9 things to do this weekend: Boats, beaches and Caribbean culture
9 things to do this weekend: Boats, beaches and Caribbean cultureORLANDO, Fla. — As students around Central Florida adjust to going back to school this week, it is important to still make time for some fun. Here are some of the events going on around Central Florida this weekend. • Orlando Boat ShowThe Orlando Boat Show will be featured at the Orange County Convention Center this weekend. • Open House at Orlando ShakesThe Orlando Shakespeare Theater will hold a free open house event on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. • Caribbean American Heritage Festival and ExpoA free Caribbean American Heritage Festival and Expo will be held Sunday, starting at 1 p.m.
wftv.comGrab shell: Tour de Turtles underway at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
VERO BEACH, Fla. — Slow and steady wins the race. The 15th annual Tour de Turtles is officially underway at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. The “migration marathon” sees the turtles begin from the nesting beaches of Vero Beach Resort to feeding grounds in the Bahamas, Caribbean and beyond, Disney said. Data collected during Tour de Turtles help officials make more informed decisions about sea turtle conservation methods and policies, Disney said. Since 2008, the Sea Turtle Conservancy and Disney have studied 26 sea turtles outfitted with the transmitters and released from the resort.
wftv.comTrain endangers some of Mexico's oldest pre-historic sites
The cave systems have mainly been through the efforts of volunteer cave divers working hundreds of yards (meters) inside the flooded caverns. She was discovered in 2007 by divers and cave enthusiasts who were mapping water-filled caverns north of the city of Tulum, where the train line is heading. “We are talking about the oldest remains on the continent.”The 950-mile (1,500- kilometer) Maya Train line will run in a rough loop around the Yucatan peninsula, connecting beach resorts and archaeological sites. Urbina and environmentalists and divers challenged that in court, winning an injunction that stopped the jungle rail line between the resorts Cancun and Tulum in mid-May. What that means in plain language is already visible along the highway between Cancun and Tulum where the rail line was originally projected to run as an elevated rail line.
wftv.comTrain endangers some of Mexico's oldest pre-historic sites
The Mexican government has decided to invoke national security powers to forge ahead with a tourist train along the Caribbean coast known as the “Riviera Maya,” threatening extensive caves where some of the oldest human remains in North America have been discovered.
Hurricane Bonnie steams west off Mexico's Pacific coast
MEXICO CITY — (AP) — Hurricane Bonnie moved roughly parallel to Mexico’s Pacific coast Monday, after crossing over Central America from the Caribbean and dropping heavy rain but causing little damage. Forecasters said they expected the hurricane to stay well out to sea and pose no threat to land as it moved generally northwestward off the coast of southern Mexico. Bonnie had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) late Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It was centered 155 miles (250 kilometers) south-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, and moving to the west-northwest at 18 mph (30 kph). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
wftv.comTropical Storm Colin threatens a wet weekend for Carolinas
Nicaragua Tropical Weather People leave the port by boat to return their communities amid the arrival of Tropical Storm Bonnie in Bluefields, Nicaragua, July 1, 2022. Tropical Storm Bonnie has formed over the Caribbean as it heads for a quick march across Central America and potential development into a hurricane after reemerging in the Pacific. The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned of the possibility of localized flash flooding along the Carolinas coast through Sunday morning. The hurricane center said a tropical storm warning was in effect for a stretch of South Santee River in South Carolina, to Duck, North Carolina, including Pamlico Sound. The fast-moving weather disturbance began drenching parts of the Caribbean region Monday but it did not meet the criteria for a named tropical storm until Friday.
wftv.comUS men's soccer reach 1st Olympics since 2008 with U-20 win
The United States qualified for its first Olympic men's soccer tournament since 2008 when the Americans beat Honduras 3-0 at San Pedro Sula on Friday night in the semifinals of the Under-20 championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Paxten Aaronson of the Philadelphia Union, an 18-year-old brother of Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson, scored in the third minute. Olympic men’s soccer is limited to players under 23, with each nation allowed three wild cards over the limit. The Americans lost a 2016 Olympics qualification game to El Salvador 2-0, then were beaten 3-2 by Colombia in a two-leg playoff for another berth. The Dominican Republic also clinched a berth, defeating Guatemala 4-2 on penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw.
wftv.comCaribbean storm likely to gain force, hit Central America
Venezuela Tropical Storm People take cover from the rain with pieces of cardboard in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 29, 2022. The fast-moving disturbance known merely as Potential Tropical Cyclone Two has been drenching parts of the Caribbean region since Monday without ever meeting the criteria for a named tropical storm. It was moving west at 20 mph (31 kph) and was projected to hit the Nicaragua-Costa Rica area as a tropical storm by late Friday or Saturday. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) — right at the edge of tropical storm force, through with ragged wind circulation, apparently due to its rapid advance westward. Venezuela and several Caribbean islands closed schools as the storm approached over recent days.
wftv.comCaribbean storm likely to gain force, hit Central America
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says a storm that has hurled rain on the southern Caribbean and the northern shoulder of South America is expected to hit Central America as a tropical storm over the weekend and eventually develop into a hurricane over the Pacific
washingtonpost.comCaribbean storm likely to gain force, hit Central America
The U.S. National Hurricane Center says a storm that has hurled rain on the southern Caribbean and the northern shoulder of South America is expected to hit Central America as a tropical storm over the weekend and eventually develop into a hurricane over the Pacific.
Wednesday’s forecast: Hot and humid, storms to move in this afternoon
ORLANDO, Fla. — Wednesday will be hot and humid in Central Florida. We will have a 40% chance of scattered afternoon storms. The afternoon rain probability will bump up to 60% on Thursday and Friday. This weekend, temperatures will be in the low 90s with spotty afternoon storms. Regardless of development, it will move into Texas on Thursday, bringing heavy rain to southeastern parts of the state.
wftv.comTropical Storm Bonnie likely to form this week, 2 other disturbances brewing in Atlantic basin
ORLANDO, Fla. — Meteorologists are monitoring three tropical disturbances in the Atlantic basin. Potential Tropical Cyclone Two is likely to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the southern Windward Islands on Tuesday. They said it will likely become a tropical storm near the southern Windward Islands or while moving westward across the southern Caribbean Sea. The other system is located about 1200 miles east of the Windward Islands. Disturbance, depressions, tropical, subtropical storms, hurricanesThe system is forecast to interact with another tropical disturbance.
wftv.comGet ready for another hot, stormy day in Central Florida
Get ready for another hot, stormy day in Central FloridaORLANDO, Fla. — We will have another hot and stormy day in Central Florida on Tuesday. Temperatures will be in the low 90s, with a 40% chance of scattered afternoon storms. None of them are headed toward Florida. One offshore of Texas could develop as it slides back toward Texas and Mexico. The storm will move into the Caribbean on Tuesday night and stay in the southern Caribbean this week.
wftv.comHeat and storms: Classic summertime pattern returns to Central Florida this week
ORLANDO, Fla. — We will start the workweek off with hot and humid conditions in Central Florida. We will have a classic summertime pattern this week, with temperatures in the low 90s and scattered afternoon storms each day. There will be a 40% chance of afternoon storms on Monday. There is a high risk of rip currents at the beaches. Meteorologist Brian Shields said there are several tropical waves out there.
wftv.com8 bodies found, may be kidnapped workers from Mexican resort
Eight bodies were found Saturday on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, and they appear to be those of eight men apparently kidnapped from a resort on the Caribbean coast. Prosecutors in the state of Yucatan said the bodies were probably those of men reported abducted in the laid-back beach town of Xcalak. Xcalak, which is sometimes spelled Xcalac — the spelling used by prosecutors — is located on the southern tip of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, near Belize.
news.yahoo.comBiden calls abortion ruling 'a sad day' for country
President Joe Biden says "it's a sad day for the court and the country" after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the decision that legalized U.S. abortion. "The health and life of women across this nation are now at risk," he says. (June 24)
news.yahoo.comWorld's biggest bacterium found in Caribbean mangrove swamp
Scientists have discovered the world's largest bacterium in a Caribbean mangrove swamp. The thin white filament, approximately the size of a human eyelash, is “by far the largest bacterium known to date,” said Jean-Marie Volland, a marine biologist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and co-author of a paper announcing the discovery Thursday in the journal Science. Olivier Gros, a co-author and biologist at the University of the French West Indies and Guiana, found the first example of this bacterium — named Thiomargarita magnifica, or “magnificent sulfur pearl” — clinging to sunken mangrove leaves in the archipelago of Guadeloupe in 2009.
news.yahoo.com2022 Special Olympics USA Games underway in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games kicked off with the opening ceremony at Exploria Stadium on Sunday. #ShineAsOne📸: @ESPNImages pic.twitter.com/ytsDLLmuSf — Special Olympics USA Games (@2022USAGames) June 5, 2022Special Olympics USA Games President Joe Dzaluk said the games are about more than medals, they are about inclusion. “The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games truly is an incredible opportunity to come together in the spirit of inclusion and to celebrate remarkable ability and teamwork,” said Dzaluk. Read: DeSantis: Athletes allowed to compete in Special Olympics USA Games regardless of vaccination statusThe USA Games is hosted once every four years and showcases 19 Olympic-style teams, individual sports, and 30 events. VIDEO: Special Olympics USA Games torch run arrives in OrlandoMore information about the games and a schedule of events can be found here.
wftv.comRemnants of Hurricane Agatha may redevelop south of Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Agatha made landfall on Monday afternoon in Mexico. The remnants of Agatha may try to re-form near Cuba later this week. The leftovers of Agatha may redevelop south of us over the next few days. The remnants of Agatha could spin-up again...and potentially be named Alex. pic.twitter.com/2nU11ymNue — Brian Shields, WFTV (@BrianWFTV) May 31, 2022READ: ‘We made it’: Passengers return to Port Canaveral after cruise ship catches fireEither way, the area is a spot to watch.
wftv.comModels show Eastern Pacific hurricane could redevelop in Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean this week
Video: Models show Eastern Pacific hurricane could redevelop in Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean this weekORLANDO, Fla. — Models show that a hurricane in the Eastern Pacific could potentially redevelop in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean this week. Hurricane Agatha, located in the Eastern Pacific, is forecast to become a major Category 3 hurricane on Monday before making landfall in Mexico. READ: These names are on the 2022 hurricane season listUpdate: The National Hurricane Center has now upped the chance of redevelopment from the remnants of Agatha to 40%. pic.twitter.com/mCtRaWrL4V — Rusty McCranie (@RMcCranieWFTV) May 30, 2022If the storm redevelops, it will be called Alex, which is the first name of the Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane season starts June 1.
wftv.com9 Family Connection presents ‘Shine As One’: How to watch
Shine As One The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games are bringing athletes from around the country and the Caribbean to compete in Orlando next month. (WFTV)ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games are bringing athletes from around the country and the Caribbean to compete in Orlando next month. 9 Family Connection presents “Shine As One” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on Channel 9. Read: Meet the doctor in charge of caring for the athletes at the Special Olympics USA games in OrlandoIt’s the moment they’ve been waiting for: a time to shine as one. Read: Join 9 Family Connection and Volunteer for the 2022 Special Olympics USA GamesHere’s how to watch the special:Television streaming appsOur WFTV Now app is free on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick.
wftv.comAustralian woman missing in Mexico after child found alone
Authorities on Mexico’s Caribbean coast have issued an alert for a missing Australian woman whose 2-year-old daughter was found wandering alone in the resort city of Cancun. Prosecutors in the coastal state of Quintana Roo said Tahnee Shanks, 32, was last seen on Monday in Cancun. Aguirre Astudillo is also 32 and was also last heard from Monday.
news.yahoo.comBritish Virgin Islands premier arrested on US drug charges
MIAMI — (AP) — The premier of the British Virgin Islands and the director of the Caribbean territory’s ports were arrested Thursday on drug smuggling charges in South Florida, federal authorities said. Maynard's son, Kadeem Maynard, faces the same changes in the alleged scheme, according to the records. Governor Of The British Virgin Islands John Rankin released a statement clarifying that Thursday’s arrests in Florida were not connected to a Commission of Inquiry issued last year in the territory. That investigation was meant to focus on governance and corruption, not a criminal investigation into the illegal drug trade, Rankin said in a statement posted online. The British Virgin Islands, with a population about 35,000 people, is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean Sea, located east of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
wftv.comReparations draw UN scrutiny, but those who'd pay say little
More than a year after Black Lives Matter protests launched a worldwide reckoning about the centuries of racism that Black people continue to face, reparations emerged — unevenly — as a high-profile issue at this year’s largest gathering of world leaders.
Royal Caribbean opens cruise ship to house first responders in Florida condo collapse rescue efforts
With housing options dwindling, a cruise ship is hosting hundreds of rescuers pouring into South Florida from across the country as the search for victims continues at a fallen 12-story condominium building near Miami.
Elsa strengthens into season's 1st hurricane in Caribbean
Elsa has strengthened into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season and it's blowing off roofs, snapping trees and destroying crops in the eastern Caribbean, where officials closed schools, businesses and airports under the threat of flash flooding and landslides.
18th century graveyard found at former Caribbean plantation
An 18th century burial ground has been discovered at a former sugar plantation on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, officials, and archaeologists say it likely contains the remains of slaves and could provide a trove of information on their lives.
St. Vincent seeks water, funds as volcano keeps erupting
Leaders of volcano-wracked St. Vincent say that water is running short as heavy ash contaminates supplies and they estimated that the eastern Caribbean island will need hundreds of millions of dollars to recover from the eruption of La Soufriere.