Family prepares to bury man, woman, child found murdered
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The loved ones of a mother, father and infant discovered in a burned-out Woodland Acres home Tuesday are preparing to bury the three. An I-TEAM source and family members who were told by police said the mother and father were shot. That they're treating this as a triple homicide made it worse," Mario Peterson, Johnson's grandfather, told News4Jax. And when you put your faith in God, and trust in God, God going to make it all right,'" said Vanessa Hampton, Johnson's aunt. Through tears, family members pleaded with the public for answers.
Bill adds teeth to fight against bear poaching in Florida
Courtesy of Florida Fish and WildlifeTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Poaching black bears out of season in Florida would carry stiffer penalties under a proposal unanimously approved by a House panel Wednesday. "My work over the summer with Fish and Wildlife was focused on 19 incidents of poaching with this gallbladder ring," Smith said. "Working with the Fish and Wildlife Commission, I got exposed to the data and some of the other things that are going on. The forfeiture of a license could cross state lines through reciprocity agreements with 47 other states, Smith said. The goal is to keep the state's bear population above the 3,000 mark.
Proposal would provide immunity for treating injured police dogs
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Paramedics and emergency medical technicians would be immune from criminal and civil liabilities when treating an injured police canine, under a bill filed Friday. The proposal (HB 507), sponsored by Winter Springs Republican Rep. David Smith, would allow the medical personnel to provide emergency medical care to police canines injured in the line of duty at the scene of the emergency or while being transported to a veterinary clinic or hospital. The bill was filed in advance of the 2020 legislative session, which begins in January. Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure that increased penalties for killing or causing great bodily harm to police, fire or search-and-rescue dogs or police horses. The change boosted the amount of potential prison time from five years to 15 years.