Florida's Latest News

Governor signs legislation more tightly regulating data centers

Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation to add new regulations to data centers amid concerns the large-scale facilities are sucking up Florida’s resources at taxpayers’ expense.

“This bill, I think, is the first in the country that ensures that the rhetoric we hear is actually reality on the ground,” DeSantis said as he signed SB 484 during a news conference in Lakeland.

Under the measure, local governments are given the power to do comprehensive planning and pass land development regulations over data centers. Data centers are required to cover their own utility services costs and infrastructure expenses instead of passing them on to Floridian consumers.

“That’s just not right for the most wealthy companies in the history of the world to come in and have individual Floridians or Americans subsidize these hyperscale data centers,” DeSantis said at the bill-signing ceremony. “Individuals should not have to pay anything more if their community brings in a data center.”

Town hall: Commissioners talk TMH, property taxes, more at forum

Capital city and county leaders gathered at the WFSU studio on May 7 to answer the community's most pressing questions on hot local topics.

Elected leaders covered topics across the board, from the ongoing tensions between Leon County and the city of Tallahassee, the recent transfer of the local community hospital to Florida State, as well as the ongoing struggles with state and federal laws.

The annual town hall, hosted by The Village Square, is sponsored by the Tallahassee Democrat, Leadership Tallahassee and WFSU. This year marked the forum's 14th year and also the chance for many sitting commissioners to have their stance on topics heard ahead of election season.

City Commissioners Dianne Williams-Cox – who arrived late – Jack Porter and Jeremy Matlow, and County Commissioners David O'Keefe, Rick Minor, Nick Maddox and Carolyn Cummings all weighed in. Here are a few highlights:

Tampa City Council re-elects Alan Clendenin as Chair, signaling stability after last year’s fiasco

Alan Clendenin will continue to wield the gavel as Chair of the Tampa City Council after members voted to re-elect him to the role, extending a tenure that began last year after a contentious leadership shake-up.

Clendenin’s selection came as City Council members appeared apprehensive about stepping into leadership roles, particularly after a public spat between former Chair Guido Maniscalco and Council Member Bill Carlson — who recently launched a bid for Tampa Mayor.

Clendenin, who represents the citywide District 1 seat, first assumed the Chair position in May 2025 after Carlson successfully moved to reconsider Maniscalco’s reappointment to the role — and subsequently swinging his vote to select Clendenin as Chair. 

Thursday’s vote, by contrast, was a far less dramatic process and signaled continued support for Clendenin’s leadership heading into another year of major city issues, including redevelopment negotiations, infrastructure planning, public safety discussions, and high-profile discussions over a proposed Tampa Bay Rays ballpark. 

‘Dream becomes real’: FAMU business school gets $300K for scholarships

Florida A&M University’s spring commencement speakers did more than address this semester’s graduating class – they also pledged six-figure donations to one of the university's flagship schools. 

FAMU alumnus Omar Goff – end-to-end commercial leader for the shampoo brand Head & Shoulders, North America – led the charge by announcing a $100,000 gift of his personal money to FAMU's School of Business and Industry (SBI) during the university’s May 2 graduation ceremony in the Lawson Center on campus. 

The gift will earn him a plaque on the SBI Big Board, which was created by SBI’s late founding dean Sybil Collins Mobley. Each plaque on the board, which is located on a wall of the school's complex on Robert and Trudie Perkins Way, displays the logo or name of major contributors who endowed at least $100,000 for student scholarships. 

“For years, I dreamed of seeing my name on the SBI Big Board,” Goff, who is also the former president of the textured haircare brand Mielle, said during his keynote speech May 2. “And today … that dream becomes real.”