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5 Things To Know On Tuesday, November 23, 2021

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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. Trial in Ahmaud Arbery's killing nears going to the jury
Prosecutors seeking murder convictions in the 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery's death planned to wrap up their legal argument to jurors Tuesday, getting the final word as closing arguments spill into a second day.

The lead prosecutor in the case says any self-defense argument is moot because she said the defendants father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan were the initial aggressors.

The defense has also argued that the men were empowered to take Arbery into custody thanks to a since-repealed citizen's arrest law that was in effect at the time of the shooting.

Trial in Ahmaud Arbery's killing nears going to the jury

2. Parkland school shooting families settle lawsuit against FBI
The families of sixteen of the 17 killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland had sued over the FBI’s failure to stop the gunman even though it had received information he intended to attack.

The settlement, reached Monday, is confidential and is still being finalized, according to court documents.

The gunman, Nikolas Cruz, pleaded guilty last month and now faces a possible death sentence.

Parkland school shooting families settle lawsuit against FBI

3. Florida clears Groveland Four of 1949 rape of white woman
At the local prosecutor's request, a judge on Monday dismissed the charges and convictions against the Groveland Four: Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee, and Walter Irvin.

None of the men survived to see themselves exonerated. Thomas and Shepherd were fatally shot by law enforcement. Thomas was shot more than 400 times by a posse shortly after the rape accusation. Greenlee and Irvin were wrongly convicted and served prison sentences.

The men's families say that they hope this case will allow other convictions that happened during the Jim Crow era to be looked at again, for those falsely convicted can get their names cleared as well.

Florida clears Groveland Four of 1949 rape of white woman

4. Is a Walt Disney World Annual Pass on your Christmas wish list?
Walt Disney World has temporarily paused selling most of its annual passes.

Currently, the only pass available is the Pixie Dust Pass for Florida residents. This pass has blackout dates which include every weekend of the year.

When the new annual pass system launched in September, Disney warned that sales could be halted as they continue to manage park attendance.

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5. Are you ready for some futbol? USFL is back
The United States Football League on Monday announced the eight teams that will comprise the reborn professional spring football league, which will begin play in 2022.

Tampa Bay is one of four teams in the South Division, along with the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers and New Orleans Breaker

Each team will play a 10-game schedule in one host city -- the location of which the USFL intends to announce in the near future.

USFL 8-team league new logos
These are the eight USFL teams that will begin play in 2022.

Today's Forecast
Chilly morning Tuesday, even cooler Wednesday morning

Latest Weather Forecast: Tuesday 5 a.m.

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On This Day In History
On November 23, 1936, the first issue of the pictorial magazine Life is published, featuring a cover photo of the Fort Peck Dam's spillway by Margaret Bourke-White.

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."