Steve_Gehlbach's Blog

This has to be one of the craziest stories I've covered in my decade in the news business...a dolphin jumped out of the water in New Smyrna Beach and into a boat. It landed on a couple who had to go to the hospital for minor injuries.

You can't make this stuff up...thankfully they're okay and this is one big fish that got away.

I hope you can watch the story here on the site, I can't do it justice here.

But I do have a question for those that fish or spend a lot of time on the water...have you ever seen a dolphin in the wild actually jump out of the water...Seaworld-style? I guess they do.

The Senate has agreed to a bailout plan that they'll vote on Wednesday. It's similar to the version shot down Monday in the House, but adds some things to sweeten the deal to bring more Republicans on board, especially in the House. It adds a tax cut package(already rejected by House) it also increases the FDIC limits on deposit insurance from 100K to 250K (wish I had that much to put in a bank)

what do you predict will happen? is this better? should they do nothing? something different? is the bailout getting better as we go?

(((BTW, haven't been blogging in a while as I 've been away...but trying to get back in the mix)))

A new warning came out today about BPA...a chemical found in minute amounts in some plastics. I know once major concern is in baby bottles and if you heat up these plastics. As a new parent, this gets my attention, but I use bottles with drop-in liners so I think I'm okay. Does anyone fear this stuff? of is this another case of worring about something that we don't need to? I think a lot of us grew up with plastic bottles and turned out fine.

All Kangaroo gas stations put up signs today that says:

Due to limited gasoline supplies, we ask that our customers limit their gasoline purchases to 10 gallons per transaction. This request will allow us to provide gasoline for all our valued customers during this time of limited supply in the southeastern United States.

This is all in response to Hurricane Ike and the closing of refineries in Texas, and it's only voluntary.

What do you think? Should we be rationing ourselves? Would you limit it to 10 gallons if you had to fill up?

the bounty hunter that sprung Casey Anthoney says he wouldn't have done it, if he knew then what he knows now. Leonard Padilla says Casey has not talked to him about her missing daughter Caylee, not searched for her, and lied. But as of tonight, he says he won't take away the bond, sending Casey back to jail.

What do you think? should she be out? back in? do you expect new charges now that ew've confirmed tests show the smell of decomposition inside her car?

The VFW is asking all airlines to stop charging a standard $100 fee for a 3rd bag for acitve military members. Airlines don't charge for the first two bags and the military reimburses soldiers for the fees later on. But the Commander in Chief of the VFW said that wasn't good enough and wants it cahnged. American Airlines, who recently got attention for charging two soldiers returning from Iraq, responded quickly and will waive the fee immediately.

What do you think? Is this just the airlines getting a bad rap where it's not deserved, or should they all do what American is doing and just waive the fee?

 A neighborhood in Kissimmee was trapped inside their homes for about four days.

Thousands of dead fish floated to the shore of a retention pond in a subdivision.

By the time we got there today, a dump truck had hauled off some, and birds had devoured the rest. I guess it was quiet the feeding frenzy.

The water temps and runoff caused an algae bloom that sucked out the oxygen that the Shad needed to survive. I guess other types of fish still lived.

Has anyone seen this before around here? Is this a common summertime thing, especially when we use so much fertilizer. I think I've heard of similar fish kills in the Indian River in Brevard County and in South FL.

BTW, be glad you can't smell through the TV...it was pretty stinky....but just right up at the water. I'm glad we weren't there a couple days ago, or else I would have smelled like dead fish all night.

An internal report from the Central Florida Healthcare Federal Credit Union got online and hundreds of customers/members may have have their personal info(bank acct. #, date of birth, address, SS#, ect) posted on the internet.

It was just discovered last week by a couple after Googling thier own name. The credit union says noone has been notified yet.

If you area member of the Healthcare FCU and think you may be involved, feel free to e-mail me. A lot of people may be involved and have no idea...and ID theives may already be using their inforamation.

A homeowner in Titusville is painting his house a bright purple and kiwi-lime green. He's fighting back against some neighbors for calling code enforcement officers. The family did have violations for a carport and driveway they didn't have variances for. In response they're making the house very colorful...something Titusville has no city codes against.

What do yo think? Would you want to live next to a house of horrible hues? or should homeowners be allowed to do whatever they want? for the record, this isnt' a deed-restricted community and there's no HOA.

What do you think of the coverage of missing Caylee Anthony?

I know this has been getting a lot of national attention with many cable and some networks picking it up. The story also made the cover of People Magazine.

Are you glued to this story, or just want it to go away until they either find the girl, or charge the mom with a murder?

Finally, I know we've been taking questions online and trying to answer them, and trying to break things down in a timeline and who the players are...but what else would you like to see that may be missing in the coverage now?

Click here to submit your questions about the investigation.

Today we talked to a man who has been sitting across the street from his old home in Winter Park. He was eveicted on Monday and the new owner took everything left inside the home and put it on the curb. Some of the belongings are now destroyed. Does anyone know the rules here? I assume it's against the law to just take someone's stuff, or throw it out, if you buy their foreclosed home?

Also, I still can't firgure out how the vet and cancer sufferer got to foreclosure in the first place. He must not have had the help he needed to sell and get out of the house. The property is valued at $200,000 according to Orange County records, but he says he only owed about $65,000. He bought it for $75,000 back in 1997, but two investment compnaies just bought the foreclosed property for $72,500. Does this math work?

To help save employees money with gas and other costs, some places are testing out the 4 day work week.

Would you rather work five days at 8 hours a day? or work 10 hours four days a week?

I usually work 10 hours a day anyway five days, so I'd love the 4 day work week...although you wouldn't see my lovely face one more night a week...another bonus:)

I talked to Casey Anthony's attorney tonight. In the morning he's going to file an emergency amendment to ask a judge to set bond for the mother of missing Caylee.

She's being held without bond on a couple of lesser charges. I wonder how long they can keep her behind bars without a greater charge.

Should a judge set bond? Should Casey be out of jail? Would she better be able to help the investigation on the outside? Or do you worry she would disappear, or worse, end up like Melinda Duckett, mother of missing 2 year old Trenton, and kill herself?

Former VP Al Gore says he doesnt' want us to use gas or other fossil fuels in 10 years. He thinks we can switch to wind and solar and other renewable energy sources by then. I'm not sure he has the power to get it done, or the trillions it would cost, but I give him and "A" for optimism. I think he said this was the same as JFK saying we should go to the moon by the end of the 1960's. what do you tihnk? should we, or could we, even get there?