Here's a look at the six stories to know for Feb. 20, 2024.
Broward County Public Schools announced late on Monday afternoon that there are now five confirmed cases of measles at Manatee Bay Elementary School in Weston.
It's unknown if those students were vaccinated, but infectious disease experts said as of Friday, when this outbreak became public knowledge, that it’s highly likely the kids are not vaccinated.
Most children get the MMR — or measles, mumps and rubella — vaccine, but with a disease as contagious as measles, doctors say it only takes a few holdouts to fuel an outbreak.
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According to the CDC, the MMR vaccine is about 98% effective in preventing measles.
Florida voters interested in casting ballots in next month’s GOP presidential primary election must be registered by the end of the day Tuesday.
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Florida’s March 19 primary elections are closed, meaning only registered Republicans can participate.
Voters also face a Tuesday deadline to change their political party affiliation, which is the only way a registered Democrat, or somebody who is not affiliated with a political party, can cast a vote for either former President Donald Trump or his GOP rival Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
In Broward, almost 100 Republicans have recently switched to the Democrat party. Some 850 Democrats flipped to the GOP.
Tuesday marks a response deadline for the special counsel prosecuting Donald Trump for his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump's lawyers asked the justices to temporarily block a decision rejecting his claim of presidential immunity -- pending his bid for judges to reconsider the case and potentially a supreme court appeal.
Special Counsel Jack Smith was ordered by the Supreme Court to file a response to Trump's request by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The requests risk is further delaying Trump's criminal trial on four criminal counts. A March 4 trial date was postponed -- with no new date yet set.
A judge in Haiti responsible for investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse has indicted his widow, Martine Moïse, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, among others, according to a report obtained Monday.
The indictments are expected to further destabilize Haiti as it struggles with a surge in gang violence and recovers from a spate of violent protests demanding the resignation of current Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Dozens of suspects were indicted in the 122-page report issued by Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after previous ones stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.
Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has filed criminal charges against three thieves for operating an organized retail theft ring stealing more than $100,000 from Home Depot stores across South and Central Florida.
According to the investigation, Vicky Popat, Christopher Abad and Christopher Eduardo Baglin worked together to switch barcodes on expensive roof sealers for less-expensive items.
The attorney general’s office said that in a three-year period, the group stole 281 buckets of Henry 887 Tropi-Cool roof sealer in more than 25 theft incidents from Home Depot stores throughout 11 counties in South and Central Florida.
Attorney General Moody’s OSP charged Popat with one count of grand theft over $100,000. Abad and Baglin are each charged with one count of grand theft over $20,000, the attorney general’s office said.
All members of the group are charged with one count of scheme to defraud over $20,000.
Some veterinarians are joining the call to close down the Miami Seaquarium because of troubling reports about the mishandling of animals and poor facility conditions.
The nonprofit Our Honor took videos Monday sharing a closer look at the conditions of the animals inside.
One video showed fish with bulging and cloudy eyes – conditions that usually stem from poor water conditions or infections.
“We need to start acting with a sense of urgency here. The animals are suffering. The animals are not getting the care that they need," Dr. Crystal Heath said. "What will it take? Another animal to die?"
Dr. Heath – a veterinarian and executive director of Our Honor – said several former employees are raising the red flag behind doors.
