Orlando shooting leaves three dead
Three people, including a journalist and a child, were killed in a series of shootings Wednesday in an Orlando suburb. Spectrum News 13 reporter Dylan Lyons was killed and his photographer Jesse Walden was critically injured covering an earlier homicide in the Pine Hills neighborhood of Orlando.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Keith Moses, was taken into custody at the scene and is facing at least one homicide charge. He is believed to have been involved in all three shootings.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said in a statement, “I believe that this is a clarion call for our community to do more to stop this madness….and I look forward to meeting with community leaders tomorrow to discuss next steps in reducing gun violence for our community.”
“Stand for Freedom” school walkout
College students across the state are planning a “walkout” at noon today to protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’ education policies, including his recent threat to defund campus diversity programs.
Ben Braver, a USF student who helped organize today’s “Stand for Freedom” action, tells the Tampa Bay Times that he began reaching out to friends on other campuses to find out how they could band together after attending an organizing workshop hosted by Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani.
The “walkout” is planned from noon to 1 p.m., as a largely symbolic action accompanied by speeches and “teach-ins”. Paul Ortiz, a University of Florida history professor who leads the faculty union there, was contacted by former students with Dream Defenders to lead a teach-in today. “As a historian, I’m in heaven right now,” Ortiz said. “When students are telling me they’re protesting for the right to learn more, this is the moment I’ve waited for my whole life.”
Planned Parenthood in Florida
State attorney general Ashley Moody filed a motion on Wednesday to reinstate part of a 2016 law that would block state funds from going to Planned Parenthood and other organizations that perform abortions.
House Bill 1411, signed into law by then Gov. Rick Scott, prohibited state and local dollars from going to any institution that also provided abortions. The defunding portion of the law was struck down by Federal Judge Robert Hinkle who said it unconstitutionally discouraged clinics from providing abortions.
In her filing, Moody argues that the Dobbs decision makes clear that there is no constitutional right to abortion and that Supreme Court cases holding otherwise were ‘egregiously wrong from the start’. Stephanie Fraim, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, said in a statement “…It is unconscionable that those in power are further restricting Floridians’ ability to lead healthy and fulfilled lives.”
Rising electricity costs
During an online event this week, Florida clean energy advocates explained why electricity rates are on the rise.
Brooke Ward, with the group Food and Water Watch, broke down an actual January bill from Tampa Electric. It included basic service, energy, fuel and storm protection charges. Ward says residents are paying for storm preparation, even if the area does not ultimately get impacted by the storms.
The Public Service Commission, which regulates private utilities in Florida, is slated to decide whether or not to approve these storm costs during its March 7th meeting.
Waste spill pollutes bay
The Tampa Bay Times reports that an estimated 7,400 gallons of untreated wastewater spilled into Johns Pass Tuesday night, the channel separating Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. According to Michele Duggan, Utilities Compliance Manager for Pinellas County, a shovel left in a manhole may be to blame. Duggan said the shovel likely blocked the wastewater that flowed from nearby businesses on the Johns Pass boardwalk, leaving the water nowhere to go but out.
The spill lasted nearly 3½ hours, beginning just after 6 p.m. Duggan said the county is working on piecing together a more detailed pollution report, and that the state is investigating the spill. The county took water quality samples and should have the results available sometime today.
Red tide
Scientists are warning that bay area beaches may experience red tide blooms during the next few days. Experts with the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science say beachgoers in Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties may experience a moderate to high risk of respiratory irritation from red tide this week. The blooms can cause respiratory illness and eye irritation in humans and can also kill marine life and lead to shellfish closures. The blooms are often patchy, so impacts can vary by beach and time of day.
Information from News Service Florida, Associated Press and Florida Public Radio was used in this report
