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<p> A Holly Hills electronics plant was evacuated Wednesday after an employee received a bomb threat, police said.</p><p> About 300 employees of Metra Electronics at 460 Walker Street were taken to a safe area after the threat was received.</p><p> Holly Hill police said the threat was made in the form of a voicemail that was received by the human resources department.</p><p> No injuries have been reported.</p><p> Watch Local 6 for more information. </p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 16:02:11 GMT
<p> Prosecutors for the State Attorney's Office in Orlando have released the full autopsy report and the arrest affidavits of those charged on Wednesday in the hazing death of Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion.</p><p> The full report, which can be viewed here, reiterates previous statements from the medical examiner that one fatal blow didn't kill Champion, 26, who died after a hazing ritual on a bus after the Florida Classic in November 2011. The medical examiner says Champion died of "hemorrhagic shock," which shut down his body after so many blows.</p><p> In the report, the medical examiner describes Champion's injuries, consisting of extensive bruises on his chest, arms, shoulder and back. However, he did not have any broken bones and none of his organs were injured by the blows, according to the report.</p><p> Champion was a registered organ donor and it was the donation staff at Translife who noticed contusions on his chest and upper arm, according to the report. But the doctor who had treated Champion at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital reported, "no obvious signs of trauma."</p><p> The arrest affidavits shed light onto what happened the night of Champion's death. According to the report, the sheriff’s investigator was first told that Champion returned to the buses for an "unknown reason" after going to his room. He was later "found" by other members of the band, according to the report.</p><p> Following the incident, FAMU Band Director Dr. Julian White called the Orange County sheriff's detectives at 2 a.m. on Nov. 20 to report that "a student contacted him and told him that there were several students on the bus conducting some sort of ritual in which the decedent was to run from the back of the bus to the front while being punched and hit by his classmates," according to the report.</p><p> "The defendant stepped off the bus afterwards, vomited and then reentered the bus indicating he was having difficulty breathing," White told the detective. At this time, only one student had reported seeing Champion's condition, according to the report. OCSO detectives had previously spoken to other students who advised that there were only two or three students near the bus when the defendant was discovered.</p><p> The arrest affidavits of the 11 band members charged with felonies in Champion's death were also released on Wednesday, explaining why each person specifically was charged. Two others face misdemeanor charges.The affidavits say that it was common knowledge that a band member needed to be hazed to earn the respect of other percussionists.</p><p> Champion had opposed hazing. But Champion was vying to be the Marching 100's top leader, and his friends say he volunteered to be hazed in order to win respect from others.</p><p> Also included in the evidence was an eight-page report from "stungun specialist" Marjorie Lundquist, who says Champion could have been Tasered, judging by his injuries. Watch Local 6 for more on this story.</p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 15:49:13 GMT
<p> Supporters of a lesbian mother presented a petition at the Boy Scouts of America's annual meeting in Orlando on Wednesday to protest her removal from a troop in Ohio.</p><p> Deborah Tyrrell's supporters presented the petition, which has about 300,000 signatures, at the Boy Scouts' meeting at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.</p><p> Tyrrell was removed last April as a leader of the troop near Bridgeport, Ohio. Boy Scouts' policy prohibits gays from being adult leaders, a rule upheld in 2000 by a 5-4 vote in the U.S. Supreme Court.</p><p> "I was forced to resign," said Tyrrell, who has a 7-year-old son.</p><p> Eagle Scout Zach Wahls, an Iowa college student who was raised by lesbian mothers, was among those presenting the petition. A video of Wahls urging Iowa legislators not to end civil unions went viral last year.</p><p> After delivering the signatures, Wahls met briefly with Deron Smith, public relations director with the Boy Scouts of America’s national office.</p><p> "While today's meeting was productive and thoughtful, the delivery of these petitions marks the beginning of this journey, not the end," said Wahls. "I thought our dialogue today was an honest one, and I'm looking forward to continuing the conversation in the months ahead. We leave today one step closer to religious and personal freedom than when we arrived, and it's hard to be anything but thrilled about that."</p><p> Wahls said although he supports Tyrrell's reinstatement, he is also a big supporter of the Boy Scout program and the other values it promotes.</p><p> "I am unwilling to discard the entire organization just like I"m willing to discard this country over one single policy," Wahls said.</p><p> Tyrrell will not attend the meeting, which runs through Friday, saying she didn't think it would be appropriate for her to be there.</p><p> "I am so grateful for the support I’ve received from Zach and from the thousands of scouts, scout leaders and former scouts who have signed my petition," said Tyrrell. "If you look at the petition comments, and read through the thousands of entries left by current scouts and scout leaders, it’s clear that the energy within the Boy Scouts of America’s membership is there to change this policy. All it takes now is leadership."</p><p> Tyrrell will appear this Saturday at the GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco, where she will be joined by Wahls.</p><p> Scouts spokesman Deron Smith says there are no plans to change the policy, but the group values freedom of expression.</p><p> "There are no plans to change this policy and scouting will continue reaching and serving youth to help them grow into good, strong citizens," Smith said in a release. "The Boy Scouts of America teaches its members to treat those with different opinions with courtesy and respect at all times ... Scouting maintains that its youth development program is not the appropriate environment to introduce or discuss, in any way, same-sex attraction."</p><p> Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.</p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 16:47:06 GMT
<p> A bear struck by a car and killed early Wednesday morning on Interstate 4 in Seminole County will be left alongside the highway, wildlife officials said.</p><p> The adult male bear, which weighed about 125 pounds, was hit around 1 a.m. on eastbound I-4 near State Road 434.</p><p> According to Seminole County deputies, a woman driving on I-4 struck the bear and pulled off at a nearby rest area. She was not injured in the crash.</p><p> The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the carcass was dragged well off the interstate and will be left there to decompose and be consumed by other animals. The FWC said the practice is not uncommon.</p><p> Wildlife officials said bear mating season began recently, so the animals are more prone to roam.</p><p> Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.</p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 15:03:34 GMT
UPDATED DAILY: Here's a look at some of the individuals who have been arrested recently in Central Florida.
Published: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:11:24 GMT
Summer is almost here and with it comes trips to amusement and water parks all over the country. Take a look at America's coolest water parks.
Published: Tue, 29 May 2012 03:09:15 GMT
<p> Two Deltona men were arrested on suspicion of getting a 13-year-old boy drunk with gummy-flavored vodka.</p><p> Geoffrey McKenzie, 21, and T.J. Schnack, 19, were arrested over the weekend on child abuse charges.</p><p> According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, the boy's mother picked him up after he spent the day at the men's home.</p><p> When she noticed her son acting strange, she took him to a hospital, where he was treated for alcohol poisoning, deputies said.</p><p> According to deputies, the men said they drank with the boy for two hours, completing a bottle of vodka.</p><p> The boy is expected to be OK.</p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 12:11:43 GMT
<p> A man riding a bike in Orange County was hit by a car twice in a case of mistaken identity, according to sheriff's deputies.</p><p> The crash happened around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday on Miller Street near Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando.</p><p> According to Orange County deputies, a man driving a brown sedan hit the cyclist, then stopped and put the car in reverse, striking the victim again.</p><p> Deputies said the driver then got out of the vehicle and told the victim, identified as 54-year-old Derrick Lamar Green, he thought he was someone else.</p><p> A detailed description of the driver is not known.</p><p> The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.</p><p> Deputies were originally investigating the case as an attempted murder, but it has since been changed to aggravated battery charges.</p><p> Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.</p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 15:59:38 GMT
<p> A Gainesville man is accused of gagging his 8-year-old son and pinning him to the floor before beating him.</p><p> Police say 29-year-old Richard Wright was arrested Monday night on an aggravated child abuse charge, which is a first-degree felony.</p><p> He remained in jail Wednesday on a $25,000 bond.</p><p> The Gainesville Sun reports Wright's mother woke up at 2 a.m. Saturday to the sound of muffled screaming.</p><p> She found her grandson hogtied on the floor, with her son on top of him beating the boy with a belt.</p><p> She says he was hitting the boy's buttocks but missed once and hit him in the eye.</p><p> The woman took the boy to the hospital before going to police.</p><p> No attorney was listed on jail records. </p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 12:34:54 GMT
<p> For the first time in Volusia County history, this year's "Athenian" takes a candid look at life at DeLand High School with a 12-page insert that talks about everything from homosexuality to tanning, showing pictures of students with tattoos and quotes from others talking about using drugs and alcohol.</p><p> The principal and the yearbook advisor both signed off on the insert, calling it a student journalism project. A school district spokesperson said hopefully it sparks a conversation between parents and their kids, but some parents believe that's not up for the school to decide.</p><p> "That might be reality, but it's not what we want to see and read," said Jennifer Lightfoot, who normally has a house full of teenagers.</p><p> Like most parents, she was never told these controversial topics were being printed in the yearbook.</p><p> "It's up to the parent what they're willing to discuss," said Lightfoot. "I don't think it should really be public discussion for others to have with my children."</p><p> "A heads-up might have been a good thing," said Mike Graves, whose son will graduate Sunday. "That way, it wouldn't have been as shocking to some."</p><p> And they're not alone. There's plenty of backlash online, with readers posting to the local paper, saying:</p><p> "Shame! shame!"</p><p> "I am truly embarrassed for DeLand High School."</p><p> "So the principal of DeLand HS thinks tats, pot, sex, alcohol use is the "essence of the era"?"</p><p> "What happened to the LEGAL drinking age being 21? or getting tats at 18 or that smoking or dealing drugs is illegal???"</p><p> The insert comes with a disclaimer, apologizing if it offends. It also gives sobering statistics about each of the topics and while it states drugs are illegal, it remains neutral about the topics.</p><p> "I would prefer for them to be clear on what's right and wrong and make it more black and white than what's acceptable just because the kids are doing it," said Lightfoot.</p><p> A district spokesperson said any students whose pictures or names appeared in the controversial insert had parental permission beforehand.</p><p> Parents have called the school, both against and in support of the yearbook insert, but there's no word if it will be included in next year's version.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 14:08:07 GMT
Cee Lo Green, who turns 38 on May 30, may not seem like your typical grandfather, but he is just one of many celebs who have grandchildren. Click on to see which of your favorite celebrities are grandparents.
Published: Wed, 30 May 2012 06:00:00 GMT
Home prices in 20 major U.S. cities are at their lowest level in years. Check out how prices have changed in your area.
Published: Tue, 29 May 2012 14:26:47 GMT
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