A Florida appeals court has rejected a constitutional challenge against the state’s Red Flag law. The policy lets law enforcement officers temporarily remove guns from the homes of people who are seen as a threat to themselves or others. Now, as Regan McCarthy reports some state lawmakers are looking into an expansion of the rule, while other have filed for a repeal.
Could Florida teachers get a long awaited raise next year? Governor Ron DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran, and Senate Budget Chief Rob Bradley have all discussed it. And the state’s largest teacher’s union is calling for it. But as Lynn Hatter reports, there are plenty of questions about how and whether teachers will get anything.
A special session has been called for the Florida Senate, to weigh the reinstatement or permanent removal of suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. Ryan Dailey reports a senate special master is recommending Israel’s reinstatement, amid Governor Ron DeSantis’ ongoing push to oust him.
As Florida continues battling an opioid abuse crisis, another, largely forgotten drug has ramped up in North Florida—meth. Its low cost and relative ease of access, is making it harder for local law enforcement agencies to control. Sherneka Streater has more.
Two new deaths possibly related to vaping have been reported in Florida and Georgia. This marks the first such death in Florida. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control is investigating more than 500 cases of vaping-related illnesses nationwide and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis calls the issue concerning and says he wants more information. Now Brittany Jarret reports, as vaping makes national headlines, more Florida lawmakers are bringing their agenda and policies to the forefront even as the CDC says it’s not determined what products are causing the problems.
One weekend a month, two guys from Miami-Dade head to Key West - to catch iguanas on city property. Including the city cemetery. You can see them navigating around the crypts and headstones, lassoing the lizards. Iguanas are doing real damage in South Florida - and they don't belong here. We don't know how they got here - maybe it started with pets that escaped or were let loose. But they're invasive and in South Florida, their numbers have exploded. They eat vegetation and sometimes bird eggs. And they dig into the ground causing problems with bridges, canals - and grave sites. So catching iguanas is a mission. WLRN's Nancy Klingener [KLING-en-er] went along to see how it's done in Key West.