A federal judge is being asked to block a new Florida abortion law that takes effect in 2 days. The law bars public money for any health service at clinics that also provide abortions. It also requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar Texas law this week.
The Zika Virus isn’t the only health threat Floridians face this summer. One doctor is out with a warning about a deadly organism you can get while swimming in untreated water. Doctor Sandra Gompf lost her 10-year-old son Philip to amoebic meningitis after he swam in a Polk County Florida lake. Now Gompf has put up a billboard along Tampa’s I-4 warning people about a so-called “brain-eating bacteria” called Negleria Fowleri. It lives in warm, fresh, unchlorinated water. Cases are amoebic-related meningitis are rare, but almost always deadly. So Gompf says keep the head dry, and if you can’t keep the head dry, use nose clips.
Lake Wales police officer Aaron Barnes, going to prison for five years for having sex with an underage girl. The girl was 16 when the 38 year old Barnes started a relationship with her, which included having the teen to his house for alcoholic drinks.
The Fort Pierce mosque once attended by Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen says it’s getting threatening voice messages and a group of motorcyclists even circled the mosque yelling at people inside. The Saint Lucie Sheriff’s Office is apparently refusing to put deputies there long term, saying they don’t have the manpower.
No word yet on the name of the 64 year old man hit and killed by an SUV as he crossed 34th Street North in St. Petersburg overnight. There will be no charges against the driver.
A little relief from rush hour traffic back ups. The right lane of I-75 near Fowler Avenue that’s been closed all week for repairs to a depression in the pavement is back open.
No winner in last night’s Mega Millions drawing. So, Friday night’s drawing will be worth 415 million dollars, the third largest jackpot in the game’s history. Mega Millions is played in 44 states including Florida.
