Good Morning! On this day in 2014, Florida Georgia Line released the song This Is How We Roll, featuring Luke Bryan. It finished the year in the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Country Digital Songs charts.
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Leaders Rebuke World Cup Travel Advisory
Florida leaders over the weekend dismissed a FIFA World Cup travel advisory that warned international travelers to be on guard when visiting the state. The advisory cited Florida’s aggressive actions on illegal immigration.
Various groups, such as the ACLU of Florida, the Florida Immigrant Coalition, and the American Friends Service Committee, issued a travel alert for all of the U.S., but “particularly in Florida.” They gathered Feb. 5 outside Florida’s FIFA headquarters and announced that “Florida is no longer safe.”
DeSantis called the advisory a “stunt” in a post on X. He pointed to other instances of similar advisories, saying they are “promoting a leftist agenda and are mad that Florida is beating them on the issues.”
Bryan Griffin, president and CEO of Visit Florida, called the advisory “ridiculous” and “politically motivated,” saying it was an attempt to hurt the tourism industry and the Sunshine State.
Casey DeSantis Returns to the Spotlight
As the Hope Florida controversy fades, First Lady Casey DeSantis has reemerged publicly, fueling renewed speculation about her political future and a potential gubernatorial bid.
Though Casey DeSantis was never officially accused of wrongdoing with Hope Florida, she pulled back from the public spotlight, making only seven public appearances from April through December. She has made six public appearances already this year.
The first lady has appeared alongside her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, to promote healthcare initiatives in the state. Her Healthy Florida First initiative, in partnership with the state’s surgeon general, tests everyday foods for toxins and posts the results online.
Anna Kepner’s Stepbrother Arrested
Anna Kepner was found dead in November under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship. The 18-year-old’s death was ruled a homicide, according to her death certificate, caused by “mechanical asphyxia.”
According to Kepner’s father, his 16-year-old stepson was arrested and charged last week in connection with the case and appeared in a Miami court on Friday.
The stepbrother was released to the custody of a guardian, and the charges he faces are unknown. All court records are sealed because the suspect was charged as a juvenile.
The parents of the stepbrother, identified as T.H. in court documents, have acknowledged that the FBI has identified him as the sole suspect in Kepner’s death.
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➤ South Florida: The Department of Justice allowed U.S. lawmakers to see unredacted files from the case of convicted Florida sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Monday. (More)
➤ Tallahassee: Briana McCarthy, a former Florida Department of Financial Services employee, was arrested on a host of fraud-related charges after allegedly stealing over $1.7 million from the agency. (More)
➤ Miami: Atlanta Falcons rookie star James Pearce Jr. appeared before a judge on Sunday for charges of two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated stalking, and fleeing or eluding police, following a domestic dispute with WNBA player Rickea Jackson on Saturday. (More)
➤ Statewide: The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a fact sheet summarizing data from the Dec. 6-28 black bear hunt, the first in a decade. The agency reported that 52 bears were killed out of the 172 permits issued. (More)
➤ Clay County: Parents are frustrated by a bus driver shortage that is causing delays for students in several neighborhoods as drivers are forced to handle multiple routes, completing one before doubling back to complete another. (More)
➤ Polk County: Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson wants to slash the number of out-of-state students allowed in Florida’s top public universities, arguing such a move would be “putting Florida’s students and families first.” (More)
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➤ Florida men’s basketball jumped three spots to No. 14 in this week’s AP poll, the only Florida school to make the Top 25. (See Poll)
➤ The Jacksonville Jaguars have been given the best odds of any Florida football team to win the Super Bowl next year, followed by the Tampa Bay Bucs. The Dolphins are tied for the second-worst Super Bowl odds in the entire league. (More)
➤Former Miami football player Rashaun Jones is officially on trial for the murder of his former teammate, Bryan Pata, who was shot and killed outside of his apartment 20 years ago. (More)
➤ Florida State men’s basketball faces off against No. 15 UVA at 7 p.m. tonight. (More)
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➤ Mayday Ice Cream is celebrating Library Lovers’ Month in St. John’s County with the introduction of Where the Wild Flavors Are, a wild blueberry and dark chocolate ice cream inspired by the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are. It’s available starting Friday. (More)
➤ The Central and North Florida blueberry industry faces major losses after a historic frost and the coldest weather in decades. (More)
➤ Florida’s childhood poverty rate continued to decline over the past year, with 3,192 fewer children living in poverty statewide, according to an analysis from the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida Prosperity Initiative. (More)
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➤ Pegasus World Cup Day marked its 10th anniversary with record-setting wagering and a global audience at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. The Jan. 24 event generated $48.5 million in total bets, shattering last year’s record of $41.7 million. (More)
➤ Traffic on Florida’s rural roads is expected to increase by 73% by 2045, according to a new study by a national transportation research nonprofit. (More)
➤ An ice cream truck is the newest vehicle in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office fleet. Purchased with money seized from drug dealers, the truck will be used to give out free ice cream to the community. (See Photos)
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Leaders Rebuke World Cup Travel Advisory
