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Florida Awards $400k In Defense Grants

The Red Devils training at Tyndall Air Force Base.
Sgt. Gregory Moore
/
US Marine Corps

Florida Governor Rick Scott is signing off on nearly half a million dollars in grants aimed at insulating military bases from future closures.  The bulk of the money is headed for the panhandle.

Florida is putting $400,000 into projects recommended by the Florida Defense Support Taskforce.  More than half of the money goes to a company called Indyne which is working with Eglin Air Force Base’s 96th Test Wing.  The grant aims to make the unit more competitive within the Air Force when it comes to attracting research and development projects. 

Nearby, Gulf Coast State College will receive $30,000 with the charge of identifying community partnerships with Tyndall Air Force Base.  Katie Patronis serves on the College’s board.  The governor recently tapped her husband Jimmy Patronis to serve as the state’s CFO.

Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.