Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.
SHOOTER TAKES STAND IN LOUD MUSIC KILLING
A man who shot and killed a 17-year-old teenager after an argument over loud music outside a Jacksonville convenience store said Tuesday that he feared for his life when he opened fire. Michael Dunn, took the stand as the second witness called by his defense team. The 47-year-old is on trial for first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Jordan Davis of Marietta, Georgia, in November 2012. Dunn was convicted of three counts of attempted second-degree murder in February and already faces at least 60 years in prison. The jury in the first trial deadlocked on the first-degree murder count.
MANAGER ARRESTED IN WAKE OF MIAMI SHOOTING
The manager of a Miami restaurant where 15 people were shot during a teen party over the weekend has been arrested for selling liquor without a license. Police and city investigators inspected The Spot on Monday and found three bottles of liquor behind the bar. The restaurant is only licensed to sell beer and wine. Miami police said The Spot was functioning as a club early Sunday morning when a shooting wounded many youngsters, including an 11-year-old girl.
COURT GIVES GOVERNOR DEADLINE IN MAYOR SUSPENSION CASE
The Florida Supreme Court has given Gov. Rick Scott a mid-October deadline to explain why he won’t lift the suspension of a South Florida mayor acquitted of federal corruption charges. Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi is insisting he should get his job back after he was found not guilty. Scott has refused, pointing out that Miami Lakes voters elected a replacement mayor after Pizzi was indicted.
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REACHES POST-RECESSION HIGH
Florida’s consumer confidence is at its highest mark since the Great Recession. The monthly University of Florida survey released Tuesday shows consumer confidence was 83 in the month of September. That’s on a scale of 2 to 150 benchmarked to 1966 at a value of 100. This is a slight uptick from August. It is the highest consumer confidence has been since April 2007.
DEAD MANATEE WASHES ASHORE NEAR RIVIERA BEACH
A boat struck and killed a 10-year-old female manatee off Riviera Beach in Palm Beach County. The manatee washed ashore Monday at Ocean Reef park. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say a necropsy found the 1,100-pound manatee died of blunt force trauma.
