News Update for 7/17/24

Convicted Mass murderer Zephen Xaver was back in court Tuesday afternoon for a disposition status conference before Judge Angela Cowden administers his final punishment. The death penalty was recommended for Xaver by a jury on June 26th for the murders of 5 women at a Sebring Sun Trust Bank in 2019. Before his final sentence is imposed, Xaver will have a Spencer Hearing which allows the defense to present any evidence or information to the judge that might mitigate his sentence. The hearing has been scheduled for November 4th and 5th.

Flooding is becoming a recurring problem for some Polk County residents. Residents at a 55-and-over mobile home park in Lakeland reported more flooding yesterday. That’s the fourth time in eight days flooding was reported at Citrus Center Colony on West Beacon Road, and residents say management isn’t doing anything. A city spokesperson says the mobile home park was built in the 1950s, and its stormwater system is outdated. One resident says this has been one of the most frustrating things she has ever been through.

A low-cost airline is planning to expand its services from Central Florida. Allegiant Air says it will launch a new direct trip from Melbourne Orlando International Airport to the Midwest beginning in November. The flights will go to Cincinnati, Ohio twice a week year-round with one-way fares starting as low as 49 dollars. The latest addition is part of a package of eight new nonstop flights to more than a dozen destinations nationwide. Some of the other airports included in the expansion are Sarasota-Bradenton, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood.

With Florida’s primary election fast-approaching, there are some important deadlines looming. The last day to register to vote or change party affiliation is next Monday, July 22nd. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is August 8th. It’s important to note that new vote-by-mail requests must be made because prior requests expired in 2022. Florida’s mandatory early voting period runs from August 10th through the 17th. Primary election day is August 20th.

A suspect accused of killing a Brevard County man over the weekend is dead after a police pursuit ended in Georgia. Investigators say 42-year-old Michael Smith shot the 39-year-old victim in the parking lot outside Mugs Pub in Melbourne on Sunday night. A car reported stolen out of Central Florida was spotted traveling along I-95 North in Jacksonville early yesterday morning. Authorities followed the driver into the Peach State before the driver went off the road and crashed into a wooded area. Deputies eventually found Smith dead inside the vehicle from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Duke Energy Florida is planning to increase its rates next year. The utility company and state consumer representatives reached a settlement yesterday, lowering Duke’s original hike request. The new proposal would increase base electric rates by 203-million dollars next year and nearly 60-million dollars the following year. The additional funding is expected to go toward solar-energy projects. The state Public Service Commission is scheduled to take up the initial proposal next month, but officials are hoping regulators will consider the new agreement.

Florida wildlife officials are offering a free training course ahead of the 2024 Python Challenge next month. The FWC says the goal of the program is to create a network of people around South Florida who know how to identify Burmese pythons, report sightings, and safely capture them. The invasive snake is found in the Everglades and poses a threat to the state’s native wildlife. Those interested in the course can sign up through MY-FWC-dot-com. The virtual class will take place at 7 p.m. eastern on Thursday.

Tomorrow could be a big day for St. Petersburg. The city council is expected to vote on the Historic Gas Plant District project. The six-and-a-half billion-dollar development includes affordable housing and a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays. The city and Pinellas County would contribute 700-million dollars. At a workshop yesterday, Mayor Ken Welch said the city has never done anything of this scope. That’s a problem for at least one city council member. Richie Floyd says this is one of the largest stadium subsidies in Major League Baseball
history.