COUNTY 

352 Today 

Marion County Just Hit Pause on a Kratom Ban — Here’s Why  

Commissioners agreed to wait on federal action targeting synthetic products after public speakers and staff warned that a blanket local ordinance could unfairly punish traditional leaf users and responsible businesses. 

 

Miami Herald 

Orange tourism panel passes on reviving half-billion-dollar convention center plan 

A panel filled with tourism-industry representatives surprisingly voted Tuesday to forward without change a citizens task force’s report that did not recommend funding a $523 million expansion of the county’s convention center. 

 

News 4 Jax 

St. Johns County commissioners greenlight $100M conservation bond for November ballot 

  1. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County commissioners voted Tuesday to put a major land conservation measure on November’s ballot, giving residents the final say on a bond that could reshape how the county protects its natural lands for generations to come.

 

PROPERTY TAXES 

Tallahassee Democrat 

Florida voters to next decide on property tax amendment 

‘It is likely to fundamentally change the way our local governments do business,’ one expert says. 

 

Click Orlando  

Amendment 3: Tax cut or ticking time bomb? 

Amendment 3 would slash your property taxes — but cities say it could gut police and fire 

 

DATA CENTER 

West Volusia Beacon 

County votes against allowing data centers in non-city areas 

After almost three hours of talk from the public, county planners, lawyers and themselves, the Volusia County Council Aug. 17 unanimously adopted a total ban on the location and development of artificial-intelligence complexes, known as large-scale data centers, within the unincorporated portions of the county. 

 

FEDERAL 

Miami Times Online 

Weakened federal heat protection rules leave Florida workers sweating  

On a hot afternoon last July, a tropical plant nursery worker named Sandra fainted while driving an open-air tractor down a public road between fields in Homestead, Florida. 

 

PARTNERS 

La Familia de Broward 

Florida Power & Light’s investments in solar deliver more than $1.3 billion in customer savings 

Latest milestone strengthens energy diversity, supports reliable service and helps keep customer bills as low as possible