Florida Budget Talks Hit DeSantis Showdown

Florida’s House and Senate are closing in on a budget deal during their special session, but a sharp conflict has emerged at the bargaining table.

House appropriators voted to strip post-term security funding for Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Senate had included the security detail in its budget proposal. The House said no.

The standoff highlights tensions between DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature as the session enters its final stretch. Meanwhile, lawmakers have reached an agreement on worker pay raises and emergency funding, signs that a deal on the larger budget is within reach. A deal must be reached before the special session ends.

FPL Hardens Grid Before Hurricane Season

Hurricane season officially begins June 1, and Florida Power & Light (FPL) says it’s ready.

FPL has been accelerating statewide infrastructure upgrades ahead of the season, including major work in Manatee county and throughout the grid.

About 85% of FPL’s main power lines have now been storm-hardened, with ongoing underground line projects replacing above-ground wiring in neighborhood systems across the state. In Northwest Florida, over 250 miles of main lines have been reinforced.

FPL has also deployed AI-assisted damage detection that can identify outages without needing a driver on-site—part of a Smart Grid initiative designed to cut restoration times after storms. 

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The $10 Billion Tungsten Boom

The global tungsten market is surging toward $10 billion by 2030 for one simple reason: modern industry has no substitute for it. From the precision drills that build our cities to the high-heat engines that power our flight, tungsten is the indispensable “backbone” of global manufacturing.

With global prices recently surging 557% and U.S. inventory at a critical zero, the demand for a domestic source has reached a boiling point. It’s happening right as United States Tungsten is aiming to reestablish domestic tungsten to supply the 25-year growth cycle of American industry. 

➤ Statewide: Flags will fly at half-staff across Florida from sunrise to noon today. Gov. Ron DeSantis directed all state and local buildings to honor fallen service members this Memorial Day. (More)

➤ Tallahassee: Red Lobster’s oldest continuously operating location, open since 1970, served its final Cheddar Bay Biscuit on Sunday after 56 years in business. (More)

➤ Pensacola Beach: Lifeguards expanded their summer patrols to Perdido Key and area beaches for Memorial Day weekend, adding protection to some of the Panhandle’s busiest stretches of sand. (More)

➤ Gainesville: New University of Florida head coach Jon Sumrall says the Florida-Florida State rivalry “has got to be” the No. 1 game on the schedule. (More)

➤ Miami: One Hope United raised over $136,000 at a recent event to support Florida youth in foster care, adding resources to the nonprofit’s child welfare programs across the state. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay: Empower Adventures Tampa Bay offers an aerial obstacle course with ziplines, cargo nets, and swinging challenges set among the treetops. (More)

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This Metal Jumped 557% and Is Still Climbing

From semiconductors to EVs, aerospace, and more, tungsten is used across $12.33T in markets. And one company is unlocking this critical resource on U.S. soil for the first time in years.

United States Tungsten is aiming to reestablish tungsten on American soil. The company has a roadmap to dominate the domestic supply chain as the U.S. cuts its reliance on foreign imports.

Lock in your United States Tungsten investment as they aim to restart domestic tungsten production.

What sport were you (or are you) best at?

1. Football
2. Baseball
3. Soccer
4. Track
5. Golf
6. Pickleball
7. Other

Sunday’s Results:

How much sleep do you get on a typical night?

1. 6-8 hours: 68%
2. Less than six hours: 20%
3. 9-10 hours: 10%
4. More than 10 hours: 2%

What’s the nickname of the Martin County Trapper who hunts pythons with his blind dog, Helen Killer?

Show me the answer