Florida
‘One of the most complicated things we’ve ever done:’ Florida welcomes back nearly 300 Floridians from Israel
ORLANDO, Fla. – Over the weekend, Florida’s governor welcomed back nearly 300 Floridians who were stuck in Israel.
“It’s one of the most complicated things we’ve ever done,” said Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the state’s Department of Emergency Management.
Guthrie said eight people landed in Orlando and nearly 300 landed in Tampa from Israel.
This effort Guthrie said was a collective effort from the state, nonprofits, state leaders, and more, but he says there have been some challenges.
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“I think what makes this complicated is that we are trying to evacuate people that are 5,100 miles away from the United States,” Guthrie said.
In an interview with News 6, we asked what the ongoing efforts for those that are still in Israel and Gaza.
Guthrie said that he already has around 40% of his staff working around the clock looking to get results for Floridians, their families, and American citizens stuck in both Israel and Gaza.
“We are already working on an additional manifest list right now, so we are still communicating inside of Israel. We have people on the ground in Israel,” Guthrie said.
According to Guthrie, there are about 100 people already set to come to the state in two days, saying more flights are already scheduled.
As flights make their way to Florida, News 6 learned of one Rabbi from Orlando who said he is staying put in Israel.
“They are under stress, each person has to deal with this tragedy in his own way,” said Rabbi Avraham Shira, who says he knows people already starting to pack for the net flights out.
“My wife and I talked about it many times saying maybe we should go back, but not out of fear but rather from a place of where we are meant to be and where we can do the most good in the world,” Rabbi Shira said.
Local Palestinians protested over the weekend calling for a cease-fire in Israel and Gaza.
Now leaders like Rasha Mubarak are reacting to the news of flights coming back from Israel.
“Palestinians should be included in any kind of refuge, security safety plan,” Mubarak said.
Mubarak says back here in the U.S. they are working on getting their people to safety, but she tells me right now she is calling on her fellow Floridians to stand with them.
“Whether you are a lawmaker, whether you are a resident in this country, whether you are the media, if you are a person on conscious… this is your time to be brave, to be bold and to push back from anti-Palestinian, Islamic-phobic rhetoric and call on a cease-fire,” Mubarak said.
The state says there are two more flights set to come from Israel on Oct. 18.
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ORLANDO, Fla. – What we know: A 23-year-old woman from Altoona was killed Tuesday morning in a crash involving a dump truck and a sedan on County Road 439 near County Road 44A, authorities said.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash occurred at approximately 8:23 a.m. when a 1994 dump truck traveling northbound on CR-439 encountered stopped traffic. The driver, a 28-year-old man from Leesburg, attempted to brake but veered into the southbound lane, colliding head-on with a 2019 Toyota Corolla.
The driver of the Corolla was transported to AdventHealth Waterman Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, troopers said. The dump truck driver was not injured and remained at the scene.
Both directions of CR-439 remain blocked as authorities continue to investigate. No additional details have been released.
A full media release will be provided as more information becomes available.
The Source: The information in this article comes from the Florida Highway Patrol.
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Neighbor acquitted of murder charge in cat dispute
A years-long legal battle over a deadly confrontation in Umatilla, Florida, has ended with a jury acquitting a man of second-degree murder charges stemming from a dispute over a cat.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A years-long legal battle over a deadly confrontation has ended with a jury acquitting a man of second-degree murder charges stemming from a dispute over a cat.
James Taylor, 41, was fatally shot during an argument with his neighbor.
What led to the deadly confrontation?
The backstory:
The incident occurred on October 20, 2021, in Southeast Marion County, north of Umatilla, and reportedly began when Taylor’s cat crossed onto the neighbor’s property, leading to a confrontation.
According to investigators, the neighbor, Clifton Anthony Bliss Jr., armed himself with a rifle and approached Taylor’s home, where the argument escalated.
The sheriff’s office arrested Bliss Jr. on a second-degree murder charge. Last week, a jury found Bliss Jr. not guilty after determining his actions were reasonable under the circumstances.
What they’re saying:
Taylor’s fiancée, Crystal Mitchell, expressed disbelief over the tragedy. “For that to end up like that? It’s unbelievable,” she said. Mitchell, who declined to appear on camera, said Taylor was a helpful neighbor, adding, “James wasn’t the kind to walk around and just threaten anybody and everybody with violence — that was not him.”
Legal experts say such cases hinge on proving an imminent threat of deadly force.
Criminal defense attorney Michael Panella, who was not involved in the case, emphasized the importance of de-escalation in conflicts.
“Your best self-defense are … nonverbal and verbal cues, being able to de-escalate something and actually removing yourself from a dangerous situation,” Panella said. “The last resort, the absolute last resort, is using deadly force.”
Bliss Jr. declined to comment on his acquittal.
Mitchell hopes her story reminds others that violence is never the answer.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the victim’s fiancée, Crystal Mitchell.
MIAMI – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a special legislative session to align state policies with President-elect Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration, but the move has drawn resistance from Republican leaders in the state legislature.
Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton sent a joint letter Monday dismissing the notion of a special session as “premature” and criticizing the governor’s proposals as lacking substance.
The session is currently scheduled for the week of Jan. 27, shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
“As you know, this Legislature will address illegal immigration, condominiums, petition initiatives and hurricane recovery this session, which starts in 50 days. Calling a special session at this time is premature,” the letter reads.
Republican leaders emphasized their support for Trump and his immigration agenda but argued that acting without detailed guidance from the federal government could hinder the incoming administration’s efforts.
“It is completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or ill-timed state action could potentially impair or impede the success of President Trump’s forthcoming efforts to end illegal immigration, close our borders and protect the sovereignty of our nation,” they wrote.
The letter also took issue with the governor’s approach, saying he had presented only “fragments of ideas” without actual bill language or meaningful details for lawmakers to consider.
Read the memo in its entirety:
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