South Florida State College’s Panther Partners will be hosting the State of Education in the Heartland, Wednesday, July 31 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Superintendents Dr. Brenda Longshore from Highlands County and Mr. Bob Shayman from Hardee County will be sharing information about the Highlands and Hardee school districts as well as offering updates on education in our region. The free event will take place at the University Center Auditorium on the Highlands Campus.
Relatives of a murder victim are relieved with a judge’s ruling in Orange County. A judge yesterday refused to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against Ronald Cates. The 66-year-old is accused of killing county maintenance worker John Stagner in 1992. Cates’ lawyers wanted the murder charge dismissed because Cates isn’t competent to stand trial. The judge, though, ruled that Cates’ mental state is not permanent, and Cates will continue to get treatment. He’s due back in court in November. Stagner’s daughter and niece were in the courtroom yesterday. His daughter says they’ve waited 32 years, and they’ll keep waiting until they get their final closure.
A teenager has life-altering injuries after a shooting in Volusia County. It happened Saturday at a residence in Port Orange. Police say two juveniles were in the home when one accidentally shot the other. Family members identified the victim as 13-year-old Nathaniel Green. His mother says Green’s friend was playing with a gun when it went off and hit Nathaniel in the spine. She says her son is now permanently paralyzed from the waist down and will need surgery to remove bullet fragments from his lungs. She also writes on a GoFundMe page that Nathaniel is in an induced coma, and when he wakes up, he’s going to be absolutely devastated that he can no longer walk.
The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens is offering a special deal for kids as their summer break nears the end. Visitors who are 12 years and younger are able to enjoy the Seminole County attraction for free with the purchase of an adult ticket. The zoo says this is a way to thank the community, while also ending summer on a great note. The discount will run through August and is only available at the gate.
The National School Safety Conference is underway in Central Florida. The 20th annual event kicked off yesterday as a way for school officials and law enforcement to learn about campus security measures. It will focus on a variety of topics, including how to prevent potential threats, artificial intelligence technology, and emergency planning tactics. The event will also feature the D.A.R.E International Training Conference. Both are taking place at the DoubleTree SeaWorld Resort in Orlando through Friday.
Police say they’ve made three arrests in the murder of a Jacksonville rapper. The rapper- Charles Jones, known by stage name Julio Foolio, was gunned down while celebrating his 26th birthday in Tampa last month. Suspects Isaiah Chance, Alisa Andrews, and Sean Gaithwright are in custody in Jacksonville. Police Chief Lee Bercaw says they believe Gaithwright and suspects Daveon [[ DAY-ve-on ]] and Rashad Murphy fired the fatal shots in a hotel parking lot. The Murphys remain at large.
Millions of dollars is going toward housing assistance efforts for young adults in Florida. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded funding to four public housing agencies in the state to help residents who left or are transitioning out of foster care. Bartow, Tampa, Lake Wales, and Palm Beach County will each receive a portion of the more than three-million dollars the federal government set aside to prevent homelessness. The money will be able to provide housing for those who qualify for at least three years.
A man convicted of murder in Marion County is a step closer to being put to death. Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant yesterday for Loran Cole. He killed an FSU student who was camping at Ocala National Forest in 1994. The death warrant calls for the 57-year-old Cole to be executed August 29th at Florida State Prison. He will be the first person executed in Florida this year.