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 

Leon County leaders say they’re looking for ways to protect immigrants amid pressure, criticism from recent ICE raids 

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 

Florida Republicans Push for Stricter Immigration and Ballot Initiative Laws Ahead of Special Session 

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 

From wastewater to cooling water: Innovative FPL, Miami-Dade County project to reuse 15 million gallons daily  

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 

Shevrin Jones wants home addresses of elected officials and their families exempted from public records 

The Democratic lawmaker said running for office should not compromise someone’s safety.