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Monday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Eyes of the nation on Florida’s fast-growing school voucher program
Florida is preparing to launch the nation’s first program that diverts state tax revenues to pay for students who have been bullied to attend private schools. This latest expansion puts the amount Florida dedicates to private schools near $1 billion, the highest in the nation. “It’s an agenda to dismantle public schools and make things for-profit and private,” said Joanne McCall, the president of the state’s largest teacher’s union. But House Speaker Richard Corcoran said, “The stuff that we’ve done in K-12 to empower parents ... has been game-changing legislation.” More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Your turn:
» Are you OK with more state tax revenues going toward vouchers for private schools? (quick poll)
Opinion: Save rural Florida. Here's how to do it.
The story of Florida has been one of ever-expanding asphalt and concrete. Indeed, it’s easy to presume that this is our state’s preordained destiny, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There is much we could do if we had the political will. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Spend a day in the life of a Florida tuna fisherman
Carl Roby has been fishing for decades. He started as a teenager in the 1970s when regulations weren't as confining, spending summers working on charter boats out of Captain Anderson's Marina. He liked it, and eventually he moved on to bigger fish, yellowfin tuna. [Source: AP]
Long before the voting starts, Florida governor candidates spend millions
Florida is a vast and diverse state with 21 million people and 10 TV markets, so running a successful statewide campaign takes multiple millions of dollars, and this year's gubernatorial contest features wide-open primaries for the Democratic and Republican nominations. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
See also:
» Adam Putnam’s momentum stalls in bid for governor and he sees trouble — on Fox News
All systems 'go' for SpaceX Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral
Launch teams are ready to kick off a busy month for the Space Coast with the Monday afternoon liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral with supplies destined for the International Space Station. [Source: WTSP]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› More lawsuits filed after Florida pedestrian bridge collapse
More lawsuits have been filed in the aftermath of a pedestrian bridge collapse near a Florida university campus. None of the suits names FIU or the Florida Department of Transportation because of a law giving them “sovereign immunity,” which means lawyers must give the entities 180 days notice before filing a suit.
› Keys resort reopens after Hurricane Irma
The Florida Keys are getting back to normal after Hurricane Irma devastated the area. The iconic Florida Keys resort Cheeca Lodge and Spa reopened Friday to visitors. A storm surge damaged Cheeca's lobby and landscaping and destroyed a 525-foot-long oceanside dock.
› Florida's public beaches won’t be so public anymore under new law
Gov. Rick Scott recently signed a bill into law giving private property owners with beachfront property the option to allow people to use it or not. This includes hotels and condominiums. Starting July 1st, you'll have to pay more attention to the sand – is it wet or is dry? See full text of HB 631, "Possession of Real Property," here.
› Allegiant Air plans to start building Southwest Florida resort in summer
Allegiant Air is preparing for a county review of its site plan for a 22-acre waterfront resort in southwest Florida and planning to break ground in summer. Last August, the discount-fare airline announced plans for the development in Port Charlotte called Sunseeker Resort.
Go to page 2 for more stories ...
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