While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. Jan. 6 committee public hearings begin tonight
The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot is set to begin the first in a series of public hearings Thursday night, releasing new information it says shows former President Donald Trump “at the center” of a coordinated effort to reverse President Joe Biden’s 2020 election` victory.
The committee said it will present an overview of its findings with previously unseen material, witness testimony and a preview of future hearings while discussing the timeline of events that day.
You can watch it live on WPTV. Lester Holt will anchor an NBC News Special Report.
2. Jury selection entering final phase in Nikolas Cruz sentencing trial
Following a series of delays over the last few months in the sentencing trial for the convicted Parkland school shooter, jury selection is entering its final phase.
Wednesday came with another round of stringent questions as prosecutors and defense attorneys peel through more waves of potential jurors.
Once the jury is selected, they'll hear four to five months of testimony. The only way the death sentence will be imposed is if all 12 jurors vote to agree.
3. Florida governor's press secretary addresses former job as foreign agent
The press secretary for Florida's governor said Wednesday her former job working for an eastern European politician has no impact on her current role in the Sunshine State.
The Washington Post reported Wednesdaythat Christina Pushaw registered this week as a foreign agent of the former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, whom she worked for between 2018 and 2020.
According to Pushaw's attorney, Michael Sherwin, the press secretary made her disclosure after she was contacted by the Justice Department, which notified her that she was required to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
4. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoes controversial water bill
When SB 2508 was quickly pushed through the state legislature this year, supporters said it would keep more water in Lake Okeechobee as a backup in case dry conditions threatened drinking water supply or agricultural needs south of the lake.
SB 2508 has received pushback from critics, who argued it caters to the sugar industry and would lead to toxic discharges, more blue-green algae, and red tide blooms.
In a news conference Wednesday, DeSantis announced he is vetoing the bill. He previously said he was concerned about the way it was hurried through the legislatur, circumventing public scrutiny.
5. Florida lawmaker wants to penalize parents who take children to drag shows
A Florida lawmaker plans to propose legislation that would punish parents who take their children to drag shows.
State Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, made the announcement Monday on Twitter in response to last weekend's Pride-themed event in West Palm Beach.
Sabatini, who is running for Congress, said he intends to draft legislation that would charge adults with a felony and "terminate the parental rights of any adult who brings a child to these perverted sex shows."
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On This Day In History
On June 9, 1973, Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win America’s coveted Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.
Remember, you can join Mike Trim and Ashleigh Walters every weekday on WPTV NewsChannel 5 beginning at 4:30 a.m. And you can always watch the latest news from WPTV anytime on your favorite streaming device. Just search for "WPTV."
