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Lyrid Meteor Shower April 2023
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Florida Man Buys $41 Million Quick Pick Ticket At Publix
CAPE CORAL, Florida – The Florida Lottery announced that Darren Martini, 57, of Cape Coral, claimed the $41 million FLORIDA LOTTO jackpot from the drawing held on December 24, 2022, at Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee.
The Lee County man chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $24,559,932.33.
Martini purchased his jackpot-winning FLORIDA LOTTO Quick Pick ticket from Publix, located at 3015 Pine Island Road Southwest in Cape Coral.
The retailer will receive a bonus commission of $100,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Drawings are held Wednesday and Saturday nights at 11:15 p.m., Eastern Time. Tickets can be purchased for $2 until 10:55 p.m., Eastern Time, on the night of the draw.
The game’s overall odds are 1 in 7.61.
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Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes Possible Across East Central Florida
ORLANDO, Florida – The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for several Florida counties that s in effect until 10:00 PM EDT tonight.
Affected areas include Brevard, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia counties.
The watch was issued in response to severe thunderstorm conditions expected to develop in the region this afternoon.
The Florida counties listed in the Severe Thunderstorm Watch have been warned of possible severe storms with strong to damaging wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph, hail up to 1 inch in diameter, frequent lightning, and torrential downpours.
A few rotating storms could produce a brief tornado.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to move indoors to safety at the first sign of threatening skies, or if they hear thunder.
WHAT TO DO IF A TORNADO APPROACHES
If you receive no warning, your best clue that a tornado is approaching is the tell-tale roaring or rumbling sound they make.
If you hear this, or a National Weather Service warning for your area, take cover quickly. Find a small, interior room on the lowest floor of a strong building and stay away from doors and windows.
Don’t try to outrun a tornado in a car.
If you see a tornado while in a car, take cover in a nearby strong building or get into a ditch on the side of the road.
Remember, tornadoes are deadly and can strike suddenly. They can destroy structures in minutes or seconds. Plan ahead now to be prepared, and don’t leave home without a weather radio.
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Florida Man Buys $1 Million GOLD RUSH LIMITED Ticket At Publix
PENSACOLA, Florida – The Florida Lottery announced that Earl Evans, of Pensacola, claimed a $1 million prize from the GOLD RUSH LIMITED Scratch-Off game at the Lottery’s Pensacola District Office.
The Escambia County man chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $795,000.00.
Evans purchased his winning ticket from Publix, located at 8684 Beulah Road in Pensacola.
The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $20 Scratch-Off game, GOLD RUSH LIMITED, launched in September 2021 and features 32 top prizes of $5 million and 100 prizes of $1 million. Additionally, this ticket is filled with more than 33,000 prizes of $1,000 to $100,000.
The game’s overall odds of winning are 1-in-2.65.
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WATCH LIVE: NASA To Reveal Artemis II Astronaut Crew
HOUSTON Texas – NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are set to announce the four astronauts who will travel aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft for Artemis II, a mission that will mark the first crewed flight test for the agency’s efforts to establish a long-term scientific and human presence on the lunar surface.
The announcement will be made at 11 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. CDT) on Monday, April 3, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston.
The mission will be the first crewed venture around the Moon and will be carried out using NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and necessary ground systems.
The approximately 10-day mission will primarily test the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems and will demonstrate the capabilities and techniques required for living and working in deep space.
The crew for Artemis II will comprise three NASA astronauts and one CSA astronaut, in line with the agency’s commitment to international partnerships through the Artemis program.
The mission builds on the success of Artemis I, which launched an uncrewed Orion spacecraft atop the SLS rocket on a 1.4 million-mile journey beyond the Moon, aimed at testing systems before crewed missions to the Moon are undertaken.
The Artemis program is a major initiative by NASA to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, with the ultimate goal of exploring Mars and beyond. With the announcement of the crew for Artemis II, the program takes another step toward achieving this historic milestone.
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AAA: Florida Gas Prices Jump 10 Cents
ORLANDO, Florida – Florida drivers were hit with a 10-cent increase in gas prices last week, and further hikes are expected as a result of Saudi Arabia’s surprise announcement to cut oil production, according to AAA.
The move was made by OPEC+ countries, including Saudi Arabia, in an attempt to lift oil prices after they had dropped to their lowest point in 15 months due to the banking crisis.
As a result of the announcement, oil prices increased overnight, with the US price of oil trading above $80 per barrel on Sunday evening. This is the highest it has been since early March, and a rise of almost $5, or 6.5%, more than the closing price on Friday. The resulting price hike is equivalent to a 13-cent increase at the pump.
Despite this recent increase, some areas of Florida are paying more than others. The West Palm Beach-Boca Raton area currently has the highest gas prices at $3.64 per gallon, followed by Naples at $3.54 and Port St. Lucie at $3.53.
Meanwhile, the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach area has the lowest prices at $3.21 per gallon, followed by Panama City at $3.23 and Pensacola at $3.27.
AAA analysts say that drivers in Florida can anticipate further price increases at the pump in the coming weeks with the expected cuts to oil production.
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April 2023 Full Moon Is A Pink Moon
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida – The Full Moon in April 2023 is known as a Pink Moon. This particular full moon is also known as an “Easter Moon” and “The Paschal Moon” because it is the first full moon after the Spring Equinox and the date of Easter is always set to occur on the Sunday after the first full moon in Spring.
What Time Is The Pink Full Moon April 2023?
The 2023 Pink Moon will begin with a moonrise over the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. east coast around 7:26 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, with a slight time variation depending on the viewer’s exact location in Florida and along the U.S. east coast.
The Full Pink Moon will technically be at its fullest 100% illumination at 12:37 a.m. EDT on Thursday, April 6, 2023.
The April 2023 Full Moon will be 100% full that night before setting the following morning at 7:24 a.m. EDT.
According to NASA, the Moon will appear full for three days around this time, from Tuesday evening to Friday morning.
When is the best time to watch the April 2023 Full Moon?
Low-hanging moons near the horizon appear larger to humans.
So, the Full Pink Moon will appear biggest to the naked eye on the U.S east coast during and just after the moonrise around 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Why is a Full Moon in April called a Pink Moon?
A Full Moon in April is also called a Pink Moon because Colonial Americans learned that name from Native Americans who associated the April Full Moon with the blooming of pink flowers in early Spring named wild ground phlox, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
Other names for April’s Full Moon are also associated with Springtime: Full Sprouting Grass Moon (sprouting vegetation in Spring), Egg Moon (animal mating in Spring), and Full Fish Moon (when fish spawn in spring).
What causes a Pink Moon?
The time of year that a Full Moon happens does not affect its color. The Full Moon on April 6, 2023, will likely be pearly-gray to most locations on Earth just like any other Full Moon.
But particles in the local atmosphere caused by weather, forest fires, volcanoes, and pollution can filter out certain light colors of the moon.
This is especially true when the moon rises or sets near the horizon and the sunlight reflecting from the moon has more atmosphere to travel through before reaching the viewer on Earth.
Full Moons have appeared pink, yellow, red, blue, green, and (most often) orange.
Below is a video of an April Full Moon that really was pink when it first appeared over the Atlantic Ocean horizon. The Moon then changed from pink to orange (and later yellow) as it rose higher in the sky.
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Florida Toddler Found Dead In Alligator’s Mouth
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – Tragedy struck the community of St. Petersburg when the body of two-year-old Taylen Mosley was found in an alligator’s mouth at Lake Maggiore Friday night.
The child had been missing since Thursday afternoon, March 30th, when his mother, Pashun Jeffery, was found stabbed to death in their apartment.
A large-scale search effort was launched, involving numerous local, state, and federal agencies. The search led investigators to Dell Holmes Park and Lake Maggiore, where the child’s body was eventually found.
According to Chief Holloway of the St. Petersburg Police Department, officers were alerted to an alligator seen carrying something in its mouth.
The alligator was killed, and the child’s body was retrieved and confirmed to be Taylen Mosley. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
Chief Holloway also announced that Taylen’s father, Thomas Mosley, has been charged with two counts of 1st-degree murder for the deaths of Pashun Jeffery and Taylen Mosley.
Alligators are opportunistic predators with an indiscriminate appetite that includes fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and even fruit.
Because of their predatory nature, alligators may target people, pets, and livestock as food.
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Universal Orlando Florida Resident Deal: Buy 1 Day, Get 2 More Days Free
ORLANDO, Florida – Universal Orlando Resort is offering a new promotion that will allow Florida residents to experience three days of theme park fun for the price of one. The “Buy a Day, Get 2 Days Free on a 2-Park, 1-Day Park-to-Park Ticket” offer is available for travel on non-consecutive days through September 29, 2023, and gives visitors the chance to explore Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.
With this offer, visitors can take advantage of a range of rides and attractions across the award-winning theme park destination, including the newest attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, which will be coming to Universal Studios Florida this summer.
Guests can also experience the thrills of racing alongside a Velociraptor pack at speeds up to 70 mph on the Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Florida’s fastest and tallest launch coaster, located in Universal Islands of Adventure. Visitors can also enter two lands of groundbreaking thrills and magical fun in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida.
The offer includes a culinary journey with a wide variety of highly-themed quick service and sit-down dining options that raise the bar when it comes to theme park fare and will satisfy any craving. Visitors can also stay in the heart of the thrills for a staycation at one of Universal Orlando’s eight magnificent hotels with options for every travel style and budget.
The “Buy a Day, Get 2 Days Free on a 2-Park, 1-Day Park-to-Park Ticket” offer is available from $164.00 – $209.00 plus tax and can be used on non-consecutive days. Pricing is determined based on the first date selected for visit, and prices and availability vary by day.
For more information about the “Buy a Day, Get 2 Days Free on a 2-Park, 1-Day Park-to-Park Ticket” offer and to purchase, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com.
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Salmon Sold At Florida Publix Stores Recalled
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – Seven Seas International USA, LLC has announced a voluntary recall of 295 cases of Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The company, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, stated that the issue was discovered during routine regulatory testing by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Consumers who purchased Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon with the production lot R4058 are advised not to consume the product and return it to the store where it was originally purchased for a full refund.
The recall only affects packages sold prior to March 14, 2023, with the lot code R4058 printed on the clear plastic film that protects the product. The company has stated that no other production codes are affected.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, particularly in preschool-age children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women may also experience miscarriages and stillbirths as a result of infection.
The affected product, Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon, is sold in Publix stores under the GTIN #007-36211-88774 and has a lot code/best by date of R4058/April 14, 2023.
Seven Seas International USA, LLC has provided a customer service hotline for those with additional questions or concerns. They can be reached at 1(888) 627-5668 or on their website at www.7siusa.com.
Consumers who have purchased the affected product are urged to take the necessary precautions and return the product for a full refund.
Salmon