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Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1972, UCLA beat Florida State 81-76 in the 34th NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

Today is National Medal of Honor Day. Twenty-four Medal of Honor recipients have been accredited to Florida. You can learn more about them here.

We're sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help people in need in the Congo.

House Considers Overriding Vetoes

On Wednesday, the House will consider overriding four line-item vetoes by Gov. Ron DeSantis to reinstate more than $5 million to the budget to fund infrastructure projects, the Corrections Department's automated staffing system, and a veteran program.

The most costly item is $2.5 million for the Rockledge Advanced Water Treatment Phase 1, which aims to lower nutrient loads in the Indian River Lagoon and remove 29,106 pounds of nitrogen annually.

In February, House Speaker Daniel Perez created combined workgroups to review the governor's vetoes, indicating that the Legislature was considering overrides.

DeSantis Promotes a Balanced-Budget Amendment

Gov. Ron DeSantis traveled to Idaho and Montana on Monday for news conferences with Governors Brad Little and Greg Gianforte to promote a balanced-budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The balanced budget amendment, an initiative supported by Republican governors, would prohibit the federal government from spending money it doesn't have or from adding to the national debt.

In Idaho, DeSantis participated in an informal rally aimed at state legislators. This trip follows DeSantis' previous remarks dismissing comparisons between Florida's and Idaho's economic growth due to population differences.

DeSantis actively supported Montana Senator Tim Sheehy in his campaign last year.

Florida Zoos Among Top 10 in the U.S.

Two Florida zoos were chosen by readers of USA Today as among the 10 best in the nation. You can see the full list here.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (No. 4) spans 117 acres along the Trout River and features giant anteaters, vampire bats, and a Brazilian rainbow boa. The zoo's Range of the Jaguar is a national award-winning South American exhibit.

The Brevard Zoo (No. 6) is home to more than 800 animals in Melbourne. Guests can walk through the canopy above South American jungle habitats or kayak through an Africa-like savanna or restored Florida wetland.

Omaha, Neb.'s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium took the top spot, followed by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo.

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Crisis in DRC

A decades-long conflict in eastern Congo has gone from a simmer to a boil in recent months.

Last week, Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 ignored calls for a ceasefire, seizing a strategic town in Congo—one of the most poverty-stricken countries in the world. M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups that have been vying for control of the mineral-rich area, and the resulting conflict has caught civilians (including many Christians) in the middle, creating one of the world's most significant humanitarian crises.

Last month, the U.N. Human Rights Council launched an investigation into allegations of atrocities, such as mass killings of civilians, by multiple groups.

An estimated 7 million people have been displaced, and more than 25 million people—approximately one in four Congolese—face acute food insecurity.

➤ Statewide: Moving brokerage companies accused of a deceptive bidding scam were ordered to pay more than $4 million in penalties—including $1.12 million to victims—and permanently banned from operating in Florida. (More)

➤ Tallahassee: On Wednesday, the House is scheduled to vote on a bill that would lower the minimum age to purchase rifles and other long guns from 21 to 18. (More)

➤ Miami-Dade: A massive eight-day fire that scorched more than 26,000 acres is fully contained, though spot fires remain. Investigators suspect arson. (See Photos)

➤ West Palm Beach: Attorney Malik Leigh has been disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court for repeatedly posting threatening messages on social media about individuals he was suing. (See Details)

➤ Manatee County: Freebee, a new free ride service exclusively using electric vehicles, provides rides for people traveling in Palmetto and downtown Bradenton. (Book a Ride)

➤ St. Petersburg: The Dalí Museum, which welcomes 300,000 visitors annually, chronicles the artist’s career with more than 2,400 of his works. (See Photos)

➤ The Miami Heat's 10-game losing streak came to an end when they defeated the Charlotte Hornets 122-105 on Sunday night. Heat forward Andrew Wiggins scored 42 points in the game, the second-highest mark of his career. (More)

➤ Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan will begin the season on the injured list after suffering a triceps injury in his final spring training start. The team considers the injury less severe than initially feared. (More)

➤ Dwight Howard became the 13th player to be inducted into the Orlando Magic's team Hall of Fame yesterday. (More)

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➤ Outdoor retailer L.L. Bean will open its first Florida location this spring, a 17,000-square-foot store at the University Town Center in Sarasota. (More)

➤ Build-A-Bear Workshop, the store where customers can make their own stuffed toys, will open a "multi-level retail-tainment" store at Icon Park next year, growing its footprint at the entertainment center in Orlando. (More)

➤ Brevard County mail carriers rallied outside the post office in Melbourne on Sunday to protest privatizing or restructuring the U.S. Postal Service. (More)

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Flying together with our sponsor

Join us in partnering with World Concern to help the most vulnerable in the Congo and in countries around the world where World Concern serves by providing life-sustaining nutrition, clean water, medication, and more with the love of Jesus. Every $27 dollars provides someone with these emergency essentials.

➤ Howie D of the Backstreet Boys opened Coa, a new restaurant and cocktail lounge, and Surf, a new condo complex, in Cocoa Beach. (More)

➤ A drug-resistant fungus labeled an "urgent threat" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is rapidly spreading in U.S. hospitals, with recent spikes reported in Florida. (More)

➤ Three Florida Tech students are developing a "Mechanatee," a robot sea cow they hope will one day allow scientists to better study manatees more effectively. (More)

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