Hundreds of people who say they suffered physical or sexual abuse at two state-run reform schools in Florida are in line to receive tens of thousands of dollars in restitution from the state, after Florida lawmakers formally apologized for the horrors they endured as children more than 50 years ago.

At its peak in the Jim Crow 1960s, 500 boys were housed at what is now known as the Dozier School for Boys, most of them for minor offenses such as petty theft, truancy or running away from home. Orphaned and abandoned children were also sent to the school, which was open for more than a century.

In recent years, hundreds of men have come forward to recount brutal beatings, sexual assaults, deaths and disappearances at the notorious school in the panhandle town of Marianna. Nearly 100 boys died between 1900 and 1973 at Dozier, some of them from gunshot wounds or blunt force trauma. Some of the boys’ bodies were shipped back home. Others were buried in unmarked graves that researchers only recently uncovered.

Ahead of a Dec. 31 deadline, the state of Florida received more than 800 applications for restitution from people held at the Dozier school and its sister school in Okeechobee, Fla., attesting to the mental, physical and sexual abuse they endured at the hands of school personnel. Last year, state lawmakers allocated $20 million to be equally divided among the schools’ surviving victims.

Bryant Middleton was among those who spoke publicly in 2017, when lawmakers formally acknowledged the abuse. Middleton recalled being beaten six times for infractions that included eating blackberries off a fence and mispronouncing a teacher’s name after being sent to Dozier between 1959 and 1961.

“I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime. A lot of brutality, a lot of horror, a lot of death,” said Middleton, who served more than 20 years in the Army, including combat in Vietnam. “I would rather be sent back into the jungles of Vietnam than to spend one single day at the Florida School for Boys.”

Allegations of abuse have hung over the Dozier school since soon after it opened in 1900, with reports of children being chained to the walls in irons. When then-Gov. Claude Kirk visited in 1968, he found the institution in disrepair with leaky ceilings, holes in walls, no heating for the winters and buckets used as toilets.

“If one of your kids were kept in such circumstances,” Kirk said then, “you’d be up there with rifles.”

Florida officials closed Dozier in 2011, following state and federal investigations and news reports documenting the abuses.

As the men who were victimized at the schools wait for restitution, their resilience is being honored in the new film “Nickel Boys”, which was adapted from Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Whitehead has said Dozier served as the model for the book, which he hopes raises awareness “so that the victims and their stories are not forgotten.”

___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

New Year’s Eve celebrations are renowned for their unique and vibrant drops. In Florida, each drop reflects the local culture and spirit of its city. Here’s a glimpse into some of these festive traditions:

Orange Ball Drop in Orlando (Thornton Park)
Orlando rings in the New Year with the iconic Orange Ball Drop, symbolizing Florida’s citrus heritage. A massive, illuminated orange descends as the countdown to midnight begins, accompanied by dancing and food vendors.

Booty Drop in Tampa
Embracing its pirate history, Tampa hosts the Booty Drop during the New Yaargh’s Eve celebration. A treasure chest, representing pirate booty, is lowered at midnight, featuring live entertainment and family-friendly activities.

Pineapple Drop in Sarasota
Sarasota’s Pineapple Drop Carnival is a family-friendly event featuring a large, illuminated pineapple. The festivities include a carnival with rides, games, and live music, creating a vibrant atmosphere for all ages.

Strawberry Drop in Plant City
Known as the winter strawberry capital of the world, Plant City celebrates with the Strawberry Drop. A giant glowing strawberry is lowered as attendees enjoy live music, local food vendors, and a kids’ zone.

Beach Ball Drop in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach offers a family-friendly Beach Ball Drop, where thousands of inflatable beach balls are released for an early celebration, followed by the descent of a giant illuminated beach ball at midnight. The event includes live music, fireworks, and entertainment for all ages.

Shrimp Drop in Amelia Island
Fernandina Beach honors its fishing heritage with the Shrimp Drop. A large, illuminated shrimp is lowered to mark the New Year, accompanied by a street festival featuring food trucks, a live DJ, and fireworks.

Red Shoe Drop in Key West
Key West’s famous Red Shoe Drop features a local drag queen descending in a giant red high-heeled shoe. This event is a highlight of the island’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, attracting visitors worldwide. This year, Randy Roberts from LaTeDa will be the one in the shoe, according to the venue.

Keg Drop in Orlando (Ivanhoe)
Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company’s Keg Drop is a popular event among the Ivanhoe Park crowd, where a decorated keg is lowered at midnight. The celebration includes music, a food truck, and fireworks.

Each of these events showcases the diverse culture and community spirit across Florida, offering residents and visitors memorable ways to usher in the New Year.

You can listen to every episode of Florida’s Fourth Estate in the media player below:

MIAMI – Now that Christmas has come and gone, many people are planning to keep their trees up through New Year’s Day and then take them down.

To dispose of trees, there is always curbside pickup. But Miami-Dade and Broward counties are encouraging residents to participate in their respective Christmas tree recycling programs.

In Miami-Dade, people can drop off clean, decoration-free trees at one of the below Trash and Recycling Centers, which are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.:

North Dade
21500 NW 47 Avenue

Norwood
19901 NW 7th Avenue

Palm Springs North
7870 NW 178 Street

Golden Glades
140 NW 160 Street

West Little River
1830 NW 79 Street

Snapper Creek 
2200 SW 117 Avenue

Sunset Kendall
 8000 SW 107 Avenue

West Perrine
16651 SW 107 Avenue

Eureka Drive
9401 SW 184 Street

South Miami Heights
 20800 SW 117 Court

Moody Drive
12970 SW 268 Street

Trees can also be dropped off at the Home Chemical Collection Center, 8801 NW 58 Street in West Miami-Dade. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday for tree drop-off only, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

This service is for residents who receive waste collection services from Miami-Dade County only.

The trees will be turned into mulch which will be available beginning in spring 2025. Sign up to be notified when the mulch is ready. Residents are reminded to bring a shovel and bags or pails to take away the material.

Residents who are unable to drop off their Christmas tree can place it at the curbside. Crews will collect Christmas trees from the curbside beginning Wednesday, Jan. 8. This year trees will be collected throughout the service area during two sweeps. Do not place whole trees or cut-up trees in the green garbage carts or blue recycling carts.

First Christmas Tree Collection Sweep: Jan. 8 – 19
Trees will be collected on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Final Christmas Tree Collection Sweep: Jan. 22 – Feb. 2
Trees will be collected on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays

Trees placed at the curbside as part of a scheduled bulky waste pickup will not be recycled into mulch.

For more information, click here.

In Broward, you can recycle your three through the county’s annual Chip-a-Tree initiative. Every year Broward County Parks recycles thousands of trees, most of which probably would otherwise have gone to landfills. The trees will be chipped and used for landscaping throughout the county park system.

To recycle your tree, you can take it to one of the following locations before Jan. 20, no decorated trees will be accepted. There is a limit of two trees per vehicle, artificial trees are not accepted, and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed.

(Hours vary, you are encouraged to call the park of your choice for details.)

Park locations are:

Brian Piccolo Sports Park & Velodrome
9501 Sheridan Street, Cooper City (954) 357-5150

C.B. Smith Park
900 N. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines (954) 357-5170

Easterlin Park
1000 NW 38 Street, Oakland Park (954) 357-5190

Fern Forest Nature Center
201 Lyons Road South, Coconut Creek (954) 357-5198

Markham Park and Target Range
16001 W State Road 84, Sunrise (954)  357-8868

Reverend Samuel Delevoe Memorial Park
2520 NW 6 Street, Fort Lauderdale (954) 357-8801

Snake Warrior’s Island Natural Area
3600 SW 62 Avenue, Miramar (954) 357-8776

Tradewinds Park and Stables
3600 W Sample Road, Coconut Creek (954) 357-8870

Tree Tops Park
3900 SW 100 Avenue, Davie (954) 357-5130

Topeekeegee (T.Y.) Park
3300 N Park Road, Hollywood (954) 357-8811

Vista View Park
4001 SW 142 Avenue, Davie (954) 357-8898

West Lake Park
1200 Sheridan Street, Hollywood (954) 357-5161

Curbside pick-up varies by city and contracted waste disposal company. Usually, they pick up in the first two weeks of January.