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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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Europe and Canada are eyeing alternatives to American-made fighter jets. Here’s why

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www.clickorlando.com – Stefanie Dazio And Tara Copp, Associated Press – 2025-03-19 01:17:00

SUMMARY: Concerns are rising in Canada and Europe regarding the strategic value of U.S. defense technology, particularly the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, amid U.S. policy shifts under President Trump. NATO allies are questioning U.S. commitment to mutual defense as the war in Ukraine persists. Some nations, like Canada and Portugal, are reevaluating their F-35 purchases, considering alternatives such as European-made jets (Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Rafale). Experts suggest that the unpredictability of U.S. relations may trigger European countries to enhance their defense capabilities independently, potentially diminishing demand for U.S. military aircraft and affecting companies like Lockheed Martin.

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Massive brush fire in SW Miami-Dade causing traffic headaches for motorists

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www.youtube.com – CBS Miami – 2025-03-18 21:10:43

SUMMARY: A massive brush fire in southwest Miami-Dade caused severe traffic delays for motorists heading to and from the Florida Keys. Authorities shut down Card Sound Road and US 1 due to heavy smoke and flames, leaving drivers stranded for hours. Many travelers, including those from Wisconsin and South Korea, were heading to vacation destinations but were caught in the traffic jam. The situation improved late in the evening when traffic began to flow again, but some road closures remained. Authorities warned of possible further delays as firefighters continue to battle the blaze and weather conditions change.

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Traffic is slowly moving in both directions Tuesday evening on U.S. 1’s 18-Mile Stretch after a massive brush fire forced authorities to shut down the only highway linking the Florida Keys to the mainland for hours.

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Judge blocks Trump administration from terminating $14 billion in ‘green bank’ grants

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www.news4jax.com – Michael Phillis And Matthew Daly, Associated Press – 2025-03-18 20:12:00

SUMMARY: Summarize this content to 100 words: FILE – Vice President JD Vance, right, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, left, listen as Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin, center, speaks in East Palestine Fire Station on Feb 3, 2025, in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)FILE – Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)Copyright 2025 The Associated Press, All Rights ReservedFILE – Vice President JD Vance, right, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, left, listen as Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin, center, speaks in East Palestine Fire Station on Feb 3, 2025, in East Palestine, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)WASHINGTON – A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from terminating $14 billion in grants awarded to three climate groups by the Biden administration.The order by U.S. District Judge Tonya Chutkan prevents — for now — the Environmental Protection Agency from ending the grant program, which totaled $20 billion.Chutkan’s order also blocks Citibank, which holds the money on behalf of the EPA, from transferring the money back to the government or anyone else.Climate United Fund and other groups had sued the EPA, its administrator Lee Zeldin and Citibank, saying they had illegally denied the groups access to $14 billion awarded last year through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, commonly referred to as a “green bank.” The program was created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act to finance clean energy and climate-friendly projects.Zeldin accused the grant recipients of mismanagement, fraud and self-dealing and froze the grants. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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