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Florida News That Impacts You – July 9th, 2021
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the some of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- In Surfside, the death toll now stands at 64 and 76 potentially unaccounted for as the conversion from a rescue to a recovery effort wrapped up its first full day.
- After having previously filed false financial disclosures twice, Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner and Democrat candidate for Governor, Nikki Fried has missed Florida’s 2021 financial disclosure deadline. Nikki, who worked as a lobbyist for the marijuana industry prior to becoming agriculture commissioner, previously filed financial disclosures stating she earned no money lobbying for the industry. A year later she filed stating she’d earned $84,000. Most recently, just prior to running for governor, she disclosed $351,480 in earnings as a lobbyist. A spokesman for Fried says she intends to file prior to September 1st when penalties under Florida law can be levied.
- A new study led by the University of Central Florida, shows Florida’s loggerhead and green sea turtles are smaller when nesting than in the past. The study, which covered a period of 37 years from 1982 to 2019revealed the average size of nesting turtles is an inch to 1.5 inches smaller than 37 years ago. Scientists don’t know why as of now. They observed10,000 nesting loggerheads and 3,000 green sea turtles.
- The 2021 Python Challenge kicks off today. The challenge which continues through Sunday the 18th, has a top prize of $10,000 this year. Last year 80 Burmese pythons were caught during the challenge.