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DeSantis says 7,800 officers have taken state recruitment bonuses | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-04-02 12:33:00

(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday that 7,800 law enforcement officers have taken advantage of the state’s recruitment bonus program since its launch in 2022.

The two-term Republican governor made the remarks at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in Ocala in central Florida, where the latest round of bonuses were disbursed. According to state officials, 660 bonuses have been provided to law enforcement recruits statewide. 

“The recruitment bonuses that my deputies will receive aren’t just a check, but a statement,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said at the news conference. “It tells the men and women in uniform that their choice to serve and protect matters. That commitment and sacrifice are seen and valued by the highest leadership in this state.”

Woods also said he’s sent a recruiter to New York to hire new deputies with the bonuses providing a powerful incentive. 

“I had him plant a flag right there, on their front door steps and said ‘hire them as they walk out the door,'” Woods said. 

The $53 million program provides a one-time, $5,000 bonus after taxes to newly employed officers that choose to practice law enforcement in Florida. According to state officials, 1,700 officers from 49 states and two territories have relocated to the Sunshine State. Five hundred of them have come from California, Illinois and New York, states that DeSantis said are “anti-police.”

“We’re a law and order state, we’re going to support law enforcement people that wear the uniform,” DeSantis said. “We’re going to make sure our laws are enforced and we’re never going to let the inmates run the asylum in the state.

“But you have the backdrop for a number of years recently where other states and cities around the country were doing the opposite, they were blaming law enforcement, treating them poorly with lax laws that benefited repeat offenders. you saw their cities decay as a result of this. Prosecutors wouldn’t prosecute crimes and that’s created a situation that’s intolerable to a lot of people.”

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

Israel faces growing global condemnation over military expansion in Gaza

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www.clickorlando.com – Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Metz And Samy Magdy, Associated Press – 2025-08-09 10:20:00

SUMMARY: International condemnation mounted over Israel’s military takeover of Gaza City amid 22 months of conflict. Health officials reported 11 Palestinians shot while seeking aid and 11 more adults dying from malnutrition within 24 hours. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met Qatar’s prime minister to discuss a ceasefire proposal involving hostage release and Israeli withdrawal. Hostage families pressured Israel, fearing for 50 hostages’ lives. Nine countries strongly opposed Israel’s operation, citing humanitarian risks and international law violations. Aid drops continued but were criticized as insufficient and hazardous. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 114 adult malnutrition deaths since June, highlighting the severe humanitarian crisis.

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South Korea’s military says North Korea is removing speakers from their tense border

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www.news4jax.com – Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press – 2025-08-09 03:34:00

SUMMARY: South Korea’s military reported North Korea is removing loudspeakers from the inter-Korean border, days after South Korea dismantled its own propaganda speakers to ease tensions. North Korea had blasted irritating sounds in response to South Korea’s broadcasts, which included propaganda and K-pop songs targeting Pyongyang. South Korea’s new liberal president, Lee Jae Myung, halted these broadcasts as a gesture toward peace. Despite some outreach, North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong rejected Seoul’s overtures, criticizing their alliance with the U.S. Tensions could rise again with upcoming South Korea-U.S. military drills starting August 18, which North Korea views as a provocation.

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Trump executive order gives politicians control over all federal grants, alarming researchers

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www.clickorlando.com – Adithi Ramakrishnan, Associated Press – 2025-08-08 16:06:00

SUMMARY: President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting political appointees oversight of federal agency grants, including those from FEMA, NSF, and NIH. The order mandates appointing officials to review funding opportunities to ensure alignment with agency priorities and allows termination of grants anytime, even mid-period. Agencies must implement new protocols before announcing new funding opportunities. The administration claims the move strengthens oversight and streamlines grantmaking. Scientists and medical groups warn it politicizes grant decisions, delaying research advances and damaging U.S. scientific leadership. Thousands of grants, including those on public health and social topics, have been cut. Legal challenges are expected.

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