Today In Florida ...

"The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind. "

Carl Hiaasen

• 1826: Captain Joseph Fry, called the “Cuban Martyr,” was born today in Tampa. Fry was executed in 1873 by Spanish authorities for carrying Cuban rebels aboard his ship.
• 1934: The first bachelor’s degrees were awarded by the Jacksonville College of Music today. The Jacksonville College of Music is now part of Jacksonville University.
• 1963: Marymount College in Boca Raton was founded today.
• 1991: A Florida State University student broke into the state capitol building today and barricaded himself in one of the offices. The man, named Marshall Ledbetter, issued a series of bizarre demands to the local authorities during the ensuing stand off before giving himself up.