Florida's Latest News

Gov. DeSantis gives $5.5M to Hamilton County for infrastructure, manufacturing project

Hamilton County, Florida’s sixth-smallest county with 14,004 residents as of the 2020 census, will receive $5.5 million for infrastructure improvements related to a project to bring a manufacturing outfit and as many as 1,000 jobs, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.

The money was given by DeSantis through his Job Growth Grant Fund, a pot the Governor can use to fund infrastructure and job training projects throughout the state. It received $75 million in the current budget, making the award about 7% of its total funding for a county containing 0.6% of the state’s population.

DeSantis said funding for projects in rural areas goes farther than in more populated areas.

“We have counties in our state, like Miami-Dade (County) is almost three million people … and they have a lot of needs but when I bring something it’s kind of like throwing a pebble in a pond,” DeSantis said. “But when you come to some of the rural areas, this makes a huge difference.”

Voting rights group Equal Ground Action launches campaign on redistricting Special Session

An Orlando-based Black political advocacy group is launching a new digital campaign to get voters to demand the Legislature protect minority access congressional districts in the upcoming Special Session.

Equal Ground Action Fund will target 2.5 million Floridians with a new digital campaign entitled “We Draw The Lines.” The group wants to convince lawmakers to not eliminate districts previously mapped out as minority access districts.

Particular focus has been given to Florida’s 5th Congressional District, which had been drawn, based on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to increase chances of Black representation in North Florida.

On Nov. 29, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the Legislature’s congressional redistricting map, and his concerns about minority access districts such as CD 5 were among his objections.

The Legislature must try again. A Special Session has been called to start April 19.

Alcohol restrictions for South Beach nightlife will be considered by commission

Five months after voters said they would support new alcohol restrictions, the City Commission will meet on Wednesday to consider proposals that could change the world-famous nightlife scene in South Beach.

Miami Beach commissioners are scheduled to discuss three proposals that would roll back alcohol sales by three hours from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. One of the proposed ordinances would impose a blanket 2 a.m. alcohol ban citywide. The other two would create exceptions for some existing 5 a.m. businesses or for those in certain areas of the city.

In November, 57% of voters approved a non-binding referendum supporting a 2 a.m. rollback of alcohol sales with certain “exceptions” for the commission to decide. Supporters of the referendum, including Mayor Dan Gelber, argued it was necessary to change South Beach’s reputation as a raucous party destination. Critics, including business owners, said it would hurt employees of places that sell alcohol and do little to curb crime.

DeSantis 'receptive' to changes to Disney's special operating district

Governor DeSantis says he would look favorably on any legislation that might curb some of the benefits now enjoyed by Disney World within the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Disney lobbied for the creation of the special administrative district, and in 1967 the Florida legislature authorized it for the purpose of supporting economic development and tourism within the district's boundaries, which include 25,000 acres overlapping Orange and Osceola Counties.

“I was shocked to see some of the stuff that’s in there," said DeSantis during a Friday news conference in Titusville. "They can do their own nuclear power plant. Is there any other private company in the state that can just build a nuclear power plant. They’re able to do certain things that nobody else is able to do.”

Florida House Representative Spencer Roach last week tweeted that he and other lawmakers are discussing repealing parts of the special legislative act that created the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a move the Governor said he would be receptive to.