Friday, May 29th: Below are the top stories WTXL ABC 27 is following around the Big Bend, South Georgia, nationally, and your Weekend forecast.
1) Family, coach remember TCCHS football star after fatal car crash. Deontavis Cooper, nicknamed Big Coop, was known for his talent on the football field and his personality away from it. The community is now rallying around his family and remembering his impact on and off the field.
2) Historic harms amendment clears Citizen Charter Review Committee Thursday afternoon. The Historic Harms amendment would direct the county to investigate previous public policies and assess how they have affected communities. Advocates say the measure is about transparency and accountability.
3) Florida's new penny rounding law: What cash buyers need to know in Tallahassee. The law allows cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel when exact change is not available.
4) Florida property tax proposal draws early scrutiny ahead of special session. The governor’s plan would ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment raising Florida’s homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. Lawmakers would then be required to create a schedule to eventually eliminate homestead property taxes entirely.
5) 'I was so nervous': Champion shares emotional journey to Scripps Spelling Bee win. Shrey Parikh nearly quit spelling after a school bee loss, but with grit and daily study, he bounced back to win the 2026 National Spelling Bee.
6) Weekend Forecast: There are no real shower chances to start us off today, but this afternoon will change that. Chances for scattered storms will continue throughout the weekend. First to Know Meteorologist Ryan Gold has the details below.
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