Latest news with #MacDill
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
20 high school graduates preparing to head to military academies after send-ff ceremony at MacDill
The Brief Twenty high school graduates are deploying into their next chapter as they head to their chosen military academy. Congresswoman Kathy Castor and Laurel Lee held a special send-off ceremony at MacDill. Each cadet had to get a nomination from their congressperson to gain acceptance. TAMPA, Fla. - Twenty Bay Area high school graduates will soon head to their military academies. Congresswomen Kathy Castor and Laurel Lee held a special ceremony Tuesday night at MacDill to officially send them off. What they're saying "I want to commission as a United States Naval pilot. That'd be awesome," Cadet Gregory Murashkin said. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube They've made the ultimate decision to serve their country, which is no small feat. "I'm thinking of being a pilot, either F-15 or the PAVE Hawk for the Air Force," Cadet Anthony Murashkin said. Each received a nomination from their Congressperson, granting them admission to their chosen military academy. READ: Memorial Day marks first American Legion Post 273 ceremony since reopening after hurricanes "I'd like to get my helicopter pilot's license and hopefully serve in either the Coast Guard or maybe the Navy," Cadet Ava Booker said. Big picture view Tuesday night, U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor and Laura Lee hosted a special ceremony and send-off with their families at MacDill Air Force Base to congratulate them on their acceptance. Local perspective "It's definitely nervous, but it's the excitement. It's that anticipation. Everybody here has volunteered, raised their right hand, and chosen to serve the United States of America and the Constitution. And I think that's really impressive," U.S. Air Force Major Kaitlin Butler said. Major Butler knows exactly what it's like for these cadets, because 10 years ago today she was at her cadet send-off ceremony before heading to the Air Force Academy. MORE: Bay Area fallen hero's legacy lives on in his hometown "It's a really hard place to be at. It's tough, it's challenging, it is meant to be that way, but it's really a great place to be from. The amount of pride you have when you graduate is really second to none," Butler said. Identical twin brothers, Anthony and Gregory Murashkin, are first generation Americans. "Both my parents are from Ukraine. They grew up in the Soviet Union and kind of seeing what life was like in a dictatorship really wasn't pretty," Gregory said. They said their parents story inspired them both to serve their country. "I'm really proud of them, and I'm really happy that they've gotten the opportunity to live here," Anthony said. READ: At 101, Dunedin World War II veteran reflects on service during 'Victory in Europe Day' Ava Booker is following in the footsteps of her dad, who served in the Army, and her grandpa, who served in the Air Force. "My dad encouraged me to try out the service academy, and I worked really hard for it, and now I'm here," Booker said. Major Butler message to the cadets as they head to academy: "Stick it out, stick with it. It's worth it in the end." The Source FOX 13's Jordan Bowen gathered the information in this story from MacDill Air Force Base. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida cabinet assumes new role, sparking criticism over privacy and power
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — After a month-long feud over who would be the state's chief immigration enforcement officer, state lawmakers passed a bill package that grants not one, but four elected officials with that task. Governor Ron DeSantis and his cabinet have officially taken on their new role as the state's Immigration Enforcement Board. The governor, state attorney, chief financial officer, and agriculture commissioner have already dived right in with their first meeting of the year, though future meetings may not be as publicly accessible. Families of girl, news reporter killed in 2023 shooting spree suing Florida sheriff's office In their first meeting, DeSantis and the Florida cabinet took immediate action by establishing Larry Keefe as the executive director and passing two key resolutions, all in the eyes of the public.'We could have easily sat on our hands, we could have waited until March when we were already scheduled to meet as a cabinet, but that's not the way we roll here,' DeSantis said. 'We think this is time sensitive; we think this is an emergency.' The governor and his cabinet will coordinate and cooperate with the federal government on immigration laws. Some, however, take concern with these issues and meetings being held in private.'It's incredibly concerning for that type of meeting to take place and there not being public oversight, especially when public dollars are being spent,' said State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando. As a member of the Florida cabinet, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis defended the need for privacy, explaining that certain operations require discretion to avoid tipping off those under investigation.'Sometimes when you have an ongoing investigation, some of these matters need to be held in a private sense so you actually can have an effective and non-violated arrest takes place,' Patronis said. 'If you are putting too much information in the public domain, then the arrest is not going come to fruition simply because the bad guys know what you're doing.' MacDill service members still displaced by hurricane damage to their homes Patronis, who steps down as CFO at the end of March to run for Florida's CD-1, reflected back on his trip to the border just last year. And shared that while you may not directly feel the impacts of illegal immigration in your household, the guns, drugs, loss of life and human trafficking are all taking place every day.'We're just going to stop it dead in its tracks,' Patronis said. 'We're going to get the attention of the Mexican government, the attention of the Canadian government, we're going to finish building the wall and we're going to keep our citizens safe.' On the other hand, Democrats argue, what about the crimes taking place here at home by U.S. citizens?'Immigration is this political hot topic, it gets all the attention. Yet we're ignoring everyday criminality that takes place in our communities. Often by very young, immature people in need of intervention that is not getting the attention that it deserves,' Eskamani said. Eskamnai describes the cabinet's new role as a politically motivated spectacle, highlighting their lack of knowledge in addressing the immigration issue. However, the representative recognizes that the country is faced with an immigration crisis. 'It's obviously an issue, for sure, but we're not a border state and Governor DeSantis has constantly tried to pretend like we are for his own presidential ambitions. And that distracts from actual issues of public safety,' Eskamani said. Patronis, in contrast, is confident that Florida's history of leadership will guide the success of these new initiatives. 'I've been in government here for most of my professional life and one thing that I know is Florida has always led the way,' Patronis said. 'Whether it be on education initiatives, whether it's been on environmental initiatives, we've always had common sense policy.' Patronis added that he is certain there will be more developments and discoveries as time goes on, which aligns right with the start of session in just a few weeks. 'That's the beauty of having the legislative session in less than a month away,' Patronis. 'They'll be able to dig in and do what's called a glitch bill in order to fix any of this.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
Vehicle in deadly hit-and-run located at Manatee County home, suspect still at large, FHP says
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WFLA) — Officials have located the vehicle involved in the deadly hit-and-run crash in Pinellas County on Friday night, but the suspect still remains at large. On Tuesday, the Florida Highway Patrol found the suspected vehicle, a black 2024 Tesla Model X, at a Manatee County home. MacDill airman killed in deadly Tampa crime spree The driver is believed to have struck and killed a 37-year-old Lakeland man who was changing his tire on the side of I-275 around 8 p.m. The man was traveling southbound on the interstate in his Mazda 3 when he got a flat tire and pulled off into the shoulder. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died. After the victim was struck, troopers said the driver fled from the area. As of Wednesday morning, the suspect has yet to be found. Anyone with additional information on the driver of the Tesla or the incident is asked to contact FHP by calling *347 or Crime Stoppers at **8477. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Treasure Island officials hope upcoming events will help heal after back-to-back hurricanes
The Brief Treasure Island events canceled due to the hurricanes have been rescheduled for early 2025. The profits will be funneled back into the community. The events include the Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival and the county's annual Chili Cook-Off. Community leaders hope the events will mark a return to normalcy for residents as they continue to recover from the storms. TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - As more and more businesses at the beaches reopen after the hurricanes, those communities are starting to hold events to bring people back to the area. Treasure Island recently announced the Back to the Beach: Sand & Kites & Coastal Delights festival, which will take place on March 8th and 9th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Dig deeper The annual Treasure Island Fire Rescue Chili Cook-Off is also coming up on Feb. 21 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. READ: MacDill airman killed by hit-and-run suspect before I-275 shooting with Tampa police Tickets are $10, and it will be held on the fifth floor of City Hall. Anyone can enter their chili into the competition. Why you should care Money from that event will go to the Treasure Island Fire Association to help the fire department, which, along with the police department, was displaced, and their stations were destroyed by the hurricanes. Officials say that while they hope the events bring some sense of normalcy back, they know many residents' lives are still anything but normal. "I know some people are worried about their homes, especially when they're still not in them, bringing people in, visitors into the island when they can't even access their homes," Beisel said. "But we've got a police department that's been here protecting the island since the storms. They're going to continue to do that. And we want people to know we can do two things at once." READ: Undocumented immigration bill has Florida's governor, agriculture commissioner and legislation at odds Beisel continued, saying, "The first priority is our residents. That is our number one priority, and we are working hard to get them back in their homes, and we're doing everything we can." "Most businesses that can, they're starting to reopen, and that's what we like to see and to help these businesses survive, we need people here in Treasure Island. We know people are still hurting," Beisel said. "We know people are still out of their homes. We know people are still waiting on permits, but we still need to bring people into the island to support some of these businesses, to support our community, and to help get this recovery going quicker and faster." Big picture view As far as permits go, the city starts a new permitting process on Monday. Beisel said you'll walk out with a permit the same day you walk in to apply for one. "When they come in to apply for a permit, they're going to deal with each part of that permit process, whether it's a building official fire, a general contractor, floodplain management," Beisel said. "We're going to get all the information they need that day when they come in, instead of having them fill out the application, then leaving and then finding out there's some missing information, they go home, we have to bring them back in, or we had to contact them and play that back and forth game." Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "That delays the process. We want them to come in, and when they leave City Hall, we want to make sure they have all the information they need, Beisel said. "Hopefully, they'll have that permit in hand." Three more floodplain managers from the state are also helping with the permitting process. Mayor John Doctor also recently wrote a letter to President Donald Trump asking for disaster relief help, citing FEMA's bureaucracy as an obstacle. The Source FOX 13's Kailey Tracy collected the information in this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
