Police: Cocaine bricks hidden in lamp help investigators working to solve 2 murders
Investigators knew someone used a lamp fixture to hide two cocaine bricks, and mailed the lamp from Puerto Rico to Osceola County. This helped them during an ongoing investigation to identify suspects in two murders in Central Florida.
Florida ranch goes on sale for the first time in over 100 years for $140 million
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – For over 100 years, Green Island Ranch in Central Florida has been owned by the Partin family. According to SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate, Green Island Ranch, located in St. However, the massive property is more than just a real estate opportunity for investors — it’s also a historical landmark in Florida’s history. Since then, the working ranch has been in the Partin family’s ownership and, at one time, was the largest ranch east of the Mississippi at 60,000 acres. AdFurther adding to the ranch’s historical significance, the real estate company states the Partin family introduced Brahman cattle and quarterhorses to the state of Florida.
Florida supera los 1,000 casos de variantes de COVID-19, la mayoría en el sur
David Selig is the Digital Executive Producer at WPLG, overseeing Local10.com. Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved. Concerns grow in Central Florida over U.K. /covid-19 variantIf you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526.
Have you seen this missing child in Florida?
Authorities are searching for a 9-year-old boy who went missing out of Central Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a missing child alert Tuesday for John Weldon, who was last seen in the area of Mount Dora, which is north of Orlando. Authorities say the boy might be with 42-year-old Daryl Weldon and that they may be driving in a 2014 silver Mitsubishi Outlander with Florida tag IB14FR. The boy is 4-feet-6, weighing about 55 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. If you have any information, call 911 or the Mount Dora Police Department at 352-735-7130.
Florida adds fewest new COVID-19 cases since October
The location at 3101 W. Princeton St. in Orlando is the only Central Florida Walmart to feature a pop-up clinic for COVID-19 vaccines. Florida’s health department confirmed 1,700 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, which is the smallest day-to-day increase of cases in the state since Oct. 12, when 1,533 cases were reported. The state has now verified 1,910,921 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began and 30,999 resident deaths, according to health department data. A look at the statewide positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases across Florida over the past two weeks. The United States has confirmed over 28.6 million cases and has had more than 513,000 deaths from COVID-19, the highest totals in the world.
UCF hires former Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to lead Knights
FILE - Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn argues a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama in Auburn, Ala., in this Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, file photo. Central Florida hired Gus Malzahn as its football coach Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, a little more than two months after he was fired by Auburn. “I truly believe that this is a program of the future in college football,” Malzahn said. Arkansas State won a conference title that season before Malzahn returned to Auburn as head coach. Ad“This is one of the top 25 coaching jobs in all of college football,” Malzahn said.
Florida man uses $7.2M from PPP to buy mansion, Maserati and more, feds say
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – A Bradenton man is accused of using $7.2 million from Paycheck Protection Program funds to buy a Central Florida mansion and three luxury cars, according to court records. Records show Cisternino applied for a Paycheck Protection Program loan established as part of the federal CARES Act relief bill. Prosecutors said Cisternino is accused of using the money to buy a Maserati, a $89,000 Lincoln Navigator, a $251,000 Mercedes-Benz and a $3.1 million home in Chuluota. AdCisternino is accused of saying MagnifiCo had 441 employees with an average monthly payroll of $2.88 million. Records show after the application the Small Business Administration issued $7.2 million in PPP funds to MagnifiCo.
NCAA probe is 'speed bump' to Vols' new coach Josh Heupel
New Tennessee NCAA college football head coach Josh Heupel, left, shakes hands with University of Tennessee athletics director Danny White after being presented a jersey speaks during an introductory press conference at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. (Caitie McLekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, Pool)Josh Heupel believes he can win quickly at Tennessee and position the football program for long-term success. Heupel was introduced Wednesday as the program's 27th head coach and fifth, not counting interim or acting coaches, since the end of the 2008 season. New athletic director Danny White said Tennessee ran an “exhaustive nationwide search” led by the same search firm that helped land White. White was hired last week to replace the retiring Phillip Fulmer and hiring a new coach was his first task.
Florida man with ties to Proud Boys arrested in connection with Capitol attacks, documents show
ORLANDO, Fla. – A man with ties to the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys was arrested in Central Florida on federal charges in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., according to official documents. Biggs is a member of the Proud Boys and describes himself as an organizer of some of their events, according to a federal affidavit. A Deerfield Beach man’s Instagram story showed a struggle with Capitol police to open a door to the Capitol on Jan. 6, feds say. A Coral Springs man, Felipe Marquez, 25, was charged with illegally entering the Capitol grounds and disorderly conduct. And Gabriel Garcia, a Miami member of the extremist Proud Boys group, made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday over allegations he participated in the siege.
DeSantis announces new vaccine sites at select Publix stores in South Florida
DeSantis said seven Publix locations in Martin County will also offer the vaccine. For Broward’s mayor, the issue right now isn’t the number of vaccination sites, but rather the number of doses available. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released a statement saying: “Miami-Dade is home to over 10% of all Florida seniors 65+. Earlier this month, DeSantis announced that several Publix locations in the state would serve as COVID-19 vaccination sites for seniors. Registration at the Publix vaccination sites in South Florida opens at 6 a.m. Wednesday and appointments will begin on Thursday.
No. 11 Houston uses big first half to cruise past UCF 75-58
11 Houston used a dominant first half to cruise to a 75-58 win over UCF on Sunday. Houston (11-1, 6-1 American Athletic Conference) won its fourth straight game since its loss to Tulsa. “It was a great game for us,” Houston guard DeJon Jarreau said. “They made a lot of shots to start the first half off and kind of knocked us back,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. Sampson passed former Houston coach Tom Penders.
You can now snow tube in Florida
DADE CITY, Fla. – Floridians no longer have an excuse to say they have never seen snow. Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park in Dade City has officially opened. A snow park in Florida, right?” said Adam Thomas from Florida sports coast. Snowcat Ridge Alpine Snow Park (WKMG-TV)Thrill-seekers who are ready for some tubing fun can go down the run as a single rider, tandem or family-style with between four and 10 riders per large circular tube. Snow tubing at Snowcat Ridge in Dade City, Florida is now open.
‘Bump in the night’: Florida driver hits gator on U.S. 1
COCOA, Fla. – Need any more evidence that it’s Friday the 13th in the year 2020? A driver in Central Florida ran over a gator on U.S. 1 overnight. Luckily, the driver and the alligator are OK, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is finding the gator a “safer place to roam,” police in the city of Cocoa say. The things that go bump in the night: patrol officers rescued this little guy as he wandered into dangerous territory. He was fine and the driver was not injured.”Be careful out there!
Evidence suggests several state Senate candidates were plants funded by dark money
MIAMI – Why would candidates for Florida Senate seats do no campaigning, no fundraising, have no issue platforms, nor make any effort to get votes? Local 10 News has found evidence to suggest three such candidates in three Florida Senate district races, two of them in Miami Dade County, were shill candidates whose presence in the races were meant to syphon votes from Democratic candidates. In one of those races, District 37, a recount is underway because the spread between the Democratic and Republican candidates is only 31 votes. That third party candidate is Alexis Rodriguez, who has the same last name as the Democratic incumbent senator Jose Javier Rodriguez. A search of campaign documents filed by Rodriguez led to a money trail and campaign finance connections with other no-party third candidates in Florida Senate District 9 in Central Florida, and District 39 in Miami-Dade.
Sunday is the day for maximum impacts from Tropical Storm Eta in South Florida
The most significant change to what is discussed below is that Eta is developing a band of strong winds near the center. Here is an update of this morning’s discussion:The center of Tropical Storm Eta is just moving off the north coast of Cuba and into the Straits of Florida. The maximum winds somewhere in the circulation are forecast to increase slightly as the center moves closer to South Florida through the day. The center of Tropical Storm Eta is just moving off the north coast of Cuba and into the Straits of Florida. The maximum winds somewhere in the circulation are forecast to increase slightly as the center moves closer to South Florida through the day.
This Week in South Florida: John Morgan
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Among the questions on the 2020 election ballot in Florida is a potential hike in the hourly wage for the state’s lowest earners. Amendment 2 proposes raising the state’s minimum wage to an eventual $15 per hour. The Central Florida attorney who led the effort to get Amendment 2 on the ballot is John Morgan. He joined This Week in South Florida hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney, and their conversation can be seen at the top of this page. To view TWISF’s chat with Amendment 2 opponent Carlos Gazitua, click here.
Pence tells Miami-Dade that Trump needs 4 more years — in multiple languages
DORAL, Fla. – South Florida is again the center of the political universe Thursday, as Mike Pence was campaigning in Miami-Dade County hours before President Donald Trump’s primetime town hall in Miami. Jeanette Nunez, State Sen. Manny Diaz Jr., Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz. “And that is that Florida and America need four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House. “We came out here because it’s not every day you get to hear the vice president of the United States speak,” one of the supporters said. Instead of sharing a debate stage later Thursday night, Trump and former vice president Joe Biden will face off in competing town halls.
Carnival Cruise Line cancels more Florida trips
MIAMI – Carnival Cruise Line says it’s canceling its remaining cruises scheduled for November out of two Florida ports, as well as five cruises from Australia at the beginning of next year. The cruise line had previously announced it was canceling for the rest of the year all U.S. cruises except for trips out of Port Miami and Port Canaveral in Central Florida. But Monday’s announcement nixed trips in November on the six ships operating out of the two Florida ports. The cruise line says it is also notifying guests that five cruises on Carnival Splendor out of Sydney, Australia, next January and February have been canceled.
DeSantis extends voter registration deadline until 7 p.m. after online system crash
Ron DeSantis extended the state’s voter registration deadline Tuesday after he said heavy traffic crashed the state’s online system and potentially prevented thousands of enrolling to cast ballots in next month’s presidential election. In addition to online registration, DeSantis ordered elections, motor vehicle and tax collectors offices to stay open until that hour for anyone who wants to register in person. “Florida has had multiple years and multiple elections to address the site’s digital security and update its faulty online voter registration system. No voter should be denied their right to vote during a global health pandemic because Florida did not have a functioning online voter registration system,” said Jorge Vasquez, power and democracy director at Advancement Project National Office, one of the suing groups. Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee, who oversees the voting system, said the online registration system “was accessed by an unprecedented 1.1 million requests per hour” at times Monday.
Tulsa snaps No. 11 UCF's 21-game home winning streak, 34-26
Tulsa players pose on the middle of the field after a win over Central Florida during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Tulsa's win snapped UCF's 21-game home winning streak. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Tulsa snaps No. 11 UCF's 21-game home winning streak, 34-26
Tulsa players pose on the middle of the field after a win over Central Florida during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Tulsa's win snapped UCF's 21-game home winning streak. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)ORLANDO, Fla. – There is something about UCF that brings the best out of Tulsa. Zach Smith threw three touchdown passes and Tulsa erased an 18-point first-half deficit to beat No. 11 UCF 34-26, snapping the Knights' 21-game home winning streak Saturday night. “Turnovers were huge in the football game,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said.
NBA will allow team staff to bring guests to Disney bubble
Those guests could then enter the so-called bubble at Walt Disney World on Sept. 21, about a week before the scheduled start of the NBA Finals. Some players were able to bring family into the bubble following quarantines and other health certifications starting on Aug. 31. Other coaches, such as Denvers Michael Malone and Miamis Erik Spoelstra, have spoken out publicly about their hope that the league would allow team staff to have the opportunity to bring family into the bubble. The cost, $550 each day for each guest, would have to be covered by the team or individual staff member. And as is the case with player guests, including children, none of the staff guests will be able to leave the NBAs bubble.
WATCH: Videos show possible tornadoes in Orlando
ORLANDO, Fla. – Two tornadoes were spotted in Orlando Saturday night. A video captured from the 12th floor of the Orlando Regional Medical Center shows a possible tornado over Orlando, TV station WESH reported. Video shows possible tornado over Orlando https://t.co/YlxvSwltoO — WESH 2 News (@WESH) June 7, 2020Orlando and parts of Central Florida are under a tornado watch. According to the Orlando Sentinel, at least two tornadoes were spotted near downtown Orlando. clickorlando.com had video of another tornado touchdown, where video shows a funnel in Lake Conway.
Arthur becomes first named tropical storm of season
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The low-pressure system that brought torrential rain to South Florida has organized into Tropical Storm Arthur well offshore of Central Florida and north of the Bahamas. A reconnaissance aircraft found that the depression east of Florida strengthened into Tropical Storm Arthur on Saturday night. As of 11 p.m., Tropical Storm Arthur was 190 miles East northeast of Cape Canaveral Florida with winds at 40 mph. The official National Hurricane Center forecast issued a Tropical Storm watch for portions of the North Carolina coast. Otherwise, the tropical storm will pull a bit drier air down the peninsula giving us more sunshine.
You can fly: Get a bird’s eye view into a deserted Walt Disney World
But one Central Florida pilot was given the opportunity to fly over the happiest place on earth and give us the view we’ve been waiting on. Disney parks have a temporary flight restriction that limits pilots from flying within 3,000 feet of any of the parks. But with Disney parks in the U.S. closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, some pilots have been granted permission by local air traffic control to fly over the deserted theme parks. “I hope this will bring some joy to everyone currently in quarantine and missing the beloved parks.”Seeing an empty Disney World has become a common sight to most of us during quarantine. [MORE: Helicopter pilot shares breathtaking view of Disneyland during coronavirus closure]Walt Disney World has been closed since March 15 after rising concerns about spreading COVID-19.
Police ask public’s help in finding Florida girl missing for almost a week
CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – Police in Central Florida are asking for the public’s help in finding a teenage girl who has been missing for nearly a week. 14-year-old Kayla Desiree-Marie Nienhuis was last seen on Jan. 11 in the Crystal River area and hasn’t been heard from since. Officials say Nienhuis is 5 feet 2 inches with brown eyes and hair. Anyone with information on Nienhuis’ whereabouts are urged to call the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office at 352-726-1121.
Cold front bringing drier, cooler air not expected to make it to South Florida
The tail of ex-Tropical Storm Nestor has now moved north of Florida, meaning the entire peninsula is in the extremely warm and humid tropical air. Tropical Storm Nestor pulled tropical air over the peninsula of Florida last week. The dividing line between the summertime air over South Florida and the fall air over the northern peninsula was the tail of Nestor essentially a front. A cold front is coming, but again this front will not make it much past Central Florida, so no dry air will reach South Florida. That cold front will not make it to South Florida.