Death of kitten possibly thrown from car under investigation in Punta Gorda

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.- The death of a 12-week-old kitten is under investigation by the Charlotte County Animal Control. “We got a call yesterday, we were informed that somebody had reportedly thrown a cat out of a window of a moving vehicle,” said Lt. Brian Jones with animal control. Tami Cash of Port Charlotte says around noon on Tuesday, she was […]

2nd suspect arrested in fatal shooting of FAU student

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) – A second arrest has been made in the fatal shooting of a Florida Atlantic University student at an off-campus Boca Raton apartment. Media outlets report 23-year-old Rodrick Demetrius Woods was arrested Monday. He faces first-degree murder and robbery charges in the death of 19-year-old Nicholas Max Acosta. According to a […]

Modular home goes up in flames in Immokalee

IMMOKALEE, Fla.- Investigators are trying to determine what caused a modular home to go up in flames Wednesday morning on El Paso Trial in Immokalee. Firefighters were able to put out the fire quickly but say the home is considered a total loss. “I guess it hasn’t hit me yet,” said Mario Garcia, the man renting […]

Subtropical Storm Alex forms far out in Atlantic

MIAMI (AP) – Forecasters say an out-of-season subtropical storm has formed far out in the Atlantic Ocean and could threaten the Azores in the coming days. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Wednesday that Subtropical Storm Alex could produce powerful winds and heavy rains over the Azores later this week. The Azores could […]

4th arrest made in FMB go-fast boat theft

FORT MYERS, Fla.- A fourth man has been arrested in connection with the theft of a go-fast boat on Christmas Eve that led authorities on a 20-hour chase from Fort Myers Beach to the coast of Cuba, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office said. Alexis Vazquez, 35, is facing charges of grand larceny and is being held on $1 […]

Negotiators vow to enforce cease-fire in eastern Ukraine

MINSK, Belarus (AP) – Negotiators at the Ukraine peace talks have promised to make new efforts to enforce a shaky cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, an envoy said Wednesday. Boris Gryzlov, a former speaker of the Russian parliament who has been named a Russian envoy, made the offer during peace talks Wednesday in the Belarusian capital […]

Avalanche in French Alps hits high school ski group, kills 3

PARIS (AP) – A deadly avalanche hit a high school group skiing in the French Alps on Wednesday, killing two students and a Ukrainian skier and seriously injuring three others, officials said. French President Francois Hollande said mountain emergency services with sniffer dogs and a helicopter were engaged in a rescue operation at the Deux […]

Florida Senate passes disabled children bill; moves to House

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – The Florida Senate on Wednesday passed legislation expanding aid for students with intellectual disabilities and named the program for Senate President Andy Gardiner, who has made what he calls “people with unique abilities” the signature issue of his tenure as president. The bill (SB 672) increases funding from $55 million to […]

Treasury to track some real estate deals in NY and Miami

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Treasury Department will begin tracking sales of high-end real estate in two of the country’s most expensive markets – Miami and Manhattan – to try to crack down on money laundering. The department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said Wednesday that it will temporarily require certain title companies to identify individuals behind […]

Investigators return to dead US woman’s flat in Florence

MILAN (AP) – Crime scene investigators returned Wednesday to the Florence apartment where a 35-year-old American woman was found strangled to death over the weekend, searching for clues to identify her killer. Ashley Olsen was found nude on her bed in her rented apartment on Saturday after her boyfriend had the owner open the door, […]