George Texs blog

After being appointed county judge in 2015, the people of Leon County elected me to the job. Before my term had ended, Governor DeSantis appointed me to the circuit bench. Since then, my chief judge has assigned me to handle family law and civil case dockets in Leon County. Since 2018, I have published 91 “Ask Judge Smith” newspaper columns. I suspended my column last August after announcing my candidacy for the 2022 election cycle. I’m happy to report that I kept my office without a contested election because no other candidate filed to run against me. Thus, I will take office in January for a six-year term. I am grateful to serve you and am blessed to have this opportunity. I am delighted to report my new docket assignment. From July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024, I will serve the people as the Circuit Judge for Wakulla County! When I learned the location, it caused me to remember. My family moved to Tallahassee in 1970, and I have happy childhood m...

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Scrolling through photos of the good times is helping Eboni Preston cope with the tragic loss of her aunt, Vanessa Brown. “We are all suffering from this because it was senseless,” Preston said. “I still feel like I’m dreaming because you never expect something like this, ever.” A celebration was planned this past Sunday for Brown’s 64th birthday. After a series of calls went unanswered, her daughter drove to Brown’s Richmond Heights home on her special day. “When she didn’t get an answer, she said she called the police and when she call the police, she told them, ‘I don’t know what exactly is going on but my mom’s car is here, my stepdad’s car is here , I just opened the front door with my keys and I see blood,” Preston said. Brown had been shot to death in an apparent murder-suicide at the hands of her own husband. “He had killed her, and he killed himself,” sa...

While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you’re prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more! 1. Listeria outbreak linked to Florida ice cream The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak of Listeria infections linked to Florida-based Big Olaf Creamery, the agency said Saturday. The CDC says consumers who have the ice cream at home should throw it away and clean areas, containers and utensils that may have touched the product. The CDC reported 23 illnesses, 22 hospitalizations, one death and one pregnancy loss tied to the listeria outbreak. Listeria outbreak linked to Florida ice cream 2. Judge won’t delay Parkland school shooter’s sentencing trial A South Florida judge has refused to delay the sentencing trial of Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 shooting at a high school in which 17 people were kille...

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A man and a woman were arrested Wednesday, nearly a week after the body of a man was found floating in a canal in southwest Miami-Dade. According to Miami-Dade police, the body of Adan Lopez Lorenzo, 30, was wrapped in a bedsheet when it was found floating in a canal in the 23700 block of Ingraham Highway last Thursday. Police said Lopez Lorenzo’s body was found by three men who were fishing in the canal, who immediately notified authorities. According to the suspects’ arrest reports, a Miami-Dade County medical examiner performed an autopsy on Lopez Lorenzo’s body and determined that he died from sharp force injuries. The manner of death was deemed a homicide. Police said their investigation led them to Sonia Viviana Domingo Lopez, 21, of Homestead, and her boyfriend, Alberto Godinez Lopez, 24, also of Homestead. Authorities said both provided full confessions to detectives. Police have not released a possible motive or ...

The new Linder Ft. Myers branch is located at 16878 Domestic Avenue, just off Interstate 75. (Photo courtesy of Linder Industrial Machinery.) In mid-June, Linder Industrial Machinery moved into its brand-new Ft. Myers, Fla., branch. The 22,000 sq. ft. building on 16878 Domestic Avenue is situated on 10 acres and is conveniently located ½ mile west of I-75 at the Alico Road exit. This expansive facility has eight service bays and a parts warehouse consisting of 4,000 sq. ft. equipped with a modern high-rack system allowing for 100 percent increased capacity over the previous location. “We are excited to extend to our customers across southwest Florida the best in field and shop services in the area,” said John Coughlin, Linder president and CEO. “We have a highly energized team in Fort Myers who are ready to show off their new facility.” Linder’s new Fort Myers full-service branch will include sales, leasing, rentals, parts and service rep...

MIAMI-DADE, Fla. – Officers arrested a murder suspect who is accused of setting a man on fire in Miami-Dade County, police announced on Tuesday. Detectives accused Sadrack Honorat on Monday of attacking the man after an argument turned into a fight south of Medley, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department. Witnesses told officers they saw Honorat “doused the victim with an unknown liquid and lit him on fire,” according to the arrest form. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel pronounced the unidentified victim dead on Sunday in a parking lot near Milam Dairy Road and the Hialeah Expressway, according to Detective Alvaro Zabaleta, a spokesman for the department. Officers found a man burnt to death on Sunday in Miami-Dade. Witnesses said Honorat ran away, as the victim suffered, police said. “A 911 call was received in reference to a male matching the description of the subject pictured on the flyer disseminated,” Zabaleta wrote adding, “Officers immediately responded ...

They taught us the Union won the Civil War. They taught us wrong. The South won the war. Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. Lithography by the Major & Knapp Eng. Mfg. & Lith. Co., public domain via Wikimedia Commons Yes, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, and told his soldiers to “ furl the flag , Boys.” But that flag hasn’t gone anywhere. The Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionists waved it inside the United States Capitol. Yes, the we ratified the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery — some of us earlier than others: Mississippi didn’t get around to it until 2013. And the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments promised equal protection under the law and the right to vote, which sound great except that many Republican-run states (including Florida) are doing everything they can to restrict access to the ballot box, especially for people of color. The current U.S. Supreme Court has decided that women are not ful...

Continuing its international development in Brasilia, GOL Linhas Aéreas added flights to and from Orlando in early July. This is the third increase made by the company on routes outside the country in the Brazilian capital. So see: GOL Linhas Aéreas resumes flights to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Schedule between Brasilia and Orlando – GOL Flight From / to ETD ETA G3 7602 Brasilia (BSB/SBBR) 9:50 am – G3 7602 Orlando (MCO/KMCO) – 5:10pm Flight From / to ETD ETA G3 7601 Orlando (MCO/KMCO) 10:10pm – G3 7601 Brasilia (BSB/SBBR) – 7:10 am +1 Aircraft used The services are operated on 186-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 single-class aircraft. Flight frequency – Advertisement – Route type Other information GOL has two routes in the United States. Three international connections in the Brazilian city. Brasilia and Orlando are only linked by GOL Linhas Aéreas. So see: GOL Linhas Aé...

PINECREST, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested for bringing a gun onto the grounds of a Miami-Dade high school, authorities said. According to police, 19-year-old Ethan Duey was taken into custody on Wednesday for having a gun on the property of Miami Palmetto Senior High School in Pinecrest. Police said the gun was inside his vehicle, which was on school property. According to an arrest form, Duey’s girlfriend attends Palmetto Senior High and the two got into an argument inside the school. She told police that Duey threatened to shoot her, the report stated. Mugshot for 19-year-old Ethan Duey (Miami-Dade County Corrections) When officers arrived and searched Duey’s car, they found a 9MM handgun with a round in the chamber and a loaded magazine inside the gun, adding that “multiple 9MM bullets were found around the inside of the vehicle, a handgun holster, and multiple magazines were discovered inside the vehicle as well,” per the report. Duey was...

No trip to Universal is complete without a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The land is very immersive. Jennifer Greene For the ultimate “Harry Potter,” fan there’s no place more magical than the Wizarding World. Hogsmeade Village is home to Hogwarts, quaint shops, and the Three Broomsticks pub. Plus, you can ride through the Forbidden Forest on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. After you explore Hosgmeade, take the Hogwarts Express to Diagon Alley where you’ll come face to face with a fire-breathing dragon on Escape from Gringotts. These two magical lands are worth an entire day’s exploration alone. Hurt in an accident? ...

Looking for a unique place to escape into nature with your love? Book an intimate weekend getaway at Lake Louisa State Park cabins. Camping and glamping are possible here. You can rent a private two-bedroom cabin with stunning lake views and plenty of room to relax. Located just 35 minutes from downtown Orlando, Lake Louisa State Park is the perfect place to unwind, explore, and reconnect with loved ones. Hit the trails, take a guided horseback ride, or just drink in the views from your spacious front porch. The cabins are super versatile, making this an ideal getaway for outdoor enthusiasts and casual nature lovers alike. Here’s everything you need to know before you book your stay at Lake Louisa State Park cabins. How much is a cabin at Lake Louisa State Park? Cabin rentals at Lake Louisa State Park are just $120 per night. there is a Minimum two-night stay required on weekends and holidays , with single-night stays available on all other days. Reservations open ...

The Collier County Public School District is seeing a critical teacher shortage with just two weeks left for teachers to report to school. The district has about 100 instructional positions open out of a total of 274 employment positions listed on their website at the start of the week. Collier Schools’ Executive Director of Human Resources Valerie Wenrich said there are multiple factors that contribute to the teacher scarcity issue in the Southwest Florida area and across the state. “We are seeing fewer and fewer teachers coming from traditional education programs,” said Wenrich. According to the Florida Department of Education, the shortage represents many teachers who are not certified in the fields they are hired to teach. The Department also says postsecondary institutions are not producing enough graduates to meet demand. President of the Teacher’s Association of Lee County Kevin Daly said he sees the issue in Lee County too. He said the scarcity issue wi...

There’s plenty to do in Orlando, Florida, beyond the theme parks. getty When most people think about Orlando, they think of the Disney and Universal theme parks. But there’s so much more to this metropolis, making it a great spot for couples and girlfriend getaways. In 2021, Orlando welcomed 59.3 million visitors making it one of the most popular destinations in the country. Here are some things to explore beyond the parks. what to do The safari tour in Wild Florida has over 100 animals including zebra. getty Wild Florida has three different components: a drive-through safari, an airboat tour, and gator park. The safari experience lets travelers stay in their car as they drive through the park. There are over 100 animals roaming the grounds including zebra wildebeest and buffalo. The airboat experience is a highlight with the vessel gliding across the top of the water in search of eagles, turkeys, wild boar, spoonbills and, of course, alligators. Th...

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The fast-fashion online clothing seller Shein said Thursday it has dropped an embroidered floral blouse after the Mexican government complained it appropriated designs made for generations by Mayan women on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. The bold coloured, heavily embroidered flowers and swirl patterns are normally used by Mayan women on loose-fitting, calf-length white cotton shifts that are ideal for the region’s heat. kAm%96 G6CD:@? @776C65 3Y $96:? >@C6 C6D6>3=65 2 EC25:E:@?2= 3=@FD6]k^Am kAm$96:? D2:5 :E 925 C6>@G65 “E96 AC@5F4E BF6DE:@?” 7C@> :ED H63D:E6]QxE ?@E @FC :?E6?EE@ :?7C:?86 2?J@?6’D G2=:5 :?E6==64EF2= AC@ A6CEJ 2?5 :E ?@E @FC 3FD:?6DD >@56= E@ 5@ D@[” E96 r9:?6D632D65 4@>A2?J D2:5 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am kAm|6I:4@VD rF=EFC6 s6A2CE>6?E D2:5 (65?6D52J E92E :E 925 D6?E 2 =6EE6C E@ $96:? 56>2?5:?8 2? 6IA=2 ?2E:@?]k^Am kAm”%96D6 56D:8?D 2C6 92?565 5@H? 7C@> 86?6C2E:@? E@ 86?6C2E:@?[ 2?5 E9FD E96J 2C6 AC@5F4E @7 E9...

LABELLE, FL. — A new scam seems to have appeared using YouTube channel comments to tell viewers who made comment they have won a valuable prize. We discovered this scam when receiving an email notification today that a reply was made to a comment we made on a YouTube video several months ago. It appeared to be a reply from the channel owner, but on closer examination the account sending the reply message was “TEXT ME ON TELEGRAM @Pilot_Institute” using the real official channel’s logo thus making it look like a reply from the real channel. But, clicking on the “Text Me On Telegram” reply forwarded to a fake channel recently opened with no content. The scam leads people to go to the telegram app and leave their name, address, and phone number with an apparent fake Telegram account again using the real channel’s logo, where they attempt to collect money from you for “shipping charges.” The real Pilot Institute YouTube video ...

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A jury took just over an hour to convict a Miami-Dade officer of felony battery and official misconduct in the rough arrest of a Black woman who had called police for help. Alejandro Giraldo was suspended after cellphone video circulated on social media in March 2019 showing him tackling Dyma Loving, who had called police to report that a neighbor had pointed a shotgun at her. Police body cameras also recorded the encounter. “I’m left feeling peaceful. I’m happy that, you know, the justice system didn’t fail me,” Loving said. Giraldo insisted he acted lawfully in subduing an unruly woman who was interfering with an investigation. “What you see there isn’t a crime. What you see there is a police officer working the streets, dealing with a situation and maybe his bedside manner was off,” his attorney, Andre Rouviere, told jurors. “When he arrested Dyma Loving, it was after warning after warning that she was being disru...

LOS ANGELES — As encampments multiply from Echo Park to Venice, homelessness has been the top issue in the L.A. mayoral race. And although Angelenos express broad support for building more housing for the homeless, the contenders say that can be only part of the solution. Several top candidates say the city must also expand services for people struggling with mental illness and drug addiction. Although city officials have said 29% of homeless people have behavioral or substance use disorders , that number is likely far too low . But the candidates don’t agree on how to deliver the services that would help them. City Council member Joe Buscaino wants the city to run its own homeless services agency and withdraw from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an $800 million bureaucracy run jointly by the city and county to manage housing and services for L.A.’s homeless population. Billionaire developer Rick Caruso and City Council member Kevin de León want the city to ...