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Florida congressional delegation makes bipartisan call for more flexibility from FEMA on storm debris collection

A bipartisan group of 13 U.S. Representatives from Florida, along with U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, is asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for more flexibility on debris collection and removal, as well as for assurances about reimbursements to local governments.

In a letter signed by U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kathy Castor, Mario Díaz-Balart, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Carlos Giménez, Laurel Lee, Jared Moskowitz, Bill Posey, Greg Steube and Michael Waltz, the group cited “significant hardship” in areas most impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which made landfall in Florida less than two weeks apart.

“Many of these local governments need FEMA to implement precedented emergency policy flexibilities to facilitate a seamless federal response,” the letter to President Joe Biden reads.

FEMA typically requires prior approval for debris removal, demolition and waste disposal. The letter notes that “FEMA has previously issued disaster specific guidance to inform local communities on how they can remain in compliance with regulations and remain eligible for reimbursement.” The letter also acknowledges guidance and waivers FEMA has already provided related to distinguish between damage from Helene and Milton.

Health advocates urge Florida to apply for federal Medicaid relief amid hurricane recovery

Hurricanes Milton and Helene have caused a lot of disruptions in Florida. Thousands of residents continue to struggle with housing, employment, and health care needs, which is why a coalition of health and labor advocates want Florida leaders to make it easier for people to access Medicaid coverage.

They sent a letter earlier this month to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida urging them to apply for all available emergency flexibilities the federal government is offering in response to the disasters.

Florida has been experiencing a Public Health Emergency since Sept. 23, according to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. During these periods, states can apply for waivers to ease some of the administrative requirements involved with providing and receiving certain health services.

Many people are experiencing financial crises following the back-to-back hurricanes, said Alison Yager, executive director of the Florida Health Justice Project. Some with low incomes may need to turn to safety net programs like Medicaid for help.

After agreement ratified, Tallahassee State College board OKs pay raises for faculty

Tallahassee State College’s Board of Trustees has approved a collective bargaining agreement between TSC and its faculty union, which confirms a 4% across-the-board salary raise. 

The trustees unanimously voted in favor of the bargaining agreement Monday during a meeting on campus following an Oct. 2 ratification by the United Faculty of Florida’s TSC chapter, which is a requirement of the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission. 

“The faculty are pleased with the raise,” UFF-TSC President Martin Balinsky, an earth and science professor, told the Tallahassee Democrat Monday.

Although the board voted to approve the pay increase during a September meeting – where TSC President Jim Murdaugh said he “couldn’t be happier” – the increase needed to be ratified by the faculty union before going into effect.

The 4% base salary increase is a result of a six to seven-month long classification study at TSC that was performed by local consulting company Evergreen Solutions to figure out ways of recruiting and retaining faculty, according to Murdaugh.

Hurricanes appear to be flooding Southwest Florida beaches with 'flesh-eating bacteria'

A day at the beach is all about sunshine and rainbows, but for some beachgoers the effects of climate change turned what was to be a fine day into one of the last of their lives.

Several of the people who died during the weeks after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County on September 28, 2022, began showing signs of illness a week or two into October. Most report visiting the beach after Ian or working inland where storm surge had been trapped in swales or drainage ditches.

Many infectious disease researchers agree that Ian’s strong storm surge had mixed with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria in the brackish backwaters among clams and oysters and churned inland for quite a distance.

When the hurricane, made stronger by the record-hot waters of the Gulf of Mexico, started to pull away it took with it the feet-deep surge now polluted with chemicals, trash, and organisms, back through the bays, over the beaches, and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Ian’s 15-foot surge in September 2022 left behind big piles of sand blocking shoreline roads, a hazard beachgoers could navigate.