The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Friday, April 12, 2024

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LOCAL NEWS

Tallahassee City Commission news briefs from the April 10, 2024 meeting: Charter review recommendations, school speed zone enforcement program, Ox Bottom Road project, $95 million in bonds for infrastructure projects.

Amos P. Godby High School is closed through Friday after torrential rain and flooding.

As storms passed through the Big Bend and South Georgia areas overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning, significant flooding caused damage to several neighborhoods, including Sir Richard Road. The storm washed away a portion of Sir Richard Road, leaving a massive hole in the roadway. As a result, some Fort Braden residents are trapped on one side with no way across. Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban says fire crews were also in the area working to find a way to get the residents trapped on the other side.

LOCAL SPORTS NEWS

The No. 18 Florida State softball team (28-10, 9-3) returns home for another ACC series as they take on Notre Dame (23-14, 7-8) this weekend at JoAnne Graf Field. The two teams will play at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Friday’s game can be seen on ACCNX

Florida State baseball continued their rivalry week matchups by opening a three game set at home against the Miami Hurricanes last night defeating the Canes 5-4. Tonight against the Canes is the Seminole Heritage Game with first pitch at 6:00 p.m. The game can be seen on the ACC Network. 

FLORIDA NEWS

A lawsuit has been filed challenging two Florida Senate districts in the Tampa Bay area, claiming the district map “racially gerrymanders.” THe ACLU of Florida and the Civil Rights & Racial Justice Clinic at New York University School of Law filed the lawsuit alleging the legislature “packed Black voters into District 16, connecting geographically disconnected parts of Tampa and St. Petersburg.”

The constitutional amendment attempting to protect abortion in Florida has an uncertain path to being approved this November, according to a new Emerson College poll. The poll, conducted April 9-10 – after the Supreme Court of Florida approved the measure for November ballot placement – found that only 42% plan to vote “yes” on the initiative.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott – discussing abortion – said that he opposes the ballot abortion ballot measure striking down Florida’s six week abortion ban, but also said Congress should leave those decisions to the states. Scott said in a statement that he believes in “reasonable limits placed on abortion” and is focused on ensuring that IVF treatments are protected and adoptions are more affordable.

NATIONAL NEWS

The Department of Justice expanded the definition of who counts as a firearms dealer and must conduct background checks in the US yesterday as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The legislation was passed in the aftermath of the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 

Former NFL star OJ Simpson died Wednesday at the age of 76 after a battle with prostate cancer, his family announced. Off the field, Simpson was charged with and acquitted of the double murder of his ex-wife and her friend.

US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.7%, Dow -0.0%, Nasdaq +1.7%); Nasdaq closes at record high as technology shares climb, rebounding from earlier concerns over inflation (More). 

TALLAHASSEE WEATHER