FAC News Clips – February 4, 2025
COUNTY
ABC 7
SW Florida leaders to discuss removing fluoride from water as RFK Jr. voices concerns
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lee County commissioners are set to discuss the future of fluoride in the county’s drinking water during their meeting on Tuesday.
Pensacola News Journal
Santa Rosa Commission votes to impose impact fees on new construction
There was no fussing or screaming, and actually little in the way of fanfare at all as, following a brief public hearing, Santa Rosa County Commissioners voted unanimously to impose impact fees on new construction to help pay for needed road improvements.
Florida Today
County requests $130 million to upgrade wastewater plant for Space Florida
Brevard Commissioners last week agreed ask Space Florida to pay for $130 million in upgrades to a Merritt Island water treatment plant to help handle increased demand from the commercial space industry.
WCTV
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Though Tallahassee is not a sanctuary city due to state law, the capital city and Leon County governments are debating ways they can still help those seeking refuge.
LEGISLATION
Florida Phoenix
From $200K to $1M, Rep. Fiona McFarland pushes for a big boost in sovereign immunity limits
Within hours of its filing, there were 25 lobbyist registrations on the bill.
The Capitolist
Senate bill proposes Florida Museum of Black History in St. Johns County
Legislation was introduced on Monday that would establish the Florida Museum of Black History, a state-supported institution dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Black Floridians.
News-Press
Tax cuts, pay raises in proposed state budget from Gov. DeSantis
Highlights include a ‘Second Amendment Summer’ tax holiday, exempting ‘ammunition, firearms, and related accessories.’
FAC News Clips – January 30, 2025
LEGISLATION
Florida Phoenix
House Republican wants to make it easier to sue state and local governments
One of the most closely tracked bills of 2024 is poised for a comeback in the 2025 session.
COUNTY
Click Orlando
Newly formed Orange County transportation committee holds 1st meeting
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A newly formed group of residents will soon be helping Orange County leaders make key decisions on transportation.
Herald-Tribune
After lawsuit over texts, Sarasota County will revise cell phone use
Sarasota County will issue more government-owned cellphones to employees to make sure work-related text messages they send — including by high-level officials — are properly archived and available for public inspection as required by open government laws.
Your Observer
Manatee County to receive over $252 million for disaster recovery
Manatee County was awarded a $252,711,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to rebuild after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton damaged some western portions of the county.
WCTV
Leon County Commission votes against reallocating $1.2M for affordable housing from road resurfacing
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County Commission voted against a proposal Tuesday aimed at reallocating nearly $1.2 million a year for affordable housing.
WPBF
Martin County moves forward with conflict resolution over Brightline grant dispute
STUART, Fla. — Martin County commissioners have voted 4-1 to initiate a Florida conflict resolution process in an effort to settle a dispute with the city of Stuart.
FAC News Clips – January 27, 2025
COUNTY
The Published Reporter
Miami-Dade County Abandons Plan for New Waste-to-Energy Incinerator
MIAMI — After nearly two years of intense debate and public protests, Miami-Dade County has officially scrapped plans to build a new waste-to-energy incinerator.
Florida Today
Satellites track how crocs keep waltzing their way to the Space Coast
Alligators are common sights in Brevard County. Crocodiles not too much.
WFSU
A Leon County leader is wary of an affordable housing proposal
Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor says he’s reserving judgement on an affordable housing proposal coming up at Tuesday’s commission meeting.
Tampa Bay Times
Florida county balks at bike-trail tunnels with $40 million price tag
Commissioners said they could go only so far in spending taxpayer money to improve the pathway.
DISASTER RECOVERY
WUWF
Pinellas County receives more than $800 million for long-term hurricane recovery
Florida residents are still feeling the impact of hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton. The latter two delivered a devastating back-to-back blow to the Tampa Bay region last year, exacerbating damages and making recovery even more difficult.
LEGISLATION
The Published Reporter
TALLAHASSEE — On the eve of a special legislative session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republican lawmakers filed a series of bills Sunday aimed at tightening restrictions on undocumented immigrants and reforming the state’s ballot initiative process.
FAC News Clips – January 24, 2025
COUNTY
WLRN
Florida Keys building permits moratorium rejected by commissioners
Monroe County Commissioners are again saying “no” to a proposed moratorium on handing out building permits in the Florida Keys.
Times of the Islands
Comcast Invests $15M to Expand High-Speed Network Across Charlotte County
CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla., Jan. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Comcast today announced a $15 million investment to build and expand its high-speed, reliable network across Charlotte County, Florida.
WPTV
This county repealed a 1989 ordinance requiring fluoride in water
St. Lucie County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to repeal a 1989 ordinance requiring local municipalities to add fluoride to their water.
PUBLIC CAMPING
Fox 4 Now
Cape’s new camping ban makes people experiencing homelessness go to Fort Myers
CAPE CORAL, Fla. — What are people experiencing homelessness supposed to do in Cape Coral now that camping on public property is banned in city limits.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
Ron DeSantis urges GOP leaders across the state to pressure lawmakers about Special Session
Legislative leaders so far pushed back on demands to craft and pass bills on mass deportation next week.
FAC News Clips – January 23, 2025
NACO
NACo
County leaders look at adapting to ever-changing disaster risks
Flanked by Florida Association of Counties Executive Director Ginger Delegal and Kentucky Association of Counties CEO Jim Henderson, Hawaii County, Hawaii Councilmember Heather Kimball describes the gamut of disasters — earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, nuclear weapons — that Hawaiian counties face.
COUNTY
Click Orlando
National Florida Day: Facts you didn’t think you needed to know about the Sunshine State
ORLANDO, Fla. – Saturday is National Florida Day and you better S-H-E-L-L-E-B-R-A-T-E!
Florida Politics
Miami-Dade advances plan to test wastewater sludge as ship fuel
If the test succeeds and the technology proves scalable, a next step could be a sludge-to-fuel facility at one of Miami-Dade’s wastewater plants.
LEGISLATION
Tampa Bay Times
Miami-Dade County urges state to repeal law barring local crane safety
The proposal mentions the crane that toppled and smashed a St. Petersburg office building during Hurricane Milton.
FAC News Clips – January 16, 2025
COUNTY
Pensacola News Journal
SS United States cleared for Mobile Alabama move, Okaloosa picking site
After concerns that the SS United States wasn’t seaworthy enough to make the trip from Philadelphia to Florida, Okaloosa County now says experts believe the ship can be successfully towed from the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico, where it’s intended to create the world’s largest artificial reef.
WJHG
Bay County receives federal grant to improve roadway safety
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Bay County was awarded a $200,000 grant from the federal government to create a safety action plan for improving safety on county roads.
Marco Eagle
Collier board votes to move ahead with $50 million mental health center
LoCastro said he had no interest in going back to “square zero,” and reconsidering the location for the project.
Miami’s Community News
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today unveiled one of the largest reclaimed water projects in the state in partnership with Miami-Dade County.
LEGISLATION
Florida Politics
After court ruling, Gov. DeSantis eyes tougher homeless camping ban
Lawmakers may act in the wake of a SCOTUS ruling.
Spectrum News 13
New bill seeks to ease food insecurity in Florida
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Not having access to fresh, healthy food is a growing problem in Florida. It’s something state lawmakers are looking to solve with a new bill, House Bill 89, filed to the legislature this month.
Florida Politics
The Democratic lawmaker said running for office should not compromise someone’s safety.