Floridians weigh in on state's budget delays
Lawmakers in Florida still need to agree on next year's budget.
The James Madison Institute, a conservative think-tank, recently polled Floridians on the issue.
60 percent of people said they were "very or somewhat" concerned about potential cuts to local services if property taxes are eliminated.
Despite those concerns, nearly half of respondents said they'd choose getting rid of that tax over sales tax cuts if they had to choose.
Hope Florida under criminal investigation by Leon County prosecutors
Leon County prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Hope Florida, a charity backed by First Lady Casey DeSantis. The charity is at the center of allegations that Governor Ron DeSantis redirected $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement through the organization to political committees opposing last year’s recreational marijuana ballot initiative.
While Governor DeSantis has dismissed the claims as a “far left media hoax,” some Republican lawmakers have been calling for an investigation for weeks. The scope of the probe remains unclear, and State Attorney Jack Campbell has not commented. His office has declined to release records, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Mobile Museums of Tolerance in Florida teach Civil Rights, Holocaust history
The Mobile Museums of Tolerance is currently in Osceola County, teaching adults and kids alike about Holocaust and Civil Rights history.
It's time in Central Florida corresponds with the three-year anniversary of the passage of the Stop Woke Act, which restricted how history could be taught in K-12 schools.
Rajni Shankar-Brown says the history people learn aboard the bus is important for everyone to have access to.
“Teaching the civil rights movement, teaching the Holocaust. It's not about politics as people want to make it. It is about humanity. It is about justice. It is about preventing history from repeating itself.”
Tons of seaweed heading to Florida.
This year’s sargassum bloom has already broken its own size record by millions of tons — and the growing season isn’t done yet. Rick Glasby has more:
Stretching across some 5,500 miles of ocean, the seaweed is now are spreading into Florida’s waterways, coating marinas and beaches in the Miami area. The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute says that sargassum goes from being a beneficial resource to becoming a harmful algal bloom, when it comes ashore in excessive quantities.
In April, the University of South Florida estimated this year’s bloom is already at 31 million tons — 40% more than the previous record.
FWC meeting to consider bear hunting rules
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is meeting today in Ocala to consider proposed rules for a Florida black bear hunt scheduled for December and future years. The plan includes a $5 lottery for hunting permits, allowing unlimited applications but limiting one permit per adult. The hunt would be divided into four zones, each with a quota, and would require tagging and reporting of kills.
This year’s statewide quota is 187 bears, determined by factors such as population, growth rate, management goals, and non-hunting deaths. Central Florida, despite having the most bears, would receive only 18 permits due to low population growth caused by frequent highway deaths of mother bears and cubs.
The commission is also reviewing proposals on hunting with dogs, hunting near game feeding stations, and issuing landowner permits for large private properties. A final vote is expected in August.
More: www.floridatoday.com
