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Tag: APP Local & State Politics

  • Riverfront property purchased by City of New Port Richey

    Riverfront property purchased by City of New Port Richey

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The City of New Port Richey has acquired new land.

    What You Need To Know

    • A 2.73 acre riverfront property has recently been purchased by the City of New Port Richey for $1.1 million

    • Those with the city say leaders had been looking at the property, known as the Montemayor parcel, for three years before making the purchase
    • The property neighbors the Sims Park Boat Ramp— a popular venue for boating enthusiasts to launch their vessels on the Cotee River

    • Plans for the property’s future are still in the early stages, as the city looks to gather public feedback on what the community wants to see at the property in the future

    A 2.73 acre riverfront property has recently been purchased by the city for $1.1 million. The property neighbors the Sims Park Boat Ramp, a popular venue for boating enthusiasts to launch their vessels on the Cotee River.

    Plans for the property’s future are still in the early stages. Those with the city say they hope to gather public feedback on what the community wants to see.

    “There’s some really special opportunities where the Cotee River meets US-19,” says Gregory Oravec, City Economic Development Director for the City of New Port Richey. “What I like to say is that we are our best yet and yet our best is yet to come.”

    Oravec says there have already been suggestions for expanding the existing boat ramp to the neighboring property. He says they plan to gather public feedback and have a plan for the site by fall.

    A proposition that is exciting for those who both work and live in the city, like Connie Beebe.

    Beebe has had her sandwich shop, Heros Downtown Subs, for four years. A sort-of passion project of hers and her husband’s. One fueled by what they wanted to see in downtown New Port Richey.

    “My husband said, ‘What do we need downtown?’” said Beebe. “He wanted to get out of the corporate world and kind of do something for the community. He went around asking some of the patrons and other businesses and they said a sub shop. So he decided he wanted to open one, so here we are!”

    And now, just a block away from them, another project will be taking place. With the city’s recent acquisition of land, known as the Montemayor parcel, Beebe believes it could become more attractive for those with boats.

    “As a boater, it would be nice if there was a bigger boat ramp instead of just the two slips,” Beebe said. “I know that during certain times of the day, on the weekends especially, you could be sitting there for 45 minutes to get in or out. So that would be one of the things, hopefully, they would do to make it bigger for everyone.”

    What will happen to the newly acquired property remains to be seen as public feedback will be gathered before the city decides on any plans. In the meantime, Beebe says she hopes the city will continue moving in the right direction.

    “Continue to help the patrons and business owners that are here and to provide a safe place for kids and adults to be able to walk and not worry about anything.”

    So that others may fall in love with the city, too.

    The city, Oravec said, had been looking at acquiring the property for the last three years.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Residents can weigh in ahead of Polk County schools start time shift

    Residents can weigh in ahead of Polk County schools start time shift

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Before making a final decision on what the new school start times will be, the Polk County school district is giving residents a chance to weigh in.

    The Polk County District Advisory Council, a volunteer-based group, is hosting a series of town hall style meetings where experts in education and school operations will answer questions and residents can give their feedback.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Florida bill that was passed will see changes to when the school day starts

    • Florida school districts must start middle school classes after 8 a.m. and high school classes at 8:30 a.m. or later
    • The changes will be effective for the start of the 2026 school year

    In order to comply with Florida House Bill 733 that was passed last year, all Florida school districts must start middle school classes after 8 a.m. and high school classes at 8:30 a.m. or later. The changes will be effective for the start of the 2026 school year.

    Haines City High School teacher Patrick Bentley feels lawmakers didn’t listen to all sides of the argument when making this change. He agrees while some high school students start their day tired, there are many repercussions for having the county’s oldest students start almost two hours later than they currently do.

    “High school is the busiest after school group, clubs, sports, some if not all students work,” he said.

    Bentley worries high school athletes will be pulled early from classes so they can make it to games and working students won’t get home until late into the night.

    For younger students, dark bus stops and childcare issues top his list of concerns.

    “Even though the law left out elementary schools, the only viable option is to move elementary schools first,” he said. “Which means our youngest and most vulnerable kids are at the pitch black bus stops in the morning. Then they’re the first kids home instead of a high schooler to receive their kindergarten brother, for example.”

    Monday’s meeting will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Jim Miles Professional Development Center, 4270 Wallace Rd. in Lakeland.

    Can’t make it Monday? Future Education Town Hall meetings 

    • Thursday, March 28 – Stuart Center
      1702 S. Holland Parkway, Bartow

    • Monday, April 1 – Dream Center of Lakeland
      635 W 5th St., Lakeland

    • Monday, April 8 – AdventHealth Fieldhouse
      210 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven
    • Monday, April 22 – Tom Fellows Community Center
      207 North Blvd. West, Davenport

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    Angie Angers

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  • N.C. Supreme Court rules Civil War monument can stay gone

    N.C. Supreme Court rules Civil War monument can stay gone

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    RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s highest court declined on Friday to revive a challenge to the decision by Asheville city leaders to remove in 2021 a downtown monument honoring a Civil War-era governor.

    What You Need To Know

    • The N.C. Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the removal of a Civil War-era monument in Asheville 

    • A lower court already ruled to dismiss a challenge to the removal by a historic preservation group

    • The monument honoring a Civil War-era governor in downtown Asheville was removed in 2021 

    • Earlier this week, a Court of Appeals panel ruled that Alamance County can keep up a Confederate monument outside its historic courthouse 

    The state Supreme Court agreed unanimously that it was appropriate to dismiss legal claims filed by a historic preservation group that had helped raise money to restore the 75-foot Zebulon Vance obelisk in the 2010s.

    In the months after the start of 2020 demonstrations over racial justice and the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the Asheville City Council voted to dismantle the downtown monument out of public safety concerns.

    The monument, initially dedicated in 1897, had been vandalized, and the city had received threats that people would topple it, according to the opinion.

    The Society for the Historical Preservation of the 26th North Carolina Troops opposed the removal and sued, but a trial judge dismissed the lawsuit. The obelisk was dismantled before the Court of Appeals told the city and Buncombe County to stop the demolition while appeals were heard, but the monument base has stayed in place. Friday’s decision is likely to allow the base to be removed.

    In 2022, the intermediate-level Court of Appeals upheld Superior Court Judge Alan Thornburg’s dismissal. The three-judge panel agreed unanimously that while the society had entered an agreement with the city for the restoration project and had raised over $138,000, the contract didn’t require the city to maintain the obelisk in perpetuity.

    Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr., writing Friday’s opinion, did take issue with the Court of Appeals ruling that the society’s breach of contract claim should be dismissed because the group lacked legal standing to initiate it. But because the society failed to argue the merits of its contract claim to the justices, the issue was considered abandoned, Berger added.

    “Therefore, plaintiff has failed to assert any ground for which it has standing to contest removal of the monument,” Berger wrote while affirming Thornburg’s dismissal of the society’s remaining claims.

    Vance, who was born in Buncombe County, served as governor from 1862 to 1865 and 1877 to 1879. He was also a Confederate military officer and U.S. senator. The city has said the monument was on a site where enslaved people are believed to have been sold.

    The monument was one of many Confederate statues and memorials removed across the South in recent years, including one in Winston-Salem. Litigation over that monument’s removal by a Civil War-history group also reached the state Supreme Court and was featured in legal briefs in the Asheville case.

    Separately, a Court of Appeals panel this week affirmed the decision by Alamance County commissioners not to take down a Confederate monument outside the historic local courthouse.

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    Associated Press

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  • Lawyers try to stop DeSantis appointees from being deposed in Disney lawsuit

    Lawyers try to stop DeSantis appointees from being deposed in Disney lawsuit

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    ORLANDO, Fla.  — Attorneys for the Walt Disney World governing district taken over last year by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ allies don’t want the governor’s appointees answering questions under oath as part of its state lawsuit against Disney.

    What You Need To Know

    • CFTOD attorneys seek to block depositions by DeSantis appointees as part of its state lawsuit against Disney

    • Disney and the DeSantis appointees are fighting in state court over who controls the district

    • District attorneys cite the “apex doctrine,” used in a handful of states, including Florida

    • That generally provides that high-level government officers shouldn’t be subject to depositions unless opposing parties have exhausted all other means of obtaining information

    District attorneys on Monday filed a motion for a protective order that would stop the DeSantis-appointed board members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District from having to give videotaped depositions to Disney attorneys.

    Disney and the DeSantis appointees are fighting in state court over who controls the governing district for Disney World. The district had been controlled by Disney supporters before last year’s takeover — which was sparked by the company’s opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education, or so-called “Don’t Say Gay,” law. It provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades.

    District attorneys cite the “apex doctrine,” which generally provides that high-level government officers shouldn’t be subject to depositions unless opposing parties have exhausted all other means of obtaining information. The doctrine is used in just a handful of U.S. states, including Florida.

    “Disney cannot demonstrate that the individual board members have unique, personal knowledge that would be relevant to any of the claims, counterclaims or defenses in this action to overcome the apex doctrine,” district attorneys said in their motion. “Disney’s assault-style effort to depose all the board members is simply an improper form of harassment of these high-level government officials.”

    The motion includes statements from the board members who claim that being forced to give depositions would “impede” their ability to fulfill their duties and divert resources and attention away from overseeing the district.

    Earlier this month, Disney gave notice of its intention to question under oath six current and past DeSantis-appointed board members for the purpose of “discovery,” or the process of gathering information for the case. The entertainment giant has said previously that the new district oversight board has stymied its efforts to get documents and other information, and Disney filed a public records lawsuit against the district earlier this year, claiming the district’s response to its requests were “unreasonably delayed” and “woefully inadequate.”

    Since the takeover last year, the district has faced an exodus of experienced staffers, with many in exit surveys complaining that the governing body has been politicized since the changeover. Just this month, the district’s administrator left and was appointed to become Orange County’s elections supervisor at half the $400,000 salary he was earning at the district, and the district’s DeSantis-appointed board chairman, Martin Garcia, departed the following week.

    A fight between DeSantis and Disney began in 2022 after the company, facing significant internal and external pressure, publicly opposed a state law that critics have called “Don’t Say Gay.” The 2022 law bans classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades and was championed by DeSantis, who derided Disney in speeches until he suspended his presidential campaign this year.

    As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors.

    Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in January, and Disney has appealed.

    Before control of the district changed hands from Disney allies to DeSantis appointees early last year, the Disney supporters on its board signed agreements with Disney shifting control over design and construction at Disney World to the company. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers, and the district sued the company in state court in Orlando to have the contracts voided.

    Disney has filed counterclaims that include asking the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.

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    Associated Press

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  • Hillsborough votes to create more parking spots for big-rig trucks along I-4

    Hillsborough votes to create more parking spots for big-rig trucks along I-4

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    TAMP, Fla. —  The Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization voted Wednesday to create more spots for big-rig truck drivers along Interstate 4, a project worth more than $5 million. 

    The proposal would create a new truck driver parking area on the Hillsborough-Polk County line along I-4. 

    What You Need To Know

    • There are currently only 90 truck parking spaces available for drivers between Daytona Beach and Tampa

    • The Florida Trucking Association said the state would need to spend more than $1-billion to provide enough parking for drivers currently on the road

    • Professional truckers say the shortage of available spaces is a nationwide problem

    The West Central Florida Truck Parking Facility would include 120 parking spaces for trucks with the ability to expand by 250 parking spaces in the future.

    Trucking professionals say a shortage of rest areas and safe areas to park is a nationwide problem.

    The Florida Trucking Association said the state would need to make a more than $1-billion investment to meet the needs of truck drivers currently on the road.

    Currently, there are only 90 truck parking spaces between Tampa and Daytona Beach.

    Florida Trucking Association President and CEO Alix Miller says not only has the lack of safe parking hurt in the hiring of new drivers, but it is also hurting companies retaining drivers.

    “Trucking is hard. It’s a tough job,” said Miller. “And on top of that, not have somewhere safe to sleep, not have facilities at your disposal or even vending machines at the end of a long day. That makes the job even harder.”

    Miller says although any project that helps fill the void of truck parking spaces is good news for the industry, it only scratches the surface of the broader shortage of parking available for drivers.

    The project timeline has construction starting in the spring of 2025. 

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    Jason Lanning

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  • More people are moving to Polk than anywhere else, according to U.S. Census

    More people are moving to Polk than anywhere else, according to U.S. Census

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    POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk County is seeing more people move to that area than anywhere else in the United States, according to recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

    What You Need To Know

    • According to data, over 60% of counties in the country saw more people moving in, but Polk County saw the most growth.

    • Nearly 30,000 new people moved to Polk County in 2022, according to the data from the U.S. Census, and over 26,000 moved there in 2023

    • The top 10 counties people were moving to were primarily in Texas and Florida, while the top 10 counties people were leaving were primarily in California and New York

    According to that data, over 60% of counties in the country saw more people moving in, but Polk County saw the most growth.

    Kris Kindle and his family have lived in their home in the county for six years, when there were only a few houses in his neighborhood.

    He says in the last four years, he’s seen new homes sprout up like weeds.

    “They’ve put up a lot of homes in the past three years,” Kindle said.

    Nearly 30,000 new people moved to Polk County in 2022, according to the data from the U.S. Census, and over 26,000 moved there in 2023.

    Bigger counties, like Miami Dade and Los Angeles, saw more people get out of town.

    “We get a kind of the best of both worlds without having to actually deal with Disney daily or deal with the beaches daily,” Kindle said.

    “It’s just a modern, small city,” said Matthew Barnes, who lives in Lakeland. “That’s how we think of it.”

    Barnes and his family recently moved back to Polk County after living there 15 years ago.

    “We were able to get a really nice house for much more than over in like Tampa or Orlando in a really nice neighborhood,” Barnes said.

    When they were looking for homes, they were able to find something bigger than what they originally wanted, with an even cheaper price tag because they were looking in Polk.

    “It’s growing so much,” Barnes said. “There’s always more things being added constantly. New construction everywhere. So, it’s definitely a place that’s becoming a growing metropolis.”

    That’s why Kindle is thankful he found his home in Polk County six years ago, because he’s found a piece of affordability in a small neighborhood that’s growing all the time.

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    Nick Popham

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  • Central Florida Presidential Preference Primary results

    Central Florida Presidential Preference Primary results

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    FLORIDA — As voters went to the polls Tuesday, elections officials across Central Florida began tabulating those results, and combining them with the ballots submitted by mail. Former President Donald Trump has already garnered enough electoral votes to clinch the Republican nomination, but party members statewide had the opportunity to vote for him and several other candidates who dropped out, but still appeared on the ballot as a result of their prior ballot access actions. 


    Early voting took place from March 9 through March 16. Voters in Orange and Osceola counties were able to vote early on March 17 as well.

    Here are the municipal elections taking place in Orange County on March 19: (Winners will be displayed in bold when their race is called. Percentages will appear next to candidate names)

    Only the Republican primary is present, since the Democratic Primary was canceled because President Joe Biden has enough delegates to clinch his nomination.

    Republican Primary for President

    Ryan L. Binkley

    Chris Christie

    Ron DeSantis

    Nikki Haley

    Asa Hutchinson

    Vivek Ramaswamy

    Donald J. Trump

    City Council seat 3 (Currently held by Kyle Becher)

    • Nadia Anderson
    • Darryl Richardson

    City Council seat 4 (Currently held by Nick Nesta)

    City of Eatonville

    Council Seat 4

    • Marlin Daniels
    • Tarus Mack

    Council Seat 5

    • Wanda Randolph
    • Crystal Short-Bertrand

    Ballot Questions: 

    Question 1

    Providing a Defined Qualifying Period and Methods of Qualifying for Office

    Amending the Charter to provide a defined qualifying period for candidates for Mayor or Council and providing alternative methods of qualifying to run for office.

    Question 2

    Amending the Method for Confirming Mayoral Appointments to Avoid Deadlock

    Amending confirmation of Mayoral appointments providing interim appointees not confirmed by Council within 120 days, may continue to serve no more than 180 days, during which time the Mayor shall propose 3 candidates, one of which may be the interim appointee, for confirmation by Council. If no candidate is confirmed within the 180-day period, the Mayor may appoint a candidate from among the 3 who will fill the position on a permanent basis.

    Question 3

    Amending the Method for Selecting the Vice Mayor

    Amending the method for the selection of the Vice Mayor to provide for election by the Town Council.

    Question 4

    Allowing Council to Establish the Effective Date of Any Mayoral or Council Salary Increase

    Amending the Charter by allowing the Town Council to establish the effective date of any Mayoral or Council salary increases in the ordinance adopting such increases.

    Question 5

    Relocating Section Providing Right to Hearing Before Forfeiture of Office

    Relocating from Section 2.08 to Section 2.07 of the Charter, the right to a hearing for elected officials charged with an offense that could result in forfeiture of office.

    Question 6

    Clarifying and Supplementing the Powers and Duties of the Town Clerk

    Amending the Charter by clarifying the duties of the Town Clerk and adding certain responsibilities to the position.

    City Commissioner District 4

    • George Oliver III
    • Nate Robertson

    Question #1

    Amendment of § C-8, City of Ocoee Charter, to Liberally Construe the City’s Powers

    Section C-8 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that the City of Ocoee’s powers be liberally construed in favor of the city to effect their intended purposes.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #2

    Amendment of § C-8, City of Ocoee Charter, to Provide for the Exchange of Property

    Section C-8 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that the City’s enumerated powers shall include the right to acquire or dispose of property, including real property, by exchange.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #3

    Amendment of § C-11, City of Ocoee Charter, to Establish One (1) Year Residency Requirements

    Section C-11 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that candidates for Mayor shall reside in the City of Ocoee for at least one (1) year before qualifying as a candidate and to require candidates for City Commissioner to reside in the district they seek to represent for at least one (1) year before qualifying as a candidate; candidates shall provide such proof of residency as may be prescribed by ordinance.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #4

    Amendment of § C-11, City of Ocoee Charter, to Provide Consent to a Background Check

    Section C-11 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that each candidate for Mayor and City Commissioner shall consent to a background check to verify the candidate’s qualifications to hold office; and no candidate shall be barred from running for office without notice, a hearing, and clear and convincing evidence that the candidate is not qualified to hold office.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #5

    Amendment of § C-16, City of Ocoee Charter, to Limit Salaries to Part-Time Compensation

    Section C-16 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that the salaries of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Commissioners shall be commensurate with the part-time nature of the duties of the office.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #6

    Amendment of § C-17, City of Ocoee Charter, to Provide for Election of Successors

    Section C-17 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that the successor to the office of Mayor or City Commissioner shall be elected at the next regular or general city election, if held within twelve (12) months of the vacancy.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #7

    Amendment of § C-18, City of Ocoee Charter, to Authorize Designation of an Accountant

    Section C-18 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to authorize the City Commission to designate an accountant or accounting firm in accordance with the procedures set forth in Florida Statutes §

    218.391 annually or for a period not to exceed five (5) years.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #8

    Amendment of § C-21, City of Ocoee Charter, to Authorize Commencement of City Manager Residency

    Section C-21 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to authorize the City Commission to reasonably extend the requirement for the City Manager to reside in the City of Ocoee within one (1) year of beginning employment upon the Commission’s unanimous approval.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #9

    Amendment of § C-28, City of Ocoee Charter, for Budget Approval of City Clerk’s Salary

    Section C-28 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to clarify that the City Manager shall determine the City Clerk’s salary, subject to budget approval by the City Commission.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #10

    Amendment of § C-45, City of Ocoee Charter, to Define “Regular,” “Special,” and “General City Elections”

    Section C-45 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to define “regular elections” as those held at regular intervals for the election of Mayor and City Commissioner, “special elections” as those held to fill a vacancy in the office of Mayor or City Commissioner, for a citizen initiative to approve of an ordinance, or a referendum to repeal an ordinance, and “general elections” as any other municipal election.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #11

    Amendment of § C-45, City of Ocoee Charter, to Provide for Swearing-In to Office

    Section C-45 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to provide that any person elected to the office of Mayor or City Commissioner shall be sworn into office immediately prior to commencement of the next regularly scheduled City Commission meeting held after the Canvassing Board declares the election results.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #12

    Amendment of § C-49, City of Ocoee Charter, to Set Elections by Resolution or Ordinance

    Section C-49 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to authorize the City Commission to set the dates of elections and dates of qualifying periods for candidates by either resolution or ordinance.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    Question #13

    Amendment of § C-50, City of Ocoee Charter, to Appoint City Clerk to Canvassing Board

    Section C-50 of the City of Ocoee’s Charter shall be amended to appoint the City Clerk to the City of Ocoee’s election Canvassing Board in addition to two (2) citizens and two

    (2) citizen alternates appointed by the City Commission.

    Shall the above-described amendment be adopted?

    City of Winter Garden

    City Commissioner District 2

    • Danny “DJ” Culberson Jr.
    • Iliana R. Jones
    • Ron Mueller

    City Commissioner District 3

    • Chloe Johnson
    • Karen McNeil

    City of Winter Park

    Mayor

    • Commissioner Sheila DeCiccio
    • Candidate Michael Cameron
    • Candidate Roland Hotard [withdrew]

    City Commission Seat 2

    • Candidate Jason Johnson
    • Candidate Stockton Reeves
    • Candidate Craig Russell

    Town of Oakland

    Mayor

    • Salvador Ramos
    • Shane Taylor

    Flagler County

    City of Flagler Beach City Commissioner

    • Eric Cooley
    • Bob Cunningham

    After the Presidential Preference Primary, there’s the statewide primary election, which will host other local offices across the state on Aug. 20. Voters will need to adjust or confirm their registration by July 22 in order to vote in that election.

    The General Election will take place on Nov. 5 this year, with a voter registration deadline of Oct. 7.

    Early voting dates for the primary and general elections have yet to be confirmed.

    Both the City of Maitland and the City of Edgewood have charter amendments or questions only for their voters. 

    City of Maitland

    Question 1

    City of Maitland General Obligation Bonds for a New Public Library and Park Project

    Shall the City issue bonds to finance the construction and equipping of a new public library and improving its location at Quinn Strong Park in the principal amount not to exceed $14,000,000, bearing interest not exceeding the legal rate, maturing not later than thirty (30) years from the date of issuance, payable from ad valorem taxes to be levied in the City on all taxable property?

    City of Edgewood

    Question 1

    Removal of Unnecessary Transition Schedule Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to delete the now unnecessary transition schedule used to phase in the adjustment to the current staggered three year terms for Council members?

    Question 2

    Mayoral Stipend Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to increase the maximum monthly stipend amount the City Council is authorized to approve for payment to a mayor from the current $1,000 to $3,000?

    Question 3

    Adoption of Emergency Ordinances Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to delete local provisions regarding emergency ordinances and to provide that emergency ordinances may be adopted in the manner set forth in Florida state law?

    Question 4

    Electronic Distribution of City Code Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to provide an option for electronic distribution of the City Code?

    Question 5

    Grammatical Correction Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to make non-substantive corrections in Article 4?

    Question 6

    Timing of Budget Message Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to change the timing of the Mayor’s annual budget message?

    Question 7

    Reserves Savings Cap Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to change terminology related to reserves allowed to be saved by the City to provide for a cap on “uncommitted reserves” rather than the current terminology used for “unrestricted reserves”?

    Question 8

    Procurement Threshold Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood Charter be amended to provide that for any procurement between $10,000 and $25,000, the City shall obtain at least three quotes and that for any procurement over $25,000, the City shall utilize a competitive bidding method?

    Question 9

    Resolution of Tie Votes in City Elections Amendment

    Shall the Edgewood City Charter be amended to provide that in the event of a tie in a city council election result, the winner shall be determined between the two tied candidates by a coin flip.

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    Gary Darling

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  • Gun sales & safety classes increase after DeSantis signs HB 543

    Gun sales & safety classes increase after DeSantis signs HB 543

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — As a result of HB 543, the permitless concealed carry law Governor Ron DeSantis signed, gun store owners have seen more people walk through their doors, and not just for firearms.

    One store owner says he has sold more conceal carry guns since the law was passed, but he was surprised that more people came in to take safety classes, even though he thought he would have a dip in sales since permits are no longer needed to carry.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new permitless carry bill into law

    • A local gun enthusiast wasn’t surprised to see that there was an increase in sales

    • Despite the fact that it’s no longer required, more people are enrolling in gun safety classes

    “We get a lot of green people who have never shot before, who are 50 years or older, of families who want to train together, and we get a large amount of 20-something-year-olds,” Said Ian Cherry, the owner of a gun shop and safety class center called Whisky Tango Firearms.

    Like any parent, Aaron Alexander wants to protect his family. For him, that means owning and carrying a gun.

    “Guns are not a deterrent; they are there to take down a threat,” he said.

    He owned his first gun at 18, and learning about gun safety was a priority.

    “It was our freedom and right and felt safer,” he said.

    He’s been buying guns for more than 30 years now. But not just to protect his wife and children, he is also a collector. It’s a passion of his that’s been passed down through his family.

    “My uncle got me into guns. He took me out shooting when he was 13; the first gun I shot was his elephant gun. He had a smirk on his face the whole time I held it up to my shoulder, knowing it was going to kick like a mule,” he said.

    He goes to the range about 5 times a year to keep his aim sharp and practice safety skills. That commitment is the reason he’s against the new law. Alexander thinks people should be required to take the safety classes.

    “It’s easier to carry now, they don’t have to go through the classes, they don’t have to get the permit, you have some people who are afraid, you got the wrong people who are going to be carrying now,” he said.

    But gun store owners in Manatee County say not only have their sales increased since the law passed, so has attendance in their safety classes. That’s a relief for Alexander.

    “The more people that have firearms, hopefully, the fewer problems we will have in crime,” he said.

    The shooting range is also a way to educate his family, so they all know how to use guns safely.

    “I take my son and my daughter out and teach them and make it a family thing. It’s just a good way to be together,” he said.

    Alexander understands the responsibilities of carrying a gun and wants to make sure others understand, too.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • More Muslim students in the U.S. are getting support as they fast during Ramadan

    More Muslim students in the U.S. are getting support as they fast during Ramadan

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    While Muslim students remain a rarity in many U.S. school districts, they are a major presence in some communities, prompting public schools to be more attentive to their needs during the holy month of Ramadan when dawn-to-sundown fasting is a duty of Islam.

    What You Need To Know

    • While Muslim students remain a rarity in many U.S. school districts, they are a major presence in some communities
    • That’s prompted some public schools to be more attentive to their needs during the holy month of Ramadan when dawn-to-sundown fasting is a duty of Islam
    • For example, there’s a magnet school in St. Paul, Minnesota, serving many Muslim students from Somalia. There’s an area in the library set aside for those who are fasting so they don’t need to be in the cafeteria
    • There’s also increased awareness that Ramadan means early rising and late bedtimes for many families

    For example, in Dearborn, Michigan — where nearly half the 110,000 residents are of Arab descent — public school teachers and staff strive to make things easier for students observing Ramadan.

    “We allow students on their own to practice their faith as long as it’s not a disruption to the school day,” said Dearborn Schools spokesperson David Mustonen. “We also try to find other spaces or activities in the school during lunch for those students who may be fasting.”

    But he stressed that these students are still required to complete all assignments.

    In St. Paul, Minnesota, East African Elementary Magnet School has set aside space in the library where students who are fasting and don’t want to be in the cafeteria can spend the break doing other supervised activities like reading, said principal Abdisalam Adam.

    The 220-student school opened last fall as part of St. Paul’s public schools system, and shares that curriculum, but it also aims to reinforce cultural and linguistic connections with Somalia and other East African countries. Adam said about 90% of the students are Somali Muslims.

    Adam, who has worked with the district for nearly 30 years, said he tells his staff that accommodating observance of Ramadan fits in with an overall goal of caring for students.

    “All needs are connected,” he said.

    For school districts less familiar with Muslim traditions, resources are available. For example, Islamic Networks Group, a California-based nonprofit, provides, among other things, online information for educators about Ramadan and its significance to Muslims.

    Many districts “don’t know very much about Islam or any of our holidays,” said Maha Elgenaidi, the group’s executive director. “If they don’t know very much about it, there’s not much they can provide to students in terms of accommodation” until they learn more and the parents are actively involved in asking for accommodations.

    She says fasting students may need to be excused from strenuous activities in gym class, and should be allowed to make up for tests missed due to absence to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday that follows Ramadan.

    “If they’re not accommodated at school or the school doesn’t know anything about this, they’re kind of living dual lives there.”

    Fasting is not required of young children, but many Muslim children like to fast to share in the month’s rituals and emulate parents and older siblings, according to ING. Educators also need to know of the typical changes to Muslim families’ routines during Ramadan, such as waking up for the pre-dawn “suhoor” meal and staying up late to possibly attend prayers in the mosque, Elgenaidi said.

    When Dr. Aifra Ahmed’s children were younger, the Pakistani American physician and her husband would share insight about Ramadan with their classmates, reading to them a Ramadan story and distributing goodie bags with such things as dates.

    “I realized that the Muslim families in school have to do a lot of education,” said Ahmed, who lives in Los Altos, California.

    Ahmed’s husband, Moazzam Chaudry, said goodwill gestures, such as when educators offer a Ramadan greeting, send a message of inclusivity.

    For immigrant families, “that’s the first thing that … naturally comes to your mind, ‘Are we integrated into this society? Does this society even accept us?’” he said. “These little, little things make such a huge impact.”

    Punhal, the couple’s daughter who attends a charter middle school, said she takes part in physical education during Ramadan but skips running when fasting because she would need water afterward.

    She said a few non-Muslim friends told her they would like to fast with her in companionship.

    Naiel, her brother who’s in a public high school, said he was pleased when a teacher talked to the class about Ramadan and told him that, if he needed, he could take a nap.

    He wants others to better understand why he fasts.

    “A lot of kids and teachers think … I’m torturing myself or like it’s a diet,” he said. “When I’m fasting, I just feel a lot more gratitude towards everyone around me and towards people who don’t have as much.”

    In Dearborn, 14-year-old Adam Alcodray praised the faculty at Dearborn High for their understanding during Ramadan.

    “A lot of the teachers are just like more lenient, allowing us to do less,” said Alcodray, a 9th grader. “They don’t get mad because they realize we are hungry.”

    Alcodray says he fasts from 6:20 a.m. until around 8 p.m.

    “It’s not that bad to be honest,” he said. “When you know you can’t eat, something in your brain clicks.”

    Hussein Mortada, a 17-year-old senior at Dearborn High, said family solidarity is invaluable during Ramadan.

    “In my family, everybody’s fasting,” Mortada said. “Everybody’s going through the same thing. The whole month is meant for you to get closer to God and make your religion stronger.”

    This year, Ramadan carries extra significance due to the hardships being suffered by people in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war, Mortada said.

    “I feel helpless just sitting here on my phone, looking at everything that’s happening,” he said. “All you can do is feel for them and pray for them.”

    Alcodray shared similar sentiments.

    “When you look at what the children are eating in Gaza, you appreciate what your mom makes,” he said. “When you’re having a bad day, realize what they are going through.”

    At the East African magnet school in St. Paul, Marian Aden — who trains other teachers there — makes it a priority to encourage Ramadan-related accommodations for fasting students.

    Aden said her youngest daughter, 4-year-old Nora, woke up excited about Ramadan’s start on March 11 — but her teachers in the suburb where they live weren’t familiar with the occasion. Aden said she’ll be relieved when Nora starts attending the magnet school next year.

    “She’ll be celebrated for who she is,” Aden said.

    Minnesota has been home to growing numbers of refugees from war-torn Somalia since the late 1990s. Several school districts have recently made Eid a holiday.

    In Washington, D.C., Abdul Fouzi has two daughters, ages 8 and 12, who have gradually learned the meaning and rituals of Ramadan.

    Growing up in Sierra Leone in the 1980s, Fouzi said he was fasting for a full day as early as age 11. But he has not pushed his elder daughter to do likewise.

    “They’re still pretty young so they’re not ready to go the whole day without food or water,” he said. “They’re not built like that.”

    Still, he wants them to get used to the idea; this year he’d like them to experiment with fasting for a half day.

    To Fouzi, more important than strict adherence to the rules at their age is their understanding of Ramadan’s meaning and the importance of praying for peace.

    “They make up their own little rules and find loopholes figuring out how they want to participate in and practice Ramadan in different ways, and I’m okay with that,” he said.

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    Associated Press

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  • Three Republican primaries heading to second elections

    Three Republican primaries heading to second elections

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    With the dust settled from Super Tuesday, three GOP primaries will be heading to a second round.

    Two statewide races and one congressional race will head to second elections next month to decide the Republican candidate. Second elections can be requested in North Carolina when no candidate reaches 30% of the vote.

    What You Need To Know

    • Three GOP primary contests heading to a second election

    • One Congressional seat and two state offices will be on the ballot

    • Republican voters and unaffiliated voters that used a Republican ballot can vote on May 14

    Four GOP races were originally slated to hold second elections, including the 6th Congressional District race. But in that race, Mark Walker, who previously represented a different version of the district, declined to ask for a second election.

    Instead, Walker, who served in Congress for six years, will be joining Former President Trump’s campaign to work with faith groups and minority communities. That leaves Addison McDowell, the top vote getter and first-time candidate endorsed by Trump, as the presumptive representative for the 6th District. There is no Democrat in the race for the seat, as current representative Democrat Kathy Manning declined to run for reelection, citing redistricting that made the seat much more Republican-favored.

    Candidates in the three other races have formally asked for second elections, to be held on May 14.

    13th Congressional District

    The 13th Congressional District, which stretches around the Triangle, played host to a crowded Republican primary, with 14 candidates running for the seat.

    Kelly Daughtry, who has spent her career working as a family law attorney, was the top vote getter, receiving about 27% of the vote, just shy of the 30% threshold needed to advance to the general election.

    Daughtry ran for a different version of the 13th District in 2022, coming in third. She is the daughter of Leo Daughtry, a longtime North Carolina politician who currently sits on the UNC Board of Governors.

    Brad Knott, who resigned from his position as a federal prosecutor to run in the race, came in second with about 18% of the vote. This is Knott’s first time running for office.

    Democrats did not hold a primary for the seat, with incumbent Wiley Nickel declining to run for reelection, citing gerrymandering that made the seat favorable for Republicans. Nickel will instead run for senate in 2026.

    The winner of the second election will be heavily favored against Democrat Frank Pierce in November.

    North Carolina Lieutenant Governor

    The Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor was another crowded race, with 13 candidates vying for the open seat. Incumbent Republican Mark Robinson won the Republican primary for Governor on Super Tuesday.

    The second election will be between Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill. Weatherman received the most votes, with nearly 20%, followed closely by O’Neill with nearly 16%.

    Weatherman previously served as chief of staff to Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest and U.S. Representative Sue Myrick. O’Neill is currently in his third term as Forsyth County District Attorney. He was first appointed to the position in 2009.

    The winner of the second election will move on to face Democrat Rachel Hunt in November.

    North Carolina State Auditor

    State Auditor is the last race that will be heading to a second election. The top two vote getters were Jack Clark and Dave Boliek.

    Clark is a registered accountant who has spent his career working as an auditor. Boliek is an attorney and currently sits on the UNC Board of Trustees.

    The Republican candidate will run against incumbent Democrat Jessica Holmes. Holmes was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper last December after Beth Wood resigned.

    The second elections will take place on May 14. Only registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters who chose the Republican ballot in the primary can vote in them. Voter turnout in the last congressional second primary election in 2020 was just over 12%.

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    Walter Reinke

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  • Pasco County offering voters free bus rides for Florida’s presidential primary

    Pasco County offering voters free bus rides for Florida’s presidential primary

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County voters who need transportation to the polls on Tuesday, March 19, will get a free bus ride through GoPasco.

    Pasco County Public Transportation and Supervisor of Elections have partnered to provide voters free bus rides when they show a valid voter information card.

    “This partnership to benefit the voters of Pasco County epitomizes good government and we are grateful to GoPasco for this program,” said Supervisor Brian Corley.

    View more information on Pasco County Public Transportation bus routes and schedules.

    The 2024 Presidential Preference Primary has no Democratic, Minor Party or Nonpartisan candidates. Only eligible Republican voters will receive a ballot.

    Check the status of your registration and verify your polling location.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • New state rules could be coming for short-term vacation rentals

    New state rules could be coming for short-term vacation rentals

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    INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — A bill that would provide a standard set of rules for all short-term rentals in the state of Florida passed in both the Florida Senate and House of Representatives and now awaits approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis.

    What You Need To Know

    • Bill includes grandfather clause for local ordinances introduced before 2016

    • Occupancy limits include two people per bedroom and two additional people in one common area with few exceptions

    • Vacation rentals must be registered for “reasonable fee”

    • FULL TEXT: SB 280

    SB 280 passed by a small margin in the House and included a new amendment that grandfathers in local vacation rental ordinances that were made by city governments prior to 2016.

    State Sen. Nick DiCeglie, one of the bill’s sponsors, says a key piece of this version of the bill was it clearly states how many people are allowed to stay at an Airbnb or Vrbo type rental.

    “We talk about these party homes and these folks who are violating local ordinances with parking, noise, and trash and it’s impossible not to correlate that with occupancy,” he said.

    The bill states maximum overnight occupancy is two people per bedroom, plus an additional two people in one common area. The exception is there can be more than two people per bedroom if the rooms are large and there’s at least 50 square feet of space per person.

    It also requires that owners pay a reasonable registration fee, have someone available over the phone at all times to respond to complaints, and lets local governments suspend a rental’s registration for repeatedly breaking city rules.

    “The main goal was to create a uniform set of regulations, some consistency and some predictability,” DiCeglie said. “I think there are ordinances in the state that go too far that have invited dozens of lawsuits and invited Bert Harris claims… tens of million of dollars in taxpayer money goes towards defending these lawsuits.”

    Indian Rocks Beach Mayor Cookie Kennedy has been vocal about the bill as it worked its way through the legislature. Before its approval, she stated it was an overstep and that there shouldn’t be a one size fits all solution given how different Florida’s cities are.

    Communities like Vilano Beach, located near St. Augustine, have residents writing to the governor asking he veto the bill for similar reasons.

    If signed into law, the bill will go into effect on July 1.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Fare-free transportation becomes permanent for Manatee County bus riders

    Fare-free transportation becomes permanent for Manatee County bus riders

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County commissioners passed an ordinance Tuesday that would make the fare-free pilot program permanent in the county.

    In November 2022, Manatee County commissioners kick-started an 18-month pilot program that allowed residents to take the bus free of charge. It is only for certain bus routes with Manatee County Area Transit.

    “Instead of incurring some additional costs to our fare boxes, which were exorbitant. We decided just take the fare boxes out, put in a pilot program, and see if people would ride the bus, get off the road. And in a time when things are less and less affordable for our residence we were trying to create a little more affordability,” commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County Commissioners voted during their Tuesday meeting to make the free fare pilot program a permanent addition

    • The 18-month free of charge bus rides were to expire in May of this year, but now it’s permanent

    • It’s a free fare for fixed routes, handy bus services, and the Longboat Key shuttle, and the Skyway and Port Manatee ConneXion Shuttle

    With the program ending in May, commissioners decided to keep it permanently due to its success.

    “The program was wildly successful. Within six months ridership was up 28%. Now we are well over a 50% increase in just 18 months,” Ostenbridge said.

    It’s a way for everyone to save money, especially for life long bus rider Eric Williams, who is a Bradenton native.

    “I’ve been catching the bus since I was 13-years-old. I love it,” he said.

    Williams has been an MCAT bus rider since he was a kid. It was a transportation option that allowed his family to save money.

    He has carried that same mentality with him as an adult and continues to save money by riding the bus. Now that the county has announced select bus routes will be free of charge, Williams says he’s thankful.

    “It’s good because I go to dialysis three times a week. I do my shopping,” he said.

    Williams has been going to his weekly appointments for eight months. He says being able to ride for free has been a huge help.

    County commissioners also say traffic has decreased because of more people choosing to take the bus.

    Williams feels that is a good thing that will help other families who can’t afford transportation.

    “It’s really good. There’s going to be a lot of people riding the bus and you don’t have to pay any fare and that’s a good thing,” he said.

    It’s a free fare for fixed route buses, handy bus services, the Longboat Key shuttle, and the Skyway and Port Manatee ConneXion Shuttle.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Who is Carolina Forward, the new progressive group in N.C. politics?

    Who is Carolina Forward, the new progressive group in N.C. politics?

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    In the past few years, a progressive group in North Carolina seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. This year the nonprofit, Carolina Forward, succeeded in getting two of their Democratic picks through the primaries. 

    Carolina Forward Executive Director Blair Reeves joins host Tim Boyum this week to understand the origins of the all-volunteer group.

    They also discuss the criticism of going after Democrats who vote with Republicans. The two then widen the lens to talk about Carolina Forward’s outlook this November.

    About the Podcast

    With the speed of the local news cycle, it’s easy to forget that the politicians who represent us and the influencers in our communities are more than just a sound bite. North Carolina’s veteran reporter and anchor, Tim Boyum, loosens his signature bow tie to give listeners a glimpse behind the curtain, showing us who these power players really are and why they do what they do. Through Tim’s candid conversations on “Tying It Together,” his guests reveal their most fascinating life stories, passions, and help all of us get a better grasp on the issues affecting our communities.

    Listen and Subscribe

    Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google

    Join the Conversation

    Do you have any thoughts or questions for Tim? Weigh in on X with the hashtag #TyingItTogetherNC. Afterward, rate the podcast and leave a review to tell us what you think!

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park

    Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park

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    Walking through the frosty, snow-covered hamlet of Arendelle from “Frozen,” or the bustling, critter-filled metropolis of “Zootopia” might be possible one day for visitors to Disney’s California theme parks.

    That’s only if Disney wins approval from local officials to expand its Anaheim resort over the next four decades.

    What You Need To Know

    • Disney is seeking approval from local officials to expand its California theme park offerings over the next four decades
    • The proposal wouldn’t increase the company’s geographic footprint in Anaheim, but would allow for new attractions on unused spaces, including a large parking lot
    • Disney officials say there isn’t room to build new immersive experiences in its California theme parks without these changes
    • Anaheim’s planning commission is expected to review the proposal Monday, and the city council still must approve it before it to takes effect. The plan would require Disney to invest $1.9 billion in theme park-related offerings in the next decade

    The proposed expansion wouldn’t increase Disney’s 490-acre footprint in Southern California or change what the company already has permission to build. But it could help the company develop new attractions. They could place rides and entertainment options on what is currently a sprawling, 50-acre parking lot — and move parking for Disneyland to a multistory structure — all while keeping within the boundaries of a resort surrounded by residential neighborhoods.

    “We know there are stories out there we haven’t told yet, like ‘Wakanda’ or ‘Coco’ or ‘Frozen’ or ‘Zootopia’,” said Rachel Alde, Disney’s senior vice president of global development and finance. “We know what kind of stories we would love to tell. We need to get the guidance on what we can build there so we can understand how.”

    The city of Anaheim’s planning commission on Monday reviewed the proposal for Disneyland, dubbed the “happiest place on Earth.” The project — which would require Disney to invest at least $1.9 billion in the theme park, lodging, entertainment and related uses over the next decade — still must be approved by the city council before taking effect.

    Disney’s goal is to create what it calls more immersive experiences for tourists, similar to the attraction Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in California in 2019. The company said it doesn’t yet know which stories would be central to the new developments, but the idea is to create areas like “Zootopia” in Shanghai Disneyland, where animal characters walk through a vibrant cityscape that resembles the setting of the film.

    Right now, there isn’t enough room in the original Disneyland in California to build something on a large scale without affecting existing attractions, which are relished by loyal, long-time visitors to the company’s oldest theme park, Alde said.

    Staff for the city’s Planning and Building Department has recommended Disney’s application be approved.

    The project “will allow us to continue Walt’s legacy of bringing Disney stories to life, right here in Anaheim,” Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort, told the planning commission on Monday. Disneyland was founded in 1955 by Walt Disney.

    Amid overwhelmingly positive public comment during hourslong meeting, neighbors and Anaheim residents praised Disney’s outreach to the community, including seeking feedback for noise and design.

    One woman noted that the resort’s work to include neighbor voices in meetings and town halls featured multiple efforts “short of coming to my front door and handing me an invitation.”

    Other speakers in support included trade organizations, like the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Attractions and Parks Association, and local unions.

    It’s the first time Disney has sought a major change to its California theme parks since the 1990s, when the company obtained approvals to turn its first park into a resort hub. It later added a second park, Disney California Adventure Park, and a shopping and entertainment area called Downtown Disney.

    Disneyland was the second-most visited theme park in the world in 2022 with 16.8 million people coming through the gates, according to a report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM.

    Disney’s parks are a tourism magnet for Southern California and especially for Anaheim, which is Orange County’s most populous city and home to more than 345,000 people as well as a major league baseball team and national hockey league team. Hotel revenue typically makes up about half of Anaheim’s revenue, and is expected to climb to $236 million this year, according to city estimates.

    “Visitors generate a tremendous amount of revenue for our city that allows us to invest in our neighborhoods,” said Erin Ryan, a spokesperson for the city of Anaheim. “Disney brings a lot of tourists here.”

    The plan also would require the company to invest tens of millions of dollars in street improvements, affordable housing and other infrastructure in the city. Disney has held workshops to address residents’ questions about the proposal, including concerns about the company’s plan to absorb a local road into the theme park.

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    Associated Press

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  • House bill providing mobile home owners more protections passes

    House bill providing mobile home owners more protections passes

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Mobile home owners will get a financial break and protections now that House Bill 613 is passed.

    What You Need To Know

    • District 47 Rep. Paula Stark sponsored House Bill 613
    • The bill addresses property rental increase notifications, shortening wait times for mediation and allowing seniors to have live-in aides in their homes without paying additional rent
    • According to Statista, Florida ranks third in the country for the number of mobile home parks
    • Once signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the new law would become effective July 1

    House Bill 613 addresses property rental increase notifications, shortens wait times for mediation and allows seniors to have live-in aides in their homes without paying additional rent.

    One of the most significant benefits of living in a mobile home park has been affordability.

    These parks typically have lower monthly fees than traditional apartments or homes, making them a budget-friendly option, especially for seniors on a fixed income.

    “Everything is changing,” said mobile homeowner Rozaa Cardero. “The mobile home park is supposed to be for people who do not have a lot of money for the low income, but now it’s just not affordable for the low-income person.”

    Cardero says her lot rent has gone up. And she is paying additional medical fees since fracturing both legs.

    She still walks with a limp and is unable to work full-time.

    “It’s painful, it’s broken here and here,” she said while pointing to the cast on her foot.

    She supports House Bill 613 and said it could benefit her as she lives out her golden years in a mobile home.

    Cardero says that having long-term guests in her community is discouraged.

    “If somebody is coming to your house, you have to tell the office,” she said.

    District 47 Rep. Paula Stark sponsored the bill and says not all mobile home parks are members of the Florida Manufactured Housing Association, so they may not follow existing laws to protect these residents.

    “With inaction, this may be another way that we may increase our homelessness,” Stark said. “Voting up on this bill helps give a pathway to mobile home residents to have a voice in their circumstances and clarifies resources that are available to them as they age out in their homes.“

    Cardero says this is an issue that has been overlooked for too long.

    According to Statista, Florida ranks third in the country for the number of mobile home parks.

    “If they had more protections for us, I think more people would stay in mobile homes,” said Cardero. “People that don’t have the money to pay on time, they give you (an) eviction.”

    Once signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the new law would become effective July 1.

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Deadline arrives for Pasco County municipal elections voter registration

    Deadline arrives for Pasco County municipal elections voter registration

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Monday is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming municipal elections in Pasco County.

    Elections are taking place in the cities of Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, San Antonio, Zephyrhills and the town of St. Leo. 


    Municipal elections are only for voters who reside within the city limits.

    Voter registration can be completed online at PascoVotes.gov/OVR, in person at the elections’ offices, or applications may be mailed to the elections’ office at PO Box 300, Dade City, FL 33526 and must be postmarked no later than March 11.

    All three elections’ offices will be open on book closing day from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    PREVIOUS STORY: Important election deadlines for Florida’s upcoming Presidential Primary

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Changing voter trends in Seminole County could be seen across Florida

    Changing voter trends in Seminole County could be seen across Florida

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    SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — As the 2024 election cycle rolls on, political leaders on both sides of the aisle will be watching to see if the trends of recent election cycles continue. In suburban areas surrounding cities across Florida, voting trends have been shifting.

    What You Need To Know

    • In 2020 in Seminole County, President Joe Biden got 7,000 more votes than Donald Trump, marking the first time in 75 years the county voted for a Democratic presidential candidate

    • UCF Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett says one of the main reasons for the political shift is new development of apartments and condos popping up all over the county, which he says attract younger residents from more Democratic areas who are typically more progressive

    • Jewett says that’s a trend we could see play out in other areas outside big cities across the state

    In Seminole County, for example, trends took a Democratic shift in 2020. Despite Donald Trump winning the Florida on his way to defeat to Joe Biden, President Biden got 7,000 more votes in Seminole County. It was the first time in 75 years the county voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. 

    Since 2018, according to the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections office, the county has seen a few more Democrats register to vote with 15,185 additional Republicans compared with 17,753 more Democrats. And 16,242 more people have registered as No Party Affiliation. 

    University of Central Florida Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett says one of the main reasons for the political shift is a recent development of apartments and condos popping up all over the county, which he says attract younger residents from more Democratic areas, who are typically more progressive. And Jewett says that’s a trend we could see play out in other areas outside big cities across the state.

    “You’re seeing more African American and Hispanic people moving into Seminole County,” said Jewett. “And so, it’s gotten more diverse and our politics have changed. That could certainly be happening in some other areas of the state, certainly Tampa, South Florida, even some places in North Florida, although maybe not quite as much there because the population growth in North Florida tends to be more from other southern states.”

    Hailey Donahue and her boyfriend, Nathan Lax, have spent time going door-to-door in the county, encouraging people to get registered to vote.

    “We want to make sure people are up to date on their registration. We have these buttons right here,” said Donahue.

    They say the focus is making sure people are engaged in the political process.

    “We’re making sure they’re up to date, and that everybody that is registered to vote is able to vote in the general since we have a major election coming up,” said Donahue.

    They also know the political makeup of the county is changing.

    “You’re seeing a lot of people moving into Seminole that are Democrat, you have a lot of families that are updating registration to be more Democrat, and especially with college students from the UCF area coming into Seminole, again you’re seeing more people come out and vote blue,” said Donahue.

    Bruce Cherry is the chairman of the Seminole County Republican Party. He is skeptical of the idea that the political tides are turning for good.

    “Because I live in a condo development myself — I’m a renter — and a lot of folks are relocating here from New York and California and places like that, and many of them are thankfully not bringing their politics with them,” said Cherry. “They have come to Florida because they realized this is a great place to live, and Seminole County is a great place to live. And so, it’s not necessarily true that people who live in apartments are Democrat, that those numbers are going to skew more liberal.”

    Cherry says the Seminole GOP will be shoring up the county’s Republican vote, looking to turn those registered as No Party Affiliation to their side. And he believes some Democrats will swing back their way this election cycle.

    “When you’re constantly being approached by people out at events and they go ‘Well, I’m a Democrat, but I’ve got to vote for,’ that tells us something,” said Cherry. “So no, we’re not feeling threatened or anything like that by the number of people moving to Seminole County,or whether or not the numbers tend to trend upward for Democrats, because we’re finding that a lot of them are not voting Democrat, or intend to.”

    When Lax enrolled at UCF, he moved from a very Democratic area of South Florida and now lives in an apartment in Oviedo. He believes the changing political tides of the county are more than just more democrats moving to town.

    “While we are seeing some change with the short-term people coming in and leaving, I think what we’re seeing in Seminole County is really for the long haul, and we’re going to see it move further blue as people come to understand just what’s going on out there,” said Lax.

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    Jeff Allen

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  • Orange County’s TDT collections rise in January from a year ago

    Orange County’s TDT collections rise in January from a year ago

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Tourist Development Tax collections in Orange County reached $30,493,100 during January and marked the first monthly year-over-year increase since September 2023, Comptroller Phil Diamond announced Wednesday. 

    Collections in January 2024 were up 5%, or $1.4 million, from January 2023, Diamond said. They were up $647,000 from December 2023.

    The TDT, also referred to as a resort tax or bed tax, is an extra fee added to stays of less than six months at hotels and other lodgings. Funds from the tax have been used to partially fund projects such as the construction of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and the Kia Center and for renovations to Camping World Stadium — where major events such as the Citrus Bowl, NFL Pro Bowl games, concerts and Monster Jam are held. 

    Major sporting events helped boost tourism during the month. The 2024 Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium featured a matchup between Iowa and Tennessee on Jan. 1. In addition, athletes started coming to town to prepare for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials that were run in downtown Orlando on Feb. 3.  According to Visit Orlando, the Orange County Convention Center also hosted several major events, such as the PGA Show and the Veterinary Meeting and Expo.

    TDT Renewal and Replacement Reserves, however, declined by $740,304 in January to $62.7 million. Those funds are used to offset the costs associated with recently approved projects, such as the convention center’s 5A expansion, Camping World Stadium renovations, the UCF football stadium tower project and some additional arts funding.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Four GOP contests in North Carolina could go to a second election

    Four GOP contests in North Carolina could go to a second election

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    There was no clear winner Tuesday in four statewide Republican primary elections, for two congressional seats, lieutenant governor and auditor. The seats could head to second elections to pick the party nominees on May 14. 

    What You Need To Know

    •  Four Republican races could be headed for second elections to pick party nominees after North Carolina’s primaries

    •  Two congressional districts, 6 and 13, will have second elections. They are both heavily Republican districts, which means the winner of the primaries will most likely win the seat in November

    •  Second primary elections, which are technically not called runoff elections, will be held May 14

    • The GOP primaries for state auditor and lieutenant governor also appear to be headed to second elections

    North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District. (NCGA)

    The two congressional districts, 6 and 13, heavily favor Republican candidates after the latest round of redistricting. The winner of the GOP primaries in the two district will most likely win in November’s General Election. 

    District 13 curves around the Triangle and includes largely rural and suburban areas in eight counties. The GOP nominating contest for District 13 was crowded, with 14 candidates on the ballot. 

    Kelly Daughtry won more than 27% of the Republican vote for District 13. But she needed 30% to avoid going to a second election. Brad Knott came in second with almost 19% of the vote.

    “The results make it clear that voters are seeking a candidate who will prioritize America first,” Daughtry said Tuesday night. “Trump won in a landslide here in North Carolina, and I will work with Trump when I get to Congress to secure the border, reduce inflation, and refocus our foreign policy.” 

    “We defeated 12 candidates and qualified for a runoff on May 14,” Knott said in a message to supporters Wednesday. 

    North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District (NCGA)

    “We’re hitting the campaign trail again to secure victory in the NC 13 Republican Primary Runoff on May 14 so that I can fight for you in Congress to secure the border, stop the surge in crime and disorder, and reduce inflation by cutting wasteful spending. In the fall election, I will join with President Trump to take the fight to the Democrats,” he said. 

    In the 6th Congressional District, six candidates ran for the Republican nomination.

    Addison McDowell, a first-time candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won more than 26% of the vote. He will face off against former Rep. Mark Walker, who won more than 24% of the vote. 

    Walker represented the 6th District from 2015 to 2021. 

    The Republican race for lieutenant governor was another crowded one, with 13 candidates vying for the seat. It’s an open race for lieutenant governor, with Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson winning the Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday.

    Hal Weatherman won almost 20% of the GOP vote for lieutenant governor. Jim O’Neill can in second with almost 16%.

    In the Republican race for state Auditor, Jack Clark and Dave Boliek were the two top candidates, but neither hit 30%.

    Voter turnout for the Super Tuesday primary in North Carolina was about 24%. That’s down from four years ago, when about 31% of voters cast ballots in the primaries.

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    Charles Duncan

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