In lead-up to big day, Santa Claus spotted diving in Florida Keys

A scuba-diving Santa Claus helper was spotted Thursday in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary relaxing with an elfish helper before the upcoming holidays. Propelled by an undersea scooter, he delivered a bit of cheer Thursday to the marine inhabitants in the sanctuary off Key Largo. Dillon McGovern, a scuba instructor from Slate’s Scuba Adventures, […]

Florida clears Santa’s 2022 visit, issues permit for ‘animal movement’

Santa and his nine reindeer have been given the all-clear to visit Florida. On Thursday, the state’s Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a Certificate of Animal Movement to Mr. and Mrs. Claus of the North Pole. The certificate will allow their reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, […]

Roaming black bear. (Credit: FWS)

Bear fatally shot after escape, attack on Jacksonville zookeeper

A bear escaped an exhibit at a Jacksonville zoo and attacked a zookeeper before being fatally shot by workers, officials said. The escape in a behind-the-scenes area happened just after 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Zoo officials said in a Facebook post that an emergency call was initiated and the facility’s […]

Report: Florida insurance changes will help, take time

Florida lawmakers last week made changes that will provide “much-needed relief” in the troubled property-insurance system, but the effects of the legislation won’t be immediate, the AM Best financial-rating agency said in a new report. The report pointed to parts of the new law designed to curb litigation, which insurers have long blamed for driving […]

Florida toll discounts could drive future ‘pressure’

Florida lawmakers should anticipate some “political and social” pressure at the end of a one-year program that will offer credits to frequent toll-road users, according to a financial rating agency. In a report released Tuesday, Moody’s Investors Service said the program, which will begin Jan. 1, will “buoy” toll road demand without reducing revenues because […]

Florida Supreme Court slate arguments on FPL rates

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday scheduled arguments on Feb. 8 in challenges to a decision by regulators to approve base-rate increases for Florida Power & Light. Groups filed two challenges at the Supreme Court after the state Public Service Commission in October 2021 unanimously approved a settlement that allows FPL to raise electric rates […]

Tampa police, good Samaritans rescue great-grandmother, child trapped under car

Police in Tampa released bodycam footage showing the rescue of a great-grandmother and small child trapped under a car after a driver ran them over while backing out of a parking lot. On Sunday, Tampa Police and Fire Rescue responded to a report of a pedestrian-involved car accident in the parking lot of an apartment […]

Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris dies at 72

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers whose heads-up thinking authored “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died. He was 72. Harris’ son Dok told The Associated Press his father passed away overnight. No cause of death was given. His death comes two days […]

Man pleads guilty in Florida woman’s unsolved 1991 slaying

A man already imprisoned in Florida for another killing pleaded guilty Tuesday to the long-unsolved 1991 slaying of a woman he met at a bar. Michael Townson, 53, was sentenced by a judge to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years, state prosecutors said in a news release. Townson admitted striking […]

Fortnite maker to pay $520M for privacy, e-commerce abuses

The maker of the popular Fortnite video game will pay $520 million in penalties and refunds to settle complaints revolving around children’s privacy and its payment methods that tricked players into making unintended purchases, U.S. federal regulators said Monday. The Federal Trade Commission reached the settlements to resolve two cases against Epic Games Inc., which […]