Politics
Big Bend lawmakers back bills to block oil drilling and exploration
A campaign worker handing out flyers for congressional candidate Josh Weil has been arrested in Orange County for burglary.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested Arlecia Darnae Brown on March 6. At the time, Brown was handing out Weil campaign flyers when authorities arrested the Orlando resident on a bicycle reported stolen the night before.
“This is a perfect example of a crime of opportunity. I encourage all residents to stay vigilant, lock their doors, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
“Thorough detective work and concerned citizens helped lead to a quick resolution in this case of a convicted felon who has been arrested 19 times in the past. I also thank the resident who ‘saw something, said something,’ which helped us quickly locate the suspect and make an arrest.”
Weil’s team said Brown did not work directly for the campaign.
“This individual was hired by and worked for a third party contractor,” said Wendy Garcia, Weil’s Campaign Manager. “This is an unacceptable incident and we support the justice system working to deliver accountability. The individual is no longer authorized to do any work on behalf of our campaign.”
Weil faces Sen. Randy Fine, a Palm Bay Republican, in an April 1 Special Election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District. Fine held a press conference in Tallahassee on Monday criticizing Weil for hiring a longtime criminal to his campaign.
He also criticized Weil for allegations in his own background, including accusations that the teacher assaulted a student and stalked a female teacher. He repeatedly referred to Weil, a converted Muslim, as “Jihad Josh Weil.”
“Josh Weil has a lengthy, documented history of supporting Muslim terror and justifying and participating in criminal activity himself,” Fine said.
The Sheriff’s Office said Brown had previously been arrested on 14 misdemeanor charges and 15 felony charges. Brown was convicted of three felonies: robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jail records show Brown currently faces charges of home solicitation without a permit and possession of a forged driver’s license. Reports show the suspect had two Florida driver’s licenses, neither with Brown’s name, and had burglary tools.
Authorities say the children’s bicycle in use by Brown was stolen from an open garage, and surveillance footage was used to identify Brown as the suspect.
The Sheriff’s Office said deputies had responded to a call about a “suspicious person with a bicycle inside the fenced yard” at a vacant Palm Coast home.
Brown is currently being held on a $67,500 bond.
Post Views: 0
The rail expansion had been long awaited and could help grow Polk County’s manufacturing.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is giving $1.5 million to help expand Winter Haven’s railway to an industrial park in a project aimed at helping grow Polk County’s economy.
DeSantis announced the grant from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund at a press conference in Winter Haven.
The project will expand rail access to the Central Florida Integrated Logistics Park, which DeSantis touted as having nearly 1,000 acres of developable land and is near CSX Rail Intermodal Facility.
“We believe there’s a high return on investment,” DeSantis said. “The rail extension will help businesses expand operations in this area, and we definitely see the potential for new jobs being created.”
Local officials say they have been waiting for direct rail service at the park for years.
“This marks an important milestone for our community,” said Bruce Lyon, President of the Winter Haven Economic Development Council. “This new rail spur that we’re going to bring in, this is going to bring a fresh mode of transportation to the industrial park. It’s going to improve freight efficiency statewide by getting trucks off of our roads.”
Lyon called it a public-private partnership with rail companies, the manufacturing businesses and others investing to make the rail expansion a reality.
Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly touted the project as an economic driver in Polk County, and statewide, as manufacturing continues to grow.
“If you just drive around, you look at the Coca-Cola Distribution Center, you look at Florida Can Manufacturing facility,” Kelly said while standing alongside DeSantis. “Not too far in the distant future, we’ll have Niagara Water just across the street, and you can see that incredible effort to create really a hub for employment.”
DeSantis hinted that some other recognizable businesses are coming to the industrial park, which can accommodate everything from food and cold storage to manufacturers and statewide logistics companies.
Post Views: 0
*NSYNC Star JC Chasez’s Father Dead at 73, Bandmates Attend Service
GPE strikes new five-year London office deal with expanding Next
Gov. DeSantis appoints Nancy Swift, reappoints 2 to Lower Florida Keys Hospital District
-
Entertainment8 years agoThe final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season
-
Entertainment8 years ago
Mod turns ‘Counter-Strike’ into a ‘Tekken’ clone with fighting chickens
-
Politics8 years ago
Congress rolls out ‘Better Deal,’ new economic agenda
-
Entertainment8 years ago
New Season 8 Walking Dead trailer flashes forward in time
-
Tech8 years ago
Microsoft Paint is finally dead, and the world Is a better place
-
Tech8 years ago
Hulu hires Google marketing veteran Kelly Campbell as CMO
-
Politics8 years ago
Illinois’ financial crisis could bring the state to a halt
-
Tech8 years ago
Ford’s 2018 Mustang GT can do 0-to-60 mph in under 4 seconds