Florida governor faces growing claims of vaccine favoritism
Bruce Rauner, last week gave the Florida governor's campaign committee $250,000. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried joined Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist in calling for federal officials to probe the DeSantis administrationโs vaccine distribution programs. AdDuring a Thursday news conference, DeSantis expressed no misgivings about the early vaccinations at the exclusive Key Largo community. In recent weeks, other reports have surfaced of wealthy retirement communities getting exclusive access to vaccine doses through pop-up vaccine sites. Bruce Rauner to the Florida governor's campaign committee.
Several grouper closures to start off 2021
Gag grouper will close to recreational harvest in Gulf state and federal waters Jan. 1, 2021. The same day, several species of grouper will also close to recreational and commercial harvest in Atlantic state waters and all state waters off Monroe County. All other Gulf state waters (except waters off Monroe County, which follows the Atlantic state season) and all Gulf federal waters will reopen June 1 through Dec. 31. In the Atlantic and state waters of Monroe County, the grouper closure ends April 30, and harvest will reopen May 1. Grouper information, including Atlantic and Gulf grouper regulations, is available online.
Key West scales back New Yearโs Eve because of coronavirus
KEY WEST, Fla. โ The city of Key West is scaling back its normal New Yearโs Eve celebrations following recent surges in the spread of coronavirus. Key West Mayor Teri Johnston signed an emergency order Friday that sets an island-wide curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m., running Thursday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 3. The curfew does not apply to unincorporated Monroe County, which includes the remainder of the Florida Keys, said county mayor Michelle Coldiron. Duval Street typically attracts tens of thousands to celebrate the New Year and watch a giant red shoe with the drag queen inside drop at midnight. Health officials continue to stress that residents and visitors should wear facial coverings, which are mandatory in the Keys, practice social distancing and wash hands frequently.
Man bitten by shark in Florida keys airlifted to Miami trauma center
MIAMI โ An Atlanta man was airlifted to the trauma center of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami after he was bitten on the shoulder by a shark Sunday morning near Marathon, Monroe County sheriffโs deputies told WPLG-TV. Witnesses said Eddy was attacked almost immediately after entering the water near the Sombrero Key Light, about 50 miles north of Key West. While investigating the incident, the Sheriffโs Office received information from boaters that they had seen a bull shark in the area. The shark was described by witnesses as eight- to 10-feet long. Investigators said there was no fishing or chumming in the water near where the group was snorkeling.
FBI investigates reported assault on Black man as hate crime
Tears roll down the face of Vauhxx Booker as he speaks to the hundreds gathered at the Monroe County courthouse, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Bloomington, Ind. (Rich Janzaruk/The Herald-Times via AP)INDIANAPOLIS The FBI is investigating as a hate crime the assault of a Black man by a group of white men at a southern Indiana lake, the victim's attorney said Tuesday. Katherine Liell, Bookers attorney, said at a news conference that the FBI is questioning witnesses and that charging decisions could be made soon. Ryan Pedigo told The Associated Press that the confrontation happened near the Monroe County Courthouse in downtown Bloomington on Monday evening. A 35-year-old man then grabbed the driver's side of the car and held on as the vehicle continued to accelerate.
Snook fishing closes, Gag Grouper in the Gulf opens June 1st
Snook closes for recreational harvest in Atlantic state and federal waters. Capt Don Dingman, of Hook The Future TV, releases a healthy snookGreater amberjack closes for recreational harvest in Gulf state and federal waters. If you plan to fish for gag grouper in Gulf state or federal waters (excluding Monroe County) from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required) before July 1 or as a State Reef Fish Angler after July 1. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on โRecreational Regulationsโ and โGulf Reef Fish Surveyโ or โState Reef Fish Surveyโ under โReef Fishโ tab. Learn more about recreational fishing at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on โRecreational Regulations.โ
Governors warming to the idea of the return of pro sports
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)Governors around the country are warming to the idea of the return of professional sports to their states, with two caveats: continued progress against the coronavirus and no spectators in the stands. The heads of California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania spoke Monday of the return of professional sports to their states, possibly as soon as next month. Gavin Newsom tied the return of pro sports with the state's continued progress against the virus. He also urged the state's pro sports teams to begin planning to resume playing without fans. New York state will help those major sport franchises to do just that, Cuomo said.
Florida Keys will reopen to visitors June 1 amid pandemic
KEY WEST, Fla. The Florida Keys will reopen to tourists on June 1, more than two months after the island chain closed to visitors to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. The decision to reopen comes amid the low coronavirus infection rate in the Florida Keys, the Miami Herald reported. The move to reopen was the toughest decision Monroe County officials had to make, Monroe County Spokeswoman Kristen Livengood told the Miami Herald. The Florida Keys had been closed off to non-residents since March 22. Checkpoints at U.S. 1 and State Road 905 were set up five days later to bar visitors from coming into Monroe County.
The Latest: NASCARs Pocono races might be run without fans
___Bundesliga soccer players will be reminded not to celebrate goals together after Hertha Berlins team shared hugs and high fives over the weekend. ___Players from Spanish soccer club Rayo Vallecano have refused to practice in protest against reduced salaries. Spanish media say the players practiced at home instead of going to the teams training center for the start of group sessions. The Premier League season was suspended in March with Liverpool leading by 25 points with nine games remaining. ___Celtic has been declared Scottish champion after the countrys top soccer league was cut short because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus: Florida Keys plan to keep visitors out through May
MONROE COUNTY, Fla. โ Donโt plan on making a visit to the Florida Keys until at least June. While stay-at-home orders may be loosened soon, Monroe County does not anticipate reopening to visitors in May, county officials said Friday. โThe last thing we want to do is open up the doors and then have a resurgence,โ County Mayor Heather Carruthers told Local 10 News. The Keys have been discussing relaxing some restrictions for their residents in a โnew normal.โ They say they will first review the plans for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. โItโs not going to be a snap your fingers and everything is back to normal by any means,โ Carruthers said.
Hepatitis A cases continue piling up
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida had 81 new hepatitis A cases reported last week, as state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees declared a public health emergency because of the virus, newly released numbers show. The 81 cases reported from July 28 to Saturday increased to 2,123 the number of hepatitis A cases reported in the state this year. Meanwhile, Volusia County had the largest number of newly reported cases last week with 11, according to a News Service of Florida analysis of the data. Pasco County reported an additional 10 cases, and Brevard and Palm Beach counties reported increases of seven cases. Meanwhile, 12 largely rural counties have not reported hepatitis A cases this year.