Local:
Lee Health Sudden Power Shortage, Reasons Still Unknown
Lee Health experienced a power outage Monday morning. It affected computer systems and caused issues with patient care services. Lee Health spokeswoman Mary Briggs sent out an email regarding the situation. According to The News Press, Briggs said, “Critical patient care is intact at this time and paper processes are being utilized where necessary.” Around 6 p.m. the power was reported to be restored. FPL employees have been working to find the cause of the outage. ”We are aware of this morning’s outage at Lee Memorial Hospital and have verified that there were no issues with FPL’s power supply today. After confirming this information, FPL crews remained onsite to help the hospital troubleshoot its equipment.” Chris Curtlan, an FPL spokesman, said.
Fort Myers Police Investigate Bomb Threat At Target In The Forum
On Thursday evening, Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a bomb threat at the Target located in The Forum shopping plaza on Dynasty Drive. A Target employee received a text message about the threat and called authorities. According to NBC2, all the nearby locations including Sky Zone, Petco and Micheals had to be evacuated. A bomb squad was called to search the front and back of the plaza but nothing was found. Fort Myers Police Officer Eddie Rodriguez commented on the incident. “Nobody is in custody right now and an investigation is ongoing. Everyone is safe and okay,” he said.
Collier County Narcotic Operation Ends in 106 Arrests
The multi-month operation, “Summer Blaze” is the Collier County Sheriff Office’s (CCSO) anti-narcotic movement. The initiative focuses on the elimination of fentanyl use within the county. According to NBC2, 106 people have been taken into custody. The arrests were a result of fentanyl trafficking, possession and other narcotic charges. There has been a 33% decrease in overdoses since the movement. CCSO plans to communicate with the state legislature about adding another felony charge if subjects possess fentanyl and if a deputy is injured.
Former Lee County Deputy Facing Fraud and Grand Theft Accusations
Paul Trombley, retired Lee County Sheriff’s deputy, was arrested on a warrant with several charges including: scheme to defraud, first-degree grand theft and unlicensed contracting during the state of emergency. According to WINK, Trombley was accused of taking money from construction jobs and never finishing the work. Shelly Hughes, a former acquaintance of Trombley, has a civil suit against him unrelated to the warrant. “He [Trombley] said that he was having some financial issues, and if he could borrow $5,000, and he was in a transaction of purchasing a boat and then selling it,” Hughes said. Both Hughes and Trombley signed a contract for terms of repayment, but she was never repaid.
State:
Florida Woman Accused of Leaving 11-Year-Old Son with Dead Man after Drug Enhanced Threesome
Florida woman Amy Kemper was arrested after leaving her 11-year-old son in a hotel room overnight with a dead man. Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded last Sunday morning to the Hammock Beach Resort where an unconscious man was receiving CPR. The 60-year-old man was reported to have died after a night of drug-fueled sexual activity. According to FCSO, Kemper was doing drugs with two men in the hotel room overnight. She told deputies she thought the 60-year-old man was snoring and decided to leave her child in the room while she left with the other man. When the pair returned, they found the man dead. NBC2 stated that The Florida Department of Children and Families has taken custody of the child. Kemper is being held on a $15,000 bond and is facing charges of child neglect without great bodily harm.
Desantis Opposes CDC Guidelines Warning Against Covid-19 Boosters For People Under 65
Florida Gov. Ron Desantis’ administration is advising those under 65 to not get the new Covid-19 booster shot. According to CNN, Desantis said he refuses to let federal officials “use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots that have not been proven to be safe or effective.” He plans to escalate his efforts to place his Covid-19 management at the forefront of his 2024 presidential campaign. Formerly, Desantis has made comments against former President Donald Trump’s management during the pandemic. On Wednesday, Desantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo had a discussion that contradicted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for new boosters.
Man Arrested After Neo-Nazi Banner Drop on Interstate 4
Jason Brown, 48, was arrested on Tuesday for his role in the neo-Nazi banner that was dropped earlier this year on Interstate 4. Three others are also facing arrest. Brown was arrested on an out-of-county warrant for his partaking in handing out swastikas and anti-semitic messages on an overpass along the Daryl Carter Parkway bridge on June 10. According to the Orlando Sentinel, an FDLE spokesperson stated that Brown is a member of the Order Of The Black Sun, a neo-Nazi network. “We are committed to upholding the laws of our state, including those designed to protect our travelers on roadways,” Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain said. He plans to prosecute the neo-Nazi demonstrators “to the fullest extent of the law.”
Desantis Used Wealthy Donors For Undisclosed Private Flights and Housing
Gov. Ron Desantis has been found to have taken at least six undisclosed flights on private jets and received lodging from his wealthy donors in late 2018 according to flight manifests and other data obtained by The Washington Post. The trips took place between Desantis’ election and inauguration as governor, one being a trip to Augusta National Golf Club. For this excursion, Desantis used a plane owned by Mori Hosseini, a major homebuilder who supplied a golf simulator to the governor’s mansion. Hosseini benefited from $92 million in federal pandemic funding that Desantis’ administration used toward a highway project Hosseini wanted. It is unknown whether these trips were provided as gifts or campaign contributions. It is also unknown if Desantis used a separate option to personally reimburse for the cost of luxury airfare.
National:
Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s Updated Covid-19 Shots Authorized by U.S FDA
Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines including Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna. Another shot, made by Novavax, is currently under review by the FDA. According to Reuters, shots Pfizer and Moderna are approved for people 12 and above and can be used in emergencies for children 6 months to 11-years-old. “The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality,” FDA scientist Dr. Peter Marks said. The U.S. government ended the COVID public health emergency declaration in May.
Ongoing Search For Pennsylvania Escaped Convict Ends in Capture
Danelo Cavalcante, murderer and escaped convict, was found after two weeks of an ongoing manhunt. It was reported that the fugitive had planned to carjack someone and would escape to Puerto Rico or Canada. After failing to find a getaway ride, Cavalcante was found by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol tactical team Wednesday morning. At 1 a.m., a Drug Enforcement Administration plane that had thermal imaging picked up Cavalcante’s heat signature.The four-year-old search dog, named Yoda, bit the convict on the scalp and then latched onto his leg as Cavalcante attempted to crawl away. He was armed with a .22-caliber rifle at the scene of his arrest. According to AP News, Cavalcante “didn’t eat for the first three days after busting out, surviving on creek water and then, finally, stealing watermelon from a farm and cracking it open with his head.”
Massive Strike By United Auto Workers Union Against Big Three Automakers
On Friday, the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) started a major strike against Detroit’s biggest automakers. The cause of the strike was due to contracts expiring. Strikers are gathering outside of three striking factories, a Ford plant in Wayne, a General Motors plant in Wentzville, Mo., and a Stellantis plant in Toledo. According to The Washington Post, the union is demanding a 36% wage increase over 4 years while having only 17.5% to 20% over four and a half years. The demand for better wages, better scheduling and better working conditions has caused the UAW to strike all three big companies at the same time.
Current Information On the Biden Impeachment Case
On Tuesday, Kevin McCarthy urged top congressional Republicans to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. This inquiry goes against a previous statement McCarthy made saying that only a vote of the House should start the investigation. According to The New York Times, McCarthy carried out a series of accusations that “picture a culture of corruption” that he felt should make a case to open an investigation to remove the president. Seven accusations have been made by McCarthy, including, “Mr. Biden has made false or overly simplistic statements about his son’s business dealings, and what he knew about them.”
