How can couple of mangos get you thrown in jail and slapped with a hate crime? Just ask the Florida man. He's 61-year-old Charles Oliver Lovekin. This guy found himself in some big trouble after he allegedly weaponized some fruit during a run-in with his neighbor. The thing is, this wasn't just any neighborly spat. This one got pretty wild with mangos and rocks flying around, all because Lovekin thought his neighbor was gay.
According to WPLG, Lovekin has this mango tree at his place in North Lauderdale, when one fine Sunday, a mango decided to take a nosedive onto his neighbor's patio. Now falling fruit usually isn't a big deal, but apparently one of these mangos made quite a commotion. Naturally, the neighbor came over to ask about it. But instead of a friendly chat, things got heated fast.
Mangos were Launched:
Lovekin allegedly started hurling insults, calling the guy all sorts of names and accusing him of being gay. Then, things got physical. Lovekin grabbed not one, but two mangos and chucked them at his neighbor. One missed, but the other hit him right in the chest. Lovekin didn't stop there either, because he then grabbed a rock and tossed it too, but luckily, the neighbor dodged it.
When the deputies showed up, Lovekin didn’t hold back. He straight up told them he threw the mangos because he thought the neighbor was gay and felt uncomfortable with the way he was being looked at. Lovekin's neighbor, for the record, is a married man with kids. The whole thing freaked him out, especially since he's on blood thinners, which could've made a hit like that really dangerous.
So now, Lovekin's is in the BSO Main Jail. He's facing some serious charges like aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery causing bodily harm, and a couple of prejudice-related charges. The judge set his bond at $15,000 and slapped on some electronic monitoring for good measure, plus a no-contact order with the neighbor.
And that's how a couple of mangos can turn into a felony case down here in Florida.
Florida Has 2 of the Best Neighborhoods in America
Florida has some great spots to live. As it turns out, two of those areas are among the very best neighborhoods to live in America.
This is according to a new study reported by Niche. According to the publication, "The 'Best Places to Live' ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area. This grade takes into account several key factors of a location, including the quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics, and access to amenities in an attempt to measure the overall quality of an area." The two most important factors, according to the states on Niche.com's website, are the higher education rate and the cost of living grade."
Niche.com adds, "The same methodology is used to produce the Overall Niche Grade for each ranked place." They also got statistics mainly from the U.S. Census, and those stats "represent the most recent data available." What's nice about this study is that they used actual numbers and facts, instead of just going by reviews or a vibe. They add that, "All Niche reviews and data are scored and standardized so that each place is comparable. We then assign each place to a cohort based on population and urban clustering."
So, which Florida neighborhoods made the cut? Check out the top 10 list below of the best neighborhoods in America. You'll spot the Florida ones on the list. In addition, you'll see plenty of other good neighborhoods in America to check out on this list. Find the full report here.
10. Great Neck Gardens, Long Island, New York
Great Neck Gardens is No. 10 on this list. But, it's also the No. 1 best place to live in New York, according to Niche. It's a suburb of New York City.
9. Devon, Pennsylvania
Devon is the No. 9 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. It's a beloved suburb of Philadelphia.
8. North Quarter, Florida
North Quarter is the No. 8 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. But, it's the No. 1 best neighborhood to live in Orlando.
7. Cambridgeport, Massachusetts
Cambridgeport is the No. 7 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. But, it's the No. 1 best neighborhood to live in in the Cambridge area.
6. City Center, California
City Center is the No. 6 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. However, it's the No. 1 best neighborhood to live in the Santa Monica area.
5. Penn Wynne, Pennsylvania
Penn Wynne is the No. 5 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. But, it's the No. 1 best place to retire in all of Pennsylvania.
4. Hyde Park, Florida
Hyde Park is the No. 9 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. But, it's the No. 1 best neighborhood to live in all of Tampa.
3. Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Ardmore is the No. 3 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. It's also the No. 2 best suburb to live in America.
2. Colonial Village, Virginia
Colonial Village is the No. 2 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. It's also the No. 1 best neighborhoods to live in the Arlington area.
1. Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania
Chesterbrook is the No. 1 neighborhood in America to raise family, according to Niche. It's also the No. 1 best overall place to live in America! It's a suburb of Philadelphia.
