Water conservancy groups urge Florida regulators to set water-quality standards

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 19, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

Thick, smelly clumps of blue-green algae have been decaying along the Caloosahatchee near the south side of the Franklin Lock this week. It comes as several water conservancy groups in our area urged the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to set water-quality standards for the toxins in the algal blooms in a letter Wednesday. It’s signed off by Calusa Waterkeeper, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, Conservancy of SWFL, and Center for Biological Diversity. Triennial Review Comments Cyanotoxins by Olivia Hyde on Scribd The group said it was “disappointed...

Ocala couple pleads guilty to attacking black bears with trained dogs

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 19, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

OCALA, Fla. (AP)–A Florida couple plead guilty to using treats to entice black bears then allowed packs of dogs to attack them, recording the gruesome incidents and posting them on social media. Charles Scarbrough plead guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering, animal baiting and fighting, unlawful use of a two-way communicating device and unlawful taking of a black bear, as reported by the AP. He agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, leading to his sentencing being deferred. He could get anywhere from five years probation to over two years of prison time. Hannah Scarbrough, his...

Tesla slams into FDOT Road Rangers stopped for a crash on I-95

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 19, 2021. Posted in Miami, Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

MIAMI, Fla. — A person behind the wheel of a Tesla sedan slammed into a Florida Department of Transportation Road Ranger on Interstate 95, officials said. The Road Ranger was blocking the left northbound express lane of I-95 near NW 103 Street in Miami. A black Tesla heading north slammed into the back of the pick-up truck that had two people inside. The two Road Rangers were taken to Jackson North with non-life-threatening-injuries and the Tesla driver was brought to Ryder Trauma with severe, but non-life-threatening-injuries. Traffic cones, emergency lights and an arrow board were...

Florida Senate passes gambling agreement with Seminole Tribe

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 19, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sports betting in Florida is a step closer to legalization after the Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill Tuesday approving a gambling agreement signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe. The bill that was passed 38-1 also would allow the tribe to add roulette and craps to its casinos, including the popular Hard Rock facilities near Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. In return, the state would be expected to receive an estimated $20 billion over the 30-year compact. The bill will now go to the House, which will vote on it Wednesday. The Legislature held a...

Florida lawmakers consider gambling pact with Seminole Tribe

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 18, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — New gambling rules could soon be coming to Florida. The Florida Legislature opened a special session on Monday to consider an agreement signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis with the Seminole Tribe that could legalize sports gambling and bring the state billions of dollars in revenue. The session opened little more than two weeks after the Legislature’s annual 60-day session ended. House Speaker Chris Sprowls announced to members that DeSantis and the tribe amended the original compact signed April 23 to remove language requiring the state to negotiate a potential...

Sharks use Earth’s magnetic field as ‘natural’ GPS to navigate world’s oceans

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 18, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Sharks use the Earth’s magnetic field as a sort of natural GPS to navigate journeys that take them great distances across the world’s oceans, scientists have found. Researchers said their marine laboratory experiments with a small species of shark confirm long-held speculation that sharks use magnetic fields as aids to navigation — behavior observed in other marine animals such as sea turtles, reported the Associated Press. Researchers’ study — published this month in the journal Current Biology — also sheds light on why sharks...

Rep. Val Demings to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 18, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

NBC NEWS – Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., is planning to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022, according to an NBC News source. “Val is an impressive and formidable candidate whose potential entrance would make the race against Rubio highly competitive,” said a national Democrat with knowledge of the party’s strategy on the Senate seat. Demings hinted in April at entering the Senate race during an interview with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart. “I have received calls and texts and messages from people all over the state asking me to run because they feel that they are not represented...

Naples man acquitted on kidnapping and sexual abuse charges

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 18, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

NAPLES, Fla.– A Naples man was acquitted by a federal jury on kidnapping and abusive sexual contact, on Monday. Cody Donavan Smith was originally indicted in March of 2020 by a federal grand jury, according to officials. The initial trial lasted for four days. United States Attorney Bob Murray announced Smith’s acquittal. The post Naples man acquitted on kidnapping and sexual abuse charges appeared first on NBC2 News. NBC2 (WBBH-TV)

Derek Jeter sells Florida mansion Tom Brady has been renting

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 17, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

TAMPA, Fla. – Tom Brady may be moving on from living in Tampa after his $2.25 million rental was sold by former New York Yankee superstar Derek Jeter. The seven-bedroom, eight-bath estate was sold on Friday, said Smith & Associates, the real estate firm that handled the transaction. The firm did not disclose the buyer and the sale had not yet been recorded Monday by Hillsborough County, a process that can take several days. The home had been listed at $29 million. The baseball hall of famer lived in the home part-time until his retirement after the 2014 season. He and his family...

Skydiver dies after mid-air collision in Florida

Written by Naples Mortgage Syndicated User on May 17, 2021. Posted in Naples Florida Mortgage, Naples Mortgage.

DELAND, Fla. – A skydiver died after colliding with another skydiver in DeLand on Sunday, police said. At around 10 a.m., officials were called to the DeLand Municipal Airport for a skydiving accident. Police said two skydivers collided while their parachutes were open. Witnesses told police that one of the skydivers was able to regain control, but the other was unable to reopen his. The man landed in the parking lot and was found unresponsive. His identity has not been released. The post Skydiver dies after mid-air collision in Florida appeared first on NBC2 News. NBC2 (WBBH-TV)

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