Alligator bites man’s arm near canal

TAVARES, Fla. (AP) – Officials say an alligator bit a central Florida man on the arm near a canal behind his house. Lake EMS reports that the 68-year-old man was taken to a nearby hospital after being attacked Wednesday afternoon at his Tavares home. The Orlando Sentinel (http://goo.gl/xng3Sf ) reports that the man’s injuries weren’t […]

European terror-recruiting cell linked to IS broken up

ROME (AP) – European law enforcement authorities announced Thursday they had broken up a Norway-based Iraqi Kurdish recruitment ring that radicalized prospects via the Internet and sent them to fight in Iraq and Syria alongside the Islamic State group. Thirteen people were arrested in Italy, Britain and Norway. Italian Carabinieri Gen. Giuseppe Governale called it […]

Capitol Hill Buzz: Benghazi committee tops $5M in spending

WASHINGTON (AP) – The House committee investigating the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, has now spent more than $5 million in taxpayer money, according to a tally by House Democrats. Democrats say the Republican-led probe is a partisan effort to undermine Hillary Rodham Clinton’s White House bid and said a marathon hearing with Clinton last […]

Biden tells college students to intervene to prevent assault

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) – Vice President Joe Biden brought a White House initiative to prevent campus sexual violence to his alma mater Thursday, urging the Syracuse University audience to take a pledge to intervene if they see the potential for assault. “She’s nearly passing out and you see your roommate or fraternity brother walking her […]

Officer fired after fatally shooting man waiting by his SUV

MIAMI (AP) – A South Florida city has fired a police officer who fatally shot an armed man who was waiting next to his disabled SUV last month, officials said Thursday. Palm Beach Gardens spokeswoman Candice Temple said in a news release that the police department terminated the employment of Officer Nouman Raja on Wednesday. […]

Allegiant pilot says he was wrongly fired over evacuation

DALLAS (AP) – A pilot who ordered an emergency evacuation after smoke was detected coming from one of the jet’s engines is suing Allegiant Air for firing him. The 43-year-old pilot says Allegiant is putting profits above safety. Allegiant says the evacuation was unnecessary and put passengers at risk – several were injured sliding down […]

Twin suicide blasts in Beirut’s Shiite suburb kill 37

BEIRUT (AP) — Twin suicide bombings struck a southern Beirut suburb that’s a stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah group on Thursday evening, killing at least 37 people and wounding scores more in one of the deadliest attacks in years in Lebanon. The attack was quickly claimed by the extremists Islamic State group, which is fighting […]

NSTB: Sunken ship bridge deck found, search on for recorder

MIAMI (AP) – The National Transportation Safety Board says a search has turned up the bridge deck of a cargo ship that sank last month with 33 crew members off the Bahamas after encountering Hurricane Joaquin. The NTSB said Thursday that the search continues by Navy remote underwater vehicles for the EL Faro’s voyage data […]

FGCU President Bradshaw to retire in 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) President Wilson Bradshaw announced he’s planing to retire from his position in 2017. It will be the end of an era after more than a decade of success at the school. The university says they don’t have any information yet on the hiring process, but staff and students on campus say […]

FMPD releases additional surveillance pictures in ZombiCon shooting

FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Fort Myers Police Department released two new images captured seconds after the fatal shooting at ZombiCon on Oct. 17. Authorities say they are looking to identify any of the people seen outside of the Flat Top Larry’s Diner on First Street in downtown Fort Myers shortly after the shooting. Investigators believe they may have important information that may lead to […]