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Wednesday's Afternoon Update
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida recreational marijuana by the numbers: Economists see green in possible amendment
Economists are adding up the additional sales tax revenue the state will reap and how much it will spend to collect that money if voters were to approve a constitutional amendment legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. If legal today marijuana sales would generate between $195.6 and $431.3 million annually in local and state sales tax revenue, according to preliminary figures compiled by the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.
Here’s how people in Florida steal homes from older people and the dead
Law enforcement agencies across Tampa Bay are teaming up to combat a concerning rise in property fraud, Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Cindy Stuart said during a news conference Monday. Police chiefs, judges and elected officials from the Tampa Police Department, St. Petersburg Police Department, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office and more attended the news conference to present a unified front against a concerning trend of property fraud at the cost of seniors or the deceased. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Column: Florida’s Wildlife Corridor got a huge boost in the new budget
Florida’s new budget includes almost $1 billion for land conservation. That’s not just a remarkable achievement — it’s monumental. This funding brings the total amount dedicated by the Legislature, and approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis, for land conservation programs and initiatives to an astounding $2 billion over the last three years. More from the Tampa Bay Times.
Youth, amateur sports at USSSA complex in Viera boosting Space Coast economy
John Thomas and his 10-year-old son, Garrett, were packing up their truck one Wednesday earlier this month after Garrett's team won its bracket of a youth baseball tournament at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera. Garrett is just one of the thousands of young athletes who will come to play ball on the Space Coast this summer at what once was an abandoned professional spring-training complex, and is now a mecca for amateur baseball and softball players. More from Florida Today.
Thousands of apartments may rise on old Miami Arena site
A vast and towering mixed-use residential development would give new life to the long-vacant former Miami Arena site in the heart of downtown. WG 700 NORTH MIAMI LLC, owner-developer of the property at 721 NW First Ave., plans a phased project to include up to 2,346 rental apartments, ground floor retail, amenities, and parking for about 2,078 cars. The design provides three separate towers above the eighth amenity level, with the maximum height 54 stories. More from Miami Today.
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Natrual Resources
This fish has been sold for decades. So, why do Florida scientists say it's a new species?
Researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History have discovered a new fish species from the genus Garra called the redtail garra, which has been popular in the aquarium trade since the early 2000s. Discovering a new species that has been known for decades might seem strange, but it’s all in the process. While researchers knew of the fish species’ existence, formally discovering the fish requires scientific description based on specimens collected in their natural habitat.
» More from the Pensacola News Journal.
Out of the Box
At a Barbie-pink car show, a Tampa woman finds community
Sunburnt and exhausted, Ashley Witt shuffles through songs until landing on one that feels right. Lil Wayne seeps through the speakers. She cranks up the volume. Her car comes to a crawl on the streets of Orlando and a kid walks past, eyeing the vehicle with a huge smile. This happens a lot. It is pink, teal and purple with glowing lights underneath, after all. Witt is heading back to Tampa after spending the day with a bunch of other people who own vehicles that can also literally be spotted a mile away.
» Read more from the Tampa Bay Times.
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