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FLORIDA WILDLIFE UNDER THREAT FROM TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RULE
FROM FLORIDA TRIB
More than 100 Florida species, including panthers, manatees and sea turtles, could inch closer to extinction under a set of changes to the Endangered Species Act the Trump administration rolled out this month that would force regulators to disregard damage to critical habitats. Millions of acres of Florida land would also become easier to develop if the federal rule changes survive court challenges.
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DOWNPOUR FLOODS ST. ARMANDS, FRAYS MERCHANTS' NERVES AGAIN
FROM SARASOTA OBSERVER
A stubborn thunderstorm last week dumped a downpour on Sarasota, which brought fast-rising floodwaters to St. Armands Circle. Sarasota County officials, who are responsible for stormwater in the shopping and dining district and the rest of the city, attributed the slow drainage to a failed sensor that prevented one of the five pumps in the circle from starting. It has since been repaired. Data from University of South Florida’s real-time rainfall tracker indicates about 2.2 inches of rain fell on St. Armands Circle in two hours.
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'DESANTIS MURDERED MY ART.' THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR'S WAR ON STREET ART HITS FORT LAUDERDALE
FROM FLORIDA TRIDENT
A decade ago, more than 100 neighbors in Fort Lauderdale picked up paintbrushes and helped transform a pair of ordinary beachside intersections along Breakers Avenue into stirring works of art. The city-commissioned bright blue “Aquifer Intersections” paintings were designed by local artist Robin Haines Merrill and endorsed by the Florida Department of Transportation for their “traffic-calming” effects. But over the weekend, the artwork was blacked out with asphalt in the dead of night.
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BRADENTON POLICE GO UNDERGROUND TO REUNITE FAMILY OF DUCKS
FROM ABC7
Bradenton Police are often some of the first to respond to families who find themselves in danger. Apparently even when the family has feathers and can’t read crosswalk signs. The department called it “Operation Webbed feet. Dirty pants.” In a social media post, officers documented the call involving a family of ducks crossing the road.
WATCH VIDEO/READ THE STORY HERE
COMPETITIVE BALLROOM DANCING GENERATES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, INSPIRES DEVOTION — DESPITE HEFTY PRICE TAG
FROM ARTSBEAT
DanceSport, the competitive arm of ballroom dancing is big business in America. On any given weekend you can find a competition taking place somewhere across the country, with hundreds of dancers decked out in dazzling, rhinestone-heavy costuming, dramatic makeup and elaborate up-dos cemented with hairspray, gliding across hotel ballroom floors.
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NEW LAW HAS FLORIDA 'OPEN FOR BUSINESS' FOR AI DATA CENTERS, UTILITY EXECS SAY
FROM SEEKING RENTS
A new state law touted as a way to “protect” Floridians from the impacts of giant data centers may actually be accelerating the development of giant data centers around the state. Executives at Florida’s largest power company revealed last week that they expect to sell significantly more electricity to large data centers over the next few years — in part because the new law, which Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in May, has made Florida a more attractive destination for the massive warehouses of computer servers needed to power artificial intelligence and other technologies.
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JUDGE WEIGHS CHALLENGE TO BALLOT LANGUAGE IN FLORIDA PROPERTY TAX AMENDMENT
FROM WUSF
A court case in Tallahassee will determine what Florida voters see on their ballots in November. It centers around a proposed constitutional amendment that would lower state property taxes. A large number of local governments have spoken against the change, warning it would harm the services funded by the tax and that fees would have to be raised elsewhere. A Tallahassee judge heard arguments on Wednesday and will rule soon on whether there should be new ballot title and summary language.
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MANATEE COMMISSIONERS REJECT SPECIAL PROPERTY TAX FOR ANIMAL SERVICES
FROM BRADENTON JOURNAL
Manatee County commissioners on Tuesday rejected a proposal that would have asked voters whether they were willing to pay higher property taxes to build a new animal welfare facility, an idea from Commissioner Amanda Ballard that had grown out of months of criticism over conditions at the county’s Bishop Animal Shelter. Animal welfare activists have complained about conditions at Bishop Animal Shelter after the county installed a series of modular buildings to serve as dog kennels.
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LEGAL BATTLE CONTINUES TO SAVE SARASOTA'S HISTORIC U.S. GARAGE
FROM WSLR
A last-minute legal battle over Sarasota’s historic U.S. Garage is continuing, even after a circuit court judge granted a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation. Street view of the U.S. Garage building. The preservation group filed the lawsuit in June, asking the court to review an April 29 decision made by the Sarasota Board of Adjustment. The panel that hears appeals to city board and staff decisions determined the Alliance did not have standing to challenge the city’s permit to the developers of the proposed Adagio luxury condo development to demolish the U.S. Garage.
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PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT FOR AQUA'S PROPOSED EROSION-CONTROL WALL
FROM ANNA MARIA SUN
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Jacksonville District is seeking public comment on a proposal to construct a gabion wall — an erosion-control structure made of wire mesh cages filled with rock, stone or other material — along the Long Bar Point shoreline on Sarasota Bay as part of the Aqua development, formerly known as Long Bar Pointe and Aqua by the Bay. The partially completed, partially occupied, multi-phase development is located off El Conquistador Parkway in unincorporated Manatee County. The Army Corps' public notice identifies Carlos Beruff and Peter Logan as the applicants.
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OYSTER RIVER ECOLOGY WANTS TO BRING THE MANATEE RIVER BACK TO LIFE
FROM SARASOTA MAGAZINE
In June, the nonprofit announced new restoration projects at South Creek in Sarasota County and off Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, adding six acres of planned habitat to its existing 10-acre Manatee River initiative.
READ THE STORY HERE
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