6 Things to Know in Florida for December 21

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DROPS TO 6.4 PERCENT

Florida's unemployment rate dropped again in November giving Gov. Rick Scott more good news to use as he fires up his re-election campaign. The November figure is the lowest the rate has dropped since July 2008..

SEAWORLD RUNS ADS AFTER PERFORMERS CANCEL

SeaWorld has set up a website and posted ads in prominent newspapers across the country in response to a critical documentary that inspired eight musical acts to cancel acts at the company's Orlando marine park. SeaWorld Orlando's Bands, Bre and BBQ concert series is scheduled for February. But several acts pulled out, citing the documentary "Blackfish."

NEW EXECUTION DATE FOLLOWING SUPREME COURT RULING

The execution of a man who killed a prison guard while on death row has been rescheduled for Jan. 7. Gov. Rick Scott set the new date Friday in a letter to Florida State Prison's warden. Askari Abdullah Muhammad, formerly known as Thomas Knight, was scheduled for execution Dec. 3. The Florida Supreme Court delayed the execution following claims that state's new lethal injection procedure doesn't prevent pain.

NEW SOUTH FLORIDA THREAT: INVASIVE ROCK PYTHONS

State biologists are concerned that the aggressive rock python might be the latest invasive species to become established in the Everglades and elsewhere in South Florida. Wildlife officials performed a walking survey Friday just west of Miami to see how many of the big snakes might be living there. Florida is already grappling with Burmese pythons in the Everglades.

TEEN IN LESBIAN SEX CASE RELEASED FROM JAIL

A Florida teen convicted of having sex with her underage girlfriend has been released from jail after finishing her sentence. Jail records show Kaitlyn Hunt left the Indian River County Jail around 1 a.m. Friday. As part of a deal with prosecutors, the 19-year-old had pleaded no contest in October to battery, interference with child custody and contributing to the dependency of a child.

NASA ASTRONAUTS BEGIN URGENT SPACEWALKING REPAIRS

Astronauts ventured out Saturday on the first of a series of urgent repair spacewalks to revive a crippled cooling line at the International Space Station. The two Americans on the crew, Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins, will need to perform two and, quite possibly, three spacewalks to replace an ammonia pump containing a bad valve.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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