DeSantis claims Florida is #1 for vocational education.
Gov. DeSantis came to Titusville High School this week to tout the state’s vocational education opportunities. According to state officials, Florida has been named the top state in the nation for workforce education. DeSantis said vocational work education can be both an opportunity for young people to fill a niche in Brevard with the space industry, and to enter the workforce without debt.
MLB gets $2.5 million.
Melbourne airport is undertaking an $11 million infrastructure improvement project. The Florida Job Growth Fund contributed $2.5 million toward the total. With the money, airport officials hope to expand the Maintenance and Repair Overhaul area where planes can be fueled and maintained. It’s hoped to lead to 500 jobs with a salary of up to $85,000.
NASA conducts test of SLS rocket today.
NASA is conducting what’s called a “wet dress rehearsal” of its’ massive moon rocket today. The SLS is being filled with fuel, and a countdown will continue until just before the point of launch. A successful test will clear the way for a lunar launch as soon as March 6th. We’ll know tomorrow how the test went.
Citizens Property Insurance expands arbitration process.
As Florida senators work to give Citizens Property Insurance customers more power to dispute claim denials, Citizens is moving in the opposite direction. The company is expanding a controversial arbitration process that critics say unfairly favors the company over homeowners. Citizens is pushing more policyholders into its mandatory arbitration system, which forces disputes out of traditional courts and before a single judge, who paid by Citizens. The expansion comes despite growing scrutiny from lawmakers and questions from a circuit judge about whether the process is constitutional. Citizens is a financial supporter of WFIT.
Stricter voter registration nears final vote.
The major election bill advanced in Tallahassee. It would require proof of American citizenship to register to vote in Florida. The bill advanced on a party line vote Wednesday in a Senate appropriations committee. The proposal moving through both chambers of the Florida Legislature says that the U.S. citizenship status of every voter would need to be verified through DMV records before their voter registration is considered valid. Voting rights advocates say that, under the bill, some percentage of U.S. citizens will end up being removed from the voting rolls because they can’t provide the required documents.
A proposal in the Florida Senate, sponsored by Sen. Debbie Mayfield, would rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald J. Trump. WFIT’s Terri Wright gives us details.
The legislation, Senate Bill 706, would formally designate names for seven major commercial airports across Florida and includes a $5 million appropriation for signage replacement. SB 706 is part of a broader proposal that would transfer naming authority for Florida’s major commercial service airports, drawing scrutiny for its wider impact, and centralize airport naming decisions in Tallahassee.
At the same time, a private company with ties to Trump has taken steps to secure federal trademark rights for the airport’s proposed new name. Holding trademark rights could allow the owner to control certain commercial uses of the name, including its appearance on signage, advertising, and merchandise.
Florida Attorney General doubles his salary.
Florida’s Attorney General has found a way to double his salary. James Uthmeier earns $100,000 a year as a part-time professor at the University of Florida’s law school. He teaches two hours a week. The teaching job pushes his total state paycheck to nearly $100,000 more than Gov. DeSantis’ salary.
