Local:
Fort Myers Promotes New Police Chief
After nearly a year of searching for a new police chief, Jason Fields has been chosen and approved to take the position according to Wink News. Fields, previously FMPD’s acting major, was nominated by the city manager and was promoted to police chief on July 17. The Fort Myers City Council elected Fields into the position with a 6-1 vote. Field’s nomination was a compromise after the requested appointment of Reo Hatfield. The interim chief, Randall Pepitone is retiring after 40 years on the force. The council announced Monday night that he will be retiring August 2.
Boil Notice Set for Fort Myers After a Water Outage
On July 19 Lee County Utilities issued a boil water notice in south Fort Myers. The notice affected areas of Punta Rassa and Sanibel Toll Plaza according to WGCU. Areas around McGregor Boulevard, beginning at Port Comfort Road west to Sanibel Toll Plaza are all affected. Punta Rassa Road and boat ramp and Harbour Point Drive are also affected by the notice. The area impacted includes 360 residences and 10 commercial buildings. They were without water from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The boil water notice took place Thursday and is anticipated to be lifted Saturday, July 22.
Father Died Saving Child After Falling into Bonita Beach Dog Park Waters
A current off of Bonita Beach Dog Park swept out a father, his child and their dog on Tuesday, July 18 according to NBC2. A couple on the beach saw the family struggling and went to help. Onlookers Jaeden Johannesson and Emily Skoglund swam out to save the child and brought him back to shore. He said to NBC2 that he could feel the current pulling him out and had to push off the ground in order to get back to shore. A paddle boarder assisted the boy’s father, trying to bring him back to shore. Once on shore they began CPR and called 911. The father was dead before deputies arrived. His identity has yet to be released by officials.
Naples Man Bit by Alligator and Continues to Walk Home
A 911 call was made early Friday morning by a man after he was bit by an alligator, according to the News Press. The victim was walking along Jungle Plum Drive around 5 a.m. when the alligator came and bit him in the leg. During the 911 call the victim described his wounds and told the dispatcher he had his shirt around the wound to control the bleeding. The dispatcher told him to keep pressure on the bite. The victim let the dispatcher know he was still walking home so he could give responders an address. It took eight minutes for first responders to arrive. The man was airlifted to the hospital. Officials say the victim described the alligator as three feet but it was actually six feet nine inches.
State:
Vice President Visits Florida Speaking Against New Black History Standards
Kamala Harris will be coming to Florida to give her remarks on the state’s latest education standards regarding the teaching of black history, according to NBC News. The state’s new education standards rework black history, including slavery. The SS.68.AA.2.3 standard states, in regard to slaves and the skills they learned, “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Harris has openly criticized this new standard and will be in Florida to continue speaking against it. The standard has also been criticized by the Florida Education Association, a statewide teachers’ union with about 150,000 members.
DreamWorks Land by Universal Orlando is Opening in 2024
Universal Orlando announced in a press release on July 20, there will be a new addition to the franchise, DreamWorks Land according to NBC2. The land will feature characters and attractions from noted favorites like Gabby’s Dollhouse, Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda. There will be interactive play and new attractions catering to an assortment of ages. DreamWorks Land will be opening in 2024 as a part of the Universal Orlando Resort. Universal assured there will be more details to come as the opening year approaches.
Sharks off the Florida Coast May be Consuming Drugs Being Dumped in the Water
To see whether or not sharks off the Florida Keys are ingesting drugs being dumped in the water, marine biologist Tom Hird and University of Florida environmental scientist Tracy Fanara have been conducting research as part of a TV series “Cocaine Sharks” which will premiere during Discovery Channel’s shark week. Hird and Fanara have reportedly noticed some sharks acting strangely in the water including a sandbar shark swimming in tight circles 60 feet under the surface appearing to be fixated on something even though nothing was there. According to The Weather Channel, the two scientists also tried dropping fake bales of cocaine in the water to see how the sharks would react. Sharks reportedly swam straight toward the dummy bales and took bites out of them.
Florida Family Receives $800K in Lawsuit Against McDonald’s
In May, a Broward County jury found that McDonald’s and franchise owner Upchurch Foods were liable for failing to properly warn of the possible harm from hot chicken nuggets. A Florida family went through the drive-thru at a Tamarac McDonald’s when their toddler ate chicken nuggets from the restaurant and was burnt. The jury has now awarded the family $800,000 for pain and suffering, disfigurement, mental anguish, inconvenience and loss of capacity for enjoyment of life in the civil lawsuit according to CNN Business.
National:
NFL Owners Unanimously Approve Sale of Washington Commanders to Group Led by Josh Harris
On Thursday, NFL owners unanimously approved the sale of the Washington Commanders, previously owned by Dan Snyder, to a group led by Josh Harris for a record $6.05 billion according to statistics by APnews. The sale came right before an announcement from the team that they are suing Snyder for $60 million for improprieties after they investigated his workplace culture and business dealings. This deal breaks a record for the highest price paid for a North American professional sports club to Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, the group that bought the team.
US Department of Transportation Investigates Delta Airlines
A Delta Airlines plane sat on the tarmac at the Las Vegas airport for over three hours on Monday as temperatures rose to 114F causing the US Department of Transportation to investigate the company. Medical first responders were on the scene and tended to multiple passengers. Two people had to be taken to a local hospital. BBC says the airline has offered compensation to and issued an apology to the affected customers. The flight was originally headed to Atlanta but was ultimately canceled.
US Soldier Entered North Korea
Travis King, a 23-year-old private second class, had recently been released from a detention center in South Korea and was scheduled to be flown back to the US to receive military disciplinary action when he escaped his escort and made his way to the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. According to NPR, he had recently served two months in a South Korean prison after facing assault charges. After getting into the DMZ he joined a tour group and slipped through two buildings before guards could react. Officials now believe King is in the custody of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
US Officials Recognize the Need for New Mexico Nuclear Lab Cleanup
Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to the once top-secret Manhattan Project and subsequent Cold War-era nuclear research, is still awaiting a cleanup from these projects. The cost of cleaning this plant has nearly doubled in the last seven years according to data provided by APnews. In a report issued Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office, it was stated that some improvements have been made but the US Energy Department has yet to prioritize cleanup at this site. Federal officials need to do better to track costs and progress of this project according to some independent federal investigators.
