Blaise Gainey

The City of Tallahassee is getting nearly $9,000 from the AARP. The grant will go toward a park in the Greater Bond Community--a traditionally African American neighborhood on the Southside of Tallahassee.

The bond for Mirko Ceska has been set at $50,000. He is accused of physically and sexually abusing female twins who have been in his custody of for several years. His wife Regina Ceska is also facing charges with the victims describing the couple as “doomsday preppers.”

Residents of one Atlanta neighborhood say a change occurred when the 1996 Olympics came to the city. Most call that change gentrification, but in one crime-ridden area nicknamed “Little Vietnam” the city managed to renovate and improve the area without removing its residents. It’s now a national model for cradle-to-college education with safe streets and better quality housing for low-income families.

Now, a group of Tallahassee advocates and local officials are trying to bring the model to the Southside, but there is a disconnect with the school district, a major player.

Here in Tallahassee the Florida Historic Capitol Museum is holding an event to acknowledge the day the first human footprint was left on the moon.

Florida courts have spoken. They say the state’s medical marijuana distribution system is unconstitutional, and that could soon force the legislature and the industry to make changes.

One Florida lawmaker says the legislature could get a do-over on implementing the state’s 2016 medical marijuana amendment after the First Discrict Court of Appeal handed down an opinion Tuesday calling the current setup unconstitutional.

In May, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill preventing local governments from banning plastic straws, now Leon County is trying to do just that. Tuesday, the county commission met to discuss options to reduce or eliminate the use of single-use plastic straws.

Thousands of felons throughout the state are now eligible to vote, thanks to Amendment 4 and Governor Ron DeSantis signing the implementing bill into law. However, to do so they will have to register first, and organizations and advocates have been fanning out across Florida to sign up these newly eligible voters. Joining those efforts is former Leon County Commissioner Bob Rackleff.

Next time you’re in South Florida beware of Iguanas. The states animal protection agency has now given its approval to kill the  lizards without permits. 

Voting Rights groups are challenging a new Florida law, saying it quote “violates the prohibition against poll taxes”. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill late Friday, it requires felons to pay court fines and fees before registering to vote. The American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, and NAACP are all part of the lawsuit.

WFSU’s Blaise Gainey speaks with Julie Ebenstein, the lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who submitted the lawsuit.

Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill implementing 2018's Amendment 4. When voters passed the amendment it was expected that nearly 1.5 million felons would be allowed to vote. But the Republican-dominated legislature passed an implementation bill that many say changes the intent.

Several Leon County projects fell victim to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto pen. They won’t get state funding for the upcoming fiscal year. 

Triumph Gulf Coast is setting aside funds it hopes will help students soar thanks to a drone training program the board recently approved.

Florida’s economy is currently 17th largest in the world. Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson wants it to be in the top 10.

Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis essentially reversed his predecessors’ actions by giving back $2.3 million  to elections supervisors to spend on cyber security. The money was left over from a $19 million grant the federal government gave the state prior to the 2018 primary election.

As a response to the Parkland shooting which left 17 dead, Ban Assault Weapons Now is pushing to get assault weapons banned in the state. Monday, they announced that they’ve reached the threshold to trigger a Supreme Court Review. I spoke with the chairperson of the committee about what exactly the ban does.