Friday, June 27th: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around the Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your forecast.
1) Governor Ron DeSantis signs the so-called 'Kill the Drill' bill. It requires Florida's Department of Environmental Protection to balance the potential of harm to coastal areas with protective measures in place when considering permits for oil and gas activities.
2) New funding for HOPE Emergency Shelter will create new position and mental health resources. New funding for Family Promise of the Big Bend's HOPE Emergency Shelter, awarded by The Children's Services Council of Leon County (CSC Leon), will create a new Transition Coordinator. The money from CSC Leon is aimed at ensuring families find stability after they transition out of temporary housing.
3) Congressman Dunn urges Appropriations Committee to preserve Florida State University MagLab funding. The facility is facing a proposed cut of 40%, which equates to a reduction of $16 million a year. Dunn says if funding is not restored in the annual Appropriations Act, the impacts to our national security, global positioning, and economic growth will be considerable.
4) Storm shields with roots: how trees are protecting Florida this hurricane season. As the 2025 hurricane season rolls into its first month, most Floridians are busy boarding up windows and stocking up on supplies. But a quieter kind of preparation is happening deep in Florida’s forests, where trees, not tarps, are being counted and protected as part of a growing movement to use nature itself as a storm defense.
5) Weekend Forecast: Scattered storms will pass throughout South Georgia and North Florida with temperatures remaining in the low 90s. Humidity levels will be high. First to Know Meteorologist Elizabeth Copeland has the details below.
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