The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Wednesday, July 17, 2024

LOCAL NEWS

The latest information from the Tallahassee International Airport shows the June 2024 passenger traffic increased 9.8% when compared to traffic one year ago. The number of passengers was up 7,224 from the 73,667 reported during June 2023 to 80,891 in June 2024.

A group of Israel-Hamas war protestors arrested for pitching tents on FSU’s campus this spring recently signed diversion deals. The deals call for those charges to be dropped once they complete 15 hours of community service.

Tallahassee City Commission candidates Jack Porter and Dot Inman-Johnson are proposing $60,000 starting salaries for firefighters, which – if implemented – would result in a major increase in the fire service fund budget and a possible increase in the fire service fee.

LOCAL SPORTS NEWS

Florida State University’s (FSU) efforts to leave the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for a heavyweight conference could be thwarted as both the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference (SEC) reportedly have little interest in adding the Seminoles to their ranks.

FLORIDA NEWS

Florida’s junior Senator was greeted by people chanting his name Tuesday night. At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Rick Scott offered an aggressively pro-Donald Trump speech. “Well, the Democrats couldn’t stop him. The media couldn’t stop him. The liberal judges couldn’t stop him…..”

Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday over its handling of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. In a post on X, DeSantis expressed frustration about what he referred to as a lack of accountability within the federal bureaucracy.

The voter-registration gap between the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party continues to widen. Get the numbers.

NATIONAL NEWS

Secret Service officials reveal former President Donald Trump’s security detail had been increased in recent weeks due to an Iranian assassination threat; threat believed to be unrelated to Saturday’s attempt (More). 

Investigators continue to search for motive in Saturday’s attack; see latest details (More).

“Hillbilly Elegy” tops Amazon’s bestseller list one day after its author Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) is tapped as former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate (More). 

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez (D) was convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion in New York’s Southern District Court yesterday, prompting calls for his immediate resignation. The three-term senator was found guilty on all 16 felony counts and could face decades in prison at his sentencing scheduled for Oct. 29.

US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +1.9%, Nasdaq +0.2%) with the Dow seeing its best day in a year (More).

TALLAHASSEE WEATHER