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Could tsunami threaten Florida? See what history tells us

One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula July 29.

The 8.8 magnitude quake prompted tsunami warnings across the Pacific, including Alaska, Hawaii and the entire U.S. West Coast.

In Hawaii, authorities urged residents and tourists to move to evacuate from coastal zones. Initial data showed waves were less than the potential projected maximum of 9.8 feet, with some of the highest seen 5.7 feet in Kahului, Maui.

While Florida is surrounded by water, tsunamis are possible but extremely rare, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

The earthquake that struck off Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29 is among the 10 largest ever recorded on the planet.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 7:24 p.m. ET, about 78 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia.

Darryl Rouson’s life of legislative public service may not yet be over

Sen. Darryl Rouson has served in the Legislature since his first election to the House in 2008, and then to the Senate in 2016. By the time he reaches term limits in the Senate and leaves office, his legislative career will have spanned about 18 years. 

But Rouson may not yet be done. Sources familiar with Rouson’s thinking say he’s considering running next year for Florida House District 62, the seat currently held by Rep. Michele Rayner, who is now running for Rouson’s Senate seat, making the possibility of a Rayner victory in his Senate District 16 and his hypothetical election to HD 62 something of a seat-swapping opportunity. 

That consideration, sources tell Florida Politics, is based less on Rouson’s drive to keep serving in the Legislature, and more about his call to service that tells him now is not the time to leave. 

It began with a group of Tampa Bay area ministers. What started as a few whispers and a nudge here and there quickly turned into dozens of faith leaders urging Rouson to stay in the game, even if it means basically demoting himself to the state’s lower chamber, where, by then, he won’t have served for nearly a decade. 

UCF wants to be a leader in artificial intelligence with new institute

The University of Central Florida (UCF) has created an Institute of Artificial Intelligence, which school leaders believe will “elevate UCF’s leadership in this transformative technology.”

The institute will house 25 faculty members from across the school’s colleges and bring experts in fields like computer vision, robotics, machine learning, healthcare, finance, and mathematics working together, the school said in a press release Wednesday. 

“By bringing AI-related faculty, students, research, and partners together, the institute will serve as a nucleus for collaboration, driving education and discovery with real-world impact,” the press release said.

The institute will center around research, education, workforce talent development, and building partnerships across the industry, government, and other community stakeholders.

“AI is massively transforming how we live, work and learn. As Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University, UCF is uniquely positioned to lead in this critical space,” said UCF President Alexander Cartwright in a statement. “This initiative reflects our broader commitment to grow research, scale our areas of excellence, and prepare students to lead in a technology-driven future.”

Daniel Webster throws his support behind Ralph Massullo in SD 11

The endorsements keep coming for Ralph Massullo.

U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster became the latest to back the Lecanto Republican for the Senate District 11 Special Election.

“As a proud conservative who has spent over a decade fighting for Florida’s values in Washington, I know how important it is to elect leaders who understand our state’s unique challenges. That’s why I’m excited to endorse Ralph Massullo for the Florida Senate. Ralph is an America First fighter for Florida families, standing for lower taxes, strong schools, and a safer community. I’m confident that he will serve us well in Tallahassee.”

Webster’s Congressional District 11 and SD 11 overlap somewhat. Both include Sumter County.

Massullo, who served eight years representing HD 23 before term limits forced him from office in 2024, was honored to receive Webster’s endorsement.