Florida
Space debris crashes into Florida home, family sues for damages
Lawyer Mica Nguyen Worthy is suing NASA on behalf of Florida homeowner Alejandro Otero and his family to recover damages after space debris hit their family home in early March, according to the Cranfill Sumner Law Firm where Worthy is a partner.
On March 8, a piece of space debris crashed through the roof of Otero’s home while his son Daniel was in the room. The debris left a large hole in the roof through the sub-flooring.
NASA confirmed later that the space debris was from its flight support equipment, which was used to mount the batteries on the cargo pallet.
In March 2021, NASA’s ground force used the International Space Station’s robotic arm to release a cargo pallet containing batteries from the space station after installing new batteries as part of an upgrade on the orbital outpost.
NASA stated that although the hardware was expected to burn up during its entry into Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, a piece of hardware survived re-entry and struck the Florida home.
In discussing the cause of the debris, NASA added, “Based on the examination, the agency determined the debris to be a stanchion from the NASA flight support equipment used to mount the batteries on the cargo pallet. The object is made of the metal alloy Inconel, weighs 1.6 pounds, is 4 inches in height and 1.6 inches in diameter.”
The space agency said they will continue to investigate why the hardware did not burn up during entry and update their systems so it does not occur again.
Damages Otero family is seeking
The Otero family members are seeking claims for non-insured Property Damage loss, Business Interruption damages, Emotional/Mental anguish damages, and the costs of assistance from third parties required in the process.
Furthermore, the Oteros’ homeowner’s insurance carrier submitted a simultaneous claim for the damages to the property it had subrogated.
“Space debris is a real and serious issue because of the increase in space traffic in recent years,” Worthy emphasized.
“My clients are seeking adequate compensation to account for this event’s stress and impact on their lives. They are grateful that no one sustained physical injuries from this incident, but a ‘near miss’ situation such as this could have been catastrophic. If the debris had hit a few feet in another direction, there could have been serious injury or a fatality,” Worthy added.
Worthy is a partner in the Charlotte, North Carolina office of Cranfill Sumner LLP and Chair of the firm’s Aviation and Aerospace Practice Group.
Worthy also emphasized to NASA that it should consider that US citizens should not have to make a claim under a negligence legal theory when the US government has committed to being “absolutely liable” under international treaty law for damage to persons or property on Earth’s surface caused by its space objects.
“If the incident had happened overseas, and someone in another country was damaged by the same space debris as in the Oteros’ case, the US would have been absolutely liable to pay for those damages under the Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects also known as the ‘Space Liability Convention,’” Worthy noted.
“We have asked NASA not to apply a different standard towards US citizens or residents, but instead to take care of the Oteros and make them whole,” she said.
“Here, the US government, through NASA, has an opportunity to set the standard or ‘set a precedent’ for what responsible, safe, and sustainable space operations should look like. If NASA were to take the position that the Oteros’ claims should be paid in full, it would signal to other governments and private industries that such victims should be compensated regardless of fault,” Worthy concluded.
NASA will have six months to respond to the allegations.
Florida
Florida man arrested for tossing away newborn kittens accused of threatening family member: ‘Dead man walking’
Tyler Holtz is accused of threatening a family member days after being arrested on animal cruelty charges. Courtesy: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Less than a week after a Florida man was accused of throwing five newborn kittens in the trash, he ended up back in jail after deputies said he threatened to kill a family member.
The backstory:
On April 25, 2026, deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office went to a Hawthorne home after a witness told them she had removed two plastic bags containing five kittens from a trash can after hearing the animals whining inside.
The deputy said that the kittens still had umbilical cords attached and were not thriving.
Putnam County Animal Control went to the home and determined that the kittens were about five hours old. The mother cat was not located.
According to PCSO, the person who found the kittens tried to get them emergency medical help, but four died. The fifth kitten was being treated at a veterinary office in Ocala.
A neighbor who lived on the property said that he caught Tyler Holtz, 36, placing the bags in the garbage can.
Holtz was arrested on May 1 and charged with five counts of animal cruelty and abandoning an animal to die.
He was released on a $12,500 bond, on the condition that he wouldn’t commit another crime.
Dig deeper:
Approximately three days later, deputies said Holtz sent text messages to a family member stating that the victim was “a dead man walking” as well as giving details of firearms and access to weapons.
The victim reportedly told deputies he was scared for his life and that Holtz was known to have a firearm.
Deputies located Holtz during a traffic stop. He was charged with sending a written threat to kill. He is being held at the Putnam County Jail on no bond.
The Source: This article was written with information posted on social media by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Over the past couple of years, experts have noticed a heavy decrease in lovebugs across Central Florida.
However, that trend may have just been reversed.
Lovebugs are known for flying through the air while getting “stuck” together during their explosive breeding seasons, causing plenty of splatters on the front of people’s cars.
But in recent years, Florida natives have noticed a stark drop in the number of these pests flitting about.
During a 2024 conversation with Dr. Norman Leppla — a professor at the University of Florida specializing in pest management — he explained that lovebugs’ disappearance was part of a larger trend.
“I really don’t know why, but we’re having a crisis globally with the loss of insect species and all kinds of other organisms just plain disappearing. And we’re quite worried about it,” he said at the time.
[ Where did all the lovebugs go?]
But this week, News 6 reached out for a follow-up after several members in the newsroom noticed more lovebugs in the air this year.
“Your newsroom members are correct in noticing more lovebugs than last year,” Leppla wrote. “I have seen some in North Central Florida during the past couple of weeks where there were none last year. They certainly aren’t abundant, however.”
According to Leppla, the number of lovebugs you see flying around depends on the survival of larvae, which in turn depend on continuous moisture to feed and develop.
Female lovebugs can lay hundreds of eggs, but if the environment is too dry or submerged for too long, the larvae end up dying — resulting in fewer lovebugs.
Typically, lovebug season pops up twice per year in Florida: in April to May, and August to September.
Per Leppla, lovebugs actually reached nuisance levels last month down south in places ranging from the Florida Keys up through Ft. Myers.
“They probably occurred in swarms along the lower east coast, as well,” he continued. “They will continue to be relatively abundant in local habitats where larvae can develop. Lovebugs will exist as far north as the climate will enable the larvae to survive.
However, lovebugs aren’t originally from Florida.
They actually hail from the Yucatán in Mexico, having traveled into the Gulf Coast through Texas during the early-to-mid 1900s. In the Sunshine State, they weren’t seen until around 1950.
That means that even if lovebugs really did disappear from Florida, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re gone for good.
“They live in that tropical habitat, and they came here as our habitat became more conducive to lovebugs,” Leppla previously explained. “That’s usually what happens. And so they spread, and they can certainly just recede right back to the tropics.”
[ Don’t touch these fuzzy Florida bugs!]
But that begs the question: what are the impacts of lovebugs possibly disappearing from Florida?
The short answer? Not much.
In fact, lovebug guts reportedly contain an enzyme that can eat through the clearcoat of a vehicle, which can damage the vehicle’s paint. As such, it could be good news for drivers.
“It’s not going to cause a lot of issues for the folks here in Florida,” Leppla stated. “Only the car wash people.”
Leppla gave News 6 a few tips to keep the pesky insects away. Here’s what you should know:
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Lovebugs are attracted to light colors, so you can avoid wearing light-colored clothing and being near light-colored walls to not draw them in
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They are also bad flyers, so you can use a fan to blow them away
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Lastly, lovebugs don’t fly at night and take a break around noon, so if you limit outdoor exposure during the morning and afternoon times you may be able to avoid them
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
When does voting end for 2026 HGTV Smart Home near Orlando, Florida? 5 pm ET Friday, June 19, 2026, on hgtv.com and foodnetwork.com.
Voting is underway for the 2026 HGTV Smart Home in Florida − who’s going to win?
The home and garden network’s sweepstakes contest began last month, and those interested in the $1.3 million grand prize − a fully furished poolside paradise near Orlando and some cool cash − have just over a month to try their luck.
Voting continues twice a day at HGTV and Food Network sites. Here’s what we know.
What to know about 2026 HGTV Smart Home in Florida
The three-bedroom, three-bath HGTV Smart Home in Apopka, which is about 20 miles from Orlando, boasts a so-Florida vibe with its upscale tropical, relaxed decor. But what makes it a “smart home?” The state-of-the-art technology, functionality and mindful use of space when it came to the design. Or so says the designers and hosts of the 2026 HGTV special, Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt. The HGTV reality show hosts, who live in Tampa, made the inside and outside living spaces comfortable and compatible with Florida’s relentless summer heat, yet magazine cover-worthy.
Over the years, the Kleinschmidts have hosted “100 Day Dream Home,” “White House Christmas 2024,” “100 Day Hotel Challenge” and “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” all on HGTV. Their inside knowledge as Florida residents came into play with the 2026 HGTV Smart Home design.
It’s not the first time the home and garden network picked a site in the Sunshine State for its sweepstakes contest: Most recently, the 2024 HGTV Dream Home was on Anastasia Island, Florida, near St. Augustine, and the 2021 HGTV Smart Home was in Naples on the West Coast of the state.
How much is 2026 HGTV Smart Home near Orlando, Florida, worth?
The grand prize for the 2026 HGTV Smart Home in Apopka, Florida, is worth more than $1.3 million. The newly built, fully furnished resort-style home about 20 miles from Orlando is a 3,000-square-foot three-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a pool and outdoor living space. The winner of the HGTV Smart Home sweepstakes contest will receive the keys to the home, the furnishings and decor inside and out, plus $100,000 in cash.
The home was built by Hartizen Homes with interior design by husband-and-wife HGTV stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt.
The outside living space includes a swim-up bar, outdoor projector, putting green and gourmet grill station. Inside, the HGTV Smart Home evokes an upscale Florida design featuring a game room, movie theater lounge with multiple screens, open-concept living spaces and lots of skylights.
What does 2026 HGTV Smart Home in Florida look like? Tour it with hosts Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt
HGTV Smart Home 2026 sweepstakes in Florida. See features, video tour
HGTV Smart Home in Apopka, Florida, by Orlando is worth $1.3 million. Voting is April 21, 2026, through June 19, 2026, at hgtv.com and foodnetwork.com
Video courtesy of HGTV
When does voting end for 2026 HGTV Smart Home near Orlando, Florida?
According to sweepstakes contest rules, voting for the HGTV Smart Home 2026 giveaway runs 9 a.m. ET Tuesday, April 21, 2026, to 5 p.m. ET Friday, June 19, 2026. During that time, viewers can enter twice daily at hgtv.com/smart and foodnetwork.com/smarthome. A one-hour special about the 2026 HGTV Smart Home sweepstakes contest aired April 24, though streaming is available on HBO Max and Discovery+.
Photos of 2026 HGTV Smart Home near Orlando, Florida
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter.
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