Florida
At Florida's only public HBCU, students are wary of political influence on race education
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A core mission of Florida A&M University from its founding over a century ago has been to educate African Americans. It was written into the law that established the school along with another college, in Gainesville, reserved for white students.
At Florida’s only public historically Black university, some students now fear political constraints might get in the way of teaching parts of their history.
A law signed last spring by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, blocks public colleges from using taxpayer money on diversity programs. It also forbids instruction of theories that “systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities.”
The new law, part of broader GOP efforts to rein in campus efforts on equity and inclusion, has spurred protests on campus. Some students say they are watching for signs the new guidance will affect teaching of topics related to race and American history.
Chad Preston, a senior political science major, said he worries some viewpoints will be silenced.
“We deserve the same level of education that all these other states are getting. We deserve the same information,” he said.
DeSantis describes the law as an effort to rid university classrooms of what he calls left-leaning “woke” indoctrination. His education policies — including limits on what schools can teach about racism and which bathrooms students use — have faced criticism from civil rights leaders but fueled his political rise by harnessing culture war passions.
“In reality, what this concept of DEI has been is to attempt to impose orthodoxy on the university,” DeSantis said at a ceremony in May when he signed the bill into law. “This has basically been used as a veneer to impose an ideological agenda, and that is wrong.”
The university, founded in 1887, hosts about 10,000 students at its campus a few blocks from the state capitol.
The new law has made Florida a difficult learning environment for students and faculty of color, said Marybeth Gasman, a Rutgers University historian whose research focuses on historically Black colleges and universities and systemic racism in higher education.
“I’ve talked to some FAMU faculty who have basically told me that they’re keeping their head down because they’re afraid they’re going to lose their jobs,” Gasman said. “If I were in Florida, I would probably be concerned as well.”
FAMU has not seen upheaval anywhere near the scale of New College of Florida, a progressive campus where DeSantis and his allies overhauled the Board of Trustees and installed a majority of conservative figures. But many on the FAMU campus are wary.
Asked about the impact of the new law, a university spokesperson referred to a comment Florida A&M President Larry Robinson made in June.
“There are more than 30 pieces of legislation passed this legislative session that have some impact on educational institutions in Florida, including FAMU, and we take them all seriously,” Robinson said. “But our commitment to ‘Excellence With Caring’ remains strong, and remains unchanged.”
In early December, the board overseeing Florida’s state university system released proposed regulations outlining programs that would be prohibited from receiving state or federal money under the new law. Programs on the outs would include any that promote “differential or preferential treatment of individuals, or classifies such individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”
The FAMU Democrats have been taking steps to ensure the messages of speakers they invite to campus are moderate, said Jovan Mickens, a senior and president of the student political group.
“With my organization, there are certain things I can’t do like bring certain people on campus for a panel discussion. We’re tip-toeing around this university,” he said.
Historically Black colleges and universities often receive less funding than predominantly white public colleges. A group of students at FAMU have filed a lawsuit against the state, saying it has underfunded their school by nearly $1.3 billion.
But for leaders of public colleges, pushing back on policies they disagree with could put them at odds with the same officials deciding on their budgets, said Abul Pitre, chair of the Department of Africana Studies at San Francisco State University.
“It requires a certain kind of balance that does not allow them to have too much of an Afrocentric social justice perspective, because they have to go to the same politicians for money who are advocating to eliminate it,” he said.
Raghan Pickett, a senior at FAMU, traces her lineage back to Rosewood, Florida, where hundreds of Black people were killed or driven out in 1923 by a mob of white men who then destroyed their neighborhoods. She fears the new law could stop instructors from teaching about such atrocities.
“Back then, it was afraid of being lynched,” Pickett said. “Today, Black people are still struggling. We’re still fighting to learn basic history.”
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Inside Florida’s affordable housing crisis
FOX 13’s Chief Political Investigator Craig Patrick reports on Florida’s ongoing affordable housing problems, and how the state plans to combat the growing crisis in the near future.
TAMPA, Fla. – Brad Butler works long hours as a carpenter and home remodeler. He and his work partner spent three weeks and $6,000 of their own money updating a house in Dade City. But instead of getting paid for their work, they accepted a deal to rent the house at a discounted price of $1,400 per month for a year—because they could not find other options they could afford. After a year when the rent increases, they’ll look for other options.
“I’m a very honest hard-working person, but it just doesn’t seem that the economy has it in it to make hard-working people successful right now,” said Butler. “Prices have skyrocketed three times, I think. And just in this area.”
People who recently moved to the Tampa Bay area may not believe what houses used to cost. For example, in 1998, a three-bedroom waterfront home in St. Peterburg sold for $133,000. That was near the start of the tech boom, which helped ignite the housing crisis.
Two years later, the tech boom crashed. Investors moved what was left of their fortunes into real estate, snatching up houses everywhere—but especially Central Florida. Real estate in our area had flown under the radar until the age of the internet revealed comparatively cheap homes (on or near the water) for the whole world to see.
At the same time, banks lowered their standards—approving high-risk adjustable mortgages to high-risk buyers with lower credit scores— while investors flipped one home after another. Many starter homes got demolished and replaced by larger, more expensive homes—further reducing the supply of homes working class families could afford.
Then, by 2008, those high-risk buyers stopped paying the soaring costs of the high-risk mortgages. Banks failed, the economy tanked and real estate dipped—but in the Tampa Bay area, houses still cost much more than they did ten years before. For example, the same house that sold for $133,000 in 1998, sold for $275k in 2009 at the end of the downturn.
The Great Recession and glut of foreclosures crushed home builders, reducing the supply of new homes as the economy recovered.
“We did have a, a shortage of building for a while, especially in Florida after the market crash. You know, we were ground zero for the market crash. It took a long time for builders to get back online. A lot of builders went bust as well when that happened,” said St. Petersburg City Councilman Richie Floyd.
Builders who kept going started building larger, more expensive homes for larger profits—increasing the shortage of starter homes.
As millennials moved out on their own, they preferred urban living, which drove a movement from the suburbs to the spiraling costs of living in cities like Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, and Sarasota.
Meanwhile, the government offered new tax credits for home buyers, and interest rates dropped. Warren Buffett advised his fellow mega investors to snatch up homes—saying he’d buy a couple hundred thousand himself if he could. They followed his lead by purchasing more houses, condos, and apartments across the nation—and Florida in particular. Large investors and corporations replaced small landlords and homeowners, and they charged soaring rents (especially in urban areas).
Then President Trump signed new tax cuts on investment profits- fueling the real estate frenzy.
Then the pandemic hit. Florida stood out for lifting lockdowns and restrictions before other states. That drove a flood of relatively wealthy newcomers eager to buy.
“Post pandemic and during the pandemic, we saw this shift from high tax states to states like Florida, where people can work here and get the benefits of living here and that has only accelerated that challenge,” said Florida Policy Project and former Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes.
A wave of hurricanes, a property insurance crisis, and a trend of millennials migrating south combined to burn working-class people who can’t find an affordable place to live- unless they really scrimp and live a long way from work.
We don’t yet know the long-term impact of the Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. But studies like this one in Science Direct show hurricanes tend to drive Florida home prices up in the short term.
“750 people are moving to Florida every single day. And there just isn’t enough housing being built to support that,” said Brandes. “And that’s kind of created the supply and demand challenge.”
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What’s the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
On a day when there’s severe weather in your area, you may find yourself under a tornado watch or even a tornado warning. What’s the difference?
Accuweather
Thanksgiving is next week, although Florida temperatures are making it hard to get into the holiday spirit.
Expect that to change very soon, as temperatures whipsaw close to 20 degrees down in some locations this week.
➤ Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location
➤ Tropics watch, Nov. 18: Remnants of former Tropical Storm Sara could impact Florida
That’s right. A cold front is approaching and, depending on where you live in Florida, temperatures could drop more than 15 degrees this week overall and drop close to 20 degrees between daytime highs and nighttime lows.
Don’t expect freezing temperatures, though. The lowest temps in the state are expected across the Panhandle and North Florida and those are forecast to stay above 40.
Florida weather forecast: Temperatures dropping this week as cold front moves through
Timing: See what, when to expect as cold front moves through Florida
Western Panhandle: The cold front will clear the area Wednesday morning but as it approaches and moves through, expect:
- Rain: Expect the bulk of the rain after 3 a.m. Tuesday. While the heaviest rain is forecast to remain over the Gulf, “we still expect a fire hose of water to stream into the area Tuesday morning, with heavy rain prevailing through the afternoon hours. Widespread rainfall totals of 3-5 inches are possible with the higher amounts possible across our southeast Mississippi and coastal Alabama counties,” according to the National Weather Service Mobile. Tuesday “will likely be one of the wettest days we have experienced in the past few months.”
- Wind: winds may get a little gusty at times Monday afternoon. Expect 20-25 mph gusts this afternoon over land.
- Small craft: Seas 7-plus feet as winds increase to 20-plus knots.
- Rip currents: Surf will build to 3-4 feet Monday, with 5-7 foot breakers Monday night and Tuesday.
Panhandle, Tallahassee, Big Bend: A few light showers through Monday afternoon, but the majority of the rain will arrive Tuesday morning as remnants of Tropical Storm Sara move north and interact with a cold front. “This appears to be our first taste of Florida fall weather.” Expect:
- Rain: 2-2.3 inches starting Tuesday, with a flash flood risk Tuesday through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee. Locally higher amounts possible, especially across coastal counties. Across Big Bend, 1-2 inches most likely. A couple of severe storms, particularly across the Florida Panhandle and southeast Alabama counties, possible.
- Wind: Strong to severe wind gusts appear to be the main threat at this time.
- Tornadoes: A tornado or two cannot be ruled out along the Florida Panhandle coast.
Northeast Florida: Temperatures Monday are above normal for this time of year. The cold front is expected to move across Northeast Florida Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service Jacksonville. Expect:
- Rain: Rain chances increase after 1 a.m. Tuesday and continue until early Wednesday afternoon.
- Wind: Winds could gust as high as 16 mph Wednesday
Florida East Coast: Near to above normal high temperatures expected through mid week, with much cooler air expected late week behind the cold front. The front will move east-southeast over east central Florida mid week, according to the National Weather Service, Melbourne.
- Rain: Scattered to numerous showers capable of heavy rainfall. Rain chances increase late Tuesday night and Wednesday. Rain totals are expected to be .40-1 inch.
- Wind: Gusty winds up to 25 mph are forecast late Tuesday night into Wednesday.
- Boating: Boating conditions will deteriorate as the front approaches the local Atlantic waters Wednesday and will remain poor to hazardous into late week behind the front.
- Wind chill: Minimum wind chill values in the upper 30s to mid 40s are forecast each morning north of Martin and southeastern St. Lucie counties west of I-95.
South Florida: Moisture from the remnants of Sara will “likely congeal,” bringing a line of showers and isolated thunderstorms Wednesday evening into early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service Miami. Expect:
- Rain: Gusty squalls, brief heavy downpours.
- Boating: Atlantic waters 2-4 feet; Gulf waters 1-3 feet.
- Rip currents: A high risk for rip currents continues for the Palm Beaches.
- Coastal flooding: Minor coastal flooding is possible during high tide along the Atlantic coast.
West Coast: Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be warm and rain-free, with temperatures running a handful ofdegrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service Tampa Bay. The coldest temperatures look to be Saturday and Sunday mornings after the cold front moves through. Expect:
- Thunderstorms: Chances of thunderstorms will increase toward the middle of the week. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms and perhaps a few strong storms are possible.
- Rip currents: The Gulf Coast could see rip current risk increase by mid-week.
- Coastal flooding: Minor coastal flooding is possible during high tide along the Gulf coast.
Florida cold front: How low will temperatures drop?
Use the slider bar on the right side of the map to compare low temperatures expected Tuesday, Nov. 19, to temps on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Florida weather: Daily high temperatures will drop as cold front arrives
Use the slider bar on the right side of the map to compare high temperatures expected Tuesday, Nov. 19, to temps on Saturday, Nov. 23.
Weather alerts issued in Florida
Watches and advisories:
- Coastal flood advisory from 6 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. CST Tuesday.
- High rip current risk through Wednesday afternoon.
- High surf advisory from 9 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. CST Wednesday.
Forecast:
- Monday: High 78
- Tuesday: High 76; low 66
- Wednesday: High 72; low 50
- Thursday: High 63; low 49
- Friday: High 62; low 48
- Saturday: High 63; low 51
Follow National Weather Service Mobile on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 78
- Tuesday: High 77; low 68
- Wednesday: High 77; low 47
- Thursday: High 62; low 43
- Friday: High 62; low 48
- Saturday: High 64; low 44
Follow the National Weather Service Tallahassee on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 77
- Tuesday: High 80; low 67
- Wednesday: High 77; low 50
- Thursday: High 64; low 47
- Friday: High 63; low 45
- Saturday: High 65; low 46
Follow the National Weather Service Jacksonville on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 76
- Tuesday: High 81; low 69
- Wednesday: High 79; low 53
- Thursday: High 67; low 47
- Friday: High 66; low 46
- Saturday: High 66; low 49
Follow the National Weather Service Melbourne on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 79
- Tuesday: High 84; low 71
- Wednesday: High 81; low 59
- Thursday: High 71; low 49
- Friday: High 70; low 49
- Saturday: High 70; low 51
Follow the National Weather Service Melbourne on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 79
- Tuesday: High 84; low 69
- Wednesday: High 81; low 60
- Thursday: High 72; low 49
- Friday: High 70; low 48
- Saturday: High 71; low 50
Follow the National Weather Service Melbourne on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 78
- Tuesday: High 79; low 75
- Wednesday: High 80; low 68
- Thursday: High 72; low 59
- Friday: High 71; low 58
- Saturday: High 71; low 61
Follow the National Weather Service Miami on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 83
- Tuesday: High 83; low 71
- Wednesday: High 81; low 63
- Thursday: High 74; low 57
- Friday: High 74; low 56
- Saturday: High 73; low 55
Follow the National Weather Service Miami on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 83
- Tuesday: High 85; low 70
- Wednesday: High 79; low 62
- Thursday: High 72; low 53
- Friday: High 73; low 51
- Saturday: High 73; low 52
Follow the National Weather Service Tampa Bay on X, formerly known as Twitter
Forecast:
- Monday: High 82
- Tuesday: High 82; low 72
- Wednesday: High 79; low 62
- Thursday: High 70; low 60
- Friday: High 72; low 56
- Saturday: High 70; low 55
Follow the National Weather Service Tampa Bay on X, formerly known as Twitter
Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text
Excessive rainfall forecast
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Florida
Florida man arrested after pretending to be undercover police officer to avoid background check
A Florida man was arrested last week after state police said he pretended to be an undercover officer in order to avoid a background check.
William Dennis Milstead, 64, was charged with falsely impersonating a police officer, making a false statement to obtain property and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Milstead was arrested after a real estate agency reported to the FDLE that he was attempting to lease a residential property without undergoing a background check.
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William Milstead was arrested last week after pretending to be an undercover officer in order to avoid a background check with a real estate agency, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (St. Lucie County Jail)
Milstead submitted a falsified letter to the agency claiming that he was an undercover FDLE agent working “off-grid,” which is why he could not participate in a background check.
The fake letter, which had numerous grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors, was supposedly written by an assistant captain of the FDLE’s “Off Grid Command Unit” explaining why Milstead should be an exception to the real estate agency’s background check requirement.
GEORGIA MAN IMPERSONATING POLICE OFFICER PULLS OUT FAKE BADGE, ATTEMPTS TO ARREST REAL COPS
“We ask that you make an exception to limit the background/credit check on William Dennis Milstead due to the security needed to protect our agent safety and rely solely on this letter of recommendation from the FDLE and State of Florida,” the letter reads in part.
It claimed Milstead’s employment began with the FDLE in October 2006 and said he is “three years shy of reaching his 20th year retirement.”
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The FDLE said Milstead has 13 prior felony arrests and was charged with impersonating an officer in 2002 and 2016.
William Milstead, 64, was also arrested for impersonating an officer in 2002 and 2016. (Florida Department of Law Enforcement)
Milstead was booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on Nov. 13 and was released on Nov. 15 after posting his $11,000 bond, jail records show.
The case is being investigated by FDLE’s Orlando office.
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