Good Morning!On this day in 1961, the unmanned Mercury-Atlas 2 flight launched from Cape Canaveral to check the maximum temperatures the spacecraft could encounter in upcoming flights. The capsule flew a suborbital mission that lasted 17 minutes and 56 seconds.
After a loose cow had to be lassoed, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office wrote, “Keeping things MOO-ving. In this line of work, things don’t always go as expected.” Get all the details in Et Cetera.
Today’s sponsor, Grounded Footwear, is helping you step into spring with barefoot shoes designed to support natural movement, improve balance, reduce joint pressure, and keep you comfortable with lightweight, non-slip protection—now up to 60% off for a limited time.
Daytona Beach ☀️ 83/63° | Ft. Myers 🌤️ 86/62° | Jacksonville 🌤️ 85/67° | Key West 🌤️ 78/67° | Miami 🌤️ 80/65° | Ocala 🌤️ 86/63° | Orlando ☀️ 88/65° | Pensacola ☁️ 77/47° | Port St. Lucie ☀️ 85/60° | Tallahassee 🌤️ 82/55° | Tampa 🌤️ 84/65°
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Property Tax Proposal Moves Ahead
The Florida House of Representatives approved a proposal Thursday that would eliminate non-school property taxes on homesteaded homes.
“The way we passed it today—it’s a faucet. (Property tax) immediately goes off,” said State Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Stuart.
Next, the proposal heads to the Florida Senate for consideration, though lawmakers there have yet to introduce their own version of the bill. If it clears the legislature and then at least 60% of voters approve it, the legislation will take effect on Jan. 1.
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he’s working with the Senate on their own version of the bill, writing on social media, “Given that it can’t be voted on by the people before November, it’s better to do it right than do it quick!“
Massive Tag Agency Bust in Miami-Dade
Twenty-two people were arrested after a six-month long operation dubbed “Operation Ghost Writer” investigated coordinated fraud at tag agencies across Miami-Dade County.
“Certain clerks collaborated with motor vehicle dealers to falsify signatures, process transactions without the required parties present, and create fraudulent power of attorney documents,” said Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
The suspects face charges including official misconduct, providing false information on a public record, vehicle title, forgery and alteration, tampering with physical evidence, and uttering forged instruments.
Florida Metros Lead in Cash Home Purchases
Miami, West Palm Beach, and Jacksonville metro areas continue to dominate the country in cash home purchases, according to a new report from Redfin.
West Palm Beach led the entire country, with 47.2% of all buyers paying in cash. Miami and Jacksonville followed closely behind, tied at 39.3%. Fort Lauderdale metro was almost 36%.
Cash was least common among homebuyers on the West Coast. In Seattle, Washington, all-cash purchases accounted for just 17.3% of buyers, followed by 18.5% in Oakland, California, and 19.6% in Sacramento, California.
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➤Palm Beach:White House Communications Director Steven Cheung praised the Florida Legislature’s passage of a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Trump. “Has a GREAT ring to it,” he wrote on social media. (More)
➤Sumter County:A chlorine leak on Thursday evening at the Turtle Mound Golf Course prompted a three-hour shelter in place warning for residents of The Villages. (Details)
➤Walton County:A lawsuit filed by Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell against a woman he claimed trespassed on his beach was dismissed by a judge earlier this week. (More)
➤North Miami:The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking to revoke former Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime’s citizenship, claiming he “willfully misrepresented his identity and immigration history.” (Details)
➤Tampa:Plans are moving forward on a $362 million Selmon Expressway project, widening the roadway from two lanes to three in each direction between Downtown Tampa and Gandy Boulevard. (See Video)
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➤The Florida Senate passed the Teddy Bridgewater Act this week, which allows high school coaches to use up to $15,000 of their own money to provide student-athletes with transportation, food, and recovery services. The law is named after former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was suspended as coach of Miami Northwestern for doing precisely what this law now permits. (More)
➤Pinellas County school district announced they’ll be charging families $50 per sport if a kid wants to participate in high school athletics, although kids won’t be turned away from sports if they can’t come up with the money. (More)
➤Former FSU and Buccaneers’ radio host Gene Deckerhoff was honored by the Florida Sports Hall of Fame this week to celebrate his career as an announcer. “If you love what you do, you can’t call it work,” he said at the ceremony, “So, I haven’t worked for at least 55 years.” (More)
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➤A viral videoshows the moment a Jaguar slammed into the back of a Lee County school bus on Wednesday. A witness said, “You would’ve thought the driver’s head cut off because his car literally went under the bus.” (See Video)
➤A Florida State University engineering professor, Christian Hubicki, will return to Survivor for its 50th season. “I actually cried when I got the call,” Hubicki said. (See Interview)
➤The Collier County Sheriff’s Office released a video showing a “rogue” cow that was running down State Road 82 being lassoed by its owner on Monday. (See Video)
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Property Tax Proposal Moves Ahead
