Lee County

A Florida father, David Charette Jr., was arrested in Lee County after authorities accused him of allegedly killing family kittens as a form of punishment toward his teenage daughter. He was charged with aggravated animal cruelty for the alleged abuse, which included smothering and using a blow-dryer on multiple kittens. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno described the allegations involving the daughter's punishment as particularly disturbing.

Deputies in Lee County, North Carolina, found 45 guns and drugs during a home search. A man was arrested and is now in custody following the discovery.

Lee County residents opposed a proposed data center, claiming they were misled about its nature. Over 150 attendees at a commissioners meeting demanded transparency and a moratorium, citing noise pollution concerns and initial misrepresentation as a 'light industrial business park.'

Opioid settlement funds are being used to expand addiction services in rural Kentucky through The Hub, a harm reduction program offering recovery support and essential resources. The initiative, funded by Kentucky's share of a $57.8 billion national settlement, has grown to five counties and includes a new program for incarcerated women's reintegration. However, federal funding for such efforts is being cut under the Trump administration.

The Florida Highway Patrol released dashcam video showing troopers stopping Ana Cassandra Arreola, 28, for driving the wrong way on I-75 in Lee County. Arreola had a blood-alcohol level of .161 percent and was arrested on DUI charges before being released on a $30,000 bond.

County Road 426 in Lee County is closed after being washed away by Monday's heavy rains and flooding.

A Florida man was arrested in Lee County for stealing over a dozen garden gnomes. Deputies found the stolen items in a shed after matching the suspect to a description of someone stealing lawn decorations on May 19. The gnomes were returned to a homeowner who had collected them for 30 years.

Rolbert Joachin, a 40-year-old Haitian immigrant, is facing the death penalty for fatally beating a Florida store clerk with a hammer. The victim, Nilufa Easmın, was a 51-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh. The case has drawn attention to immigration policies and border security.

Virginia Democrats narrowly won a redistricting vote with a 3-point margin, spending $64 million in dark money to secure a map favoring 10 of 11 congressional districts. The amendment, declared void by a judge for constitutional violations, faces a Virginia Supreme Court review, which may overturn it despite Democratic efforts.