Thursday, May 28th: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around the Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your Thursday forecast.
1) Leon County School Board approves property tax increase plan to fund teacher pay and school programs. The tax hike could help fund teacher salaries, school safety, arts, and athletic programs. School board members approved a resolution to place a 1-mill property tax referendum on the November ballot.
2) UPDATE: DeSantis tees up major property tax fight for lawmakers. Governor Ron DeSantis is calling Florida lawmakers back to the Capitol next week for a special session on property taxes, unveiling a proposal Wednesday that would ask voters to begin phasing out property taxes on homesteaded homes.
3) Red Cross runs shelter drills ahead of hurricane season to sharpen response. The drills, called Thunderbolt Exercises, simulate opening shelters following a disaster. During their most recent exercise, volunteers and staff had to set up 4 shelters — 2 in Tallahassee, 1 in Marianna, and 1 in Wakulla — within 2 hours.
4) Advocates push for change following arrests at "unauthorized" Valdosta gathering. Valdosta Police responded around 3:45 a.m. on Sunday to a crowd of nearly 200 people gathered in a Bemiss Road parking lot. Officers reported seeing fights break out and multiple people carrying guns through the crowd.
5) Thursday Forecast: We'll have another day of scattered showers with temps getting into the mid-80s. Some could get heavy with thunder. First to Know Meteorologist Ryan Gold has the details below.
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