senate district races, two of them in Miami Dade County, were shill candidates whose presence in the races were meant to syphon votes from Democratic candidates. In one of those races, District 37, a recount is underway because the spread between the Democratic and Republican candidates is only 31 votes. That third party candidate is Alexis Rodriguez, who has the same last name as the Democratic incumbent senator Jose Javier Rodriguez. A search of campaign documents filed by Rodriguez led to a money trail and campaign finance connections with other no-party third candidates in Florida Senate District 9 in Central Florida, and District 39 in Miami-Dade.
Sunday is the day for maximum impacts from Tropical Storm Eta in South Florida
Read full article: Sunday is the day for maximum impacts from Tropical Storm Eta in South FloridaThe most significant change to what is discussed below is that Eta is developing a band of strong winds near the center. Here is an update of this morning’s discussion:The center of Tropical Storm Eta is just moving off the north coast of Cuba and into the Straits of Florida. The maximum winds somewhere in the circulation are forecast to increase slightly as the center moves closer to South Florida through the day. The center of Tropical Storm Eta is just moving off the north coast of Cuba and into the Straits of Florida. The maximum winds somewhere in the circulation are forecast to increase slightly as the center moves closer to South Florida through the day.
This Week in South Florida: John Morgan
Read full article: This Week in South Florida: John MorganPEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Among the questions on the 2020 election ballot in Florida is a potential hike in the hourly wage for the state’s lowest earners. Amendment 2 proposes raising the state’s minimum wage to an eventual $15 per hour. The Central Florida attorney who led the effort to get Amendment 2 on the ballot is John Morgan. He joined This Week in South Florida hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney, and their conversation can be seen at the top of this page. To view TWISF’s chat with Amendment 2 opponent Carlos Gazitua, click here.
Pence tells Miami-Dade that Trump needs 4 more years — in multiple languages
Read full article: Pence tells Miami-Dade that Trump needs 4 more years — in multiple languagesDORAL, Fla. – South Florida is again the center of the political universe Thursday, as Mike Pence was campaigning in Miami-Dade County hours before President Donald Trump’s primetime town hall in Miami. Jeanette Nunez, State Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz. “And that is that Florida and America need four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House. “We came out here because it’s not every day you get to hear the vice president of the United States speak,” one of the supporters said. Instead of sharing a debate stage later Thursday night, Trump and former vice president Joe Biden will face off in competing town halls.