News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated. Trooper Steve on Tuesday was asked, “Am I allowed to text while sitting at a red light?” [EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos] Yes — in most cases. “If you’re at a light that is solid red and traffic is not moving, then yes,” Trooper Steve said. “However, if you’re in a construction zone or school zone, you’re not even allowed to touch your phone.” Trooper Stev ..read more

Southwest Airlines said Thursday that it lost $231 million in the first quarter and will limit hiring, offer voluntary leave to employees and stop flying to four airports. CEO Robert Jordan said the airline expects to end this year with 2,000 fewer employees than it had at the end of last year. Jordan said Southwest was reacting quickly “to address our financial underperformance” and cope with delayed deliveries of new planes from Boeing. The airline expects to have 802 aircraft by the end of the year, down from an earlier plan for 814 planes. Southwest said that it will stop flying to Cozumel ..read more

Ukraine worked Thursday to get much-needed new supplies of weapons and ammunition from a huge U.S. aid package to its eastern front line, where Russia was pressing forward with its efforts to take ground from outnumbered and outgunned troops. Ukraine is also seeking to reverse the drain of potential soldiers from the country, announcing that men of conscription age will no longer be able to renew their passports from outside the country. The Cabinet of Ministers said Wednesday that men between 18 and 60 who are deemed fit for miliary service will only be able to renew their passports inside Uk ..read more

Two occupants of a minivan were killed Wednesday in a crash when the vehicle struck a semitruck, then several trees before catching fire in Marion County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash occurred on southbound Interstate 75 near Reddick, troopers said. Troopers were dispatched around 10:20 a.m. to the area of I-75 mile marker 365, located between west highways 316 and 318, reporting a southbound right lane was blocked at last check. The minivan struck a semitruck before traveling off the road where it struck several trees and caught fire, a preliminary FHP statement reads. N ..read more

News 6 is now Getting Results at Home -- YOUR home! Did you know that longtime News 6 anchor and space expert Erik von Ancken is also a do-it-yourself nut? Check out his Facebook page, where you can see that he fixes anything and everything. His latest home project was taking apart his mother-in-law’s dryer when it stopped working. Erik discovered the heating element had gone bad, so he replaced it with a new one, and it only cost him $27! Erik learned a long time ago that he could save money by doing home repairs himself. And YOU can, too! Sure, some projects are better off for a handyman or ..read more

Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday. The animals were among a group of four horses that broke free during routine exercises Wednesday near Buckingham Palace, tossing their riders and causing chaos as they galloped loose through central London streets during the morning rush hour. A fifth horse that tried to bolt had not been able to break free. Two of the horses required operations and one was ..read more

A court in Turkey sentenced nine rail officials to more than 108 years' imprisonment over a crash six years ago that killed 25 people, local media reported on Thursday. A passenger train operated by Turkish State Railways derailed in July 2018 as it passed through Corlu district some 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Istanbul. The train was traveling from Unlukopru, near the Greek border, to Istanbul’s Halkali station, Turkey’s main rail route to Europe. Seven children were among the dead and more than 300 people were injured. An expert report submitted to Corlu 1st High Criminal Court said a ..read more

The dry and warm stretch of weather continues through the rest of the week across Florida as a large ridge of high pressure remains in place. Afternoon highs in the Orlando area will be slightly warmer than the last couple of days, roughly in the low 80s along the coast and the mid-80s further inland. [PINIT! Share your photo and it could be featured like the ones above, below | How to] Dry conditions will continue into the overnight hours, with lows in the upper 50s to low 60s. By the weekend, a slight shift in our weather pattern will increase our onshore breeze, especially along the coast ..read more

Donald Trump was expected to return to court Thursday morning as witness testimony in his hush money trial enters a third day. The trial resumes at the same time that the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Washington over whether he should be immune from prosecution for actions he took during his time as president. At his trial in Manhattan, veteran tabloid publisher David Pecker took the stand earlier in the week, testifying about his longtime friendship with the former president and a pledge he made to be the “eyes and ears” of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker, the National Enqu ..read more

A 7-acre island along Florida’s panhandle has a piratical history — and it’s now on the market for millions. The island is found in Saint Joesph Bay off the coast of Port St. Joe, and it’s aptly dubbed “Black’s Island” thanks to its former owner, “Black Sam Bellamy.” Bellamy was considered the richest pirate in history, often known as “the Robin Hood of Pirates” thanks to his generosity. The captain received his moniker due to eschewing fashionable powdered wigs for his own black hair, and he was estimated to have earned around $120 million over the course of his career, according to Forbes ..read more