FLORIDA RANKED 42ND IN NATION IN PER-PUPIL SPENDING
Florida's per-pupil spending is among the lowest in the nation according to data compiled by the U.S. Census. The Census on Tuesday released its annual report on per-pupil spending for public elementary and secondary schools in fiscal year 2011. Florida spent $8,887 per student, which is significantly below the national average of $10,560.
SCIENTISTS WANT REPORTS OF WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS
Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory are asking the public to keep their eyes peeled for the world's largest fish. A whale shark was spotted May 8 about 20 miles off the coast of Venice. The fish can be up to 42 feet long and nearly 24 tons. Mote scientists are collecting reports of whale shark sightings to look for possible patterns to their movements in local waters.
FLORIDA'S LONGEST SERVING DEATH ROW INMATE DIES
A man who has been on death row longer than any other inmate in Florida has died in prison. Gary Alvord died Sunday at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford. For almost 40 years, Alvord waited out a death sentence he received for the 1973 murders of three women in Tampa. The reason he was never executed: mental illness.
KEY WITNESS IN RILYA WILSON CASE OUT OF PRISON
The star witness in the state of Florida's case against a woman accused of killing foster child Rilya Wilson has walked out of state prison. Robin Lunceford testified that Gerrilyn Graham confessed to killing 4-year-old Rilya while both were jailed together. In a plea deal with prosecutors, she got a life habitual offender sentence reduced to about 10 years.
GATORLAND TAKES ANIMALS FROM CLOSED ATTRACTION
Gatorland is preparing to welcome more than 70 animals that the central Florida zoo purchased from a recently closed attraction in southwest Florida. Gatorland officials say alligators, crocodiles, snakes, turtles, deer and bobcats are arriving from Everglades Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs, which closed in April after 77 years.
WALL OF WINDS STUDENTS
Seven teams of Miami-Dade high school students have designed ways to reduce the impact of hurricane force winds on a flat roof building. Wind engineers will judge the student rooftop models during the 2013 Wall of Wind Mitigation Challenge at Florida International University's Engineering & Computing Center.
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