MEMORIAL DAY

My new relationship with cruise control bore a “game” where I watched the “miles per gallon” gauge increase instead of my previous game of filing down the “ETA” on my Google Maps navigation. The speed limit is 70 miles per hour on I-16, so I set the cruise control for 79. When we approached slower cars, I would dial down the cruise control speed with my left thumb ahead of time. Hitting the brakes turns off cruise control and also hurts gas mileage more than just lifting on the gas. My biggest insecurity with cruise control is the lack of use of my right foot.

Nearly 2 million screened at airports ahead of Memorial Day, TSA says Travelers line up to go through a TSA checkpoint at Orlando International Airport before the Memorial Day weekend Friday, May 28, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (John Raoux/AP Photo)ORLANDO, Fla. — People who push wheelchairs for Frontier and American Airlines are walking off the job on Thursday. Wheelchair attendants said the short staffing issue is leading to missed flights for elderly and disabled passengers. It could impact passengers who need a wheelchair to get onto or off their flight. The wheelchair attendants are protesting for better wages and benefits. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Summer travel makes a rebound at the Orlando International Airport.

Summer travel continues to pick up and the number of people traveling by air hit a new pandemic-era record Friday.

While tourism tax dollar collections have not fully rebounded in Orange County, officials say there are signs of hope.

ORLANDO, Fla — Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Orange County Health’s Director Dr. Pino announced this afternoon that Orange County has seen a steady uptick in COVID-19 cases since Memorial Day. And along with the increase in delta variant cases, the county could be sliding back in the battle against COVID-19. READ: ‘I don’t want her death to go in vain:’ Man encourages vaccinations after wife dies of COVID-19Since Memorial Day, positive cases have started creeping up. Mayor Demings is encouraging Orange County residents to get vaccinated to help slow the trend down, and right now the county has a 60% vaccination rate. READ: Delta variant cases on the rise in Orange CountyStay with WFTV and WFTV.com for the latest impacts of COVID-19 in Central Florida.

The recent effort to make the anniversary a federal holiday is undermined by the simultaneous attack on critical race theory and curricula focused on the enduring legacy of slavery.

Some institutions have dropped the name Columbus Day or switched to celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day. One New Jersey school district came up with a new solution: eliminate all holiday names.

U.S. airport screenings topped 2 million people a day for the first time in the pandemic,

(John Raoux/AP Photo)The Transportation Security Administration on Friday screened more than 2 million people for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, multiple media outlets reported. “TSA stands ready to provide a safe and secure screening process as part of the overall travel experience.”Prior to the pandemic, the TSA screened an average of 2 to 2.5 million people per day, USA Today reported. Meanwhile, the TSA also confirmed that Friday’s figures represent the first time single-day total screenings have eclipsed 2 million since March 7, 2020. More coronavirus pandemic coverage:>> Coronavirus: How long between exposure to the virus and the start of symptoms? This tool will tell you>> How to not let coronavirus pandemic fatigue set in, battle back if it does©2021 Cox Media Group

The decision on the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Fla., which came after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a much-debated transgender girls sports ban on the first day of Pride Month, appears to have been reversed Wednesday amid mounting blowback.

Memorial Day Speech Silenced In this frame grab from video provided by Hudson Community Television, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter taps the microphone after organizers turned off the audio during his speech at a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 31, 2021, in Hudson, Ohio. Organizers of the ceremony turned off Kemter's microphone when he began talking about how freed Black slaves had honored fallen soldiers soon after the Civil War. (Hudson Community Television via AP) (Uncredited)HUDSON, Ohio — (AP) — A retired U.S. Army officer whose speech about freed Black slaves honoring fallen Civil War soldiers was censored by organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony will get another chance to deliver it. Two of the event's organizers later resigned under pressure after Ohio American Legion officials said the decision censoring the speech was premeditated and planned. The Ohio American Legion has temporarily suspended the post.

A retired U.S. Army officer is getting a chance to deliver his speech about freed Black slaves who honored fallen Civil War soldiers.

A retired U.S. Army officer whose speech about freed Black slaves honoring fallen Civil War soldiers was censored by organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony will get another chance to deliver it. The American Legion Department of Ohio said it has invited retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter to speak next week at the organization's Buckeye Boys State, an annual gathering that teaches young men about government. Kemter was speaking at a Memorial Day event hosted by a local American Legion post in northeastern Ohio when his microphone was turned off as he talked about the role Black people played in how Memorial Day began.

Both organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony have now resigned under pressure after they silenced a retired U.S. Army officer’s microphone while he was talking about how freed Black slaves honored fallen soldiers just after the Civil War. Cindy Suchan, chair of the Memorial Day parade committee and president of the Hudson American Legion Auxiliary, stepped down nearly a week after the ceremony, the Akron Beacon Journal reported Tuesday. Suzette Heller, department adjutant for the American Legion Department of Ohio, said she was told Sunday that Suchan had resigned.

The much-anticipated May jobs report offers evidence for both sides of the labor-shortage argument, according to economists.

Organisation announces chapter’s suspension and stands ‘in unity and solidarity’ with Black Americans

Letters to the editor on identifying remains from the USS Oklahoma, the costs of infrastructure, immigration reform and the mask requirement at Idaho Shakespeare Festival.

After its triumphant first weekend, “A Quiet Place Part II” fell 59% at the North American box office leaving room for the third movie in the “Conjuring” franchise to take first place.

Lawmakers still face standoffs on an infrastructure bill, police reform, voting rights, and a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Manchin said lawmakers should instead focus their energies on revitalizing the landmark Voting Rights Act, which was weakened by a Supreme Court decision in 2013. Manchin reiterated he would not vote “weaken or eliminate the filibuster,” a route that many Democrats see as the only realistic path forward. “I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act,” Manchin wrote. “Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.”In March, House Democrats passed the voting bill by a near party-line 220-210 vote.

Kerry LaBarbera, an ER nurse a few miles away at Boston Medical Center, had a similar realization that same weekend, when just two patients with COVID-19 came through her unit, one of the busiest in New England. “The past year and a half has been like going through a tornado or something terrible,” she said. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the region have been steadily dropping as more than 60% of residents in all six states have received at least one dose of the vaccine. New Hampshire is averaging about a death a week after peaking at about 12 a day during the virus's winter surge. States such as California and Nebraska are also doing as well as if not better than some New England states when it comes to new cases relative to population.

For Dr. Jeremy Faust, the moment he realized the pandemic no longer dominated his workday came over Memorial Day weekend, when he didn’t see a single coronavirus case over two shifts in the emergency room at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Kerry LaBarbera, an ER nurse a few miles away at Boston Medical Center, had a similar realization that same weekend, when just two patients with COVID-19 came through her unit, one of the busiest in New England. Massachusetts and the rest of New England — the most heavily vaccinated region in the U.S. — are giving the rest of the country a possible glimpse of the future if more Americans get their shots.

Police have arrested a second man in connection to a wild shootout outside a bodega on Memorial Day that injured five people, according to officials.

The American Legion Department of Ohio condemned the "pre-meditated" censoring of retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter's speech on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day Speech Silenced In this frame grab from video provided by Hudson Community Television, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter taps the microphone after organizers turned off the audio during his speech at a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 31, 2021, in Hudson, Ohio. American Legion leaders in Ohio also suspended the post's charter and are taking steps to close it. But organizers of the ceremony in Hudson, Ohio, said that section of the speech was not relevant to the program’s theme of honoring the city’s veterans. Cindy Suchan, chair of the Memorial Day parade committee and president of the Hudson American Legion Auxiliary, said this week that either she or Jim Garrison, adjutant of the American Legion Post 464, turned down the audio, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. Garrison resigned his leadership position a day after the state organization demanded he step down, said Roger Friend, department commander for the Ohio American Legion.

The head of an American Legion post in Ohio has stepped down after organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony silenced a speech about freed Black slaves honoring soldiers after the Civil War.

The body of a newborn baby believed to be full-term was found inside a porta potty in Texas, officials say.

The body of a newborn baby believed to be full-term was found inside a porta potty in Texas, officials say.

The body of a newborn baby believed to be full-term was found inside a porta potty in Texas, officials say.

The body of a newborn baby believed to be full-term was found inside a porta potty in Texas, officials say.

Memorial Day Speech Silenced In this frame grab from video provided by Hudson Community Television, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter taps the microphone after organizers turned off the audio during his speech at a Memorial Day ceremony, Monday, May 31, 2021, in Hudson, Ohio. Organizers of the ceremony turned off Kemter's microphone when he began talking about how freed Black slaves had honored fallen soldiers soon after the Civil War. Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter said he included the story in his speech because he wanted to share the history of how Memorial Day originated. But organizers of the ceremony in Hudson, Ohio, said that part of the speech was not relevant to the program's theme of honoring the city's veterans. “We salute LTC Kemter’s service and his moving remarks about the history of Memorial Day and the important role played by Black Americans in honoring our fallen heroes.

Police say five of the six victims were thrown from the vehicles.

HUDSON, Ohio — (AP) — Organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony turned off a speaker’s microphone when the former U.S. Army officer began talking about how freed Black slaves had honored fallen soldiers soon after the Civil War. Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter said he included the story in his speech because he wanted to share the history of how Memorial Day originated. But organizers of the ceremony in Hudson, Ohio, said that part of the speech was not relevant to the program's theme of honoring the city's veterans. In the days before the ceremony, Suchan said she reviewed the speech and asked him to remove certain portions. Kemter said he didn't see the suggested changes in time to rewrite the speech and talked with a Hudson public official who told him not to change it.

Organizers of a Memorial Day ceremony in Ohio turned off the featured speaker’s microphone when a former Army officer began recalling how freed Black slaves honored fallen soldiers after the Civil War.

The level of average daily Covid cases remained below 20,000 for the third straight day Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter’s 11-minute speech was quieted in what he thought was a serious technical glitch. An Ohio veteran mentioning the role freed Black people played in the founding of Memorial Day found his speech somewhat silenced during a holiday ceremony this week. Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter‘s microphone was cut off while giving the keynote address Monday at Markillie Cemetery in Hudson, Ohio as he began to share a story about how former enslaved Black people were the first to honor deceased Union soldiers after the end of the Civil War, the origins of Memorial Day.

A 7-year-old girl has completed a 7-mile run in honor of her father and six Marines who were killed in a Black Hawk training crash.

The 56-year-old man lost his balance and one of his hiking companions, a 45-year-old woman, grabbed him and both fell off the summit ridge.

Police have charged two suspects with attempted murder in a shooting that wounded two people on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, but suspects remained elusive Wednesday in two other attacks that left more people dead and wounded in Miami over the Memorial Day weekend. According to arrest reports, Wisdom Awute, 21, and Christopher Urena, 29, both face charges of attempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault. Both were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where one remains in critical condition and the other was treated and released.

A woman also fell after trying to grab the man, the National Park Service said. She survived.

The 56-year-old man lost his balance and one of his hiking companions, a 45-year-old woman, grabbed him and both fell off the summit ridge.

Police were out on the water in full force across South Florida over the long Memorial Day weekend. They were looking for safety violations, hazards, impaired boaters, anything that could get people hurt or killed.

A 56-year-old California man fell 500 feet to his death on a Memorial Day hike in Sequoia National Park.

Thousands across the country played Taps at the same time to commemorate the holiday.

Thousands across the country played Taps at the same time to commemorate the holiday.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida reported an additional 5,937 coronavirus cases on Tuesday after state health officials paused new case updates over Memorial Day weekend. Before Tuesday, the last time state health officials updated its case numbers was on Friday, when the state reported 2,338 new cases. READ: Studies: Immunity for those who had COVID-19 and those vaccinated could last for yearsTuesday’s numbers bring the total number of cases reported in the state since the pandemic began to 2,326,755. The state also reported an additional 97 deaths between Friday and Tuesday. READ: Stimulus update: IRS sends out new round of paymentsThe deaths bring Florida’s virus-related death toll to 37,609.

“Saw an officer cuff a woman and walk her away.”

People can do some amazing things when their dogs are in trouble.

Financial Markets Wall Street FILE - In this March 23, 2021 file photo, the Fearless Girl statue stands in front of the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District. The Institute for Supply Management reported that manufacturing picked up again in May. The ISM"s manufacturing index came in at 61.2 last month, much better than the 60.6 expected by economists surveyed by FactSet. The growth in manufacturing came despite supply shortages that have plagued many manufacturers for weeks, particularly those who require semiconductors. Investors will get jobs data later this week, which is expected to show that U.S. employers created 663,000 jobs last month.

“I urge everyone to take a moment to think about their words and their actions at this time. And it’s not just social media, but our words impact real people and impact real lives,” Rep. Nancy Mace said.

Hilton was nearly 93% occupied on Saturday of Memorial Weekend, making it the best day the company has had since the beginning of the pandemic, the CEO says.

Air traveler volumes reached pandemic highs over the weekend but demand was still below 2020 levels.

Over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, domestic cinemas tallied nearly $100 million in ticket sales, the best performance since the start of the pandemic.

Authorities said a huge American flag and several smaller flags were stolen from a Southern California veterans cemetery over the Memorial Day weekend.

President Biden said how America honors the memory of its fallen service members "will determine whether democracy will long endure."

Tricking conservatives into sharing photos of terrible people is a time-honored tradition on social media. Trollish leftists frequently get clueless posters to amplify photos of...

The first case of human infection from the H10N3 strain of bird flu has been detected in China, reports said.

Louisiana shooting: 3 dead, including toddler, after gunfire erupts near Baton Rouge apartments Stock photo of crime scene tape. Three people, including an 18-month-old girl, are dead after gunfire erupted near a Louisiana apartment complex on Memorial Day, authorities said. — Three people, including an 18-month-old girl, are dead after gunfire erupted near a Louisiana apartment complex on Memorial Day, authorities said. After receiving a report of a possible shooting, Baton Rouge police arrived to find two men, ages 20 and 17, dead, WAFB reported. A third victim, identified as a toddler girl, later died from her injuries, as well, authorities said.

Beaches, theme parks and other Central Florida attractions saw big crowds during the Memorial Day weekend.

Thousands of musicians nationwide joined in playing the 24-note tune in honor of America’s fallen servicemembers.

Larger Memorial Day crowds returned to Daytona Beach.

Seven mobile vaccination sites opened across Central Florida on Memorial Day as the state partnered with local community organizations and businesses.

A nation slowly emerging from restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic honored generations of fallen U.S. veterans on a Memorial Day observed without the severe pandemic restrictions that affected the day of tribute just a year ago.

Some mobile vaccination sites are closed for Memorial Day, but Floridians who would like to get their dose Monday still have options.

Authorities say a huge American flag and several smaller flags were stolen from a Southern California veterans cemetery over the Memorial Day weekend.

Hundreds gathered in Ormond Beach early Monday as city officials held an in-person Memorial Day service for the first time since 2019.

The difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day still seems to trip people up, although it shouldn't. So, what do you say on Memorial Day compared to Veterans Day?

The Sidekick is an Amazon-favorite weather alert radio, and it's $80 now

Police in South Florida are looking for suspects involved in a pair shootings that brought a deadly start to the Memorial Day weekend.

The wet season. Its start is defined when cold fronts stop moving through and those daily afternoon storms Floridians are familiar with begin. The Sunshine State has been waiting for the wet season after the dry stretch most of the region has gone through. Down the pipeline, there looks to be major relief for your crunchy lawn.

More cities and states are shrugging off lingering COVID-19 restrictions as vaccination rates rise and the number of infections falls.

It’s no secret we could use a drink! Our crunchy lawns tell that story. Gradually over the next few days rain chances start to go up and it will look more like summertime in Central Florida.

Pressure is mounting on Democrats to end the practice of requiring 60 votes to move legislation through the Senate if they hope to advance President Joe Biden’s agenda.

Last Memorial Day weekend health officials warned against the spread of COVID-19, here's what they are saying this year.

Memorial Day weekend in Brevard County will sound like 40,000 motorcyclists.

President Joe Biden started the Memorial Day weekend by visiting a rock climbing gym in northern Virginia as the state lifted all COVID-19 distancing and capacity restrictions at private businesses and much of the nation pushes toward a greater sense of normalcy.

Project aims to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice with a nationwide show of "Taps" at 3 p.m. local time

Almost all hotels along the coast of Volusia County are booked up for Memorial Day Weekend, according to the Lodging and Hospitality Association.

Thursday, thousands of families wearing Mickey shirts and Universal Resort masks arrived at Orlando International, officially kicking off travel for what's expected to be a big Memorial Day weekend.

Memorial Day is coming, and it got us thinking: How familiar are you with the holiday?

Gasoline prices are at a seven-year high ahead of one of America’s busiest holiday travel weekends.

Don't pass up on these price drops on everything from a hammock to a pizza oven.

Orlando International Airport officials said they expect air travel to be near pre-pandemic levels this Memorial Day weekend.

The gift was made possible through Building Homes for Heroes program.

Hot and dry -- for now.

With Memorial Day just a week away, rescue teams in Central Florida are kicking training into high gear, expecting to need those skills more this year than in the past.

If you're traveling over the Memorial Day weekend, expect lots of company.

It’s almost like pre-pandemic spring break, says Thompson. Another sign that spring break tourism is rebounding is the passenger figures at Orlando International Airport, traditionally one of the nation’s busiest airports during spring break. AdSoft national numbersNationally, however, spring break tourism demand remains soft. Despite the nationwide progress on COVID-19 vaccines, spring break travel intentions actually appear to be dropping. The 12.4% who plan to travel for spring break is down from 16% the week prior, the poll by Destination Analysts found.

The city of Minneapolis will spend $6.4 million to hire dozens of police officers, at a time when some City Council members and activist groups have been advocating to replace the police department in the wake of Floyds death. The City Council voted unanimously Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, to approve the additional funding, which police requested. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)MINNEAPOLIS – Minneapolis is planning to spend $6.4 million to hire dozens of police officers, at a time when some City Council members and activist groups have been advocating to replace the police department following George Floyd’s death. The City Council voted unanimously Friday to approve the additional funding that police requested. Floyd’s death sparked protests and led to a nationwide reckoning on race.

South Korea says it will tighten social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area and some parts of eastern Gangwon province to try to suppress a coronavirus resurgence there. The country has been experiencing a steady increase in virus infections since it relaxed its social distancing guidelines last month. South Korea added 230 more virus cases on Tuesday, raising the country’s total to 28,998 since the pandemic began, including 494 deaths. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:— India's number of new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours dropped to 29,164 new infections, continuing a downturn. The city reported 3,797 new coronavirus cases and 99 fatalities in the past 24 hours, fewer than last week’s daily average of nearly 7,000 cases.

Officials announced the severe move Wednesday after a cluster of new coronavirus cases grew to 22. Larry Hogan is imposing limits for operating hours and capacity of businesses amid a surge in coronavirus cases. The seven-day average number of new daily cases is above 1,400 for the first time since early August. The first-term Democrat said Tuesday that he hopes the limits will help curb soaring coronavirus cases in the state. Seven-day rolling averages of daily cases increased from 1,311 on Nov. 2 to 2,459 on Monday.

MAITLAND, Fla. – The Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center opened a new exhibit called “Uprooting Prejudice: Faces of Change” -- a tribute to George Floyd, the man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. I knew that I wanted to go to that site,” Noltner explained. | CDC gives guidance on Thanksgiving | Astronauts prepare for Saturday launch]Just days after Floyd’s death, Noltner came to the site where dozens were gathering. The exhibit shows 45 strangers, each portrait shows a message in English and Spanish. One of the portraits shows the father of Michael Brown Jr, who was fatally shot by a police officer in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

Both of these holidays celebrate the brave men and women who protect our country, but is there a difference between the two days?

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer says a pilot program to help alleviate the expected big crowds in downtown Orlando on Halloween night didn’t work. Instead, he said tens of thousands of costumed crowds packed the downtown area in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. “We were trying to do what was right and it just didn’t work out better,” Dyer said Monday. “The situation in the data is very similar to where we were before Memorial Day and that concerns me,” Pino said. “Lesson learned is we did that kind of as a pilot and we won’t be doing it again,” Dyer said.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic will likely deter some seasonal residents from flocking to the Sunshine State, but its too early to tell. The U.S. had about 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around Memorial Day, before backyard parties and other gatherings contributed to a summertime surge. Here are three things to know about the virus for Sept. 8:Floridas tourism leaders are hopeful after a busy Labor Day weekend. With the steady decline of numbers in Florida, of course, that helps a lot, and once more emphasizes Florida is a No. Golfview Elementary School will remain closed until Sept. 14 due to coronavirus cases connected to the school.

Many Labor Day parades marking the unofficial end of summer were called off, and masks were usually required at the few that went on. "Please, please do not make the same mistakes we all made on Memorial Day weekend. The U.S. had about 1.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases around Memorial Day, before backyard parties and other gatherings contributed to a summertime surge. It was their first trip out of state since COVID-19 started spreading. They had time off because the Labor Day weekend fair where they typically sell concessions canceled this year.

In hard-hit South Florida, beaches from Palm Beach to Key West will be shut down for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)The U.S. headed into the Fourth of July weekend with many parades and fireworks displays canceled, beaches and bars closed, and health authorities warning that this will be a crucial test of Americans' self-control that could determine the trajectory of the surging coronavirus outbreak. The fear is that a weekend of crowded pool parties, picnics and parades will fuel the surge. The warnings were sounded after a Memorial Day weekend that saw many people emerge from stay-at-home orders to go to the beach, restaurants and family gatherings. Dr. Don Williamson, head of the Alabama Hospital Association, said he is really, really worried about the Fourth of July."

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)SACRAMENTO, Calif. Heading into Memorial Day weekend, California's mood was celebratory. But the infection rate also has risen sharply from just over 4% of those tested around Memorial Day to 6% now. She noted that May produced a rapid reopening leading into Memorial Day weekend and then Father's Day. Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, said he has no regrets on how California moved forward. The mask order of course should have been in place earlier but you also have to be willing to enforce the mask order," she said.

This warning comes as Florida reported more new infections than any other state in the country on Wednesday. More than 320 people in Orange County are hospitalized with COVID-19, currently. The Fourth of July weekend is coming, and I just hope that we have learned from Memorial Day, Pino said. Orange County is about two weeks into a mandate requiring residents to wear a face mask while in public. Widespread testing continues across the state and according to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, the state-run COVID-19 testing site at the Orange County Convention Center is the busiest in all of Florida.

It’s the perfect time to put the red, white and blue out on display.