Whatโs Florida Highway Patrol doing at the Mexico border? Hereโs what we saw
News 6 just returned from the Mexico border, where troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol were seen taking part in Operation Lone Star, an initiative launched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021 to combat illegal immigration.
Cleanup begins after tornadoes hit in Texas and Florida, killing 4 and destroying homes
Cleanup efforts were beginning Friday morning after severe storms spawned tornadoes that left at least four dead, three in the Texas Panhandle and one in the Florida Panhandle as another series of fierce storms carved its way through Southern states.
Florida wonโt help with any Trump extradition request, Gov. DeSantis says
Should New York ask Florida for help in bringing former President Trump in after his indictment, the state of Florida will not assist with that extradition request, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday after the news that a grand jury voted to indict the former president.
Florida girl, 16, not โmatureโ enough for abortion, court rules
An appellate court has upheld a lower court ruling that a parentless 16-year-old girl in the Florida Panhandle is not โsufficiently matureโ to end her pregnancy while seeking a waiver from a state law requiring minors to get parental consent for an abortion.
Land, ahoy: Boat falls on Florida interstate
CRESTVIEW, Fla. โ A 38-foot boat fell of its trailer on Thursday, landing in the road and blocking traffic for three hours. The Crestview Fire Department posted pictures on Facebook showing the giant vessel stretched across the travel lanes. A considerably large boat is blocking westbound traffic.... Posted by Crestview Fire Department on Thursday, March 25, 2021โJust getting ready for hurricane season,โ another said. โFinally, we would also recommend pre-trip planning, follow the weather and road conditions. AdUse the form below to sign up for the ClickOrlando.com Strange Florida newsletter, sent every Friday.
โYou guys just got a great white shark:โ Fishing charter captain talks about rare catch
In an interview with News 6, the Pensacola charter fishing captain shared details about the moment he helped reel in an estimated 12 to 13-foot female great white shark to shore. AdUnfortunately, his story changed due to medical reasons and shifted to a new adventure: shark fishing. โI went to captain school, got my captainโs license, and for the last three years Iโve been running shark fishing charters off of Pensacola Beach under Big John Shark Fishing Adventures,โ McLean explained. John McLean with Big John Shark Fishing Adventures (John McLean)On March 3, he said he was contacted by a group of seven people from Idaho who were looking for the ultimate fishing trip. โI looked at it and I was like, is that a great white?
Florida man gets 20 years in prison for fatal drug-related crash
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ A Florida man has been sentenced to 20 years and three months in prison for being high on drugs when he caused a crash that killed two siblings. Hunter Black, 26, was sentenced Tuesday in Escambia County circuit court after pleading no contest to two counts of DUI manslaughter and one count of marijuana possession, the Pensacola News Journal reported. The other vehicleโs driver, Antoinette McCoy, 22, and her brother, Sean Banks, 15, were seriously injured in the crash. The siblings were airlifted to a Pensacola hospital, where they died, officials said. An analysis of his blood sample, taken after the crash, revealed the presence of Xanax and cannabis in his system, prosecutors said.
Explosion destroys 5 garbage trucks in Florida
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ An explosion and fire destroyed five garbage trucks and damaged two others at a sanitation complex in the Florida Panhandle. The flames erupted Sunday afternoon at the station in Escambia County, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority said in a statement. [TRENDING: 1 dead in Rolls Royce crash | Mom, boyfriend arrested after toddler drowns | How to get the vaccine in Fla.]No injuries were reported but five trucks were destroyed in the fire. Two others were damaged, and the authority was assessing all other vehicles for any further damage. The authority said the cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Florida county administratorโs office was illegally bugged
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ The office of a Florida county administrator was illegally bugged last year, but investigators donโt yet know who was responsible. Florida Department of Law Enforcement spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger told the Pensacola News Journal that the agency was contacted Aug. 1 about a hidden recording device in the office of Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley. The case was closed in late September when investigators couldn't develop additional information, Plessenger said. โI didnโt want to be overreacting, but it was recommended to me that we do a sweep,โ Gilley said. Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said Gilley told him about the discovery of a device and that the FDLE was sweeping all of the offices on the fourth floor of the county building for more devices.
President Trump should pardon himself to stop โradical left,โ Florida Congressman says
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz said President Donald Trump should pardon himself and others in his administration before leaving office to prevent the โradical leftโ from prosecuting them. The Panhandle Republican and close Trump ally said Tuesday on Fox Newsโ โThe Ingraham Angleโ that the president should protect his staff from what he thinks would be unjust prosecutions. [TRENDING: Puppy pried from gatorโs mouth doing OK |15-year-old girl dies after overdosing]Some Democrats have called on the incoming Biden administration to investigate Trump and other members of his administration for possible crimes such as conspiring with the Russians during the 2016 campaign, illegal campaign contributions and obstruction of justice. โPresident Trump should pardon Michael Flynn,โ Gaetz said. โHe should pardon the Thanksgiving turkey.
Hurricane Zeta forces Florida Panhandle voting sites to close early
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ Early voting locations in several counties in Floridaโs Panhandle will be closing as Hurricane Zeta approaches the region. While Hurricane Zeta is expected to make landfall south of New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon, Florida's western Panhandle region is expected to see deteriorating weather conditions throughout day, officials said. The voting locations should return to the normal 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. routine on Friday and Saturday, which is the last day for early voting in Florida. Similar hours have been posted for early voting locations in Santa Rosa County. In neighboring Okaloosa County, Supervisor of Elections Paul Lux said all early voting locations will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday โout of an abundance of caution," as the storm approaches.
Wildfires and hurricanes disrupt final weeks of 2020 census
The Census Bureau is contending with several natural disasters as wildfires and hurricanes disrupt the final weeks of the nations once-a-decade headcount. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)ORLANDO, Fla. โ Already burdened by the coronavirus pandemic and a tightened deadline, the Census Bureau must now contend with several natural disasters as wildfires and hurricanes disrupt the final weeks of the nation's once-a-decade headcount. A coalition of cities and civil rights groups are suing in federal court in San Jose, seeking an extra month. โThis is not usually the time of the year that the Census Bureau is doing the counting." In some places where census takers cannot go out, they are trying to reach households by phone, according to Census Bureau officials.
Hundreds of thousands still without power in Sally cleanup
While the cleanup pressed on, the record-shattering hurricane season notched another milestone: Forecasters ran out of traditional names for storms after three new systems formed in about six hours. In Loxley, Alabama, Catherine Williams lost power and some of her roof to Sally. The same practice will govern storm names for the rest of hurricane season, which lasts until the end of November. The only other time the hurricane center dipped into the Greek alphabet was the deadly 2005 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Katrina's strike on New Orleans. She was concerned because more than two months are left in hurricane season.
Rescuers reach people cut off by Gulf Coast hurricane
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)PENSACOLA, Fla. โ Rescuers on the Gulf Coast used boats and high-water vehicles Thursday to reach people cut off by floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally, even as a second round of flooding took shape along rivers and creeks swollen by the stormโs heavy rains. Crews carried out at least 400 rescues in Escambia County, Florida, by such means as high-water vehicles, boats and water scooters, authorities said. Also on Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said a new tropical depression formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Forecasters said the depression could become a tropical storm as it moves slowly over the western Gulf during the next few days. Meanwhile, Hurricane Teddy strengthened to a powerful Category 4 storm in the Atlantic.
The Latest on Sally: Florida governor warns of major river flooding
Hurricane Sally caused the tide to rise about four feet (1.2 meters) in Pascagoula on Missisippiโs Gulf Coast. Itโs chaotic.โ------MIAMI -- Tropical Storm Sally has begun to spread heavy rains into the U.S. Southeast as it moves inland at a faster-than-expected pace. --PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Several boats docked at a pier in Pensacola, Florida, have sunk as Sally moved over the Gulf Coast. Kay Ivey says some areas of the state are seeing historic flood levels from slow-moving Hurricane Sally and more flooding is expected throughout the day. --MIAMI -- Hurricane Sally has decreased to a Category 1 storm as it pounds the Gulf Coast, but remains a dangerous rainmaker.
Inmate, 79, killed in attack at Florida prison
PENSACOLA, Fla. โ A 79-year-old man was killed by another inmate last week at a Florida prison, officials said. Nelson Sanderson was pronounced dead Aug. 17 following an attack at the Century Correctional Institute in Escambia County, the Pensacola News Journal reported. He was serving two life sentences for sex offenses involving a juvenile, according to Florida Department of Corrections records. Officials declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the attack or to name the attacker. The homicide investigation is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with assistance from the Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General.
Hero: 9-year-old Florida boy pulls dad to shore after man fractures his neck in dive
PENSACOLA, Fla. A 9-year-old Florida boy is being hailed a hero for pulling his father from the water after the man fractured his neck in a diving accident. Young Asaih Williams said he always plays a game in his head when he's diving with someone. If the other person doesn't emerge from the water in a set amount of time, then the boy goes in after him. Shortly after sunset, the boy convinced his dad Josh to take one last dip in the water. Despite a 100-pound weight difference between the two, Asaih channeled superhuman strength, and turned his dad over to prevent him from drowning.
Wildfires rage in Florida Panhandle; 500 evacuated
The 2,000-acre (809-hectare) fire in Santa Rosa County, located just east of Pensacola, prompted the evacuation of 1,100 homes Wednesday. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said in a news conference Thursday afternoon that fire officials are working around the clock to contain the wildfires. Rich Aloy, with the Santa Rosa County Sheriffโs Office, was patrolling Wednesday when he and other deputies rescued an older couple trapped by a burning power line. The Santa Rosa County fire began Monday when a prescribed burn by a private contractor got out of control, Fried said. In neighboring Walton County, a 575-acre (233-hectare) fire in Walton County prompted about 500 people to evacuate.