Thursday, December 11th: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around The Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your forecast.
1) School bus dropoff reveals growing number of kids living in Thomasville motels. Around 40 children are currently living at the Red Roof Inn, due to evictions, rising rent, job loss, or being unable to meet strict income requirements for housing. Neighbors are now donating food, clothing, toiletries, stockings, and paid nights of shelter.
2) TMH-FSU merger, golf course sale prompt community pushback inside and outside City Hall. As groups like Tallahassee ALERT protested the proposed partnership between FSU and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, neighbors inside the city commission chambers urged the city not to sell a golf course to Capital City Country Club. Commissioners moved forward with the sale.
3) Gadsden County family backs bill to crack down on illegal internet cafés. A Gadsden County jury returned a $779 million wrongful death verdict, finding the café failed to take basic safety measures after an earlier armed robbery. State Sen. Michele Rayner has filed the Lewis Butler Act, raising penalties for illegal gambling operations from a misdemeanor to a felony.
4) Backfill or backfire? DeSantis' plan to replace local tax dollars draws debate. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pitching a $117 billion state budget for the next fiscal year, about two billion more than the current, $114.8 billion. Speaking in Orlando on Wednesday, he said his final spending blueprint has record reserves, new investments in education, transportation, and public safety — plus a plan to support rural areas impacted by property tax cuts.
5) Thursday Forecast: Temperatures will reach the upper 50s to low 60s. Lows will dip again into the 30s. We have another cold front on the way, but before that, we'll climb into the 70s over the weekend. First to Know Meteorologist Ryan Gold has the details below.
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