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Monday, March 24, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1986, tennis legend Jimmy Connors was given a 10-week suspension and a $20,000 fine after storming off the court at the Lipton Tournament in Boca Raton.

A fire at Epcot over the weekend caused a plume of smoke over the theme park. Find out more in Around Florida.

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Tren de Aragua Gang Member Arrested near Orlando

A man allegedly affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang (TdA), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization from Venezuela, was arrested in the Orlando area by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and several other law enforcement agencies on Thursday.

Franklin Jose Jimenez-Bracho is the first person in the country to be taken into custody under the Alien Enemies Act, according to Gov. Ron Desantis, who said he is "wanted as a human trafficker and smuggler."

"Our goal is to eradicate TdA from U.S. soil. We will not tolerate their illegal presence or the threat that they pose to the American public," Department of Immigration and Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons said at a news conference on Friday.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, special agents steered Jimenez-Bracho into a group of FHP troopers and other task force members who took him into custody. No other details about the operation have been released.

Florida Poly Day at the Capitol

Florida Polytechnic University showcased its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at Florida Poly Day at the State Capitol, where school leaders met with lawmakers in the Capitol Rotunda.

The state's youngest university is also the only state university dedicated to STEM disciplines. The exhibits on display demonstrated the school's cutting-edge programs, research, and economic impact.

Florida Poly graduates earn the highest salaries one year after graduation among all institutions in the State University System while also carrying the least amount of student debt.

According to recent rankings, the Lakeland-based school is the No. 1 best-value college in the state and the No. 2 best-value college in the South.

Former Fort Myers Police Officer Crowned Featherweight Champ

Florida native Tiara Brown became WBC world featherweight champion by beating Skye Nicolson in a split-decision victory in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

Brown, 36, dropped to the canvas in tears when she was announced as the winner after judges scored the bout 97-93 and 96-94 in her favor, with one judge scoring it 96-94 for Nicolson.

A former officer for the Fort Myers Police Department, her previous colleagues wished Brown good luck ahead of the 10-round bout, saying on Instagram that she "has always been a fighter—both in and out of the ring."

Brown is a boxing coach with the Fort Myers Police Athletic League.

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➤ Fort Myers: The City Council held an emergency meeting and unanimously voted to allow local police to be trained by ICE, reversing an earlier decision that led to Attorney General James Uthmeier's statement that the city was implementing an illegal sanctuary policy. (More)

➤ Orlando: A walk-in cooler fire behind the France Pavilion at the Epcot theme park on Saturday caused a plume of smoke that went viral on social media. (See Video)

➤ Orange County: The pilot died in a small plane crash that occurred in the Zellwood area on Saturday morning. The investigation is ongoing. (See Video)

➤ Cape Canaveral: SpaceX plans to launch a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office this afternoon. Sonic booms are expected. (See Photos)

➤ Washington County: Detectives recovered four diamond earrings from a Texas man two weeks after he swallowed the Tiffany & Co. jewelry worth nearly $770,000. (See Photos)

➤ Palm Beach County: A high-tech electric surfboard made its Florida debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, offering the experience of surfing without waves. (See Photo)

➤ No. 1 seed Florida survived a gutsy performance in the men's NCAA tournament from No. 8 seed UConn, last year's champions. The Gators won 77-75 on Sunday and now advance to the Sweet 16. (More)

➤ No. 6 seed Florida State will play No. 3 seed LSU in the women's tournament this afternoon. (More)

➤ The Tampa Bay Rays' scheduled opening day pitching starter, Shan McLanahan, suffered a triceps injury in his final spring training start on Saturday. McLanahan will undergo imaging to diagnose the extent of the injury. (More)

➤ Former Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler downplayed his tenure with the team, saying, "We didn't win nothing," despite making it to the NBA finals twice with Miami. (More)

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➤ Fort Lauderdale-based software company Citrix is partnering with NVIDIA to produce cost-effective AI virtual workstations. (More)

➤ Dozens rallied on Friday to oppose Orlando Health Rockledge Hospital's closing. (See Video)

➤ Ace Pickleball Club released its $250,000 Championship Series schedule for 2025. The club's first Florida location is set to open on March 31 in Pasco County. (More)

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➤ New College of Florida could take over the University of South Florida's Sarasota-Manatee campus under plans being negotiated in the state Legislature. (More)

➤ St. Augustine has become a remote work hotspot, moving St. Johns County into the top ranks of U.S. counties with the largest share of people working remotely, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. (See Details)

➤ A new report details how the state's aquaculture industry generates more than $165 million in sales annually and supports jobs across rural and coastal communities. (More)

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