Florida

Just before 9 a.m. on Thursday, the girls and boys water polo teams at Seminole High School participated in a special send-off before leaving for the state competition in Miami. This is the second year in a row that both teams have made it to states final four. The girls are ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 1 in the nation with a record of 27-1. The boys record is 20-8, and they’re ranked fourth in Florida.

Hundreds of Pine Hills residents are expected to gather this Thursday afternoon for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Pine Hills Community Garden. In addition to the opening ceremony, Orange County is partnering with the local nonprofit IDEAS For US to give away more than 100 trees to Pine Hills residents. The tree giveaway is part of a neighborhood-wide beautification effort.

A 1-year-old child was killed on Wednesday night after being hit by two vehicles in Daytona Beach, according to police. Officials said the child ran into the street while chasing the family dog, which had escaped from their home. While following the dog, the child stepped into oncoming traffic and was hit.

Two fires have sparked in the area of Palm Bay. One is fully contained, the second is smaller and not contained. About a dozen homes were evacuated as a precaution, according to the Palm Bay Police Department.

Cody Ryan Henderson, a wanted fugitive out of several counties in Georgia, fled from deputies who said they spotted his truck on Tuesday in Daytona Beach. In addition to Henderson's criminal history, deputies say the 39-year-old man faces charges including operating a chop shop, forgery, terroristic threats and obstruction.

A Florida postal worker was arrested after she allegedly drank vodka on the job, drove the wrong way into traffic and threw red Solo cups out of the vehicle. An arrest report shows the woman told officers she was invited to a party on her mailing route and drank two shots of vodka. Katelyne Dye, a 33-year-old postal worker in Melbourne, has since been released on a misdemeanor DUI charge.

Senator Ashley Moody presented her first Florida's Finest Award on Wednesday. The award is aimed at recognizing Floridians from all walks of life who take courageous action to save lives and better their communities. The first recipient, Brevard County's Ashley Willis, is a member of the Indialantic Police Department’s 911 dispatch team who is credited with potentially saving the life of a pregnant woman who was assaulted.