AGP Executive Report

Property Taxes: Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida’s ballot language for a constitutional amendment to gradually phase out property taxes is being rewritten after a judge flagged the original wording, with supporters touting about $3,000 in average annual relief while critics warn local budgets could be hit and court challenges may follow. Voting & Elections: Broward County opens early voting for the Aug. 18 primary at 21 sites starting Saturday, with voters urged to bring ID and note tight deadlines for mail ballots. Public Safety (Schools): Martin County schools start Aug. 10, and the district is pushing extra school-bus caution as some stops mean students wait in the dark. Crime & Courts: Three Palm Beach County men were sentenced to 12 to 20 years in federal prison for exploiting missing foster teens. Consumer/Everyday Life: Florida Lotto’s Aug. 5 drawing produced a $6 million winner from a Lakeland Sunoco; the jackpot resets to $1 million for Aug. 8. Environment: Cape Coral residents are upset that a sidewalk project displaced a threatened burrowing owl nest, despite city permits. Sports (Local): Gadsden City QB Sam Sollie committed to Auburn.

Courts & Elections: A Leon County judge ordered Florida to rewrite the ballot language for the property tax cut (Amendment 3) after finding the original wording misleading and laced with political rhetoric; Gov. DeSantis says the state won’t appeal and expects clearer language for the November vote. Local Schools: Sarasota County Schools is gearing up for the Aug. 10 start with transportation and start-time changes, while Duval and St. Johns districts say they’ve closed budget gaps ahead of the new year. Public Safety: Hillsborough County is mourning a 5-year-old boy with autism found dead in a retention pond after wandering away; officials say it’s the second such drowning at the same apartment complex in two months. Education & Workforce: Broward County launched the Space Florida Academy at nine schools to build aerospace and engineering career pipelines. Immigration & Community Tensions: An Argentinian pro soccer player says he was detained by ICE at Fort Lauderdale Airport while traveling within the U.S., despite a pending asylum case. Health Care: The Florida Supreme Court is set to decide whether Citizens Property Insurance’s mandatory arbitration system is constitutional, a ruling that could reshape homeowners’ dispute rights.

Back to School: Students in 38 Florida public school districts head back Monday, Aug. 10, with families stocking up through local giveaways and services like Volusia’s Payit4ward event that served more than 3,000 people and handed out 1,600 backpacks. Education Policy: Florida’s later school-start law is reversed, letting districts set their own middle and high school start times again. Local Elections: State Rep. Kevin Steele resigned his House seat as he runs for Florida’s U.S. House District 14 after redistricting shifted his congressional area. School Board Races: Santa Rosa County candidates shared Q&As for Districts 1, 3, and 5 as the primary approaches. Public Safety: A DeLand man was charged as accessory after the fact in the Citadel cadet double-murder case; separately, a Lee County middle school teacher was arrested on child pornography and animal cruelty charges. Transportation Debate: FDOT wants to redirect nearly $197 million in federal EV charger money toward charging and landing pads for electric air taxis. Community & Health: Orange County advanced a proposal to restrict commercial imports of exotic wildlife after the Sloth World Orlando deaths.

Local Government & Economic Development: Lee County supervisors voted to hire specialized legal counsel to help craft ordinances regulating data centers and other major economic development projects, aiming to protect taxpayers as rules get more complex. Public Safety: A Sarasota County crash on I-75 sent two vehicles overturning, while Polk County’s sheriff said a woods shootout left a K-9 injured and ended with the suspect dead. Courts & Rights: A federal appeals court upheld Florida’s law barring kids from attending drag shows, calling it a regulation of obscenity. Health & Food Safety: Florida’s cyclospora outbreak keeps climbing, with 352 confirmed or suspected cases statewide and Palm Beach County reporting 16 new infections tied to recalled iceberg lettuce. Education & Community: Bay District Schools’ “Stuff the Bus” supply drive, plus a YMCA $1.5M state boost for a new Lake Lytal community center, highlight back-to-school support across the state. Environment & Agriculture: Florida Southern College planted citrus trees as a “living laboratory” to help growers tackle the industry’s long-running disease challenges.

Media & Education: UF’s College of Journalism and Communications is teaming up with Saga Communications in a seven-year deal to market ad inventory for WRUF-AM/FM starting Sept. 1, 2026, with a big focus on student training and newsroom-style career pathways. Community & Culture: Lakeside Social officially opens Aug. 27 at Lakeside at Viera Town Center, bringing waterfront dining, events, and programming to Brevard. Public Safety: A Guatemalan man is in custody after a hit-and-run left a 74-year-old trapped under a truck, with ICE seeking to keep him detained. Violence in Public: Two men face charges after a machete fight at a Publix parking lot in Panama City. Health Watch: Florida’s Cyclospora outbreak keeps climbing—352 cases reported statewide through Aug. 1, with Lee County among the hardest hit. Elections: Seminole County held a public logic-and-accuracy test for the Aug. 18 primary, a key step before ballots are counted. Local Life: Broward County Animal Care is seeking adopters for Lemon, an energetic dog looking for a forever home.

Property-Tax Fight: A Tallahassee judge ordered Florida’s Amendment 3 ballot language rewritten, calling the current title misleading and “political rhetoric,” and the state’s attorney general has 10 days to fix it. Public Safety & Schools: Lake County will equip 240 school buses with stop-arm cameras to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped buses, with warnings first and citations later. Housing & Insurance: A new state report says 25% of required condo milestone inspections were never completed, with many local governments failing to report data. Local Government & Growth: Suwannee County is seeking bids for engineering and design work on an elevated water tower at the Catalyst Site, delaying a major project start. Crime & Courts: A Flagler County man was arrested for allegedly stalking a woman and stealing a teddy bear holding her child’s ashes. Politics: In Florida’s 7th District GOP race, incumbent Cory Mills and challengers traded barbs in a New Smyrna Beach debate over ethics and alleged investigations. Community & Health: Manatee County officials faced residents’ concerns about conditions at Bishop Animal Shelter, with the county acknowledging issues still need work.

Courts & Culture: The 11th Circuit lifted a block on Florida’s law restricting minors from “sexually explicit” live performances, sending the case back to a trial court while enforcement can begin. Local Government & Housing: In Coconut Grove, residents questioned a West Grove Live Local Act project that has ballooned from one tower to twin 750-unit buildings, raising concerns about density and community impact. Schools & Taxes: Broward schools’ superintendent warned more closures are coming as enrollment drops and the district weighs consolidating campuses; meanwhile, Baker County adopted a tentative 2026-27 school budget and property tax rate. Public Safety: A Polk County nurse was found murdered, and her son faces a first-degree murder charge after investigators say he overdosed on Tylenol and crashed her car. Community & Health: Lee County reopened the Lakes Park splash pads after a $2.6 million Hurricane Ian replacement project. Business & Growth: Walmart and Wing launched faster drone delivery in Central Florida, reaching 50,000+ homes from local stores. Crime & Justice: A Flagler County man is accused of stalking a dating-app match and stealing a teddy bear containing her child’s ashes.

Data Centers & Local Control: Lee County supervisors voted to hire specialized legal counsel to help craft ordinances regulating future data centers and other major economic projects, as the county weighs how to protect taxpayers while managing a growing development push. Property Taxes & Amendment 3: A judge ordered Florida’s Amendment 3 ballot language rewritten, keeping the measure headed to voters; the fight could reshape affordable housing, CRAs, and Miami-Dade services if it passes. Public Safety on Roads: Sarasota County is launching high-visibility enforcement aimed at protecting pedestrians and bicyclists, with education first but citations possible. Health Watch: Palm Beach County residents are reacting to a cyclospora outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce, with many avoiding lettuce while officials investigate. Community Tragedy: Boynton Beach police say a 3-year-old died after her head became stuck in a toy kitchen playset at a babysitter’s home, and the case remains under investigation. Wildlife & Environment: Scientists warn seaweed sargassum is smothering coastlines across the Caribbean and Gulf, driven by unusual growth patterns.

Property Tax Fight: A Leon County judge says Florida’s Amendment 3 ballot language is misleading and orders the state to rewrite it, arguing the summary reads like a political pitch instead of a fair explanation of what the measure would do. Local Government & Growth: Palm Beach County commissioners are drafting new noise, power-grid, and water rules after rejecting a proposed $2 billion AI data center plan, with one commissioner pushing data centers away from the county. Immigration: A Venezuelan woman with TPS says she was detained by ICE for nearly three weeks at South Florida facilities, and another ICE detainee in Broward was released after lawmakers intervened. Public Safety: A small plane made an emergency landing on a Florida interstate after engine trouble, narrowly missing a highway sign; separately, a Palm Coast woman allegedly used her 9-year-old daughter to help steal from a store. Tech in the Real World: Walmart and Wing launched drone delivery in parts of Central Florida, with orders lowered to addresses by tether.

Immigration & Community: Another 147 Venezuelans arrived in Venezuela from Miami under the “Mission Back to the Fatherland,” with officials saying the return was handled with “comprehensive protection protocols.” Local Governance & Public Safety: South Florida cleanup continues after storms brought flooding and downed trees across Broward and Miami-Dade. Elections: Putnam County’s election chief is urging voters to use early voting (through Aug. 15) or mail ballots before the request deadline. Environment: A lawsuit says federal officials missed a deadline to protect queen conch habitat in the Florida Keys, leaving breeding areas exposed to dredging. Health: Dengue fever alerts were issued in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade after locally transmitted cases were confirmed. Property Taxes: A report warns Hernando and Brooksville could face major losses if Florida’s property tax referendum passes. Education: Florida is developing rules that would bar undocumented students from postsecondary career and technical programs. Business/Community: Sanibel Captiva Community Bank donated $5,000 to United Way’s regional campaign.

Property Taxes Fight: Florida’s Amendment 3 is headed to the ballot with wording under legal fire, while the Florida Sheriffs Association warns it could mean fewer resources for public safety and slower response times if local budgets get squeezed. Public Health: Florida’s cyclosporiasis count keeps climbing, with Michigan reporting the first outbreak-related deaths; Florida has 254 cases across 39 counties since May 1. Emergency Care Innovation: Tampa General Hospital is rolling out a whole-blood drone delivery program with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, aiming to get blood to trauma scenes in under three minutes. Food Safety: Walmart-linked Bettergoods pistachio nut butter is recalled for possible salmonella contamination, with no illnesses reported yet. Local Community & Safety: Brevard County is reminding drivers about school bus safety as cameras helped issue 17,000+ citations last year. Space & Local Life: Florida’s Space Coast eyes another major launch this week, and SWFL Produce opens a new farm store at Coconut Point in Estero. Hate Crime: Sarasota police arrested a man accused of smashing a Chabad synagogue window in a hate-crime incident.

Marion County Murder Case: A 38-year-old father, James Westervelt III, was indicted for first-degree felony murder after authorities say he used a leaf blower on his infant son as a “prank,” with the child later dying from injuries. Local Politics: Sheriff Holt reflected on his career as he prepares to leave office Aug. 31, while his chief deputy runs unopposed in the Aug. 6 general election. Courts & Community: St. Petersburg’s Second DCA unveiled a mural celebrating the administration of justice at the newly opened courthouse. Property Tax Fight: Major Florida police and fire unions oppose Amendment 3, warning a bigger homestead exemption could create uncertainty for public safety funding. Elections Deadline: Brevard voters have until Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. to request a mail ballot for the Aug. 18 primary. Public Safety Crash: A Miami-Dade man was arrested after deputies say he hit a woman with his pickup, left her trapped, and fled; she remains on life support. Environment & Wildlife: About 60 loggerhead hatchlings reached the Gulf after hatching in Panama City Beach, despite Tropical Storm Bertha washing over many monitored nests. Health Care Milestone: Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital completed its first remote living donor kidney transplant for an 18-year-old.

School Safety: Lee County put Mariner High coach Tyran Jones on administrative leave while it investigates an alleged hazing incident tied to a team lock-in. Local Business: Bartow is gearing up for a new Culver’s opening Aug. 3, with giveaways for early customers and officials touting jobs and sales-tax gains. Housing Market: A four-county Central Florida look finds 1,306 active listings with 53.37% stuck on the market past 60 days, and the “stale” share rising even as the headline total barely moved. Space & Economy: Byron Donalds unveiled “Florida’s Space Race,” pitching a move of NASA headquarters to Brevard County. Public Health: Miami-Dade confirmed a locally acquired dengue case and is ramping up mosquito control. Community & Safety: Sarasota police arrested a man accused of throwing a brick through a Chabad synagogue window, charging it as a hate crime. Weather: A flood watch remains in effect for western Marion County as storms linger into the weekend.

Election Integrity: Florida AG James Uthmeier charged a Canadian citizen in Melbourne with allegedly voting illegally seven times after DHS SAVE records showed he was a lawful permanent resident, not a U.S. citizen. Child Safety/Justice: Marion County prosecutors indicted a man for first-degree murder after his infant died from blunt head trauma he allegedly caused with a leaf blower “for fun.” Public Safety: A stray bullet sent a person to the hospital after it entered a Hillsborough County home; injuries were not life-threatening and officials said there’s no ongoing threat. Immigration Enforcement: A federal program would pay local and state police $1.6 billion over the next year to participate in immigration enforcement, expanding 287(g) cooperation. Wildlife & Community: More than 20 rehabilitated manatees returned to Florida waters; officers also removed a venomous cottonmouth found curled by a Daytona Beach front door. Local Government/Taxes: Clearwater residents heard how proposed Amendment 3 could cut city general-fund revenue by about $12 million in year one. Housing/Buildings: A state report found 2,500+ condo and co-op buildings flagged for structural deterioration in 2024-25, with only five evacuated.

Super Speeder Case: Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson changed her plea in a Florida “super speeder” case, taking a no-contest deal that avoids jail time and brings a $500 fine, 100 hours of community service, and an eight-hour driving class. Fatal Crash: A pedestrian was killed and another seriously hurt after being struck by an SUV while crossing SR-574 in Hillsborough County. Early Voting Dates: Lake County announced early voting for the Aug. 18, 2026 primary, running Aug. 6–15 at 12 locations with 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours. Local Public Safety: A Palm Coast man was arrested after a high-speed chase on I-95 that reached 125 mph, and a Lee County felon was charged after allegedly shooting at women in a driveway. Health Alerts: Miami-Dade confirmed a locally acquired dengue case, while Palm Beach County issued a no-swim/no-irrigation advisory after a wastewater spill on Singer Island. Community & Environment: A Sarasota forum will tackle the data center boom, and experts weigh in on whether Burmese pythons are showing up in Lee County.

Public Safety: A Tampa woman was arrested after authorities say she fled a fatal crash that killed an 82-year-old pedestrian, with investigators charging her for leaving the scene of a death. Local Government: Gov. DeSantis filled multiple county and school board seats, including appointments to Orange County’s commissioner board and Charlotte County’s school board. Traffic & Growth: Collier County awarded a design contract for a proposed Livingston Road flyover over Immokalee Road to ease long backups tied to rapid development. Health & Community: BayCare became among the first in Florida to offer a robotic-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy, expanding advanced breast cancer surgery locally. Education: A new report says only 44% of Florida children enter kindergarten ready to learn, while Brevard County ranked 4th statewide for kindergarten readiness. Housing Affordability: Palm Beach County proposed $228.7M to address rent pressures as many renters spend about half their income on housing. Environment & Public Health: Google is seeking to release millions of mosquitoes in Florida as part of a disease-control plan using bacteria-treated insects. Crime & Courts: An Orange County judge rejected a plea deal in a first-degree murder case, reigniting a dispute between state prosecutors.