Florida
Ken Griffin pledges $12 million to defeat recreational pot legalization in Florida
Ken Griffin is making a major push to defeat a ballot amendment that seeks to legalize recreational marijuana use in Florida.
The billionaire financier has pledged $12 million to oppose the measure, according to spokesman Zia Ahmed. The constitutional amendment will be decided by voters in November and needs at least 60% approval to pass.
In an opinion article published Friday in the Miami Herald, Griffin argued that the proposed amendment would create a monopoly for large marijuana dispensaries and allow cannabis use in public and private areas across Florida.
In addition to his anti-legalization efforts, Griffin is also contributing $8 million to committes funding Republican candidates running for the Florida legislature, Ahmed said.
The founder of Citadel and Citadel Securities, who relocated from Chicago to Miami in 2022, has been wielding his $42 billion fortune to influence Florida’s political landscape and to fund philanthropic causes.
Earlier this year, he condemned a proposed casino expansion in South Florida, likening it to “dumping toxic waste into the Everglades.” Legislators buried it soon after. Last year, he played a key role in watering down a proposal restricting real estate purchases by Chinese nationals, before it was enacted. In June, he gave $500,000 to back the reelection campaign of Miami-Dade County’s Democratic mayor, Daniella Levine Cava.
“I have lived the nightmare of misguided politicians in other states whose policies are destroying jobs, fostering crime, ravaging schools, and damaging communities,” Griffin said in a statement to Bloomberg News. “I am committed to supporting policies and principles that will further elevate Florida as the greatest place to live, work, and raise a family in America.”
In the opinion piece, Griffin argued that legalizing recreational marijuana will primarily benefit special interests, while leading to more “dangerous roads, a higher risk of addiction among our youth, and an increase in crime.”
So far, more money has gone into Florida’s referendum on legalizing weed, known as Amendment 3, than any other ballot measure in the US this year, according to OpenSecrets, a non-partisan campaign finance group.
Safe & Smart, a political committee in support of legalization, has raised $66.7 million, according to Florida finance disclosures.
A recent University of North Florida poll found 64% of Floridians support legalization. However, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who has received political contributions from Griffin, has voiced strong opposition, warning that legalization would lead to an increase in marijuana use similar to that in cities like San Francisco and Chicago.
“We cannot have every town smelling like marijuana. We cannot have every hotel, theme parks smelling,” DeSantis said in June. “It’s going to be everywhere.”
Florida
No eggs? Shortage hits Florida Publix stores due to bird flu
You may have noticed eggs have been limited or hard to come by at the grocery store these days.
For Publix stores in Florida, a company spokesperson confirmed that they are experiencing egg shortages due to an outbreak of avian bird flu, or HPAI, which has created a rise in demand for eggs.
“As a result, items in this section have limited availability,” the spokesperson told NBC6. “We are working to bring these products back as soon as possible. We encourage customers to check back regularly, as our stores are receiving routine deliveries.”
HPAI, or highly pathogenic avian influenza, is a form of avian flu more associated with poultry and wild birds.
According to the USDA, outbreaks of HPAI and facility fires across multiple states in 2024 led to the loss of nearly 40 million egg-laying eggs. Farmers are unable to meet the demand.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 134 million wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry, and backyard or hobbyist flocks have been affected by HPAI since 2022.
In Broward County, there have been six reported bird flu outbreaks since 2022, with the most recent one in 2023. In Miami-Dade, there have been eight reported outbreaks, with the most recent one reported in October.
Florida
Macy's is closing 66 stores in 2025, including these in South Florida
Macy’s is moving forward with its planned closures of stores in South Florida and across the country, the company announced Thursday.
Sixty-six locations were listed to close, most during the first quarter of 2025, though some had already been shut down.
In South Florida, the closures only affect the furniture stores at the following locations:
- 4501 North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale
- 13640 Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines
- 13251 South Dixie Highway in Miami – already closed in 2024
But if you’re a faithful shopper, fear not. The company said these three furniture businesses are relocating to a nearby full-line location.
Additionally, these locations are closing or have already closed in Florida:
- 9339 Glades Road in Boca Raton – This furniture store already closed, and will relocate to a nearby full-line location.
- 801 North Congress Avenue Suite 100 in Boynton Beach at the Boynton Beach Mall
- 298 Westshore Plaza in Tampa at the WestShore Plaza
- 820 West Town Parkway in Altamonte Springs
- 3501 South Tamiami Trail Suite 600 in Sarasota
For that Altamonte Springs location, a going-out-of-business sale is planned for the first quarter of 2025.
In the announcement, Macy’s said the closures were part of their Bold New Chapter strategy.
“This plan is designed to return the company to sustainable, profitable sales growth which includes closing approximately 150 underproductive stores over a three-year period while investing in its 350 go-forward Macy’s locations through fiscal 2026,” their news release reads.
Go here to see the list of all 66 closing Macy’s locations.
Florida
SpaceX readies for next Starlink launch from Florida coast. Here’s when
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – SpaceX is readying for its next Starlink mission launch from Florida’s Space Coast on Friday morning.
In a release, the company announced that a Falcon 9 rocket will carry 21 more Starlink satellites into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SpaceX officials said that liftoff is targeting 11:21 a.m., though backup opportunities will run until 2:15 p.m.
More opportunities will also be available on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. if needed.
The 45th Weather Squadron forecast shows that the chance of weather interfering with Friday’s launch attempt is less than 5%. However, that risk rises to 20% if pushed to this weekend.
Regardless, SpaceX reports that this is set to be the 25th flight for the first-stage booster used in this mission, which has previously been used to launch CRS-22, CRS-25, Crew-3, Crew-4, TelkomSat-113BT, Turksat-5B, Koreasat-6A, Eutelsat HOTBIRD-F2, Galileo L13, mPOWER-A, PSN MFS, and 13 other Starlink missions.
News 6 will stream the launch live at the top of this story when it happens.
Copyright 2025 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
-
Business1 week ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture1 week ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports1 week ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics1 week ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics1 week ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics6 days ago
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
-
Health5 days ago
Ozempic ‘microdosing’ is the new weight-loss trend: Should you try it?
-
World1 week ago
Ivory Coast says French troops to leave country after decades