Floridaโs growing human population coincides with increase in wildlife interactions
As Floridaโs population expands, state wildlife officials have seen a more than 33% increase in calls for assistance related to wild animals during the past five years, according to a presentation that could go before the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission this week.
Stand your ground? This Florida bill would allow you to shoot bears. Here are the details
People would be allowed to kill bears on their property without permits if they feel threatened but would face more rules about reporting the incidents, under a proposal that received an initial approval Wednesday in the Florida Senate.
Mother of Black man killed by Ohio deputy: โI want answersโ
COLUMBUS, Ohio โ The mother of a Black man shot by an Ohio sheriffโs deputy demanded answers Wednesday to her sonโs death, saying heโd done nothing wrong and was returning from the dentist with sandwiches for his family when he was killed. Police have only said that the deputy โshotโ Goodson without detailing how many shots were fired. The deputy who shot Goodson was Jason Meade, a 17-year veteran of the sheriffโs office. One witness heard Meade command Goodson to drop his gun, and when he didnโt, the deputy shot him, Tobin said. The sheriffโs office does not provide officers with body cameras, and the deputyโs SWAT vehicle did not have a dash-mounted camera.
Ohio county says nearly 50,000 voters received wrong ballots
This photo made on Oct. 6, 2020, in Westerville, Ohio, shows Ohio absentee ballots. (AP Photo/Kantele Franko)COLUMBUS, Ohio โ Nearly 50,000 voters received incorrect absentee ballots in the county that is home to Ohioโs capital and largest city, elections officials said Friday as they promised corrected ballots would be mailed within 72 hours. With about 240,000 ballots mailed, that meant one in five voters received a wrong ballot. The Franklin County Elections Board said 49,669 voters received incorrect ballots out of 237,498 that were mailed. LaRose said Friday that while the Franklin County board made โa serious mistake,โ the county was working hard to fix it.
Mail-in ballot mix-ups: How much should we worry?
This photo made on Oct. 6, 2020, in Westerville, Ohio, shows Ohio absentee ballots. (AP Photo/Kantele Franko)BOSTON โ Several high-profile cases of voters getting incorrect blank absentee ballots in the mail are raising questions about how often such mix-ups occur and whether they could affect this year's presidential election. About 100,000 absentee ballots with the wrong names and addresses printed on the return envelopes were sent to voters in Brooklyn, N.Y., in late September. County elections spokesman Mike Sanchez said every affected voter has already been mailed a corrected ballot. His bigger concern is the tendency of some election officials to rely heavily on outside contractors, for mail-in and in-person voting.
Mail-in ballot mix-ups: How much should we worry?
This photo made on Oct. 6, 2020, in Westerville, Ohio, shows Ohio absentee ballots. (AP Photo/Kantele Franko)BOSTON โ Several high-profile cases of voters getting incorrect blank absentee ballots in the mail are raising questions about how often such mix-ups occur and whether they could affect this year's presidential election. About 100,000 absentee ballots with the wrong names and addresses printed on the return envelopes were sent to voters in Brooklyn, N.Y., in late September. County elections spokesman Mike Sanchez said every affected voter has already been mailed a corrected ballot. His bigger concern is the tendency of some election officials to rely heavily on outside contractors, for mail-in and in-person voting.
Ohio limit of 1 ballot drop box per county blocked, appealed
COLUMBUS, Ohio โ An Ohio judge has temporarily blocked the Republican secretary of stateโs order limiting counties in the critical presidential battleground to one ballot drop box, and the state and Republicans have appealed. The state immediately appealed, and the Ohio Republican Party followed suit late Thursday, placing the fate of the order on hold. The faceoff makes unclear how many drop boxes will be available to Ohio voters just 2 1/2 weeks before voting begins Oct. 6. Access to ballot drop boxes has become an urgent matter nationally amid the coronavirus pandemic, questions about mail-in voting security and cutbacks at the post office. The Ohio Republican Party lashed out at Frye as a โpartisan judge" and accused him of colluding with fellow Democrats before issuing his decision.