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Wildfire threat grows as Florida drought gets steadily worse
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The threat of wildfires is growing in Florida over the coming weeks as more than half the state is experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions likely to persist until rainy season resumes around mid-May, state and federal officials said Thursday. The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center reported Thursday that 55% of Florida is in the severe to extreme drought category, with most of the rest of the state listed as "abnormally dry." The driest conditions are in southwest Florida, the same region hammered by Hurricane Ian in September.
Magnitude 4.0 earthquake recorded in central Oklahoma
CARNEY, Okla. (AP) -- A magnitude 4.0 earthquake was among a series of six tremors that struck central Oklahoma on Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. No injuries or serious damage were reported following the quakes that also included a magnitude 3.3 temblor and began early Thursday near the town of Carney, about 40 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. The other quakes ranged from 1.6 to 2.3 in magnitude, according to the U.S.G.S.
Honda recalls CR-Vs in cold states to fix frame rust problem
DETROIT (AP) -- Honda is recalling nearly 564,000 older small SUVs because road salt can cause the frame to rust and rear suspension parts to come loose. The recall covers certain CR-Vs from 2007 through 2011 that were sold or registered in states where salt is used to clear roads in the winter. U.S. safety regulators say in documents posted Thursday that salt can accumulate and cause corrosion, and the rear trailing arm can detach. That can cause drivers to lose control, increasing the risk of a crash. Rear trailing arms connect the rear axle to the chassis.
Ex-head of Michigan marijuana board admits he took bribes
(AP) -- The former head of a Michigan medical marijuana licensing board has agreed to plead guilty to accepting $110,000 in bribes when he led the panel over a two-year period, authorities said Thursday. Rick Johnson acknowledged in a signed court filing that he acted "corruptly" when he accepted cash and other benefits to help businesses get licenses. Charges against Johnson and three other men were announced by U.S. Attorney Mark Totten at a press conference near the Capitol in Lansing. Johnson, 70, was chairman of the marijuana board for two years until spring 2019.
Civil rights probe launched after fatal Park Police shooting
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation after a U.S. Park Police officer fatally shot a 17-year-old who drove off with an officer in the back seat after the teenager was found asleep in a suspected stolen car. The FBI and the U.S. attorney's office in Washington launched the investigation this week after federal officials released body-worn camera footage showing the officer fatally shooting Dalaneo Martin last month. The police video is one of the first released by the National Park Service and follows a 2022 order by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland requiring the agency's 3,000 law enforcement officers to wear body cameras. It is also one of the first times body-worn camera footage has ever been released by a federal law enforcement agency.