CFO Warns Of Scams Tied To My Safe Florida Home Program
(Tallahassee, FL) --There is a new scam targeting Floridians who are trying to harden their homes against future storms. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued a warning for residents earlier this week about misleading flyers claiming to be a part of the My Safe Florida Home Program. The advertisements are promoting free roofs and windows. Patronis say several bad actors have tricked homeowners into signing up for a fake program, leaving them on the hook for the full cost of repairs. He says to make sure you are working with the state grant initiative, make sure to visit the official website, verify credentials with contractors, and get written estimates.
Orlando Reassesses Shuttle Bus Pilot Program
(Orlando, FL) --The city of Orlando is considering whether to restart a shuttle bus service. The SWAN was a semi-autonomous bus that carried passengers downtown in Creative Village. It was a pilot program that lasted for six months, and now the city is studying the numbers. It carried almost five thousand passengers, and Orlando Transportation Director Tanya Wilder says most people liked it and felt safe using it. One criticism she heard, though, is that the buses were too slow. There were also a couple minor collisions with Lynx buses. Wilder tells the Orlando Sentinel it's too early to tell if the service will resume, but she thinks it shows we're a city that wants to be innovative.
Brevard County Residents Worried About Debris Left Behind By Hotel Demolition
(Cocoa Beach, FL) -- Some Brevard County residents are worried a demolition project could affect their safety. A hotel in Cocoa Beach is coming down where the International Palms resort used to be, and debris is piling up at the site. We're in hurricane season, and some neighbors are concerned a storm could cause that debris to become airborne. City Manager Wayne Carragino says there's a plan in place if a storm makes it way to the Space Coast. He says the developer will level the piles and park heavy equipment and lay heavy beams on the piles to keep the wind from picking up the debris. One resident, though, tells Fox 35 he'd feel better if the developer would come in with trucks and haul the debris away before a storm comes.
Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Fired
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) -- An off-duty incident is proving costly for a police officer in Broward County. Fort Lauderdale Police Officer John Giga [[GEEG-uh]] was fired yesterday for an incident in November. Investigators say he was drunk when he yelled racial slurs at a group of Black men, started a fight with them and then lied about the incident. Giga had been with the department for 16 years. There's no word on if he plans to appeal his firing.
CO Farm May Remove Mystery Monolith Due To Swarm Of Visitors
(Bellvue, CO) --The clock may be ticking for an eight-foot tall monolith in a small Colorado town. It recently popped up on the hill of a Bellvue dairy farm and the owner expected to leave it but is now reconsidering. She's dealing with a swarm of curious crowds. Nearly two-thousand people showed up last weekend and she says some are ruining it for others by trespassing and leaving trash. The monolith is bolted into a cement pad so removing will be tough.
Today in History
1945, a passenger car rolled off the assembly line at the Ford Motor Company plant in Detroit, Michigan, for the first time in three years. Automobile production had stopped because of World War Two.
1878, John Wise of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the pilot for the first flight of a dirigible.
1863, the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ended as the Northern troops forced Confederate soldiers to retreat.