Rape Suspect Arrested
Ocala Police have arrested a 31-year-old homeless man who they say is responsible for breaking into the apartment home of an 80-year-old woman and raping her. Taquino Williams was arrested Friday morning. Investigators were able to identify the suspect through various surveillance videos. Police say Taquino entered the apartment by crawling through a torn screen and entering the victim’s home through an unlocked side door.
DeSantis Not In Mix For White House
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may be months away from publicly declaring his presidential intentions, but his potential rivals aren’t holding back. No fewer than a half dozen Republicans eyeing the White House has begun actively courting top political operatives in states like New Hampshire and Iowa. Thus far, only Donald Trump is the declared candidate. DeSantis, meanwhile, is plowing forward with a fiery discriminatory agenda in the legislature before a presidential announcement which is expected in late spring or early summer.
Business Pledges Millions To Stem Road Fatalities
Nearly 50 businesses and nonprofits — including ride-share companies Uber and Lyft, industrial giant 3M, and automaker Honda — are pledging millions of dollars in initiatives to stem a crisis in road fatalities under a new federal effort announced Friday. It’s part of the Department of Transportation’s “Call to Action” campaign, which urges commitments from the private sector, trade groups, and health and safety organizations to reduce serious traffic injuries and deaths. Traffic fatalities are near historic highs after a surge of dangerous driving during the coronavirus pandemic.
US Tracking Chinese Spy Balloon
The U.S. was tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon spotted over American airspace. China said Friday that it would look into those reports, as the discovery further strained already tense relations between Beijing and Washington. The Pentagon decided not to shoot down the balloon, potentially flying over sensitive sites, because of concerns about hurting people on the ground. China said it had no intention of violating the territory and airspace of any sovereign country. Still, then again, China has a long history of lying to its people and the world.
You’ve Heard This Before – This One Is Real
You’ve heard of these stories before. Now here’s one for real. An Iowa nursing home facility is facing big fines after mistakenly pronouncing a 66-year-old patient dead and transporting her to a funeral home where she woke up gasping for air. Staffers at the nursing home reported no breathing and no pulse from the woman, who was critically ill, so the funeral home and family were called. After the incident, the woman was returned to the nursing home, where she died a couple of days later.
Heading To The Beach This Summer – Where Not To Go
If you’re heading to the beach this summer, you might want to leave this one to the tourists. According to Travel Lens, 7 of the ten most deadly beaches in the country are in Florida. And topping that list, New Smyrna Beach. Travel Lens looked at several factors, including surf zone fatalities, hurricanes, and shark attacks. New Smyrna topped the list with 32 shark attacks. Cocoa Beach and Ormond Beach rounded out the top three on that list.
Top Retirement Place – Guess What? It’s Not Florida Anymore
So where do people go when they retire? Florida, of course, and some of the reasons are obvious: warm weather, no income tax, and until recently, low housing costs. But not so fast, says Wallet Hub and other survey companies. The Sunshine State is no longer the top pick. Virginia has outflanked Florida for the top spot, with Florida at number two. The surveys looked at senior affordability, health care, and housing—the absolute worst state: Kentucky.