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• WUFT News: Law enforcement face community members calling to abolish K9 unit at Gainesville City Commission meeting. “The Gainesville City Commission’s special meeting on Wednesday about the K9 unit largely pitted law enforcement officers pleading to preserve the unit against community members calling to dismantle it.”
• Fresh Take Florida: 911 dispatchers overlooked, miss out on $1,000 bonuses from DeSantis. “As Hurricane Ian swept across the beachfront towns of southwest Florida, when panicked callers to 911 reported they were crouched in attics or standing in high water and fearful they would drown as floodwaters rose, Christine Hodges was a reassuring voice on the other end of the line.”
• Ocala Gazette: Northern Turnpike Extension remains in FDOT plans. “When guest speaker Jared Perdue, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, said the Northern Turnpike Extension is still in the agency’s plans, an audible response came from some audience members.”
• Florida Storms: Warmer, drier than average winter predicted for Florida. “This follows a trend of higher-than-average temperatures in the last month and a drought persisting on the Panhandle due to low precipitation rates. Hurricane Nicole helped alleviate dry conditions mostly across Central and North Central Florida.”
• WUFT News: Couple arrested, banned from owning pets after authorities find 10 starving, dirty dogs in yard. “The State Attorney’s Office in Alachua County filed 10 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and two counts of fighting or baiting animals – all felonies – against the couple.”
• Ocala Gazette: Small local nonprofit wins big. “Patriot Service Dogs (PSD), which trains and provides high-quality service dogs to deserving military veterans was notified earlier this week of its victory in the 2nd Annual Defender Service Awards, sponsored by Land Rover.”
• WUFT News: Trump’s claims in helping DeSantis’s 2018 win raises political figures’ eyebrows. “Last week, Trump said in an online post without citing any evidence that he sent the FBI and U.S. Attorney to end unspecified ballot theft before Democrats ran out of votes necessary to win the Florida governor’s race.”
• WFSU-Tallahassee: Scott loses bid for GOP Senate Leader; McConnell is reelected. “The Senate Republican Conference voted 10-37 on Wednesday to reelect Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.”
• News Service of Florida: Thousands of Florida students were committed last year under the Baker Act. “The Baker Act is a roughly 50-year-old state law that allows courts, law enforcement officers and certain medical workers to order people who could be a harm to themselves or others to be taken to facilities for up to 72 hours.”
• News Service of Florida: Gov. DeSantis sidesteps talk of a White House bid. “‘People just need to chill out a little bit on some of this stuff. I mean, seriously, we just ran an election,’ DeSantis said before pivoting to last week’s national results and a Dec. 6 runoff election in Georgia between Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.”
• WJCT-Jacksonville: Veterans survey identifies critical needs, but it didn’t reach everyone. “A critical needs assessment for First Coast veterans has released its findings, but the data was limited by a lack of response from veterans in underserved communities.”
• WFTS-Tampa Bay: Thanksgiving dinners to cost 20% more than last year, data finds. “Nearly every Thanksgiving staple is over 10 percent more expensive than a year ago. The largest increase was for the price of stuffing mix, which saw a 69% increase.”
• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida wildlife officials will feed manatees again this winter to curb die-off. “It’s the second time Florida’s leading wildlife agency will carry out the feeding program after a record 1,100 manatees died in 2021, many from starvation or severe malnourishment.”
• Politics: Republicans narrowly retake control of the House, setting up divided government.
• Politics: Same-sex marriage bill advances in the Senate with bipartisan support.
• Economy: Some homebuyers lose deposits of $10,000, $20,000, or more due to high mortgage rates.
• World: Poland says missile strike on its land appears to be an accident by Ukraine.
• National: Carrying out executions took a secret toll on workers — then changed their politics.
• Climate: Low-income countries want more money for climate damage. They’re unlikely to get it.
• Science: What makes us dance? It really is all about that bass.