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Condominium hurricane hardening pilot could become more accessible

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floridaphoenix.com – Jackie Llanos – 2025-03-03 14:24:00

Condominium hurricane hardening pilot could become more accessible

by Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
March 3, 2025

Condominium associations would no longer need unanimous approval from unit owners to qualify for a pilot grant program intended to make the buildings more resistant against hurricanes under a bill from St. Augustine Republican Sen. Tom Leek.

The bill, SB 592, changes the requirements for the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program lawmakers unanimously approved last year, devoting $30 million to it for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The senator’s proposal won bipartisan support in its first hearing Monday before the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.

Although no condos have received the available matching grants of up to $175,000, the state has approved qualifying inspections for 165, according to a Jan. 30 report from the Florida Department of Financial Services. The pilot program pays for the inspections.

Leek’s bill would allow condos to apply for the grants with the approval of at least 75% of owners who live in the units.

Democratic Sen. Jason Pizzo, who co-introduced the pilot program in 2024, thanked Leek for his proposed changes.

“As you can imagine, it’s nearly impossible to get 100% approval from ownership in these associations, or even at your own family dinner table sometimes. So I think it’s a great start to go to 75%, but still be mindful that a lot of these associations’ boards can take out tens of millions of dollars in loans, larger amounts of money, with a lot less scrutiny and threshold,” Pizzo said.

Only condo buildings with at least three stories with at least one residential unit would be eligible under the changes for the wind mitigation pilot program, and the grants could only cover improvements that would result in an insurance rate or discount. Already, the pilot is limited to structures within 15 miles of the coast.

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Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

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South Florida 6:30 p.m. Weather Forecast 6/15/2025

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www.youtube.com – CBS Miami – 2025-06-15 18:24:28

SUMMARY: Father’s Day weather in South Florida featured warm, sunny conditions with mostly clear skies. Rain chances remained low, confined mainly to the morning with isolated interior showers later. Overnight, light showers could drift across the Keys, and smoke from a brush fire near Krome Avenue and Tamiami Trail may affect areas between Krome and the Turnpike by Monday morning. Temperatures will drop into the upper 70s overnight, with daytime highs near 90°F throughout the week. UV levels are high as summer begins. Breezy conditions may create choppy waters, and rain chances increase slightly to 20% by mid-to-late week.

CBS News Miami’s NEXT Weather Meteorologist Dave Warren says expect mostly clear skies for the rest of Father’s Day but prepare to be possibly impacted by the smoke from the wildfire in Southwest Miami-Dade in the morning before the breeze pushes it more inland.

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A look at the first artificial solar eclipses created by two European satellites

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www.abcactionnews.com – Associated Press – 2025-06-16 12:51:00

SUMMARY: Two European satellites from the European Space Agency have created the first artificial solar eclipses by flying in precise formation 492 feet apart, simulating total solar eclipses to study the sun’s corona. Dubbed Proba-3, the \$210 million mission has already produced 10 successful eclipses since March, with scientists aiming for up to 200 over two years. This mission is unique because the eclipse-blocking disk and observing telescope are on separate spacecraft, offering unprecedented views of the sun’s outer atmosphere. Preliminary results have exceeded expectations, providing stunning images and aiding research on solar phenomena like coronal mass ejections and geomagnetic storms.

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Warning signs of speech disorder in children and why early intervention matters

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www.news4jax.com – Jennifer Waugh – 2025-06-16 10:23:00

SUMMARY: Many young children develop lisps as they learn to speak, often outgrowing them naturally. Katie Nelson’s lisp, characterized by “R” and “S” sound difficulties, persisted beyond early childhood, impacting her clarity and confidence. After unsuccessful group therapy, her mother sought help from speech therapist Kristal Ray, who used a mouth puppet to show proper tongue placement. This visual approach quickly corrected Katie’s “gliding” disorder, improving her speech, reading, and self-esteem. Ray advises parents to monitor speech clarity by ages 2-4 and seek therapy if understanding is delayed, as untreated speech issues can hinder literacy development.

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