Local:
Cape Coral Man Gets Sentenced toLife After 2021 Shooting
Following a 2021 shooting, a Cape Coral man is facing life in jail. William Reese (70) was sentenced Thursday by Judge Nicholas Thompson after he was sentenced for second-degree murder with a firearm. He was sentenced as a prison offender. The crime took place in September 2021 when the daughter of the victim, Rebecca Mendenhall, came home to find her father dead in the household. Police found the victim with five gunshot wounds and lying on the floor, according to the News-Press.
FGCU Student Puts Pickleball On the Map With Cabieses Foundation
With pickleball becoming a fast-growing sport in Southwest Florida, FGCU student Miranda Cabieses is giving the sport national attention. Cabieses was on the national Peruvian tennis team before she had a major injury. After the surgery, Miranda joined her brother at FGCU and decided to pick up a new sport: pickleball. According to NBC2, the duo went on to become pros playing across the nation and fell in love with the sport. With their pickleball fame came the Cabieses Foundation which started to donate thousands of dollars to kids wanting to pick up the sport in Peru.
Florida Native Rabbi Returns From Israel
Rabbi Yitzchok Minkowicz returned to Florida after making an effort to help soldiers and people in need in Israel. Minkowicz was joined by 30 other rabbis to trench through the war-torn land of Israel in an attempt to help those in physical and mental battles. According to Wink, “We cannot close our eyes to such terrible evil acts with families waiting for hundreds of hostages to be released,” Minkowicz said. “Innocent lives stripped away from loved ones, grieving families in mourning following the death of a parent, spouse, sibling or child.” He has seen the trouble this nation is dealing with but also the good in others offering safety to those in need.
Beach Boat Parade Comes Back For Fort Myers
After being canceled last year, many residents are excited to see the Beach Boat Parade returning to Southwest Florida’s Fort Myers. The parade is planning to take place at Salty Sam’s Marina on Dec. 6. The boating event is very important to locals who are looking to feel a sense of normalcy since the destruction of many homes and businesses after Hurricane Ian. According to Wink News, The parade is looking to take on sponsors and participants to truly make this year stand out. The event is planned to start that day at 6 p.m. and could be a great way to bring some joyful spirit to the oncoming holiday season.
State:
“Florida Man” Goes From Meme to Competition
The Florida Man Games is an event planned to happen at 25 W. Castillo Dr. in Saint Augustine. According to Wink News, Some of the featured events include the Weaponized Pool Noodle Mud Duel, where contestants battle one another inside the Florida Man Games Coliseum. Others include the evading arrest obstacle course, where contestants attempt to escape from police officers in an obstacle course that looks like a series of backyards with fences. Another obstacle is a cash grab in a wind tunnel much similar to the hurricanes that Florida has been receiving the past few years. The event starts Feb. 24, with tickets starting at $45. Participants must be 18 years old or older to register for the competitive events.
Private Passenger Train to Add Stops Between South Florida and Orlando
Officials working with the high-speed train service have confirmed Thursday that the company plans to add a stop between South Florida and Orlando. According to AP News, “Expanding Brightline into the Treasure Coast region will make Brightline one of the most accessible forms of transportation in Florida, giving access to nearly half of the state’s residents,” Michael Reininger, Brightline’s CEO, said. With hopes of expansion, 17,500 passengers have already ridden the train. Proposals for the stops have been mentioned to be in low tourist areas and can add some business to establishments nearby.
Kidnapping Case Has Three Men Facing Federal Charges
Three participants including a pair of brothers and another man are facing federal kidnapping charges after a peculiar scenario involving the victim being forced to aid in another possible kidnapping. According to AP News, the victim turned out to be mistaken for another person. The person they wanted to kidnap being the man’s coworker. After putting a drill to his skin and a gun to his head, the man was waterboarded and wasn’t sure he would survive. The man used the confusion to call in a bomb threat and get Jeffrey Arista and Jonathan Arista arrested. They both have had their appearance in court while the third man arrested, Raymond Gomez, is yet to have his first court appearance. If convicted, all three could be facing life in jail.
Cargo Flight Ordered By Desantis For Israel Containing Armor and Drones
Two cargo planes have been ordered by Governor Ron Desantis to aid soldiers in Israel. The shipments contain drones and armor. The planes were supposedly containing, “medical supplies, clothing items, hygiene products, and children’s toys” according to Desantis’ team but failed to mention the other items for the soldiers. The office later included the addition of armor and drones. According to CNN, “When there’s no leadership, you have a choice: Are you going to just kind of sit there and complain about it or are you going to step up and are you going to lead?” DeSantis said earlier this month. “We make things happen particularly at times of crisis.”
National:
Maine Shooter Found Dead
Robert Card (40) was accused of killing 18 people at a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday, Oct. 25, and has since been found dead. After the shooting, two Maine counties were put under a shelter-in-place advisory, according to CBS. Two days later, on Friday evening, Card’s body was discovered inside a box trailer parked in an overflow lot belonging to Maine Recycling Corporation with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to CNN. He had recently been fired from the recycling center.
Mike Johnson Elected House Speaker After McCarthy Ouster
Republican Representative Mike Johnson has been elected house speaker three weeks after the ouster of Kevin McCarthy. Johnson, who is an openly known Trump defender, will now have to face the divided House Republican majority and also deal with the possible upcoming government shutdown. According to CNN, “You’re going to see an aggressive schedule in the days and weeks ahead. You’re gonna see Congress working as hard as it’s ever worked and we are going to deliver for the American people,” Johnson said.
UAW & Ford Reach Agreement, Ends Strike and Gains Pay Raises
The United Auto Workers were able to reach a deal with Ford on Wednesday to negotiate an end to the strikes that originally started in mid-September. The strike has consisted of over 45,000 members and will end with a 25% wage hike over the 4½ year contract, starting with an initial increase of 11% if UAW leaders approve. According to Reuters, “We told Ford to pony up and they did,” Fain said in a video post on Facebook, adding that the strike at Ford “has delivered”. The movement also managed to end low-tier positions for workers at Ford with their slogan, “End Tiers” on t-shirts.
U.S. Continues To Aid Israel and Ukraine
As things continue to set off in the Middle East, the U.S. continues to plan on supporting Israel’s defense in the fight against Hamas terrorists. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, Approximately 900 U.S. troops are in the process of deploying to the U.S. Central Command area of operations. The units and personnel are intended to support regional deterrence efforts and further bolster U.S. force protection capabilities. Between Oct. 17 and 26, the U.S. and coalition forces have been attacked over 12 times in Iraq and at least four times in Syria by a mix of drones and rockets.
