Monday, May 5, 2025

Top Stories

Article Icon 1‘Baby Box’ Law Allows Surrendered Infants

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 791 into law, allowing parents to safely surrender infants 30 days old or younger without facing legal penalties.

The law authorizes hospitals, emergency medical facilities, and fire stations to install infant safety devices—commonly called “baby boxes”—where parents can anonymously surrender their infants.

Infant safety devices can only be installed in facilities that are staffed 24 hours a day. They must also be climate-controlled, ventilated, alarm-equipped, and physically integrated into the building.

The bill states that surrendering an infant terminates all parental rights. The law will go into effect on July 1.

Article Icon 1Road Named for Fallen Army Specialist 

A portion of U.S. 19 in Palmetto will be renamed on Tuesday for a fallen Army specialist killed during a training exercise in South Korea in 2019. 

The roadway between Palm View Road and Terra Ceia Road will be known as Army Specialist Nicholas Panipinto Memorial Highway.

Panipinto died during a training exercise when a Bradley Fighting Vehicle flipped over while a road test was being conducted at Camp Humphreys.

An Army investigation concluded that Panipinto had received only a few hours of training and no classroom instruction on operating the vehicle. A staff sergeant and two company-level officers were found responsible and subsequently dismissed.

Article Icon 1Sovereignty Team Considers Triple Crown Run

Hall-of-fame trainer Bill Mott will give Sovereignty—the winner of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby—a few days off as he and the horse’s owners decide whether to chase the Triple Crown with a run in the Preakness Stakes on May 17.

Foaled in Kentucky, Sovereignty graduated from the early training program at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala and now trains at Payson Park in Indiantown. He finished second at the Florida Derby before winning the 151st Run for the Roses.

If Sovereignty were to win the Preakness and then the Belmont Stakes in June, he would become the 14th Triple Crown winner. American Pharoah, the 2015 winner, was trained in Ocala, and the 1978 Triple Crown champion, Affirmed, was born, bred, and trained in Florida.

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The Flyover

Japanese Water Soluble Plastic Has American Competition

Japan’s RIKEN institute recently unveiled a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours — a breakthrough in the fight against pollution. But Florida-based Timeplast may have quietly surpassed it.

With seven patents and a proprietary process called “molecular disintegration,” Timeplast’s plastics dissolve not just in seawater, but also in freshwater, rain, humidity, and soil. Unlike traditional solutions, these materials leave no microplastics behind and maintain the strength of conventional plastics. Already used in 3D-printing and flexible composites, Timeplast’s lineup is versatile and scalable.

They’re on a mission to revolutionize multiple industries:

  • Packaging

  • 3D Printing

  • Healthcare

  • Agriculture

  • Consumer Goods

  • Marine

  • Construction

  • Retail & Events

As you can see, the market potential is enormous ($1.3T in total). That’s just one reason why they’ve already attracted over 6,000 investors.

This is your opportunity to join Timeplast as they lead a plastic revolution with global implications. Become a Timeplast shareholder now.

Around Florida

Pasco County: Jason Tucker, a firefighter and EMT who served with Pasco County Fire Rescue for 19 years, died from brain cancer in 2023. He was honored this weekend at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. (See Photo)

Brevard County: Jury selection begins today in the trial of Karly Anderson, a teacher accused of attending a January house party where underage drinking occurred. (See Photo)

Tallahassee: FSU honored its largest graduating class in history over the weekend. Ceremonies included a moment of silence in memory of Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba, who were killed in the April 17 shooting on campus. (More)

Okaloosa County: Deputies arrested a 32-year-old Crestview man on Saturday after he spent months evading multiple felony and misdemeanor warrants. (See Photos)

Lakeland: Florida Southern College celebrated the graduation of 580 students on Saturday, the largest class in the college’s history. NFL legend Rondé Barber was a commencement speaker. (Watch Video)

St. Petersburg: Jeff Knight, the boater who crashed into the Clearwater Ferry, is stepping down as owner and operator of the Jannus Live outdoor music venue. (More)

Florida Sports

Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk did not practice yesterday due to injury, but is still expected to be in the lineup for tonight’s playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. (More)

➤ Miami Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers delivered a walk-off grand slam off a pitch from Athletics all-star closer Mason Miller to give Miami a 9-6 victory on Saturday. (Watch Video)

 The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 on Saturday after scoring two runs in the eighth inning and taking the lead on this RBI fielder’s choice. (Watch Video)

Yesterday’s results: MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | LPGA | PGA | NASCAR | F1 | INDY

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The Business Of Florida

➤ Spectrum News has launched a Spanish-language news network, Spectrum Noticias, in Florida and other markets where Spectrum is offered on cable and streaming services. (More)

Jacksonville University College of Law’s inaugural class of 14 graduates—known as the Fab 14—prepares to enter the legal profession with a 100% job placement rate ahead of taking the bar exam. (More)

Meanwhile, Pasco-Hernando State College President Jesse Pisors resigned last week after DOGE found the school was second to last in student retention among the state’s 28 public colleges. (More)

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Meet the Genius Who Invented Plastic That Dissolves in Water

The world produces 450 million metric tons of plastic waste each year. Microplastics are seeping into our oceans and food. They even show up in our bodies. So you can imagine how revolutionary a new kind of plastic that completely dissolves in water can be.

Thatʼs exactly what Timeplast created. The company patented a water-soluble, time-programmable plastic that vanishes without harming the environment. Major players are already partnering with Timeplast for their patented technology.

Now you can invest in Timeplast as they scale in their $1.3 trillion market. Become a Timeplast shareholder here.

This is a paid advertisement for Timeplast’s Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.timeplast.com.
Et Cetera

➤ Scientists report that the total amount of sargassum in the Atlantic in April was 40% higher than the previous all-time high, which could mean a record seaweed bloom is set to cover Florida beaches. (More)

Four South Florida clinics are enrolling patients in a nationwide trial for a vitamin that may help slow memory loss and halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. (More)

The inaugural Harrington Foundation Golf Classic will be held on May 6 at the Pelican Golf Club in Tampa. The nonprofit, founded by Shark Tank’s Kevin Harrington, empowers youth and veterans by fostering entrepreneurship. (More)

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The Polling Station

How do you drink your iced tea?

  1. Sweet
  2. Unsweet
  3. Either way
  4. Not a tea drinker

 

Sunday’s Results:

Do you watch cartoons?

  1. Not on purpose: 61%
  2. Yes: 21%
  3. Only with the kids: 18%
Florida Trivia

Florida has produced six Kentucky Derby winners. Which state is the only one to have more?

Show me the answer

Flyover Florida

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