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Your Florida Daily: Police director in critical condition, record water temps in Florida Keys

Plus: History of Leu Gardens

Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez (Miami-Dade Police Department)

Miami’s Police director remains in critical condition at the hospital after undergoing surgery on Monday.

Authorities said Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez shot himself in the head on Interstate 75 after an argument with his wife.

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Earlier that day, police said they responded to the Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Summer Conference in Tampa where someone reported a man had pointed a gun at himself.

Ramirez, who was outside the hotel with his wife, told them he was no danger to himself and was released.

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A couple of hours later, officials said the two drove off and when Ramirez pulled over, he shot himself in the head.

Ramirez was in the running for Miami-Dade Sheriff and was named the police director in 2020.

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a man who reportedly jumped off a carnival cruise ship off the Florida coast.

Officials said Jaylen Hill, 30, went overboard early Sunday as the Carnival Elation was heading back to port in Jacksonville.

The Coast Guard searched more than 1,300 square miles before calling off the search last night.

Carnival said it’s offering support to Hill’s family.

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(AP Foto/Sam McNeil, archivo) (Copyright {2022} The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

And researchers at the University of South Florida have transported 1,500 coral specimens to tanks on land as record-breaking heat waves increase water temperatures creating a massive coral bleaching event.

Ocean temperatures surrounding South Florida and the Florida Keys are at historic levels with sea surface temps hitting close to 101 degrees, according to a Tampa Bay meteorologist.

Typically, water temperatures at this time of year are in the mid-80s, scientists said.

USF’s Keys Marine Laboratory is housing the coral specimens that were harvested in the past week from offshore nurseries and parent colonies.

The lab’s tanks have the capacity to house thousands more as the coral bleaching event is expected to continue.

The peak for bleaching typically happens in late August or September.

Random Florida Fact

Orlando’s Harry P. Leu gardens used to be the 40-acre home of Harry and Mary Jane leu.

The couple collected exotic plants from all over the world and planted the flora across the grounds right up until they passed away.

After their deaths in 1961 the house and gardens were donated to the city of Orlando.


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