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Friday, January 10, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1861, the Florida state legislature voted unanimously to secede from the Union, making it the third Southern state to do so, joining Mississippi and South Carolina.

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Pot Ruling Affects Police Searches

In a landmark Lake County case, a three-judge panel of the 5th District Court of Appeal ruled this week that a drug-sniffing dog's alert did not justify police searching a car. This is because a dog is not able to differentiate between legal medical marijuana and illegal cannabis.

In September 2020, a Groveland police officer stopped a Lyft car for speeding and having broken tag lights. The officer's drug-sniffing dog, Polo, was led around the car and alerted to the presence of drugs.

Officers subsequently found illegal marijuana, crack cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine, leading to the arrest of Stephon Ford. A circuit judge refused to suppress the evidence from the dog's discovery, but the appeals court backed Ford's argument that Polo may have alerted to marijuana that could have been for medical use.

Judge Jordan Pratt, in a concurring opinion, noted that Tuesday's ruling, along with a similar decision from last year, demonstrates that "cannabis legalization carries collateral consequences."

DeSantis Floats Possible Special Session of the Legislature

Gov. Ron DeSantis said he is considering convening the Florida Legislature for a special session to address several pressing issues, including President-elect Donald Trump's plan for mass deportations and much-needed hurricane relief for devastated communities.

Speaking to the press, DeSantis said that waiting for the regular session in March would mean waiting until April or May for new legislation, and that might be too long.

DeSantis added that Senate President Ben Albritton is interested in legislation to support Florida's farmers and in addressing the ongoing condo crisis.

South Florida Dental and Insurance Scam Busted

According to authorities, Evelyn Cruz and her husband opened four fraudulent dental practices—using the credentials of licensed dentists—to scam patients and insurance companies out of more than $11 million.

The bogus dental practices operated under the names Dental Specialists of Boynton Beach, Dental Specialists of Doral Group, Dental Specialists of Broward Group, and Dental Specialists of Pembroke Pines.

In addition to insurance fraud, at least 80 patients were defrauded by being told they needed unnecessary dental work.

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➤ Statewide: According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, over 4.6 million Florida residents have enrolled in an Obamacare plan through the Marketplace for 2025 health insurance coverage—more than any other state. (More)

➤ Meanwhile, as of Tuesday, the Florida Legislature has filed 117 new bills that could soon become law. (See List)

➤ Boynton Beach: The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported that a suspicious piece of property was found at a Target store and collected by the bomb squad. (More)

➤ Daytona Beach: Jackie Robinson Ballpark will be considered for designation as a National Historic Landmark after President Joe Biden signed The Jackie Robinson Ballpark Commemorative Site Act. (See Video)

➤ Delray Beach: Tensions ran high at the city commission meeting when the vice mayor accused the city manager of withholding information about a city fire truck collision with a Brightline train that injured 15. (See Details)

➤ Tallahassee: Florida offered California manpower and resources to help battle wildfires in the Los Angeles County area. (See Video)

➤ Tampa Bay Buccaneers all-pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has been a full participant at the team's practices and is expected to play in Sunday night's Wild Card playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders. (More)

➤ Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is expected to make his return this week after missing extended time due to an oblique injury. (More)

➤ Florida State men's basketball improved to 11-4 on the season with a strong 80-65 win over ACC rival Miami, extending the Hurricanes losing streak to four games. (More)

Yesterday's results: NCAAF | PGA | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ NASA has partnered with The University of Florida, the University of Central Florida (UCF), and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to advance space research. Nearly 29% of NASA's current workforce comes from UCF. (See Photo)

➤ Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, one of the nation's top lobbying firms, is expanding its national footprint by opening a new office in Tampa. (More)

➤ Lakeland-based Publix supermarket chain is experiencing an egg shortage at its Florida stores after bird flu caused a drop in supply. (More)

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➤ Longboat Key landed on Forbes' list of the "Top 12 Destinations for 2025." (See Photos)

➤ Marion County has recognized January as Animal Abuser Registry Awareness Month to raise awareness and help prevent animals from being placed in unsuitable homes. (See Video)

➤ The NHL announced Wednesday that the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park in Miami—home of baseball's Marlins—on Jan. 2, 2026, in the outdoor Winter Classic. (More)

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