Wednesday, December 31st: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around The Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your forecast.
1) FSU student injured in Social Seminole complex fire dies over a month after incident, per family member.. According to the GoFundMe set up for 27-year-old Preet Harsoda, he passed away from his injuries on Sunday, December 28th. The fire broke out on Wednesday, November 19th, just before 10:30 p.m. The fire injured several people and displaced over 70 people, with more than half of them being FSU students.
2) CLOSER LOOK: How will the potential TMH-FSU merger impact the local economy? The Office of Economic Vitality calculated the potential economic impact as over $3.64 billion over the next 30 years, creating over 900 jobs. Advocacy groups against the merger said they still believe key data is missing from the study.
3) New interim GCHS boys basketball coach looking to turn season around.Superintendent Elijah Key announced the coaching change during a meeting with parents, guardians and players. Charles Rittman says he's working to make changes and turn the team's season around.
4) Florida Politics in 2025: infighting, investigations, and a state bracing for 2026. Florida entered 2025 with political momentum and ended it with turmoil. A historic presidential oath, a legislative collapse, the opening of a controversial migrant detention complex, and a widening charity investigation reshaped the state’s political landscape, leaving lawmakers and voters wondering what’s next in 2026.
5) Wednesday Forecast: We'll warm up in the the upper 50s before dipping back into the 30s before we ring in a New Year. If you have plans tonight, bundle up, and wear layers. First to Know Meteorologist Ryan Gold has the details below.
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