Top Local News Stories for Sanford, Florida.

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First lady visits Central Fla.

First lady Michelle Obama stops in Central Florida as part of her "Healthy Living" campaign.

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:15:16 GMT

Safe List could save your kid's life

7-year old Somer Thompson disappeared in October 2009 as she walked home from her Orange Park school. Apparently she stopped at Jarred Harrell's house, because she wanted to see his mother's dog. Harrell led her inside and murdered Somer. This tragedy was not stranger danger according to Dr. Holly Antal, a pediatric psychologist. "I think the problem with the concept of stranger danger is that it doesn't meet reality," Antal said. "It's more like it's going to be someone the child has had contact with in the past. So teaching children that strangers, someone they've never seen before is the feared person, would be misleading to that child and could potentially put them at danger." That's why Antal recommends parents create a safe list for their children instead. "Talk to your child about the adults who are trusted who they can go with at anytime and know they they are safe to be with that person," Antal said. "That would be a short list of primary caretakers, parents, guardians, grandparents who live locally." That way your child knows if they meet an adult not on the list to not talk with them and certainly not go anywhere with them. Something else Antal says teach your children--being rude is OK sometimes. "It's okay to be rude when they're alone," Antal said. "Walking away from an adult who is not on the safe list or turning away from them is keeping themselves safe and that they will not get into trouble when they get home." There is no way to know if a safe list would have saved Somer Thompson, but we do know the person who killed her was someone she'd seen before and didn't fear until it was too late. According to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 58 thousand children were abducted by someone they knew last year.

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:29:42 GMT

What's your sign? Cheesiest pick-up lines ever!

If you've been on the dating scene you know how rough it can be out there. So if you're having trouble finding "Mr. or Ms. Right", do yourself a favor and stay away from these cheesy pick-up lines.

Published: Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:08:56 GMT

Orlando-area mug shot hall of shame

UPDATED DAILY: Here's a look at some of the individuals who have been arrested recently in Central Florida.

Published: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:11:24 GMT

Smith scores 23 as Hawks slip past Magic 89-87 in OT

There was something about playing Orlando last season that brought out the best in the Atlanta Hawks. That trend apparently has trickled into a new year. Using most of the same blueprint that allowed them to dominate the Magic in both the regular season and playoffs last season, the Hawks used their size and some timely free throw shooting late to grind out an 89-87 overtime victory Friday night. Josh Smith had 23 points and 19 rebounds, and Joe Johnson scored four of his 14 points in the extra period and added five assists for the Hawks, who won their fourth straight regular-season meeting with Orlando dating to last season. Atlanta won its second straight overall since snapping a three-game losing streak. "This team knows our offensive and our defensive schemes, and we know their schemes. We just gotta try to outplay them," Smith said. "Tonight we were able to come in and play up to our ability and play with a certain kind of physicality." Ryan Anderson led the Magic with 21 points, and Dwight Howard had 18 points and 18 rebounds in Orlando's first meeting with the Hawks since being eliminated by them in last season's playoffs. The Magic dropped their second in three games and lost for the first time this season to a Southeast Division opponent. "There's really not too much I can say other than we had opportunities and we could have executed a little better," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said. "Obviously if we made some shots, it would have been a different story. But we played hard, I thought, and played together and stuck together." Atlanta — much the way it did in the playoffs — enjoyed matchup advantages against Orlando at every position except center, and the Hawks continually pestered the Magic both inside and on the perimeter. With both Al Horford and Jason Collins out because of injuries, the Hawks' remaining big men managed to stay out of foul trouble throughout. The teams traded baskets to open the extra frame before two straight baskets by Johnson put the Hawks up 87-83. Anderson hit a 3-pointer from the wing to cut it to one and Smith threw it away on Atlanta's next touch. But Hedo Turkoglu missed a jumper from the corner and forced the Magic to start fouling with less than 24 seconds left. Marvin Williams hit 1 of 2 from the line, giving the ball back to the Magic with 15.8 seconds to play. Jason Richardson drove to the basket and was fouled but missed the second free throw. Zaza Pachulia won a scrum for the rebound and put the Hawks up 89-87 after his trip to the charity stripe. The Magic got two looks from 3-point range on their final possession — one by Nelson and another by Richardson — but Smith finally pulled down a rebound as the horn sounded. Was this the gutsiest win the Hawks have had this season? "It was without a doubt," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "Coming in here a little short-handed and a little depleted, I thought our guys did a great job in just responding to the challenge. We really wanted to come in here and play with aggression ... I thought we really did a great job." Atlanta carried a seven-point advantage into the fourth quarter and it grew as high as nine before a pair of free throws by Anderson cut it to 73-70 with less than 5 minutes left in regulation. That momentum was almost immediately halted, though, after three consecutive Magic possessions ended in turnovers. The Hawks capitalized on each and pushed their lead to 78-70. The Magic scored six straight points, including back-to-back layups by Nelson, to cut it to 78-76. Following a missed jumper by Smith on the other end, Orlando called a timeout with 12.2 seconds to play. Nelson drove to the basket and floated a layup attempt over Smith and Johnson that trickled of the rim, but Howard was there to dunk the rebound. The Hawks had 1.2 seconds to get off a shot, but Jeff Teague didn't release his jumper before the regulation buzzer. "I don't think that our energy was very good at all, but we picked it up in the fourth," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We just didn't play very well, that's the bottom line. We didn't play very well, but we stuck in there ... We just didn't get it done in the end." Atlanta's schedule doesn't get any easier, with Friday starting a stretch that will see it play six of its next seven games on the road. The trip includes matchups with Miami, the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago and surging New York. Forward Marvin Williams, who had 13 points and six rebounds, said that despite missing Horford's presence in the middle, the Hawks are still developing chemistry with the pieces they have. The Hawks started the season 7-4 with Horford and are 11-6 since he went down with a torn left pectoral in early January. "I think we're just trying to keep our head above water," Williams said. "I think when Al went down everyone collectively tried to put forth just a little more effort. You can't really fill that void, but we're trying our best." Notes: Howard was whistled for his eighth technical of the season for arguing a charging call in the third quarter. He is now five away from a one-game suspension. ... Richardson has made at least three 3-pointers in each of the Magic's last five games. ... Anderson, who entered Friday's game leading the NBA in 3-pointers made, said he has been invited to participate in the All-Star 3-point contest.

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:52:29 GMT

Police: 7 arrested after fake marijuana used

Seven teens, including five juveniles, were charged Friday after a 16-year-old student smoked fake marijuana on school grounds in Polk County and collapsed. Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland on Friday. A 16-year-old female student had smoked K-2, a type of synthetic marijuana, on campus and then collapsed, deputies said. The student was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and released. Deputies said Andrew Ishman, 18, had bought the K-2 at a store in Hillsborough County. Ishman then sold the drug to a 15-year-old student. Deputies said the 15-year-old and four other juveniles met with Dmitria Grasso-Morey, 18, and smoked the K-2 in Grasso-Morey's car. After smoking the drug, the 16-year-old student collapsed. The charges are as followed:15-year old male: charged with possession/sharing a counterfeit controlled substance14-year-old male: charged with manufacture drug paraphernalia15-year-old male: charged with possession of drug paraphernalia15-year-old male: charged with possession of drug paraphernalia16-yearold female: charged with possession of drug paraphernaliaIshman: charged with sale of a counterfeit controlled substance (K-2), contributing to the delinquency of a minorGrasso-Morey: charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of drug paraphernalia Both Ishman and Grasso-Morey were booked into the Polk County jail. The owner of the store in Hillsborough County was notified of the incident.

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:04:37 GMT

Woman identified in fatal Marion County hyperbaric chamber explosion

A woman and a horse were killed and another woman was injured Friday in an explosion at a Marion County equine rehabilitation center. Deputies said Erica Marshall, 28, died in the explosion. Sorcha Moneley, 33, was seriously injured and a horse was also killed when a hyperbaric chamber exploded around 9:30 a.m. at Kesmarc Florida at 15530 West County Road 326. Fire rescue officials said the horse started kicking while it was inside the chamber and the workers went to turn the chamber off when the explosion occurred. Rhonda Stroup, a Marion sheriff detective, said the horse kicked off a protective shield inside of the oxygen-filled chamber and as the steel shoe as struck the side of chamber, it caused a spark and ignited instantly. Stroup described it as a "horribly huge explosion," and added that there was nothing the women could do because it happened so fast. The horse owner lives in Virginia and the animal was spending the winter in Florida. Stroup said the horse was put into chamber to be treated for a condition called EPM. The horse had been in the chamber approximately four times and had never had any problems, so they didn't give the horse a tranquilizer. Marshall had been running the chamber for two years as part of her daily job, officials said. Stroup said Marshall had treated two to six horses every day. Stroup said Moneley witnessed the horse beginning to kick and relayed what happened to paramedics as she was being treated. Horses are typically treated in a hyperbaric chamber after a vet prescribes it, Stroup said. It's not clear if the horse was prescribed treatment. Hyperbaric chambers are designed to push highly pressurized, pure oxygen into tissue to speed up recovery times for certain injuries. Deputies said Marshall died at the scene. Her husband said she died doing what she loved. On Facebook, the victim's friends offered support for her husband. Moneley was airlifted to Shands with serious injuries and underwent surgery. Local 6 helicopter Sky 6 showed other horses being loaded into trailers. Officials said around 30 horses were at the rehabilitation center when the explosion occurred. The building has been deemed unsafe and horses are being evacuated. Debris from the explosion could also be seen scattered across the property. Authorities are investigating the explosion. Homicide detectives said they are interviewing another facility in Marion County that uses a hyperbaric chamber to see how they operate. Stroup said the homicide unit isn't aware if there are any official rules or regulations on how to run a hyperbaric chamber. The medical examiner arrived on scene Friday afternoon. OSHA was also on scene. IMAGES: Fatal explosion Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:31:11 GMT

Congressman John Mica seeks re-election

Congressman John Mica announced he will now seek re-election in Central Florida. Mica will likely be going head-to-head for the same seat against Republican Sandy Adams in the newly drawn District 7 "I told everyone I would wait until I saw the districts as they were decided by the legislature," Mica said. "They have exercised their constitutional responsibility and I've made my decision." Mica said the newly drawn districts put most of his existing support in District 7 covering Winter Park, Altamonte Springs and Deltona. "The people will decide this race. They know me, they know my record. There's not going to be any back room political deals made," Mica said. Adams said last week Mica told her he was running in District 6 preventing a head-to-head showdown. Now iti could be Adams, a single-term tea party favorite versus Mica, a 20-year veteran of Congress and chairman of the transportation committee. Mica made his announcement at the airport to signify his accomplishments in bringing big dollars to the region. "We both have distinguished careers--one longer than the other,” Adams said. “And at the end of the day I hope we don't have to run against each other." Adams says she's waiting to see if several lawsuits against the new districts might change the boundaries in her favor. "We have changed the discussion in Washington. Everyone knows Washington is broken," Adams said. "And the discussion has changed from how much do we spend, to how much can we save the hardworking taxpayers."

Published: Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:10:55 GMT

Worst Valentine's gifts you can give her

So with Valentine's Day nearly here, you've got it all figured out, right guys? You've chosen the perfect gift that's you're sure is going to seal your spot in the boyfriend/husband Hall of Fame forever. Sure, there might be a couple Valentine's Day hiccups in your past, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all that stuff, yeah? But wait. What if you haven't learned? How can you be sure your present will be met with adulation rather than an abhorrence that will send you straight to the couch for the night? Before you give the woman of your dreams something along the lines of athletic socks or tickets to your favorite team's upcoming big game, stop, think it through and make sure your gift isn't one of the following worst Valentine's Day gifts ever ... No. 5: Lingerie Really, getting most any article of clothing for your significant other's Valentine's gift is a decision fraught with peril. God help you if you choose the wrong size -- in either direction -- or choose something so hideous that even Snooki would have second thoughts about wearing it. You might think you're making a grand romantic gesture, but, face it, it's more or less a gift for yourself. A good, thoughtful gift is supposed to be for her enjoyment, as much as if not more than yours, so no, that silky swatch of fabric from Frederick's of Hollywood that requires instructions for putting on just ain't going to cut it -- not this, or any, year. If your Valentine is into lingerie, you're better off buying a gift certificate so she can go and spoil herself on your dime and get exactly what she wants. That way you'll both be happy. No. 4: Anything that's really for yourself Granted, that new Xbox game is beyond cool. With tons of action and eye-popping graphics, you can already see yourself slaying zombies and demons in your living room. But unless your wife or girlfriend is a serious gamer, you better get out of electronics and hightail it to the jewelry counter. That also goes for those new power tools, that sweet grill and that awesome framed "Cool Hand Luke" movie poster that you've had your eye on. Any of those would prove a great Valentine's Day gift if your significant other is a female version of Bob Vila -- hopefully without the beard -- can't get enough of barbecuing or would have left you in a heartbeat for Paul Newman. But if not, don't be that guy. Pretending that a gift you've gotten for yourself is really a romantic gesture doesn't sit well on any holiday, but it's a particularly bad Valentine's Day move. No. 3: 'Helpful' gifts Your Valentine might really need those jumper cables or that new vacuum cleaner, but don't expect them to jump excitedly in your arms when they open it up come Valentine's Day. There are occasions that are perfect for helpful, useful, everyday gifts. Valentine's Day is not one of those occasions. Yeah, it's a holiday we wouldn't be celebrating today if it weren't for the promotional efforts of jewelers, candy makers, greeting card companies and florists that stop just short of blackmail. But it's still a romantic holiday. You want to pick out a gift that says "I love you" and "You're the most special person in the whole world to me," not, "Hey, the couch needs vacuuming under." Put a little thought into your gift and it won't matter how much time or money spent on it, just that you were thinking of ways to show your love instead of your practical side. No. 2: Shape up gifts You're on your own if you are dim enough to buy the woman in your life a treadmill or any other piece of exercise equipment. The same applies to scales, self-help books, workout DVDs, gym memberships and any other gift designed to help her "better" herself. If there are quicker ways to derail a romantic Valentine's Day effort than planting the seeds of doubt in your better half's mind, well, we're not sure what they could be. Valentine's Day is an opportunity to make the love of your life feel like she's beyond perfect in your mind. You want to aim for romance, unconditional love and devotion. But the message you're sending with a fitness, diet or other self-help gift is "If you weren't such a [insert your choice of insult here], you'd be getting flowers and chocolate. Sorry, better luck next year." Better luck to you too. No. 1: Absolutely nothing If your Valentine is watching her weight, candy can be an iffy proposition. Some women just aren't into jewelry and others find flowers that will soon wilt and die either depressing or a waste of money. But even if your wife or girlfriend falls into one of those categories, you're still better off getting her one of those gifts than showing up empty-handed. If you haven't gotten it by now, the key to a romantic Valentine's Day is expressing your love. In the end, it doesn't matter what shape that expression takes, as long as it's heartfelt. If you can't be bothered to remember Valentine's Day with just a homemade card, a corny burned mix CD or even a simple home-cooked meal, you're telling your Valentine she wasn't worth the effort. She might just feel inclined to return the favor, but with a more direct approach. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Published: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:20 GMT

Which movie stars got their start on TV?

George Clooney and Michelle Williams, who are both up for Oscars this year, are just some of many stars who made the leap from the small screen to movies. Click on to see some others.

Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:00:00 GMT

Controversies that rocked celeb endorsements

J.C. Penney recently hired talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres as a spokeswoman in an effort to rebuild its image, despite protests. Celebrity spokespeople have stirred controversy before. While Ellen has earned J.C. Penney's support, some celebrities have lost their jobs due to their own bad behavior. Here's how other famous spokespeople have faired.