Random Florida Fact: The 1992 rogue wave
A freak wave strikes Volusia County beaches just hours before the busy Independence Day weekend of 1992. On today's special episode of Your Florida Daily, weโre diving deeper into one of my favorite random Florida facts of 2022: The story of the mystery wave and how it challenged scientists to confirm what sailors around the world already knew. That "rogue" waves are real.
Your Florida Daily: The 1992 Rogue Wave
A freak wave strikes Volusia County beaches just hours before the busy Independence Day weekend of 1992. On today's special episode of Your Florida Daily, weโre diving deeper into one of my favorite random Florida facts of 2022: The story of the mystery wave and how it challenged scientists to confirm what sailors around the world already knew. That "rogue" waves are real.
Some cities nix July 4 fireworks for shortages, fire dangers
The skies over a scattering of Western U.S. cities will stay dark for the third consecutive Fourth of July as some big fireworks displays are canceled again, this time for pandemic-related supply chain or staffing problems, or fire concerns amid dry weather.
Greek Independence Day events culminate in military parade
Military helicopters fly over Acropolis Hill during a military parade in Athens, Thursday, March 25, 2021. Greece celebrates the bicentenary of the start of the country's war of independence against the Ottoman Empire. Unable to watch the parade in person, many Athenians came out onto balconies in the center of the city to watch the flyby, snapping pictures with cameras and mobile phones. AdThis crucial blow enabled the Greeks to fight on and eventually gain independence in 1830. โTwo centuries ago, a handful of determined fighters within and outside Greece, raised the banner of independence.
President orders all adults eligible for vaccine by May 1 as Florida reports 5,144 new COVID-19 cases
ORLANDO, Fla. โ All 50 states now have until May 1 to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Publix already accepting vaccine appointments for people 60 and olderWhen Publix opened its portal on Friday for COVID-19 vaccine appointments, more Florida residents were eligible. The vaccines will be available from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday:Colonial High School on Oleander Drive in OrlandoEast River High School on East River Falcons Way in OrlandoFreedom High School on W. Taft-Vineland Road in OrlandoOak Ridge High School in OrlandoOcoee High School on Ocoee Crown Point Parkway in OcoeeEmployees must bring their OCPS ID and state ID. [READ YESTERDAYโS REPORT: One year since pandemic declaration, Florida reports 96 deaths, 5,065 new cases]Find the state-run COVID-19 dashboard below:Below is a breakdown of Florida COVID-19 data reported by the state on March 12. CasesThe Florida Department of Health reported 5,144 new cases on Friday, bringing the stateโs overall total to 1,967,865 cases since the virus was first detected on March 1, 2020.
Orange County schools to extend summer school hours due to โextensive learning lossโ
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ Orange County Public Schools plans to keep all of its campuses open five days a week over the summer โbecause of extensive learning loss over the past 11 months,โ according to an email sent out to district employees. โOur goal is to offer opportunities of full-day, being able to interweave art, music and physical education in order to engage our students,โ Vazquez said. Meals will be provided for students attending summer school as well as transportation for students who live โoutside our 2-mile radius and or our normal bus riders,โ according to the deputy superintendent. The deputy superintendent said the school district will also be offering additional learning opportunities over spring break. โWe are offering summer school in the month of June and the month of July, so we are going to offer teachers the opportunity to teach the entire summer, maybe they only want to teach June and have July off,โ she said.
Mexico publishes heavily edited probe of exonerated general
FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2016 file photo, Secretary of Defense Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda arrives for a review of the troops that will participate in the Independence Day parade, in Mexico City. Mexican prosecutors on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, declared completely unfounded the U.S. case against Cienfuegos who was arrested on drug charges in the United States and then returned under pressure from the Mexican government. The report released Sunday by the Mexican Attorney General's Office included a 226-page stretch with every page blacked out, followed shortly thereafter by a 275-page stretch of blacked-out pages. In the few readable passages, he says the descriptions of him in the intercepted messages don't match his physical appearance. Cienfuegos was arrested in Los Angeles in October, but the U.S. government dropped its charges against him in November after Mexican officials threatened to restrict U.S. agents.
Poland blames violence at far-right march on hooligans
Protesters burn down bengal fire as they attend in the annual Independence Day march organized by far-right groups for participants to be inside cars or motorbikes because of the coronavirus social distancing, ready for the start of the event in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. The march that marks Poland's sovereignty regained after World War I has often led to clashes with opponents. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)WARSAW โ Polandโs ruling right-wing party has blamed violence, injuries and damage during recent national holiday event that it backs on hooligans and provocateurs. โUnfortunately, during the march there took place condemnable events that were the result of hooligans joining in," it said in a statement. The Nov. 11 national holiday marks Polandโs regaining of sovereignty after World War I, following over a century of partition and foreign rule.
Hereโs how Groveland residents can watch dueling fireworks displays from their home
GROVELAND, Fla. โ The City of Groveland isnโt hosting a big Fourth of July celebration because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it is putting on two dueling fireworks displays for residents to watch safely from their own homes. โIn previous years, our tradition has been to gather for the best things the Fourth of July in Groveland has to offer: food, fun and fireworks. "Our mayor and council were very adamant on providing something to celebrate the Fourth of July for our residents," Tremaine said. They pinpointed two secret locations where they can set off the fireworks so everyone in the city can watch from their homes. The city estimates more than 21,000 people will enjoy the dueling fireworks display safely from their front porch or backyard.
โI could see straight through my hand:' COVID-19 sparks boom in fireworks sales, ignites worry over injuries
CNN reported that last year, more than 7,000 people reported injuries related to fireworks around the Fourth of July period, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Stephen Smith is the owner of Sky King Fireworks in Longwood and said it's been busy ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. โI just remember it went off and I looked down and could see straight through my hand,โ Baker said. It may seem like a lot of fun, but fireworks are dangerous explosives and people need to be extremely cautious when using them.โAnother safety risk is hand sanitizer. Youโve probably been using it en masse recently to help curb the spread of COVID-19, but experts say that hand sanitizer and fireworks are an incredibly dangerous mix.
The Latest: Cambodia's opposition leader lands in Malaysia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, front right, talks in front of U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy, second from left, during the country's 66th Independence Day from France, at the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. The leader of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, Sam Rainsy was boarding a fly in Paris for his attempt to return home to challenge his country's longtime autocratic leader as the security inside the country was on high alert and beefed up. (AP Photo/Vithy Soth)
FWC reminds to watch for nesting shorebirds, sea turtles this 4th of July
Wildlife officials asked beachgoers to respect shorebird and sea turtle areas that are posted to protect the vulnerable species, but pointed out that not all nests are posted. Shorebirds on Floridaโs Atlantic and Gulf coasts are nesting now, with many of them watching over flightless chicks. July is also a busy time for sea turtle nesting on Florida beaches, and female sea turtles can become disoriented and fail to lay their eggs if disturbed by bright lights, loud noises and people getting too close to them. Sea turtle hatchlings are also beginning to emerge this month. Boaters also can help conserve wildlife by looking out for and avoiding manatees and sea turtles in coastal waters.