Here's a local and state news update from Florida Today and WFIT. I'm Evan Niemczyk
The average lifespan in Southwest Florida is nearly eighty-two years. But the region’s average healthspan — the time you live without chronic disease — is only sixty-eight.
Florida Gulf Coast University Dean Sean Felton wants to close that gap. He tells The Florida Roundup he's aiming to raise the regional healthspan by seven years by 2040.
“What I want to really focus on as well is the importance of the education sector. You know, we look at health span because the word health, that it's all healthcare related, and as well beyond that, it's the connection of educational attainment, being lifelong learners, and continuing that strive for knowledge.”
Felton believes giving people the language to understand their own health will trigger vital healthcare changes from the ground up.
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed two bills aimed at local governments. WFIT's Terri Wright reports.
"Governor Ron DeSantis signed the measures Wednesday, saying they are designed to protect taxpayers and increase government transparency.
"We're going to sign two pieces of legislation which involve protecting taxpayers, particularly against local government taxes, property taxes, and others, and also ensuring transparency in the spending process."
One new law requires local governments to provide more detailed quarterly reports, including information on employee compensation and spending.
The second law makes it more difficult for local governments to raise property taxes, a major source of funding for local services.
Meanwhile, the most significant property tax proposal won't require the governor's approval. Florida voters will decide in November whether to make major cuts to the homestead property tax."
Lawyers in a case to shut down Alligator Alcatraz say the news of its closure is a huge win. But attorney Elise Bennett says there is still work to do.
“What we're most concerned about is this project coming back alive like a zombie, and so we want to be sure that this is closing, that all of the infrastructure is being taken off the site, and that there's not a risk of it reopening.”
She says the sooner the site is dismantled, the better. Attorneys say they have evidence operating the facility damaged the ecosystem and want it cleaned up.
The case soon goes before the same judge who ordered it to wind down last year.
The latest scores for the Florida Statewide Assessment have been released and with it comes a new announcement from the governor.
Last friday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that more than 60% of florida students either met or exceeded their grade-level benchmarks. He suggested that the significant gain in English language arts and mathematics scores are due to a state-wide progressive monitoring system put in place five years ago.
In 2021, DeSantis abolished the old state assessment called the "FSA" for a new testing system taken throughout the year as opposed to only one larger test at the end. This new system is referred to as the "FAST" test. It is taken at the start, middle, and end of each school year to track progress throughout. And with 60% of the students meeting or exceeding their grade-level benchmarks, it would be hard to argue that the system isn't working as intended.
For these stories and more, visit FloridaToday.com and WFIT.org. I'm Evan Niemczyk