DeSantis calls to eliminate property taxes.
Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Melbourne yesterday, continuing to call for Florida property tax cuts -- yet still hasn't released his own proposal to do so.
"I think people have definitely reached the limit on what they can afford, particularly on on property tax, and so that's why we're taking it on."
DeSantis said he wants to focus on people whose primary homes are in Florida... not snowbirds or Airbnb owners. DeSantis plans to call a special session over the summer to cut property taxes, sometime after the state’s current special session on the budget but before mid-August. Any reduction would have to be put on the November ballot and approved by voters.
Plane crash reveals drug smuggling operation.
There’s a twist in the story about a plane crash in the Atlantic over the weekend. One of the 11 Bahamians rescued by the Air Force Reserve Wing at Patrick was arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine. While other passengers were praying for safe rescue, Jonathan Gardiner allegedly secured a bag containing $30,000 in Bahamian currency. Gardiner also had three cell phones on him when the plane went down 80 miles southeast of Melbourne.
Faculty can carry guns onto college campuses.
A year after a gunman opened fire on Florida State University, trained college and university faculty can carry guns onto campus under a bill Gov. DeSantis signed Friday. Under the new law Florida’s guardian program will be extended to colleges and universities.
Goodbye Crimson Tide - Hello gators.
A University of Florida search committee announced it had picked Stuart Bell as the only finalist for its next President. Bell’s selection is seen as a bit of a surprise since the school’s interim president — Donald Landry — is in line for a $2 million payment since he was not picked for the permanent position. Stuart Bell was the former leader of the University of Alabama. The recommendation will be handed over to the UF Board of Trustees for approval.
Seahorse sighting offers hope for IRL.
A seahorse saved from a shrimp trap in the Indian River Lagoon has created quite a stir, lately. Seahorses rely on seagrass, which has more than doubled in acreage in the Lagoon since 2021. As seagrass beds return to the lagoon, biologists expect seahorse populations to rebound as well. The seahorse, nicknamed “Squirmin’ Herman,” was caught in the Banana River near Kelly Park. Seahorses are 'sentinel' creatures, that can signal changes in an environment, much like a canary in a coal mine. So some environmentalists are hopeful that the lagoon's health is improving.
Amazon pumps dollars into Brevard.
Amazon has emerged as a Brevard County economic powerhouse. Amazon officials say they’ve invested more than $400 million across Florida's Space Coast. Their initial focus was building warehouses, including a planned West Melbourne warehouse that may create more than 1,000 full-time jobs. Now Amazon is investing hundreds of millions of dollars at Cape Canaveral to develop Amazon Leo. Similar to SpaceX’s Starlink project, Amazon Leo will provide high-speed internet service around the planet. The Cape will serve as a key satellite-processing and launch hub.
Good sloth news.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is celebrating some happier sloth news. Two male sloths that the zoo recently took in from Sloth World have progressed out of intensive care. The good news comes after another sloth at the zoo recently died.
