NFL fines: $13k for Packers' Quay Walker shoving trainer, Panthers-Saints fighters also punished
With playoffs officially underway after an eventful and emotional Week 18, the NFL doled out some fines on Friday morning. Packers linebacker Quay Walker was reportedly fined $13,261 for shoving a trainer before his ejection last Sunday during a loss to the Detroit Lions. Several other players from both teams quickly stepped in to deescalate the situation while Walker remained emotional. Yet somehow, Formean and Davenport’s fines combined and Walkers' separately are less than what the league issued Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams on Saturday. Jamaal Williams’ costly hip thrustsThe NFL hit Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams with a whopping reported $18,566 fine after the swiveled his hips in a dancing touchdown celebration during last Sunday's win over thePackers.
wftv.comD'Onta Foreman, Marcus Davenport ejected after trading blows in Saints-Panthers game
D'Onta Foreman and Marcus Davenport got an early start to their offseason on Sunday. The Panthers running back and Saints defensive end traded blows during Sunday's game between the Carolina and New Orleans. Officials then announced that both Foreman and Davenport were ejected from the game. The fifth-year running back entered Sunday with 846 rushing yards and 26 as a pass-catcher. He added 68 rushing yards before his ejection and will end his season with 940 yards from scrimmage.
wftv.comFlorida woman dies after test drive ends in deadly crash
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Florida woman was killed Saturday when a test drive from a Nissan car dealership ended in a crash, authorities said. Clifford Worme was making a left turn into the dealership at about 5:42 p.m. EST when he drove into the path of a Nissan Murano heading westbound, WTSP-TV reported. Test drive in Winter Haven ends with #FatalCrash on Sat. #PCSO pic.twitter.com/ItZOsPhctw — Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) November 27, 2022Jean Worme was killed as a result of the collision, according to WFLA. Clifford Worme suffered minor injuries, while the sales representative and the driver of the Nissan Murano were not hurt, the television station reported.
wftv.com🏚️ This free Central Florida haunted house promotes fellowship with little fear
Spending thousands of dollars on animatronics, speakers to bring in the spooky sounds, smoke and light machines. Every year collecting more items to grow the attraction. There are seven lairs in the haunted house including the Devil’s Den, Demented Manor, Garden of Souls and Strawmen Forest.
Polk County RV park owner to pay $45K in transgender discrimination case
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — An owner and property manager of a Davenport recreational vehicle park has entered into a consent order after discriminating against a transgender woman, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Thursday. The consent order states the resort and Dykgraaf must pay the tenant and her family $45,000 in damages. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against tenants, including on the basis of their gender identity. “Housing providers have no place restricting a transgender resident’s expression of their gender identity,” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Read: Orlando firefighters continue negotiations over pay increasesThe company will also go through training on the Fair Housing Act and transgender discrimination.
wftv.comPolk County RV park owner accused of discriminating against transgender woman
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — An owner and property manager of a Davenport RV park has been charged with discriminating against a transgender woman, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said Tuesday. The agency said it will charge 21 Palms Resort Inc. and its owner, Nathan Dykgraaf, with discriminating against a tenant because of her gender identity. Read: Florida responds to ‘Don’t Say Gay’ confusion, says enforcement will be limitedThe Fair Housing Act prohibits housing providers from discriminating against tenants, including on the basis of their gender identity. Read: New lawsuit filed over Texas trans family investigations“No one should have to change how they express their gender identity to maintain their housing,” said Demetria L. McCain, HUD’s principal deputy assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Read: Florida school grades: How did your district do?
wftv.comHigh court rules for state in case of man shackled at trial
Supreme Court Water Rule FILE - Visitors walk outside the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) (Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — The Supreme Court said Thursday that a federal appeals court was wrong when it ordered Michigan to retry or release a convicted murderer because his rights were violated when he was shackled at trial. The justices said the appeals court should have applied two different legal tests, not just one, and that the man's case didn't pass the second test. Davenport then took his case to federal court, and an appeals court concluded he should be released or retried. State courts concluded that Davenport's shackling didn't affect the case's outcome.
wftv.com3 men caught on camera carrying homicide victim from house, deputies ask public for help
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A 29-year-old St. Petersburg man was shot and killed Wednesday during a drug deal in a Davenport neighborhood. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for its help in identifying three men caught on camera carrying the victim’s body out of the house. On April 13, three unknown men entered the house and shot the victim, with one of the men carrying a gun, deputies said. Read: Fire-fighters battle early morning blaze in Central Florida neighborhoodDeputies released a video that shows the three men carrying the victim out of the house. If you have any information on this homicide, please call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.
wftv.comPolk County detectives seek IDs of 3 men recorded carrying homicide victim
A St. Petersburg man was shot and killed Wednesday in Davenport, and Polk County homicide detectives are asking the public for help to identify three men recorded on surveillance video carrying the victim’s body out of a house, according to sheriff’s office officials.
2 Central Floridians win $1M in new scratch-off game
ORLANDO, Fla. — Two Central Floridians are $1 million richer after playing the “500x The Cash” scratch-off game, the Florida Lottery announced. Lottery officials said that Idalmis Almarales, of Orlando; and George Schlitz, of Davenport, each claimed a $1 million prize from the new scratch-off game. The store will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket. READ: Florida Lottery launches new scratch-off game with record-breaking top prizeThe retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket. The scratch-off costs $50 and features a top prize of $25 million, which is the largest ever offered on a Florida scratch-off game.
wftv.comFor GOP, national party line trumps bringing home the bacon
GOP Politics Isn't Local The Centennial Bridge is seen over the Mississippi River, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, in Davenport, Iowa. I’ve seen that by others,” said former New York Rep. Tom Reynolds, a former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Trump called for party primary challenges for the 13 GOP House members who backed the infrastructure bill. Your fate is in the hands of the national mood.”Miller-Meek had previously asked for money to improve Mississippi River infrastructure. Paul Rumler, president of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, lobbied Miller-Meeks to support the infrastructure bill.
wftv.comJudge limits strikers' conduct at Deere plant in Iowa
A judge on Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order that details how picketing workers at the Deere & Co. plant in Davenport must conduct themselves. In seeking the injunction Wednesday, Deere officials alleged that striking workers had disrupted access to the Davenport Works plant and put others at risk. District Court Judge Marlita Greve ordered the union to allow only four picketers at a time near the gates of the plant.
news.yahoo.comMan accused in co-worker deaths tells deputies he was raped
An electrician accused of killing three co-workers on assignment in central Florida told detectives he did it because his colleagues had raped him, but a Florida sheriff on Monday said there was no evidence to support the claim. Shaun Runyon, 39, confessed multiple times to the murders during interviews with detectives, telling them that the co-workers had raped him, and “he hated all three of them," but a sexual battery test failed to confirm the allegation, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd during a news conference. “I want to underscore there is absolutely unequivocally zero evidence," said Judd, whose county is located between Tampa and Orlando.
news.yahoo.com3rd victim dies after angry co-worker's rampage
Authorities said Sunday a third victim has died following a violent attack where an angry electrician wielding a knife and baseball bat killed three co-workers and injured another at the Florida home they shared. Polk County Sheriff's officials said electrician Shaun Runyon got into the argument with his supervisor Friday, punching the man and fleeing the job site. A fourth victim suffered critical injuries and later died at the hospital.
news.yahoo.comBrutal beatings leave two people dead and a third near death, Polk County Sheriff says
Three people were brutally beaten in Polk County, leaving two dead, Sheriff Grady Judd said Saturday. The third victim is also not expected to survive. Judd said sheriff’s deputies arrested Shaun Runyon, 39, for the murders after a two-hour manhunt. At a news briefing in Davenport, a community near Haines City, Judd outlined the series of events. Runyon worked for a Pennsylvania electric ...
news.yahoo.comSex offender charged with murder in death of Iowa girl, 10
A registered sex offender kidnapped and shot to death a 10-year-old Iowa girl, his son's half sister, while the two kids were staying overnight with him last summer, a prosecutor said Wednesday. Authorities announced that Henry Dinkins is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in the death of Breasia Terrell, a Davenport girl whose disappearance last July prompted an extensive search and investigation. An autopsy confirmed that human remains discovered by fishermen in March in a rural area north of Davenport were Breasia.
news.yahoo.com‘I’m guilty, you got me:’ Man arrested for 2 robberies hours apart, Polk County deputies say
DAVENPORT, Fla. – A man faces charges after he admitted to holding up two 7-Eleven stores within about two hours, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Victor Santana Ramos, 28, was arrested on Tuesday at a home in Davenport, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office. “I’m guilty, you got me,” Santana Ramos said, according to deputies. They added that the Santana Ramos also had a gun tucked into his waistband when deputies first made contact with him. These charges stem from the robbery in Polk County only, according to the sheriff’s office.
Polk County man used gaming chat site to extort photos from Illinois teen, deputies say
POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A Davenport man is accused of using a gaming chat site and social media to solicit and extort lewd photos out of a teen girl living in Illinois, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The man met the victim on the online gaming chat site Discord three years ago, according to investigators. The state police traced the messages to Davenport and contacted the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies said they found evidence of the messages and photos on Medina’s personal devices and that he admitted to sharing the photos of the girl. He's a textbook example of an online predator.https://t.co/SvR03LDaVd pic.twitter.com/FauWU21NBX — Polk County Sheriff 🚔 (@PolkCoSheriff) March 10, 2021“This predator is a textbook example of why it’s so important for parents to be involved in their children’s online activities,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release.
Triple-star system's strange antics entrance scientists digging through 125 years of data
Scientists have combined modern spacecraft data with vintage observations to piece together a 125-year-long story of the antics of a nearby triple-star system dubbed HS Hydra — and predict its future. When the first of those observations were made, in 1893, HS Hydra was just another star twinkling in the heavens. "This was like your grandfather's astrophysics or whatever; binary stars were really hot 60 or 70 years ago because that was the really dynamic thing they could study." And when the stars overlap in the spacecraft's view, the light dips: ta-da, a binary star system in an exoplanet mission's data. So Davenport read up on binary stars, tracking down an old article for amateur astronomers that profiled intriguing binary stars.
space.com94-year-old woman dies in Polk County fire
DAVENPORT, Fla. – A 94-year-old woman and her pet were killed Wednesday night in a mobile home fire, officials said. The fatal fire was reported around 9:15 p.m. on Lake Wilson Road in Davenport. Polk County Fire Rescue was called to a structure fire with possible entrapment and found the single-wide mobile home engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished, and after a search of the home, the woman and her pet were found dead, county officials said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Virus surges in key battleground states as election nears
In some states, voting early still has carried health risks. There are three lines trying to get up this way,” Howard-Penn said outside the Franklin County election board. Election officials in Wisconsin said the state's presidential primary provided lessons that were guiding current preparations. Minnesota election officials have recruited all 30,000 poll workers they believe are needed to run the general election. Officials in the battleground states reported no plans to close polling places, even if virus cases continue to spike.
DUI suspect, 16, hits 4 teens while trying to flee party at vacation rental home in Davenport, deputies say
DAVENPORT, Fla. – A 16-year-old driver from Orange County is facing charges after deputies said he hit four other teens while trying to flee a party at a vacation home in Davenport. Once the teens saw deputies showing up to the party, they quickly began to disperse, according to the sheriff’s office. After the initial crash, the teen drove off and crashed his car about eight miles away on Deen Still Road, deputies said. Detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it’s unclear who hosted the party and that more charges could be possible as the investigation continues. “Detectives are still working to determine who was responsible for renting the vacation home, and who invited all of the teens.
2 furloughed Disney World musicians keep playing and playing
DAVENPORT, Fla. Disney World was supposed to shut down for only two two weeks. Kathy and Jeff Thomas, a married pair of professional musicians with long ties to Orlando and Disney, decided to start playing from their Davenport home. And then they kept playing, and playing, and playing. Every day, Kathy plans the theme and the outfits to match. It gives us a purpose every day, Kathy said.
Sheriff looking to hire crossing guards throughout Polk County
POLK COUNTY, Fla. The Polk County Sheriffs Office is looking for qualified individuals to work as substitute crossing guards in various locations throughout the county. The crossing guard positions would be located in Lakeland, Bartow, Fort Meade, Haines City and Davenport. Anyone interested in applying for a position in Haines City or Davenport, contact Supervisor Courtney Connell at (863) 534-7300 ext. School Crossing Guard services are provided by the Polk County Sheriffs Office through funds provided by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners. This vital program provides adult crossing guards at selected hazardous school crossings to ensure the safety of our elementary school children walking to and from school, officials said.
Will Puerto Ricans new to Florida swing state to Democrats?
In this Dec. 10, 2019 photo, Maria Jose Chapa gestures during an interview after officially opening the first Hispanic Federation field office in Davenport, Fla. In one central Florida county wedged between Orlando and Tampa, the Hispanic registered voter population is booming, and Puerto Ricans are driving the increase. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Florida students take on impeachment debate with patience and civility
Davenport, Florida Tracey Downey's Advanced Placement U.S. history class is discussing President Trump's impeachment. The students at Ridge Community High School outside Orlando are in a county the president won in 2016. "I think this may be a political hit for impeachment because he's not going to get removed," one student said. Downey told her students it's OK for them to differ in their opinions. We have to stop treating people like they are just a political party," Sanchez said.
cbsnews.comFlorida pedestrian gator causes a stir in neighborhood
A well known gator in the Providence neighborhood of Davenport gets a little confused when a resident puts up a fence, keeping him from returning to his lake. DAVENPORT Its hard to imagine a Florida alligator could get so much attention, but a 5-foot gator that took a stroll on Providence neighborhood sidewalks prompted residents to call the Davenport Police Department for help. This story originally published to theledger.com, and was shared to other Florida newspapers in the GateHouse Media network via the Florida Wire. The Florida Wire, which runs across digital, print and video platforms, curates and distributes Florida-focused stories. For more Florida stories, visit here, and to support local media throughout the state of Florida, consider subscribing to your local paper.
news-journalonline.comFlorida pedestrian gator causes a stir in neighborhood
A well known gator in the Providence neighborhood of Davenport gets a little confused when a resident puts up a fence, keeping him from returning to his lake. DAVENPORT Its hard to imagine a Florida alligator could get so much attention, but a 5-foot gator that took a stroll on Providence neighborhood sidewalks prompted residents to call the Davenport Police Department for help. This story originally published to theledger.com, and was shared to other Florida newspapers in the GateHouse Media network via the Florida Wire. The Florida Wire, which runs across digital, print and video platforms, curates and distributes Florida-focused stories. For more Florida stories, visit here, and to support local media throughout the state of Florida, consider subscribing to your local paper.
ocala.comFlorida pedestrian gator causes a stir in neighborhood
A well known gator in the Providence neighborhood of Davenport gets a little confused when a resident puts up a fence, keeping him from returning to his lake. DAVENPORT Its hard to imagine a Florida alligator could get so much attention, but a 5-foot gator that took a stroll on Providence neighborhood sidewalks prompted residents to call the Davenport Police Department for help. This story originally published to theledger.com, and was shared to other Florida newspapers in the GateHouse Media network via the Florida Wire. The Florida Wire, which runs across digital, print and video platforms, curates and distributes Florida-focused stories. For more Florida stories, visit here, and to support local media throughout the state of Florida, consider subscribing to your local paper.
dailycommercial.comConvictions of ex-Valeant and Philidor executives are upheld, payouts reduced
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday upheld the convictions of two drug industry executives for defrauding Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc through a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme, but reduced how much they must forfeit for their crimes. FILE PHOTO: Ex-senior Valeant director Gary Tanner walks on the street after exiting the Manhattan Federal Court in New York, U.S. February 23, 2017. Their prosecutions were the first arising from probes into Valeants business practices, including whether it used Philidor to boost sales. Tanner and Davenport insist that their case falls outside the paradigmatic cases of bribes and kickbacks, Circuit Judge Raymond Lohier wrote for the appeals court. We are not persuaded.Lawyers for Tanner and Davenport did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
feeds.reuters.comTrump administration eases risks for banks on false lending claims
The government is now trying to encourage more banks to offer loans to borrowers eligible for insurance from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The FHA provides mortgage insurance on loans created by approved lenders, helping borrowers with less money for down payments or lower credit scores qualify for home loans. After the subprime mortgage crisis, former President Barack Obamas Justice Department frequently won multibillion-dollar settlements from big banks using the False Claims Act to build cases. The government argued that banks improperly certified home mortgages as eligible for FHA insurance, leaving the government to pay out insurance when they defaulted. The housing regulator would still be able to refer cases to the Justice Department for prosecution where there is a material violation of HUD requirements.
feeds.reuters.comDavenport Pumpkin House returns, scaring cancer away
DAVENPORT, Fla. - The Davenport 'Pumpkin House' returns for another year to raise money for cancer awareness and Moffitt Cancer Center. This time, The Great Pumpkin Fence will display more than 500 hand-carved pumpkins. [PHOTO GALLERY BELOW]1 of 5 PHOTO GALLERY: Davenport Pumpkin House returns, scaring cancer away 1 of 5 Money raised through the Great Pumpkin Fence will go toward the Moffitt Cancer Center as a thank you for the treatment they provide Christopher's wife, Adriana Bailey. Hide Caption 3 of 5 Last year, the Pumpkin Fence featured 316 hand carved pumpkins. Hide Caption 5 of 5 5 of 5 To learn more about the Moffitt Cancer center visit moffitt.org.
How Did 2 Teachers Both Drown in a Backyard Swimming Pool?
Two Iowa teachers were found dead in a swimming pool in what authorities have said was a double accidental drowning. The bodies of Kenneth Anderson, 57, and Mark Anderson, 60, were found in a pool in the backyard of a Davenport home at 8:53 p.m. Monday, police said. The pair were house-sitting for the propertys owner, who had not heard from them in 24 hours and called law enforcement. Kenneth was a teacher and coach at Bellevue Middle School-High School, while Mark had retired in 2014 before becoming a substitute teacher, authorities said. Listening and counseling services were offered at the middle school and high school Wednesday, he noted.