New law makes it easier to pave over Florida farmland
The bill’s sponsors say they’re defending Floridians’ property rights. Environmental activists say it’s the latest step the state legislature has taken to speed suburban sprawl and weaken local power to regulate zoning and environmental protections.
Criminal Justice
Ethics cases against 5 sheriffs are tossed. None were investigated
The allegations were rejected either for lack of legal sufficiency or “personal knowledge” by the plaintiffs, the Florida Commission on Ethics reported in a lengthy press release — a dump of 110 ethics cases involving officials from across the state.
Ricky Dixon, who lasted 30 years in scandal-marred agency, exits top Florida prison job
The prison system Dixon took over in November 2021 had been soiled by years of scandal
Florida Trib wins six first-place awards, gold medal in journalism contest
The Trib won first place in every category it entered.
FLORIDA
Appeals panel scrutinizes ex-JEA CEO’s bid to have conviction tossed
Ex-JEA CEO Aaron Zahn’s bid to throw out his high-profile 2024 convictions of wire fraud and conspiracy was heard in federal court in Jacksonville.
Florida’s most polluted river cleaned up. A company could dump wastewater into it again
At the request of a company owned by one of America’s wealthiest families, state regulators are paving the way for wastewater to flow back into the Fenholloway River
Florida Trib and Miami Herald honored for bus camera investigation series
The Florida Trib and Miami Herald were honored with a Esserman-Knight Journalism Award at a ceremony in Miami for reporting on bus-mounted camera violations that failed to distinguish legal from illegal driving.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Newly released Carrico records raise questions about altered text messages in JEA probe
New questions are being raised about newly released public records tied to Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico and a state investigation into the attempted appointment of his boss to the JEA board.
Embattled Jacksonville council president withholds some subpoena records
The texts were part of a batch of records City Council President Kevin Carrico had to turn over in response to a subpoena from State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s office.
In Florida’s largest district, few line up to run for school board
At a pivotal moment for the district, only one of Miami-Dade’s four incumbent school board members faces a challenger
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