Florida's Latest News

Charlie Kirk's death puts speech, security in the spotlight for Florida universities

The fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has prompted discussions about controversial speakers and free speech on Florida's college campuses, which have previously hosted Kirk and other politically volatile thought leaders.

Kirk was a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, who founded conservative youth organization Turning Point USA with more than 800 college chapters. He toured university campuses across the country in "Prove Me Wrong" debates, by engaging with students in discussions about topics including abortion rights, gun violence and immigration.

After Kirk, 31, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University Sept. 10 in Orem, Utah, university officials in Florida acted quickly to affirm free speech rights on campus and embrace civil discourse.

This comes as Republican officials across the country, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, recall Kirk as someone who devoted himself to free expression of ideas in universities, which Republicans often consider to be "hostile terrain" for right-leaning students.

Gov. DeSantis appoints former state lawmaker, hostage negotiator to Miami Dade College Board

The Miami Dade College District Board of Trustees just gained two notable new members.

One is José Félix Díaz, a lawyer and former state Representative who led a successful charge in 2016 to expand Florida’s KidCare enrollment to the children of legal immigrants.

The other is Juan Segovia, a decorated homicide detective in the Cold Case Unit of the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office who also works as a hostage negotiator.

They join two reappointed Board members: Board Chair Michael Bileca, a state lawmaker-turned-executive of a charter school nonprofit whose Board includes Díaz, and city of Hialeah Chief Operating Officer Ismare Monreal.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointments and reappointments on Thursday.

Díaz today works as executive vice president and managing partner at the lobbying firm of Ballard Partners and as a partner at Panza Maurer Law.

Orange County moves closer to redistricting and expanding its Commission

Orange County is edging closer to redrawing its district boundaries and expanding from six Commissioners to eight.

A redistricting advisory committee that met throughout the year is scheduled to present the final two proposed district boundary maps to the Orange County Commission.

As it stands now, the Orange County Commission is scheduled to vote on the final map at an Oct. 14 meeting.

The County Commission ultimately has final say on which map is selected. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he is hopeful the Commission won’t significantly redo the proposed boundaries suggested by the committee.

“I’m optimistic that our board won’t go back and try to second-guess a lot of the work and recommendations that have been made,” Demings said at one of the final redistricting advisory committee meetings this Summer.

A divided Lauderdale-by-the-Sea approves adding ‘President Donald J. Trump Drive’

Reflecting a deeply divided community, a split Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Town Commission has voted to add “President Donald J. Trump” to the name of Sea Grape Drive.

The 3-2 vote came Wednesday night after almost three hours of sometimes heated comments, mostly from opponents, applause and jeers from both sides, as well as sometimes testy discussion by the commissioners.

The chasm over Trump is widespread across the country, but political divisions aren’t the norm in the small seaside town, a place that Southern Living magazine describes as “the old-fashioned beach town of our dreams” that comes “straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”

Opponents warned that the cherished vibe could be ruined by the addition of Trump’s name to Sea Grape Drive.

Supporters said it would be a plus for the town. Commissioner Richard DeNapoli, who sponsored the resolution adding Trump’s name,  rejected arguments that it could hurt the town’s tourist-dependent economy. “This will not hurt tourism. On the contrary, it will enhance it. I think we all know nobody is canceling their beach plans because of a sign. Far from driving visitors away, this will be a draw. It could even bring a presidential visit.”