The list of recommendations are provided below. It is important to note that the acceptance of the report does not commit the city commission to adopt any of the recommendations.

The two recommendations that would impact residential developments address the criteria that triggers requirements contained in Tallahassee’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO).

Currently, if a residential development is designed for over 50 homes, the IHO is triggered and the developer must provide 10% of the homes to “affordable home” buyers at regulated prices.

The new recommendations lowers the IHO threshold for a residential development to 20 homes and increases the percentage of “affordable homes” to 20%.

The AHAC is periodically required to “review the City’s established plans, policies, procedures, and ordinances, and recommend specific actions to encourage or facilitate affordable housing.”

The AHAC also submits a report to the City Commission every three years. The most recent report was submitted on on  October 25, 2018 and contained the following recommendations.

1. Prioritize redevelopment of current housing for affordable purchase and for affordable rental housing

2. Create a strategy (by July 1, 2019) to use funds from the Southwood Development of Regional Impact affordable housing escrow account.

3. Amend Inclusionary Housing Ordinance (IHO) “to reduce the applicable development size from a 50-unit threshold to a 20-unit threshold.”

4. Amend Sec. 9-245(a) of IHO. This would increase minimum of 10% of units to be provided at prices no greater than the maximum price to 20% of the units.

5. Amend Sec. 9-249 of IHO to require annual status reports to be provided to the City Commission.

6. Encourage developers to use training programs available to create “apprentice-type workers.”

7. Post information about procedures, finances, and projects on the City’s website or provide a link for public use.

Ms. Harvey shocked the world as a participant in the 12^th season of America’s Got Talent. She brings a beautiful voice and inspiring story to Tallahassee. Florida State University advertises Ms. Harvey’s performance with the following:

An American jazz singer and songwriter, Mandy Harvey is also deaf. She was a Vocal Music Education major at Colorado State University, but left the program when she lost her residual hearing in 2006-07 at the age of 18 due to a neurological disorder. She pursued several career options, including education, but returned to music in 2008. She quickly became a regular performer at Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins and then branched out to having regular concerts at Dazzle Jazz in Denver (Top 100 Jazz venues in the world). With three jazz recordings to her credit, Mandy prepares to break more barriers with her new recording, “This Time!” In 2009, Mandy’s first album, Smile was released to widespread praise. Since then, she has released two more critically acclaimed album: 2010’s After You’ve Gone and, in 2014, All of Me.

“Though her hearing loss is profound, her timing, pitch and passion are perfect; that’s why the media have taken notice. In 2017, she appeared on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ winning the Golden Buzzer award. She also has won a 2015 IDA Inspiration Award from Invisible Disabilities Associations.

With support from friends, family and her faith, Mandy continues to find and spread joy with her music.

Simon Cowell of America’s Got Talent has called Ms. Harvey’s performances “breathtaking,” saying she reminds him of the first time he heard Adele sing. Finally, Thursday night’s concert is sponsored by Audio Associates of North Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=ZKSWXzAnVe0

Staff provided the Board with a report on ten appropriations requests, fifteen projects for potential grant funding, five state policy issues, and four federal policy issues proposed for the 2019 state and federal legislative sessions.

The appropriation requests, shown below, include funds for two septic-to-sewer projects ($3.5 mill), backup generators ($1.3 mill) and two water restoration projects ($5.5 mill).

Leon County has been successful in recent years securing grant funding from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Five-Year Work Program, the Springs Restoration Matching Grant Program administered by the Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

The Board approved 15 grant projects for 2019 totaling approximately $60 million. The grant projects are listed below:

The policy requests approved by the Board include five state priorities and four federal priorities. Notable are the priorities of restoring passenger rail service in the Gulf Coast region and maintaining local control over the canopy road systems.

State Priorities:

1. Support the protection of the state workforce and oppose any reductions to state employee benefits.

2. Support the revision of Sec. 125.0104, F.S. to modify the eligibility of counties to levy the Local Option High Impact Tourist Development Tax.

3. Support the Gulf Coast Working Group’s efforts to restore passenger rail service in the Gulf Coast region.

4. Oppose legislation that further restricts local government’s ability to regulate and preserve canopy road systems.

5. Support the Florida Association of Counties 2018-2019 legislative efforts unless specific issues conflict with Leon County’s interests.

Federal Priorities:

1. Support efforts to coordinate and gain support of the County’s proposal for consideration as the potential relocation site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Offices.

2. Support the City of Tallahassee’s application for a Foreign Trade Zone at the Tallahassee International Airport.

3. Support the Gulf Coast Rail Service Working Group’s Final Report and federal funding through programs such as CRISI and REG to restore passenger rail service in the Gulf Coast region.

4. Support the National Association of Counties 2018-2019 legislative efforts unless specific issues conflict with Leon County’s interests.

In a letter to the Killearn Homeowners Association (KHA), the homeowners noted that Killearn Estates lost power on Wednesday, October 10, and most homes had power back on the following Sunday. However, many homes on the “Paddrick Drive” circuit did not regain power until at least Tuesday, October 16.

In response to the letter, the KHA immediately contacted the head of the city’s electric utility, Rob McGarrah. Mr. McGarrah recommended a meeting to discuss the issue and the parties are currently working together to arrange a suitable time and place.

The problem leading to this lengthy power outage, according to the homeowners, is “an inadequate electrical engineering design by the city which serves approximately 300 homes in Killearn Estates.”

The solutions proposed by the homeowners include:

1. Burying the transmission facilities along the bridle path, eliminating the factor of tree limbs falling on the power lines.

2. Redesigning of the power grid that controls these 300 homes and removing of the bridle path facility “altogether”

3. Creating a “major tree and limb removal plan” in the area, a plan which the City of Tallahassee would fund.

The statewide numbers show a decrease of 8.0% for this time period.

The table below compares the six categories that constitute the Total Crime Index for the first six months of 2017 and 2018 for Leon County and Florida.

For Leon County, the decrease translates to 541 fewer crimes. Declines in the categories of aggravated assault, burglary, and larceny had the largest impact on the Total Crime Index. Only rape and motor vehicle theft showed increases.

Also, the clearance rate for offenses in Leon County increased from 17.3% to 21.9%. The statewide clearance rate was reported to be 20.0%.

All data is self-reported by each jurisdiction and compiled by the FDLE.

Earlier this year, the Tallahassee Police Department, after hiring a consultant to conduct an audit, changed the way it reports the number of crimes. For example, now incidents in a specific area committed by the same person are tallied as one crime.

The timeliness of this fundraiser highlighted the changing reproductive healthcare landscape in Tallahassee. Speakers at the event informed attendees of Planned Parenthood’s intent of providing abortions in Tallahassee at its new facility as soon as 2019.

Tallahassee Reports was able to confirm through a story written by Mitch Perry, a reporter with Florida Phoenix, that Planned Parenthood “expects to provide abortion services around 2019 — the first time ever that the organization will provide those services in the state capital.”

Planned Parenthood officials say that the main objective of the new facility was to serve more people in Tallahassee which they stated was a medically underserved community.

Mr. Perry notes, “With 70,000 college students residing in Tallahassee for nine months out of the year, Planned Parenthood officials say that their services to educate and provide care are more needed than ever.”

However, Lillian Tamayo, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood for South, East, and North Florida, expects this new facility in Tallahassee to also be a hub for abortions in the South, saying, “You may not realize that Florida is the last of the southern states that does not have a waiting period prior to having an abortion.” Ms. Tamayo continues, “So women will travel over the state line and we’re just pleased to be able to be here for them.”

Thursday’s fundraiser benefiting a pro-life group featured testimonies from a woman who was adopted, a couple who recently chose to keep their unexpected baby, and a national speaker, Matt Walsh.

Attendees were moved when the woman described the experience of deciding to keep her baby. She said, “I didn’t know what to do. . . . I thought this (abortion) was my only option. . . . Still in my mind, there was a piece of me speaking, ‘Don’t do this; you can keep this baby.’ ”

After speaking with a counselor, seeing the baby from an ultrasound, and listening to the heartbeat, her mind changed, and she said, “This definitely has to happen . . . . This baby is a part of me.”

Matt Walsh, a pro-life conservative blogger, told the audience that abortion “is the number one defining issue in our society, because it gets down to the fundamentals of who you are and what you believe.”

Residents of Mexico Beach are shell-shocked, devastated, tired and increasingly worried. They are worried their beautiful little area of Florida’s Gulf Coast will be forgotten by media that already moved on to the next big story, by relief workers and volunteers who must get back to their “regular” lives. Meanwhile Panhandle residents still live in tents or tarp-covered homes. In many cases there are no jobs to return to, no “regular” life at all.

As long-time residents struggle to survive day-to-day, they also struggle with fears their part of the  Florida Panhandle, lovingly referred to as “The Forgotten Coast,” may never be the same again. They are saddened the last remnants of what they call “Old Florida” are gone, literally washed and blown away. All the quirky little things that made Mexico Beach so unique and charming now sit on a giant debris pile that reaches to the sky and covers acres of land. Many residents fear Mexico Beach’s identity will be forgotten in the rush to rebuild and sacrificed to the staggering amount of money developers can wave in front of beaten down, desperate survivors.

Long-time residents defiantly say they will rebuild. They won’t sell out to the developers who are already swooping into the area, looking for bargains. City leaders swear they will stand firm and cling tightly to the strict rules that kept major developers, chain stores and tourist traps from taking over this area known for its quintessential Old Florida charm.

Residents like Chip Blackburn, the captain of a charter fishing boat, hope that’s true, but just don’t know what the future holds.

“I know they want to keep it the same,” he said, “ but money talks.”

Blackburn, who lost it all in three past hurricanes actually weathered Michael well, relatively speaking. He stayed in Tallahassee as the hurricane hit. He returned to Mexico Beach to find  water marks on his walls where four foot of water filled the bottom level of his home, but it still stood. Before the storm, he took his charter fishing boat, “Miss Mary,” up river and she too survived.

Despite these blessings, Blackburn fears it could be three to five years before he’s back in business.

The marina where he moored his boat is a colossal mess. A Jeep is halfway submerged in the canal.  Large boats sit halfway out on the bank. Lumber, trees, wires, roofs, household items, any and everything imaginable litter the waterway and the waters just off the coast.

“There’s no telling what’s trapped just under the water,” Blackburn said as he surveyed the damage.

The destruction stands in sharp contrast to a still inviting white sand beach. Where homes once perched on stilts, foolishly thinking they could survive Nature’s wrath, there is nothing but sand. The home sites are wiped clean, like a freshly shaken Etch-a-Sketch. The Gulf waters, which are once again tranquil and beautiful, show no sign of their brute force and the havoc they caused just a few weeks ago.

The fresh sea breeze can’t clear the stench of rotting food and animals. Blackburn’s brother, Mike, said for the first three weeks after the storm, the only birds were buzzards. The smell of gas is also heavy and the once shady and colorful town is now brown and barren.

“Even if they get it all cleared, where will people stay who want to go charter fishing?” Blackburn said. There are no hotels,  no rental homes, no restaurants— nothing to draw and serve vacationers.

“What worries me most is how do I keep Curtis employed if there’s no work?,” Blackburn said. Curtis Cain is Blackburn’s first mate and good friend. Cain lost absolutely everything in the hurricane and now Blackburn is worried about keeping him employed until the charters return.

He’s also scared old time residents and small business owners can’t afford to rebuild if new building codes are enforced like in other places like South Florida.

But the devastation is evidence of Mexico Beach’s complete ineffectiveness in standing up to such a powerful storm.

“It’s like living in a landfill, now,” he said.  

“We take it one step at a time. We help each other. We clean up one thing and then another and another.

“Bad stuff happens everywhere,” Blackburn said, “but we’ll clean it up.”

Like most of Mexico Beach’s residents, he’s counting on others to not forget the suffering still happening in the Panhandle and to realize what a long struggle this is. He’s counting on the toughness and resiliency of the hearty locals. He also hopes, despite deep fears and a nagging feeling of inevitability,  that promises will be kept to retain the individuality, charm and history that made “The Forgotten Coast” such a special part of Florida.

On Saturday at 3:30 on ESPN2 the Seminoles will take on the Boston College Eagles.

The 7-3 Eagles come in ranked no. 20 in the college football playoff poll. Their seven wins were against Massachusetts, Holy Cross, Wake Forest, Temple, Louisville, Miami and Virginia Tech. Their three losses have come against Purdue, NC State and Clemson.

The last time the Seminoles played BC in Campbell Stadium was on Veterans and two years ago. The Eagles could not do anything through the air which helped Florida State stifle their offense and when 45-7.

 Last year on a Friday night FSU went to Chestnut Hill and got crushed 35-3.

 Observations from the Notre Dame game

The amount of penalties got better, but the turnovers, missed assignments and dropped passes were too much to overcome. While I thought James Blackman should have started Francois actually played pretty well sans a couple bad throws and decisions. With Walt Bell calling the plays the offense has found a little momentum and a run game. This of course happened right as the defense has hit a wall.

Florida State offense versus Boston College defense

Every starter on the Boston College defense has been in the program for 3+ years.  This experience helps make up for the lack of speed. Pass rushers Zach Allen and Wyatt Ray make the most headlines on this side of the ball.  After a big season by Zach Allen last year, opposing teams have been trying to slow him down with double teams and chipping on him. Because of this, Wyatt Ray sometimes goes up against a single blocker allowing him to gather up nine sacks, which is tied with Brian Burns and Syracuse’s Alton Robinson for the ACC lead. Zach Allen has still been able to record six sacks but is on his own creating a very formidable pass rush for the Eagles. Both are big defensive ends which allows them helps them be able to get in on the rushing attack. This constant pressure has forced opposing quarterbacks to throw 15 interceptions (4th in the FBS). Taj-Amir Torres has two interceptions and Hamp Cheevers, who leads the FBS, has six.

Boston College has made a lot of game changing plays with all of the sacks and interceptions but they are still susceptible to giving up yards and points. So a big thing to watch on this side of the ball will be if the Seminoles can hang on to the football. This will be tough as Boston College ranks 7th in the FBS in turnover margin at +1.0 per game. Florida State ranks 3rd to last in the FBS in turnover margin at -1.3 per game.

Due to BC’s lack of size at the corner position, I expect Walt Bell and Francois to target big receivers like Tamarrion Terry and Keith Gavin in this game. Look for FSU to use jet sweeps to Noonie Murray and DJ Matthews to try to beat BC linebackers to the edge as well.

Florida State defense versus Boston College offense

Probably the most important stat about the Eagles offense is that they have 215 more rushing attempts than passing attempts. With that being said, the biggest question going into this game is the health of quarterback Anthony Brown, who was injured in the first quarter of the Clemson game last weekend. Even though Brown does not throw the ball very much he still has 16 TDs. The most reliable receiver is tight end Tommy Sweeney. He leads the team with 26 receptions. Wide receivers Kobay White and Jeff Smith are the deep targets for the Eagle’s offense with both averaging over 14 yards a catch.

Last but not least, is sophomore sensation AJ Dillon. Since he was inserted into the lineup midway through his freshman season he has led the FBS in rushing yards per game with 146. Last year he went just over that average against the Seminoles rushing for 149 yards. Running behind a mammoth and very experienced offensive line has definitely attributed to Dillon’s success, as 4 of the 5 linemen are seniors. To help counter this run heavy offense Florida State has moved Dontavious Jackson to outside linebacker and has moved Leonard Warner to the starting middle linebacker position. This lineup seemed to have helped a little bit in the second half of the Notre Dame game. I also expect run stuffing freshman Robert Cooper to get more snaps at defensive tackle.

The Seminole secondary received good news as starting corner Lavonta Taylor could be available for the first time since the first quarter of the Clemson game. If Taylor is able to take on a BC receiver by himself that will free up a safety to help stop the rushing attack.

Special teams

Colton Lichtenberg is 5/6 on the season and his career long is 40 yards. It is safe to say that Lichtenberg is very shaky and even though Ricky Agauyo has struggled this season he is the better kicker in this matchup.

The Eagles freshman punter Grady Carlson has shown improvement over the season but is still not on Logan Tyler’s level. FSU has the advantage at both kicking positions. The punt returner for both schools, Michael Walker for BC and DJ Matthews, are in the top 12 in the FBS in return yards per attempt.

Prediction

Boston College has had a solid year but, when the opposing team is able to hang onto the ball they have had trouble stopping people. Once they get an early lead they like to run AJ Dillon and use the play action pass on offense. When the opposing team is forced to pass, BC lets their talented pass rushers go to work. FSU has fallen behind 10-0 in 4 straight games and 17-0 in 3 straight.  So undoubtedly the biggest key for FSU is to start fast and get Boston College to do things that they are not comfortable with.

I think Florida State will finally get out to a good start and battle with the Eagles until the end of the team game. I will say FSU wins 28-26 stopping a Boston College two-point try in the final minutes to get to 5-6. If this happens, next week’s game against Florida becomes that much more important for this team and the program.

Gillum’s comments were brief. He offered “a heartfelt thank you.”

Gil Ziffer drew laughs when he thanked Barack Obama for helping him get on the Tallahassee city commission. He became city commissioner because of the resignation of former commissioner Alan Katz, who was appointed the US Ambassador of Portugal by Obama.

In August of 2009, Ziffer gave a speech as a new member of the city commission. He ended that speech with, “it’s not about managing it’s about leading,” and said he hopes he’s been able to do just that over the past nine years.

He added, “we’re doing everything right” and we can’t let people tear down the government. He was “deeply bothered by people whose singular purpose is to tear government down,” and says we can see it with elections right now and that we are depriving our mayor from receiving the votes he is due.

Ziffer praised Wayne Tedder for his commitment in pushing Independence Landing, a community built for adults with a range of developmental disabilities.

Ziffer thanked his colleagues, stating they don’t always agree but that they “can still break bread together.” He also thanked the staff of the city, his wife, and his aide Cathy.

Commissioner Nancy Miller, who was elected in 2010, said she has loved this city over the last 25 years and that we’ve created a beautiful town.

She echoed Ziffer’s comments when she said people here love the community, but some “just want to tear government down.” Miller emphasizes that those people are the minority and that most are supportive.

She said she is “immensely proud of this government,” and that the All-American City designation “fits perfectly.” Miller added that we have “one of the best governments in the country.” Our new commission and new appointed officials have a lot of great stuff to work with.

Miller expressed her gratitude in working with everyone on the commission through good times and disagreements. Miller said disagreement is good: “you want people that have different backgrounds, different daily lives, they come together and can make a comprehensively thought out position.” She also thanked her aide and her supporters.

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott intends to recuse himself from a state panel that is scheduled next week to certify the results of Florida’s 2018 elections, the governor’s lawyer told a federal judge Wednesday.

Scott’s decision to step aside from the Elections Canvassing Commission came as he is locked in a recount in his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Democrats have alleged that Scott has improperly tried to use his authority as governor to influence the recount, which could decide his political future.

The Republican governor held a slim lead in unofficial results from the Nov. 6 election, with the results of a machine recount due by 3 p.m. Thursday and a manual, or hand, recount expected to follow.

The heated contest is the subject of several federal lawsuits filed in recent days by Nelson and Democratic organizations. Those lawsuits focus on issues such as which ballots can be counted, when ballots have to be received by elections supervisors, the manner in which ballots are determined to be legitimate and whether deadlines for recounts should be postponed.

In another lawsuit, the League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause are asking Scott to recuse himself from the elections process.

But Daniel Nordby, Scott’s general counsel, told U.S. District Judge Mark Walker on Wednesday that the governor will step aside as a member of the state Elections Canvassing Commission on Tuesday, when the panel is slated to meet to certify the election results.

Nordby said state law sets out a process to determine a replacement for the governor, and that process is ongoing.

“But Gov. Scott would not intend to serve as a member of the canvassing commission, which seemed to underlie, to a great extent, the relief that was sought by the plaintiffs in the case. This, from our perspective, seems to be a non-issue,” Nordby, who represents Scott in his official capacity as governor and not as a candidate for the federal office, said during a telephone hearing.

Nordby also said Scott has little to do with the elections process, which is run by the state’s 67 county supervisors, nearly all of whom are elected.

“Neither the governor nor the state agencies under his control actually process or count any ballots,” Nordby said. “That seems … something that is not appropriately before the court.”

But Walker told Nordby he needed to respond to allegations that there is “imminent danger of him (Scott) directing others to seize machines, investigate, disrupt the recount process.”

“It seems to me that’s the nub of this case,” the judge said.

Scott’s administration also includes the Florida Department of State and its Division of Elections. Secretary of State Ken Detzner is considered Florida’s chief elections officer.

Scott saw his 56,000-vote election-night lead over Nelson dwindle to fewer than 13,000 votes, as ballots continued to be tallied in the days following the election, particularly in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.

The governor has publicly blasted elections chiefs in Palm Beach and Broward counties and asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate possible wrongdoing. So far, no courts or state agencies have found any fraud.

Larry Robbins, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs during Wednesday’s hearing, told the judge the voting-rights groups want to make sure Scott ceases “any involvement directly or indirectly” with county canvassing boards, including through claims about purported fraud and suggestions that members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement be dispatched to oversee the canvassing process.

The plaintiffs also want Scott to recuse himself from exercising his executive authority to remove or suspend county canvassing board members, comprised of supervisors of elections, judges and county commissioners.

Republican critics have demanded that Scott remove Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes following a series of mishaps in the heavily Democratic county.

Robbins said the plaintiffs also want the court to appoint a “neutral third party” to replace Scott on the elections canvassing commission, rather than a member of the Florida Cabinet.

The commission typically is made up of Scott and two members of the Cabinet. State law says that if “a member of the commission is unable to serve for any reason, the governor shall appoint a remaining member of the Cabinet. If there is a further vacancy, the remaining members of the commission shall agree on another elected official to fill the vacancy.”

The members of the Cabinet are all Republicans: Attorney General Pam Bondi, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

Walker ordered an expedited schedule for briefs to be filed in the case and scheduled a hearing that would be held at 1 p.m. Thursday if needed.

He noted that the court and lawyers are racing against next Tuesday’s certification deadline and against the Thursday deadline for machine recounts to be reported to the state. After the machine recounts, races with margins of 0.25 percent or less will go to manual recounts. Results from the manual recounts, which are expected to include the Scott-Nelson contest, are due at noon Sunday.

“As a lawyer I worked all night sometimes, and as a judge, I certainly do,” he said.

“If I had a dollar for every time I’ve missed a graduation of one of my children, or a vacation or spring break” due to a judicial emergency, Walker said, “that alone would supplement my retirement.”

Once again, Vet Events Tally, known simply as “V.E.T. Inc.,” brought Tallahassee a joy filled Veterans Day Parade. Receiving help from Leon County, the City of Tallahassee, and countless other groups in our community, V.E.T. Inc. achieved its goal “to honor and respect those who are currently serving or who have served in our Nations Armed Forces.

This year’s Veterans Parade was a huge success. When asked by Tallahassee Reports (TR) what he thought of this year’s parade, Elbert Poppell, resident of Havana and 97-years-old Army veteran who served in both theaters of WWII, said, “It is one of the best in the world.”

At the parade, Tallahassee Reports interviewed retired Lieutenant, Reginald Williams, who served from 1989 to 2004 in the Navy flying helicopters

What does Veterans Day mean to you? Mr. Williams said, “Veterans day is a day to remember all the sacrifices that our men and women have had to make in order to make us safe, or at least feel safe, in this country and keep our democratic way of life.”

What should young people and civilians takeaway from Veterans Day? Mr. Williams said, “You don’t have to necessarily serve in the military to support the military. The sacrifices are what young folks and people who haven’t served should understand. It takes a lot to be away from your family and be where, what we use to say in the Navy, the pointy edge of the spear.”

How was your transition to civilian life? Mr. Williams said, “You have to get use to it. In the Navy or another branch, you have a certain regiment, things that you do; you don’t have to worry about picking out what you are going to wear each day. There were a lot of things in place that made life simple. So it was a transition going to regular civilian workforce where people stress out about things that really aren’t stressors. If you are not getting shot at or flying a helicopter at night in a sea state of three trying to land on a boat, life is not stressful.”

This year’s parade marks the 100-year anniversary of the end of WWI. Veterans Day began as “Armistice Day” in November 1919 to honor those who died in World War I. Today, it honors veterans from all wars.

Want to check out some of the participants in the parade, head to TallahasseeReports.com and search through our photos and videos from the event.

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What about the impact of a divided government on the U.S. economy?

North Star Investment Management reports that for investors, the “breakdown of a Republican President with a split Congress has been favorable for the stock market” while “a Democratic sweep would most likely [have] unnerve[d] the market.”

Despite what appears to have been an uneventful vote concerning the economy, questions about the overall economic strength of the U.S. remain.

Amrith Ramkumar, with the WSJ, writes that the “shifts in Congress could easily swing major indexes,” which remain fragile from “a whirlwind October that highlighted investor uncertainty focused on interest rates, growth expectations, and trade tensions.”