Florida's Latest News

DeSantis, Cabinet approve $72.6M in land conservation projects

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet approved conservation measures Tuesday covering more than 10,770 acres across the state, representing an investment of more than $72.6 million.

The projects include land protected through the Florida Forever program and the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, with more than 2,700 acres located within the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor.

Among the approvals is a 2,708-acre conservation easement in Putnam County within the Etoniah/Cross Florida Greenway Florida Forever Project. The property will help connect the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway State Recreation and Conservation Area with other conservation lands while protecting water resources, wildlife habitat and aquifer recharge areas.

The Cabinet also approved a 3,567-acre conservation easement in Hendry County within the Panther Glades Florida Forever Project. The property will remain in agricultural use while providing a connection between Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area and nearby protected lands.

Ashley Moody votes ‘yes’ on college sports bill after amendment, Rick Scott remains 1 of 2 GOP ‘no’ votes

Florida’s Republican Senators split on the Protect College Sports Act, with U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody switching to a “yes” vote after she secured an amendment to its conference realignment provision.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott remained opposed, joining U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky as the only two Republican “no” votes as the measure passed 77-22. Both of Florida’s Senators had voted against advancing the bill in procedural votes.

The legislation would establish national rules for athletes’ name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, revenue sharing, transfers and eligibility. It also would provide scholarship and medical protections while giving the NCAA and schools limited protection from antitrust lawsuits when enforcing certain rules.

Monday’s vote followed several hours of debate and consideration of seven floor amendments. One, offered by Moody with Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, passed by voice vote. The amendment raised the bill’s size limit for major conferences from 19 schools to 20.

Rest stop upgrades added to $20B plan to widen Florida’s Turnpike

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced nearly $63 million in upgrades to rest stops and truck parking along Florida’s Turnpike, including restaurants like Zaxby’s and Jimmy John’s, part of a broader effort to improve and widen the cross-state highway.

“As Florida has grown, we have made major investments in our transportation infrastructure to reduce congestion and improve our roadways,” DeSantis said at a Tuesday news conference in Central Florida. “We’ve made significant investments in expanding lane capacity to relieve congestion all along the Turnpike.”

The improvements are part of a $20 billion plan to widen the Turnpike, which extends from Miami to Wildwood, where it connects with Interstate 75. When the project is complete, the Turnpike’s main line from South through Central Florida will have at least six lanes, with some areas having up to 10 or more lanes, and will be widened by 965 “lane miles,” according to an FDOT graphic.

The project is 55% complete.

Nicola Liquori, the Turnpike’s executive director, said on Tuesday that travelers have logged about 9.5 trillion miles traveled on the Turnpike’s main line over the last year alone. The Turnpike is used daily by an average of more than 3 million customers, according to FDOT’s website.

Major college coming to Miami with $3B boost from billionaire Griffin

Carnegie Mellon University is coming to Miami with the launch of a new campus in Wynwood, backed by billions in support from hedge fund executive and philanthropist Ken Griffin, the deal’s principals told the Miami Herald in an exclusive interview.

The high-tech campus seems sure to trigger the latest transformation of the neighborhood that in recent years found new energy with murals and nightlife. Griffin said the neighborhood’s proximity to downtown and popularity with young people made it a “wonderful” location for a college campus.

Griffin donated $3 billion to Carnegie Mellon, with $2 billion for the Miami campus and $1 billion for the university’s main campus in Pittsburgh. It is Griffin’s largest-ever gift and the largest single gift by an individual to an institution of higher education, according to a news release from Carnegie Mellon.

“This may be the most impactful investment I will make in my lifetime — both for Miami and for our nation,” said Griffin, the Citadel CEO who relocated to South Florida in 2022.