Tag Archives: Florida

US

Central Florida under tornado watch

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6:55 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Marion County until 7:45 p.m. 6:15 p.m. The tornado warning issued for Flagler County has now expired. A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 6:30 p.m. >>> Track storms with our interactive radar5:45 p.m.: A Tornado Warning was just issued for Flagler County until 6:15 p.m. When a Tornado Warning is issued by the National Weather Service, a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property.4:25 P.M. A tornado watch has been issued for much of Central Florida. Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Marion, Flagler and Sumter counties are under a tornado watch until midnight. A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible inside a thunderstorm. If a tornado is spotted, a warning would be issued.Download the WESH 2 News app to be aware of alerts, listen to NOAA Weather radio, or tune in to WESH 2 News when there is impending severe weather.4:15 p.m.: The warning in Seminole and Orange counties has expired, but we are still watching the threat of strong and severe storms later on this afternoon into tonight.3:51 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Seminole and Orange counties. 8 a.m. : There is a chance of strong to severe storms Saturday afternoon into Saturday night in much Central Florida.>>> Track storms with our interactive radarThe Storm Prediction Center on Saturday morning upgraded much of Central Florida to a slight risk, which means there is a scattered threat of severe storms in the area. The biggest threat in Central Florida Saturday will be damaging wind gusts inside of strong storms. Central Florida Current Weather ConditionsHourly Forecast | Weekend Forecast | 10 Day ForecastCentral Florida Interactive RadarLive Doppler RadarSign Up For WESH 2 E-Mail Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 App and Get Weather AlertsThe severe weather chances start around 3 p.m. and could continue into the overnight. Check back for the latest updates from the WESH 2 First Alert Weather Team.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

6:55 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Marion County until 7:45 p.m.

6:15 p.m. The tornado warning issued for Flagler County has now expired. A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 6:30 p.m.

>>> Track storms with our interactive radar

5:45 p.m.: A Tornado Warning was just issued for Flagler County until 6:15 p.m.

When a Tornado Warning is issued by the National Weather Service, a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. There is imminent danger to life and property.

4:25 P.M. A tornado watch has been issued for much of Central Florida. Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Marion, Flagler and Sumter counties are under a tornado watch until midnight.

A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible inside a thunderstorm. If a tornado is spotted, a warning would be issued.

Download the WESH 2 News app to be aware of alerts, listen to NOAA Weather radio, or tune in to WESH 2 News when there is impending severe weather.

4:15 p.m.: The warning in Seminole and Orange counties has expired, but we are still watching the threat of strong and severe storms later on this afternoon into tonight.

3:51 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Seminole and Orange counties.

8 a.m. : There is a chance of strong to severe storms Saturday afternoon into Saturday night in much Central Florida.

>>> Track storms with our interactive radar

The Storm Prediction Center on Saturday morning upgraded much of Central Florida to a slight risk, which means there is a scattered threat of severe storms in the area.

The biggest threat in Central Florida Saturday will be damaging wind gusts inside of strong storms.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

The severe weather chances start around 3 p.m. and could continue into the overnight.

Check back for the latest updates from the WESH 2 First Alert Weather Team.



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US

Central Florida under tornado watch

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4:25 P.M. A tornado watch has been issued for much of Central Florida. Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Marion, Flagler and Sumter counties are under a tornado watch until midnight. You can see a map of the impacted area belowA Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible inside a thunderstorm. If a tornado is spotted, a warning would be issued.Download the WESH 2 News app to be aware of alerts, listen to NOAA Weather radio, or tune in to WESH 2 News when there is impending severe weather.4:15 p.m.: The warning has expired, but we are still watching the threat of strong and severe storms later on this afternoon into tonight.3:51 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Seminole and Orange counties. 8 a.m. : There is a chance of strong to severe storms Saturday afternoon into Saturday night in much Central Florida.>>> Track storms with our interactive radarThe Storm Prediction Center on Saturday morning upgraded much of Central Florida to a slight risk, which means there is a scattered threat of severe storms in the area. The biggest threat in Central Florida Saturday will be damaging wind gusts inside of strong storms. Central Florida Current Weather ConditionsHourly Forecast | Weekend Forecast | 10 Day ForecastCentral Florida Interactive RadarLive Doppler RadarSign Up For WESH 2 E-Mail Weather AlertsDownload the WESH 2 App and Get Weather AlertsThe severe weather chances start around 3 p.m. and could continue into the overnight. Check back for the latest updates from the WESH 2 First Alert Weather Team.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

4:25 P.M. A tornado watch has been issued for much of Central Florida. Orange, Seminole, Volusia, Marion, Flagler and Sumter counties are under a tornado watch until midnight.

You can see a map of the impacted area below

A Tornado Watch means tornadoes are possible inside a thunderstorm. If a tornado is spotted, a warning would be issued.

Download the WESH 2 News app to be aware of alerts, listen to NOAA Weather radio, or tune in to WESH 2 News when there is impending severe weather.

4:15 p.m.: The warning has expired, but we are still watching the threat of strong and severe storms later on this afternoon into tonight.

3:51 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for parts of Seminole and Orange counties.

8 a.m. : There is a chance of strong to severe storms Saturday afternoon into Saturday night in much Central Florida.

>>> Track storms with our interactive radar

The Storm Prediction Center on Saturday morning upgraded much of Central Florida to a slight risk, which means there is a scattered threat of severe storms in the area.

The biggest threat in Central Florida Saturday will be damaging wind gusts inside of strong storms.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

The severe weather chances start around 3 p.m. and could continue into the overnight.

Check back for the latest updates from the WESH 2 First Alert Weather Team.



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Science

Whale That Washed Up on Florida Beach Turns Out to Be an Entirely New Species

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A 38-foot-long (11.5 meters) whale that washed ashore in the Florida Everglades in January 2019 turns out to be a completely new species. And it’s already considered endangered, scientists say.

 

When the corpse of the behemoth washed up along Sandy Key – underweight with a hard piece of plastic in its gut – scientists thought it was a subspecies of the Bryde’s (pronounced “broodus”) whale, a baleen whale species in the same group that includes humpback and blue whales. That subspecies was named Rice’s whale.

Now, after genetic analysis of other Rice’s whales along with an examination of the skull from the Everglades whale, researchers think that, rather than a subspecies, the Rice’s whale is an entirely new species that lives in the Gulf of Mexico. 

The discovery, detailed January 10 in the journal Marine Mammal Science, also means that there are fewer than 100 members of this species living on the planet, making them “critically endangered,” according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Related: Amazing new video shows baby humpback whales nursing from their moms

According to the study, the researchers looked at records of the Bryde’s whale in the Caribbean and greater Atlantic Ocean and concluded the whales they spotted were evidence “of an undescribed species of Balaenoptera from the Gulf of Mexico.” 

The lead study author Patricia Rosel and her co-author, Lynsey Wilcox, both at Southeast Fisheries Science Center, completed the first genetic tests of this whale in 2008, finding that the skull of the Rice’s whale was different than that of Bryde’s whales.

 

In addition to having different skulls, Rice’s whales are slightly different in size than Bryde’s whales, the new analysis showed. They can weigh up to 60,000 pounds (27,215 kilograms) and grow up to 42 feet (12.8 meters) long, according to NOAA, whereas Bryde’s whales have been known to reach upwards of 50 feet (15.2 m) and weigh more than 55,000 pounds (24,947 kg).

Rosel and her colleagues think the whales in the new species can live approximately 60 years, but given that there are so few in existence, researchers need further observation of the whales to get a better idea of their life expectancy.

Given their location in the Gulf of Mexico, Rice’s whales are particularly vulnerable to oil spills, vessel strikes and energy exploration and production, NOAA added.

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This article was originally published by Live Science. Read the original article here.

 

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US

Car carrying COVID-19 vaccines stolen in Florida

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Police are searching for a man who they said stole a car containing vials of COVID-19 vaccine just before they were to be distributed. The 2018 gray Hyundai Accent with Florida tag NPJJ58 was stolen from the inoculation site at the Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds in Plant City, authorities said.Police released video of the suspect, who they described as a light-skinned male in his 20s. He has long hair and was wearing a light-colored hoodie when the theft occurred.The police incident report says the car had been left with the engine running and unlocked by a driver who worked for CDR Maguire, a contractor that had been providing vaccination scheduling and COVID testing. Police said the driver had left the keys in ignition and gotten out to ask for instructions on where to go.The car was carrying 30 vials of vaccine worth about $10,000. Anyone with information about the man is asked to call Plant City police.

PLANT CITY, Fla. —

Police are searching for a man who they said stole a car containing vials of COVID-19 vaccine just before they were to be distributed.

The 2018 gray Hyundai Accent with Florida tag NPJJ58 was stolen from the inoculation site at the Strawberry Festival Fairgrounds in Plant City, authorities said.

Police released video of the suspect, who they described as a light-skinned male in his 20s. He has long hair and was wearing a light-colored hoodie when the theft occurred.

The police incident report says the car had been left with the engine running and unlocked by a driver who worked for CDR Maguire, a contractor that had been providing vaccination scheduling and COVID testing.

Police said the driver had left the keys in ignition and gotten out to ask for instructions on where to go.

The car was carrying 30 vials of vaccine worth about $10,000.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to call Plant City police.

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US

Two FBI agents killed and three agents injured in shootout in Sunrise, Florida

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The subject of the warrant is dead, the FBI said in a statement.

The shooting occurred at about 6 a.m. as a team of law enforcement officers executed the federal court-ordered search warrant as part of a violent crimes against children case, according to a statement from FBI Miami Special Agent Michael D. Leverock and spokesman Jim Marshall.

At an afternoon media briefing, Special Agent in Charge George Piro said the suspect opened fire.

Two of the wounded FBI agents were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition, while the third injured agent was not hospitalized, officials said.

FBI Director Christopher Wray identified the deceased agents as Special Agent Daniel Alfin and Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger.

“Every day, FBI Special Agents put themselves in harm’s way to keep the American people safe. Special Agent Alfin and Special Agent Schwartzenberger exemplified heroism today in defense of their country,” he said in a statement. “The FBI will always honor their ultimate sacrifice and will be forever grateful for their bravery.”

The shooting took place at the Water Terrace apartment complex, an upscale gated community outside Fort Lauderdale, at 6:04 a.m., according to Sunrise Police spokeswoman Otishia Browning-Smith. The person who officers were looking for had barricaded himself, she said.

The shootout, one of the deadliest in FBI history, brought a major law enforcement response to the area.

Video from CNN affiliate WSVN shows an ambulance driving from the scene to the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office at about 10:30 a.m., escorted by a group of law enforcement officers on motorcycles. Once there, a body on a gurney draped in an American flag was wheeled into the building as a line of officers saluted.

The FBI said its Inspection Division is investigating the shooting.

“The review process is thorough and objective and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances,” the FBI statement said.

Alfin, 36, had worked cases of crimes against children for more than six years; Schwartzenberger, who was 43, for more than seven years.

Schwartzenberger had been an agent since 2005 and moved to the Miami bureau 11 years ago. She is survived by her husband and two children.

Alfin joined the FBI in 2009 and came to the Miami office in 2017. He was married with one child.

“They were valuable members of the FBI and will forever be heroes,” Piro said. “Our chosen profession is fraught with danger. Today this grim reality has taken two of our best from our family.”

The name of the suspect will not be released until the next of kin are notified, Piro added.

Last FBI agent fatally shot was in 2008

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) offered condolences to those injured and said the search warrant was in connection with suspected possession of child pornography.

“These Agents were working to protect the most vulnerable in our society. FBIAA stands with the Agents’ families and pledges our support to them during this difficult time,” FBIAA President Brian O’Hare said in a statement.

Tuesday’s mass shooting marks the first time since 2008 that an FBI agent was fatally shot on duty. In that case, Special Agent Samuel S. Hicks was shot and killed while trying to serve an arrest warrant in a drug trafficking case at a home near Pittsburgh.
The Sunrise shooting is also similar to a deadly firefight 35 years ago outside Miami that was a turning point in the FBI’s history. On April 11, 1986, two violent bank robbers being pursued by FBI agents opened fire with high-powered firearms, killing two agents and wounding five others before the suspects were killed.
In the aftermath of the shootout, the FBI issued special agents with semi-automatic handguns rather than revolvers, changed its firearms training, and studied the psychological impacts of being shot at, former FBI deputy director John S. Pistole said in 2006.
In 2015, a new federal building in Miramar, Florida, housing the FBI Miami Field Office was dedicated the “Benjamin P. Grogan and Jerry L. Dove Federal Building,” named for the two agents who died that day.

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Entertainment

Saved By The Bell star Dustin Diamond, 44, might have only ‘weeks to live’

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Dustin Diamond may have only weeks to live as he battles Stage Four cancer, according to a close friend of his.

On Monday his pal Dan Block gave a health update on the 44-year-old Saved By The Bell actor to The Sun.

Block claimed Diamond may have as little as ‘a few weeks to live’ with a chance of being able to stay alive for several months. And there is a very slim chance he can make it another two years at most.

‘We do not have any specific timelines, but we know that Dustin needs a miracle to overcome the small cell carcinoma he’s been diagnosed with,’ Block told the site. 

The friend also listed the two things Dustin wants to do before he passes away. 

Bad news: Dustin Diamond may have only weeks to live, according to a close friend of his. On Monday his pal Dan Block gave a health update on the Saved By The Bell actor, who has Stage Four cancer, to The Sun; seen in 2016

Longtime friends: Dustin, left, and his friend Dan, right, who talked to a British publication

‘He was told weeks to 5 months is the average but a small percentage of people have lived one to two years with it being stage 4,’ added Dan.

He then shared, ‘We are hoping that he is one of the people to outlive the odds and that we get as much time with him as possible.’ 

DailyMail.com has reached out to Dustin’s rep for comment. 

Dan said Dustin had a ‘huge lump’ in his neck for a while but was afraid to seek medical help because he feared trolls would get photos of him and post them online then make nasty comments.

‘I know that the reason he didn’t get help is because when he goes out people take pictures, put it on the internet and say not nice things about him,’ Dan said. ‘He’s subject to public ridicule all the time and it sucks. People need to know he is a human.’ 

His hit show: On Saved By The Bell; (l-r) Mario Lopez as Alabert Clifford ‘A.C.’ Slater, Dennis Haskins as Mr. Richard Belding, Lark Voorhies as Lisa Turtle, Tiffani Thiessen as Kelly Kapowski, Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie Spano, Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Zachary ‘Zach’ Morris, Diamond as Screech Powers

The good ole days: Thiessen, Gosselaar, Diamond and Lopez in 1996

But in January Dustin went to the hospital because he had pain all over his body; that is when he was told he had cancer.   

He has already gone through his first round of chemotherapy in a hospital, according to TMZ. 

According to his reps, Dustin was officially diagnosed with ‘stage four small cell carcinoma.’ ‘This is commonly referred to as advanced lung cancer,’ TMZ reported, adding that in this instance, the ‘cancer started elsewhere in his body and metastasized in his lungs.’

Dan has also said that Dustin has two wishes before he dies: to talk to the bassist from his favorite band Tool and to visit the Star Wars section of Disney World in Florida. 

He looks up to this man: Dan has also said that Dustin has two wishes before he dies: one is to talk to the bassist from his favorite band Tool; Justin Chancellor is pictured

A place to go: The star would also like to see the Star Wars section of Disney World in Florida; here is a look at the section in California’s Disneyland

‘Dustin was learning to play several Tool songs and wanted to start a Tool tribute band,’ Dan Explained. ‘He was in the process of starting the band before being diagnosed with cancer. 

‘He would play the song and play along with his bass while watching YouTube videos. It would be amazing if Justin saw this article and could reach out – it would be granting one of Dustin’s dying wishes and we would greatly appreciate it.’

The friend also called Dustin ‘a huge Star Wars fan’ so he wants to get him to the Star Wars section of Disney World.

‘We’re hoping we can find a way to arrange that,’ added Dan.

Better days: In 2002, Diamond posed during Celebrity Boxing 2 Weigh-In at KTLA Studios in Hollywood

Tough setback: Dustin’s hospitalization was reported on January 12, and just says later, a representative for the actor confirmed the news. His rep said: ‘At this time we can confirm that Dustin does have cancer’; seen in 2012

Last week a source said Diamond is ‘going through a lot of pain’ amid his cancer battle. Sources have said the actor is ‘going to be in the hospital for a while’ as he undergoes treatment, and going through ‘ups and downs’ both physically and emotionally.

The insider said: ‘It’s not good, it’s not good at all. He’s going to be in the hospital for a while. He’s getting through his treatments now. It’s tough, it’s very hard. 

‘He’s going through a lot of pain, but he still keeps his spirits up. Right now, he’s just suffering. He has his ups and downs where he’s great one minute, but then he can be in a lot of pain – tears. It’s such an emotional time.’

But Dustin has the full support of his loved ones, who are ‘calling him every day’ to make sure he’s okay.

The source added to Us Weekly magazine: ‘Those close to him try calling him every day to try to cheer him up. He has a handful of people who are in his close circle — his girlfriend being one of them. They have no idea when he can go home.’

Another TV show: Diamond and Courtney Stodden on Celebrity Big Brother in Britain in 2013

Dustin’s hospitalization was reported on January 12, and just says later, a representative for the actor confirmed the news. His rep said at the time: ‘At this time we can confirm that Dustin does have cancer. Dustin will disclose more information once it is available and a plan moving forward is made.

‘We ask everyone to respect Dustin’s privacy during this difficult time. All positivity and prayers are appreciated.’

Dustin’s team also provided fans with postal and email addresses to send letters to the actor to send their support but stressed they shouldn’t be used for autograph requests.

This comes after former SBTB co-star Mario Lopez said he was ‘praying’ Dustin will beat cancer. The 47-year-old actor has taken to Instagram to voice his support for his friend.

Alongside some throwback photos with his former co-star, Mario – who played A.C. Slater on the sitcom – wrote: ‘I connected with Dustin earlier this evening and although the news of his diagnosis is heartbreaking, we remain positive that he’ll overcome this. Praying for him & his family and for a speedy recovery. God Bless.’ 

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Entertainment

Rod Stewart, son Sean reach plea deal over Florida altercation

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Rod Stewart is wrapping up his legal drama.

Stewart and his son, Sean, were accused of battering a security guard at a Florida hotel on New Year’s Day 2020 when the guard barred the rocker and his son from entering a party they weren’t allowed to attend.

The guard, Jessie Dixon, alleged that Sean pushed him while the “Maggie May” singer punched him after he found the two of them and their family at a check-in table for a private party at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach.

Misdemeanor battery charges were brought against the two, though they will now avoid trial thanks to the plea deal, the South Florida SunSentinel reported. The terms of the deal were not released.

ROD STEWART, SON SEAN ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN NEW YEAR’S EVE ALTERCATION WITH RESORT EMPLOYEE, REPORT SAYS

Dixon said that Stewart, now 76, and his group were making a scene and he placed his hand on Sean’s chest, telling him to make space during the altercation, according to the SunSentinel.

Rod Stewart (left) and his son Sean Stewart (right) have reached a plea deal in the case of misdemeanor battery charges brought against them following an altercation in a Florida hotel. (Photo by Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

Sean then allegedly got “nose to nose” with the guard and shoved him. Next came the rock star’s alleged punch to Dixon’s “left rib cage area,” according to a police report.

The police report also stated that Sean became agitated when Dixon blocked his family from attending the event “due to Dixon’s interaction with him and his family.”

ROD STEWART ACCUSES ELTON JOHN OF SNUBBING HIS EFFORTS TO HEAL RIFT: ‘BIG FALLING OUT’

Security footage of the incident led Palm Beach officer Stephen Mancino to determine that the Stewarts were the “primary aggressors” in the incident.

Additionally, two hotel employees said that they witnessed Sean push the guard.

Dixon signed an affidavit indicating he would press charges against the rocker and his son.

Rod Stewart was accused of punching a security guard after his son shoved the same guard. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)

The police report said that Stewart “apologized for his behavior in the incident.”

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Reps for Stewart did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

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At the time, a source close to the star told Page Six that the incident “was an unfortunate quick, brief misunderstanding and they apologized. No one was detained and there were no injuries.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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World

Ingraham: Locked-down ‘Blue State Blues’ present dire contrast to GOP-run Florida, Texas

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States led by Democratic governors are feeling the “Blue State Blues,” while red states are enjoying a greater degree of freedom, joy and prosperity, Laura Ingraham told viewers Thursday. 

“The Ingraham Angle” host recalled that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis were ridiculed by the media for keeping their states’ economices as open as possible, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other Democrats received lavish praise. 

“But these brave conservatives did not wilt or cave to hysteria,” Ingraham said. “They stood for common sense … Of course, they all turned out to be right.”

Statistics show three of the four states with the highest COVID death rates per 100,000 residents are Democrat-run New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. By contrast, Ingraham said, “the pandemic is practically over in South Dakota. Herd immunity, I don’t know, but it does look like there was no lockdown necessary there.”

DESANTIS FIRES BACK AT PSAKI OVER ‘DISINGENUOUS’ VACCINE DISTRIBUTION CRITIQUE

“Naturally, shutdowns meant big job losses and huge suffering across the country. While the national unemployment rate stands at around 6.7%, the situation in California and New York [is] far worse,” she continued. “Instead of common sense reopening of schools and churches, restaurants, small businesses, [California Governor [Gavin] Newsom and liberal mayors and school boards inflicted needless pain on California’s economy, on schoolchildren, and religious communities. And they still have one of the worst COVID case records in the country.”

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Ingraham then asked her audience whether they’d prefer to live in Texas or deteriorating New York City under Mayor Bill de Blasio and Cuomo’s shutdown orders.

“If you love a state whose governor focuses on attracting, not repelling, entrepreneurs and families, then you’ve got to head to the Lone Star State …” she said. “For anyone who cares about staying free and having a decent quality of life, the choice is an easy one.”

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World

McCarthy and Trump discuss Republicans plans to take back House majority at Florida meeting Thursday

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“They discussed many topics, number one of which was taking back the House in 2022,” the statement read. “President Trump’s popularity has never been stronger than it is today, and his endorsement means more than perhaps any endorsement at any time.”

The statement described the meeting as “cordial” and highlighted a stronger than expected performance among key House GOP candidates, though Democrats maintained their House majority with a slimmer margin.

McCarthy’s visit comes at a tumultuous time for the Republican Party, following Trump’s role ahead of the January 6 deadly riot storming the Capitol that led to Trump’s second impeachment just days before he left office. Ten House Republicans voted to impeach Trump and the Senate is expected to pick up the former president’s trial next month. Still, all but five Republican senators voted earlier this week that such a trial was not constitutional, outlining just some of the divides in the party, as Democrats now control the legislative and executive branches.

CNN reported earlier Thursday that two sources told CNN that some people warned McCarthy not to go see Trump. A source familiar with the matter said it made McCarthy look weak. Another source close to McCarthy told CNN that the California Republican was told that he would look like he was “crawling back to Trump,” and that it would further isolate him from mainstream donors who want to move away from Trump.

McCarthy was also in Florida fundraising as the House is out this week.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

CNN’s Dana Bash contributed to this report.

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US

Proud Boys leader was government informant, records show

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The leader of the Proud Boys, who was arrested in Washington shortly before the Capitol riot, previously worked undercover and cooperated with investigators after he was accused of fraud in 2012, court documents show.

Henry “Enrique” Tarrio helped law enforcement in a variety of investigations nearly a decade ago by providing information and going undercover, the records show.

The Proud Boys is a far-right, male chauvinist extremist group that seized on the Trump administration’s policies and was a major agitator during earlier protests and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6. The Proud Boys have railed against a “deep state” and work to break down the current government system, and so the revelations of Tarrio as a federal informant came as quite a surprise.

The details of Tarrio’s cooperation, which was first reported Wednesday by Reuters, were found in a transcript of a 2014 hearing in federal court in Florida regarding his sentence for participating in a scheme involving the resale of diabetic test strips.

The prosecutor and Tarrio’s defense attorney both cited Tarrio’s extensive cooperation in arguing that his sentence of 30 months should be cut. The judge agreed to reduce his sentence to 16 months, the records show.

“Your Honor, frankly, in all the years, which is now more than 30 that I’ve been doing this, I’ve never had a client as prolific in terms of cooperating in any respect,” said Tarrio’s lawyer at the time, Jeffrey Feiler, according to the transcript.

An email seeking comment was not immediately returned from a lawyer representing Tarrio in his current case. In an interview with Reuters, Tarrio denied ever cooperating with authorities.

After Tarrio’s 2012 indictment, he helped the government prosecute more than a dozen other people, the federal prosecutor told the judge, according to the transcript. Tarrio’s lawyer said he was the first defendant to cooperate in the case and was also involved in a variety of police undercover operations involving things like anabolic steroids and prescription narcotics.

“From day one, he was the one who wanted to talk to law enforcement, wanted to clear his name, wanted to straighten this out so that he could move on with his life. And he has in fact cooperated in a significant way,” the prosecutor said, according to the transcript.

Tarrio was arrested in Washington on Jan. 4, two days before the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol in a bid to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory.

He was accused of vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during an earlier protest in the nation’s capital. The banner was ripped from Asbury United Methodist Church property, torn and set aflame in December.

Tarrio was seen with the sign in video of the incident posted on YouTube, according to a police report. When police pulled Tarrio over, officers found two unloaded magazines emblazoned with the Proud Boys logo in his bag that had a capacity of 30 rounds each, authorities said.

___

Richer reported from Boston. Associated Press reporter Curt Anderson in St. Petersburg, Florida, contributed to this report.

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