Donalds strikes a conciliatory tone.
Byron Donalds made his first post-election speech at the Board of Governors summit Thursday. Donald’s speech carried none of the partisan fire that has come to mark Gov. Ron DeSantis’s public appearances. It struck a more conciliatory message. He said he serves all 23 million Floridians, regardless of how any citizen cast their ballot. Donalds mentioned he was going to meet with other governors next week and said the focus should be on policy, not sizing up “potential future rivals on a presidential debate stage.” Donalds quickly added: “I’m not running for president.”
Florida GOP leaders cool to DeSantis property tax session.
With the property tax-cutting Amendment 3 poised tokick in four days before he leaves office, Gov. Ron DeSantis is in a hurry to shape what may be among the most lasting parts of his political legacy. But fellow Republicans in the Legislature may not be ready to go along with him.
More than a week after DeSantis raised the idea of a special legislative session before year’s end to implement the property tax plan, the Legislature’s incoming leaders have said little. Those close to House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison and incoming Senate President Jim Boyd, said the men want to wait to let Gov.-elect Donalds play a role if an Amendment 3 special session occurs.
Flood impact continues.
The impact of flooding in Brevard County continues to be felt. An entire apartment complex had to be evacuated due to flood damage in Melbourne. Tenants at Windover Palms received notices on Thursday, telling them to leave. The letter says repairs can’t happen with people living inside and will take at least six months to finish. Now, the city of Melbourne is working to set up shelters for displaced families.
The Flood Warning continues for the St Johns River near Cocoa. The National Weather Service in Melbourne warns the river near Cocoa will rise to Major Flood Stage. The river is forecast to continue a gradual rise through this weekend.
If you’re planning to launch a boat, head to Ballard Park, not Front Street Park. The boat ramps at Front Street Park are still closed because of high water levels.
Flood debris pickup began in Melbourne today. City officials said pickup is for flood-impacted residents within Melbourne city limits. Residents should separate debris into four piles: household items, construction debris, appliances, and electronics.
Meanwhile, flood resources centers remain open daily at the Tony Rosa Community Center in Palm Bay and the Veterans Memorial Complex in West Melbourne.
Measles cases continues to rise.
The U.S. is nearing the loss of its measles elimination status as Florida cases hit 163. WFIT’s Terri Wright has more.
Measles cases in the United States have surged to a 30-year high, prompting international health experts to consider revoking the country's measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000.
Falling vaccination rates are contributing to outbreaks nationwide, including in Florida. CDC estimates put Florida's vaccination rate among schoolchildren at just 88-point-9 percent for the 2025-2026 school year, down from 94-point-1 percent a decade ago.
Health experts generally recommend at least 95 percent coverage to maintain community protection against measles. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and Governor Ron DeSantis have opposed vaccine mandates and supported eliminating school vaccination requirements.
The World Health Organization estimates nearly 95-thousand people died from measles worldwide last year, most of them children under five.