Your Florida Daily: 13 arrested in fatal 2023 drive-by shooting, 1st confirmed case of measles reaches Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. – Thirteen people have been arrested more than a year after six people were shot along a road in Seminole County, leaving an innocent woman dead.

It was January of last year when shots were fired at Rinehart Road and County Road 46A not long after the victims left a concert at The Barn in Sanford.

Sheriff Dennis Lemma believes the performer, rapper Jackboy, was the target and was in another nearby car at the time of the shooting.

“We found that the likely motive for the incident stemmed from a very public, high-profile dispute playing out on social media and on the court system involving Jackboy and a known associate of the shooters, another rap artist Bill Kapri, known by the stage name Kodak Black,” Sheriff Lemma said during a news conference.

One more suspect remains on the run.

Lemma says there’s no evidence Kodak Black was involved in the shooting, adding it was likely connected to gang violence.

Read more here.

Measles case reported in Polk County, 9th in Florida

The first confirmed case of measles has now reached Central Florida.

The Department of Health says the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus was contracted by someone in Polk County.

The travel-related case was reported between Feb. 19 and Feb. 25 by a man in his early 20s.

It’s the first adult infected this year in the state and follows an outbreak in South Florida.

Measles has been spreading through Manatee Bay Elementary in Broward County.

The school confirmed eight cases, all involving children.

“We’re doing everything possible here at the school with cleaning, changing air filters, keeping parents involved as much as possible,” Broward County Schools Superintendent Peter Licata said.

In a letter sent to parents, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said it was “normally recommended” for people exposed to the virus who aren’t vaccinated to stay home up to 21 days.

Ultimately, he said the decision about sending kids to school lies with parents.

During the 2021-22 school year, 91.7% of Florida kindergarten students were vaccinated for measles falling short of the 95% for herd immunity.

So far, the CDC reports there have been 35 cases of measles across 15 states.

Read more here.

Increase in pelican injuries along Florida coast prompts investigation

There has been an “abnormal” increase in injuries among pelicans along Florida’s east coast, according to one nonprofit that is now working to find the cause of these injuries.

The Florida Wildlife Hospital posted to Facebook this week asking for the public to lookout for any injured or deceased pelicans along the coastal counties.

Dr. April Geer, a veterinarian for the hospital, said most of the injuries that they’ve been seeing coming in have all been very bad fractured wings.

She’s seen more than 20 cases in a week, which sparked an investigation with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Investigators say it’s too early to tell what’s causing the injuries but speculate that the pelicans could have been hit by boats offshore or by cars.

Read more here.

Random Florida Fact

In the early 1940s, Zephyrhills Army Airfield served as a training ground for hundreds of Army pilots during World War II.

When the airfield was built in 1942, Zephyrhills was home to some 800 people.

Over the course of the war, the population doubled as Army pilots came to the small town to train in air defense tactics.

The Army’s 10th Fighter Squadron were stationed here which later supported Allied ground forces during the invasion of Normandy.

You can check out the Zephyrhills Museum of Military History to see period weaponry, military uniforms, wartime supplies and archival photographs.