Alligator interrupts Florida coupleโs poolside morning coffee and takes a swim
He said the alligator had gotten stuck under an end table right next to the pool. He told Fox 13, โHe must have went through it and it got stuck on him, and he wasnโt very happy,โ he says. Tim Kelly had quite the surprise Friday morning when he heard growling while getting his morning cup of coffee. As he and his wife waited for FWC to arrive, the alligator was able to free himself from the coffee table and splashed right into the pool. โWe were just sitting here having coffee, just watching him swim around in the pool,โ he told Fox 13.
Whales surface at Clearwater Marine Aquariumโs new exhibit
CLEARWATER, Fla. โ The Clearwater Marine Aquarium has opened its newest educational exhibit, Whales: Living With Giants. According to the aquariumโs website, guests will come head-to-head with whales through educational multi-media exhibits, an undersea virtual reality experience, walk-through life-size whale gallery and an interactive kidโs zone. Virtual Reality Dive at Whales: Living with Giants exhibit (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)The virtual reality experience, which requires an additional ticket add-on, was created by an Emmy Award-winning documentary team. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a non-profit organization that has a mission of preserving the environment while inspiring others through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation. Whales: Living with Giants will be open through Aug. 31.
Florida man accused of attacking officers with fire extinguisher during Capitol riots
A Pinellas County man is accused of using and throwing a fire extinguisher at officers at the Capitol Hill riots on June 6, according to the Department of Justice. A Pinellas County man is accused of using and throwing a fire extinguisher at officers at the Capitol Hill riots on Jan. 6, according to the Department of Justice. [RELATED: โInsurrection is coming:โ Lakeland woman posted video inside Capitol during riots, documents show]Palmer was caught on camera at the riots, according to prosecutors. Ad[RELATED: Brevard County man joins hundreds charged in Capitol riots]A Pinellas man is accused of using and throwing a fire extinguisher at officers at the Capitol Hill riots on June 6, according to the Department of Justice. [RELATED: Federal grand jury indicts Titusville man on charges related to Capitol siege]The FBI said anyone tips about anyone who incited or promoted violence at the Capitol Hill Riots is asked to call 1-800-225-5324.
WrestleMania: Tickets go on sale Friday for event in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. โ The biggest show in professional wrestling is coming to Tampaโs Raymond James Stadium next month and tickets are set to go on sale Friday. The WWE announced on Wednesday that ticket sales will begin Friday at 10 a.m. for WrestleMania. AdThe event is set to take place over two nights, April 10 and 11. According to the WWE, ticket prices will range between $35 and $2,500 with capacity limits set to about 25,000 fans each night. Tickets on sale this Friday, March 19. https://t.co/CN4nRsGco8 โ WWE (@WWE) March 17, 2021Use the form below to sign up for the ClickOrlando.com 4pm Trending newsletter, sent every weekday.
Golfer drowns while searching for ball at Florida country club
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. โ A 74-year-old man was found dead after police say he drowned while searching for his golf ball at a country club in Florida, News 6 partner WPLG reported. According to officials from the Pinellas County Sheriffโs Office, the tragedy took place at the East Lake Woodlands Country Club Sunday morning, where 74-year-old Hermilo Jazmines was playing golf with a friend. โJazmines โteed off near the third holeโ and โwas last seen looking for his ball near the green,โโ the sheriffโs office said. They later dispatched their dive team, which โlocated Jazmines submerged in the water near his putter.โJazmines was pronounced dead at the scene. In a press release released by the sheriffโs office, friends of the golfer say he enjoyed searching the golf course for lost balls.
Pinellas County Sheriffโs deputy killed trying to help stop drunken driver
A deputy with the Pinellas County Sheriffโs Office was killed in the line of duty on Wednesday afternoon, according to investigators. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. โ A 30-year-old Pinellas County Sheriffโs deputy was killed while trying to help stop a drunken driver who was leading authorities on a high speed chase. โDeputy Magli was trying to protect people,โ Gualtieri said. Gualtieri told reporters he was going to visit the deputyโs family on Wednesday night. Holzaepfel told deputies he was transient and living out of his truck, the sheriff said.
Florida hack exposes vulnerability of cash-strapped US water plants
Authorities say a hacker gained access to Oldsmar's water treatment plant in an unsuccessful attempt to taint the water supply with a caustic chemical. A local sheriff's startling announcement Monday that the water supply of Oldsmar, population 15,000, was briefly in jeopardy last week exhibited uncharacteristic transparency. AdโI deal with a lot of municipal water utilities for small, medium and large-sized cities. The nation's 151,000 public water systems lack the financial fortification of the corporate owners of nuclear power plants and electrical utilities. Although such incidents have been relatively few, that does not mean the risk is low and that most water systems are secure.
Hack exposes vulnerability of cash-strapped US water plants
Authorities say a hacker gained access to Oldsmar's water treatment plant in an unsuccessful attempt to taint the water supply with a caustic chemical. A local sheriff's startling announcement Monday that the water supply of Oldsmar, population 15,000, was briefly in jeopardy last week exhibited uncharacteristic transparency. AdโI deal with a lot of municipal water utilities for small, medium and large-sized cities. The nation's 151,000 public water systems lack the financial fortification of the corporate owners of nuclear power plants and electrical utilities. Although such incidents have been relatively few that does not mean the risk is low and that most water systems are secure.
In Florida city, a hacker tried to poison the drinking water
In this screen shot from a YouTube video posted by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri speaks during a news conference as Oldsmar, Fla., Mayor Eric Seidel, left, listens, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, in Oldsmar, Fla. Authorities say a hacker gained access to Oldsmar's water treatment plant in an unsuccessful attempt to taint the water supply with a caustic chemical. Robert M. Lee, CEO of Dragos Security, and a specialist in industrial control system vulnerabilities, said remote access to industrial control systems such as those running water treatment plants has become increasingly common. AdIn May, Israelโs cyber chief s aid the country had thwarted a major cyber attack a month earlier against its water systems, an assault widely attributed to its archenemy Iran. The FBI, along with the Secret Service and the Pinellas County Sheriffโs Office are investigating the case.
Florida senior citizens camp out in frigid temperatures for COVID-19 vaccine
By 7:30 p.m. on Monday, senior citizens in 200 vehicles were on the property, set to brave overnight temperatures in the low 40s. A couple of hours north, in Clay County, a small, north Florida region, people booked appointments online and walked in for their scheduled vaccination. About 83% of those who have died from the disease in Florida have been older than 65. According to state health department statistics, nearly 1.4 million people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and more than 22,000 people have died since the pandemic began. ___Associated Press journalists Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
Gov. DeSantis to hospitals: Use the COVID vaccine shots or lose them
Ron DeSantis warned hospitals against stockpiling vaccinations and urged them to work more quickly to administer vaccines to Floridians who are 65 and older. Meanwhile, the first five Florida hospitals to start inoculating their frontline workers three weeks ago began administering booster shots this week to those same employees. DeSantis has ordered hospitals to inform state officials how they plan to offer vaccinations to the public. Mary Mayhew, chief executive officer of the Florida Hospital Association, said the stateโs hospitals were โworking tirelesslyโ to serve the community and roll out the vaccinations. โWith this flawed vaccine rollout, Governor DeSantis has once again failed to rise to the occasion,โ said Florida Democratic Party Chair Terrie Rizzo.
2 tornadoes leave thousands without power in Florida
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. โ Two tornadoes damaged vehicles and buildings on Wednesday while leaving thousands without power in Floridaโs Tampa Bay area and Polk County, authorities said. Most of the damage was in Pinellas County, north of St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The NWS later confirmed damages were caused by two tornadoes, an EF1 and stronger EF2, packing an estimated 125 mph wind speeds. The Tampa Bay area tornado path stretched across nearly 13 miles and started in Plant City before heading into Polk County. The tornado started in Pinellas Park and traveled east across the county, the Weather Service said.
Finned, furry, and human: Clearwater Marine Aquarium to celebrate rescue days
CLEARWATER, Fla. โ Clearwater Marine Aquarium is about to celebrate the rescue anniversaries of some of its most famous dolphins, Winter and Hope. [TRENDING: This woman received the first COVID-19 vaccine | Judge scolds theme park trespasser | Chuck Yeager dies at 97]To celebrate both rescue anniversaries, the aquarium is hosting an event called Rescue Days. Talk to members of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescue team and check out one of our rescue vehicles from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Foster families can enjoy a socially distanced behind-the-scenes tour prior to the aquarium opening to guests. Meet with dogs from the SPCA Tampa Bay from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)Click here to learn about the event and to learn more about the aquariums health and safety guidelines that are in place.
33 rescued as Tropical Storm Eta floods parts of Florida
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. โ Boats and Humvees were used to rescue 33 people in Pinellas County as Tropical Storm Eta drenched Florida, sheriffโs officials said. Eta brought high winds, high tides and flooding across Pinellas County, especially in the Pass-a-Grille area in south St. Pete Beach and north to Madeira Beach. [TRENDING: Eta floods Florida | Romaine calm: Florida man arrested after lettuce tirade | DeSantis accused of wanting herd immunity]The Pinellas County Sheriffโs Office said Thursday that deputies rescued nearly three dozen people from homes and roadways. Sheriffโs officials also said deputies used chainsaws to remove fallen trees and branches from roads. Officials said Eta caused one death in Florida when a victim was electrocuted after water got into their Bradenton home.
UPDATE: 13-year-old Flagler County boy found safe in Pinellas County
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. โ Weeks after authorities announced he was missing, a 13-year-old Flagler County boy has been found safe, according to the Flagler County Sheriffโs Office. Deputies first said they were looking for the boy, who was missing from Palm Coast, on Oct. 23. He was reunited with his family after being located in Pinellas County, deputies said in an update on Monday. โWe are happy that he was returned home and is safe. Thank you to the community who helped share the message and kept a lookout for this boy," Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said.
1 teen killed, 6 ejected when boat hits Florida channel marker
INDIAN SHORES, Fla. โ One teenager was killed and six others were ejected from a speeding boat that crashed into a channel marker in the Intracoastal Waterway while returning from a Halloween Party on Floridaโs Gulf Coast early Sunday, sheriffโs officials said. The group of teens, ages 16 and 17, left for the party on Saturday evening from the home of the boatโs driver. The boat hit the channel marker and everyone was ejected. The sheriff said the family had recently acquired the boat, which had not yet been registered with the state. He said detectives obtained a search warrant for the boat and hope to recover electronic data about the crash.
DeSantis urged to require masks as COVID-19 burdens some Florida hospitals
A new county order also closes casinos, strip clubs, movie theaters, the zoo and other entertainment venues a month after they were allowed to reopen. Florida reported 341 new hospital admissions of COVID-19 patients on Friday, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began. The county's latest statistics showed more than 1,400 COVID patients in Miami hospitals, including 306 in intensive care, occupying about 73% of the ICU beds that would be otherwise available. Florida's health department releases a daily cumulative tally of new hospitalizations of people who test positive for the virus, but doesn't provide statewide numbers of COVID-19 patients currently in hospitals, ICU beds or on ventilators. Statewide, about 20% of ICU beds are currently available, though some hospitals have additional capacity that can be turned into ICU units if need be.
Space Force headquarters: Brevard, Orange, Seminole counties backed by DeSantis
Ron DeSantis has endorsed six Florida counties and three cities that hope to land the command headquarters of the U.S. Space Force. In a letter Monday to Air Force Assistant Secretary John Henderson, DeSantis supported the proposals by Jacksonville, Pensacola, Brevard County, Miami-Dade County, Orange County, Pinellas County, Seminole County and a joint proposal from Tampa and Hillsborough County. โOur state has a long history of support for our nationโs effort in space through the operations of the Kennedy Space Center, the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,โ DeSantis wrote in the letter released late Wednesday by his office. President Donald Trump in December signed a law that created the Space Force as a separate branch of the military. The proposal also would repeal a requirement that Space Florida advise House and Senate leaders before presenting bond proposals to the governor and Cabinet.
Florida officials worried about spike in coronavirus cases
Pinellas County officials are scheduled to meet later this week to discuss further social distancing measures. But the rate of positive tests also has been ticking upward in recent days, raising alarm. As of Wednesday, Florida has reported 80,109 positive tests out of 1,460,309 tests conducted since the pandemic began, giving a positivity rate of 5.5%, according to the COVID Tracking Project. There is none.The increase in cases is a concern as central Florida theme parks either have reopened, or are days away from reopening. ___Associated Press writers Michael Schneider in Orlando, Florida, and Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.