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Ron DeSantis stops Florida beaches closing amid “fecal pollution” warnings

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Ron DeSantis stops Florida beaches closing amid “fecal pollution” warnings


Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has vetoed a bill that would have given the state the power to close beaches if tests show water does not reach the state’s health standards.

DeSantis made the call this week, despite Floridians being warned against swimming due to “fecal pollution” just two months ago.

If the bill had gone through, local authorities of beach waters and public bathing places would have had to notify the Department of Health whenever testing water was below recommended health standards.

The Department of Health then “shall require the closure of beach waters and public bathing places that fail to meet the department’s standards if it deems closure is necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public,” the bill read.

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But Desantis wrote in his veto letter that the bill “suffers from a fatal infirmity” as it “grants authority to the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to close beaches, waterways, and swimming pools.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a campaign event last June. DeSantis vetoed a bill to do with water health but said it will continue to be a priority for him.

AP

He said: “Health Departments like DOH can serve a valuable function, but they should not be vested with the power to supersede local jurisdictions regarding the operation of beaches.

“I have made water quality and protecting Florida’s natural resources a priority and my Administration will continue to do so, but this grant of power to DOH over Florida beaches is ill-advised.”

On June 13, the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County Healthy Beaches program issued health advisories for Dubois Park, Sandoway-Delray Beach and South Inlet Park.

Sampling showed bacterial levels to be more than 71 colonies per milliliter of marine water, putting the beaches’ results in the “poor” category.

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Anything that is seen as “poor” should be “considered a potential health risk to the bathing public,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

At the end of April, the same department told residents not to swim at several beaches, including Midtown Beach and Dubois Park, in Jupiter.

Water in these two areas had tested positive for high levels of enterococcus bacteria, which the department said “is an indication of fecal pollution.”

It added that this may “come from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and human sewage” and could put swimmers at an “increased risk of illness,”

In both spots, water was recorded as “poor”, meaning it measured 71 or greater enterococci per 100 milliliters of marine water.

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Infections from enterococci “are typically not considered harmful to humans, but their presence in the environment may indicate that other disease-causing agents such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoa [a microorganic parasite] may also be present,” according to the EPA.

Newsweek contacted DeSantis’ press office, via its email address, for comment on this context and was directed to his veto letter.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Severe Storms Roll Across The Southeast – Videos from The Weather Channel

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Severe Storms Roll Across The Southeast  – Videos from The Weather Channel




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Exclusive | Florida couple proves it’s never too late to find love — no matter the age

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Exclusive | Florida couple proves it’s never too late to find love — no matter the age


True love never gets old — especially for 102-year-old WWII vet Harold Terens and his 98-year-old bride, Jeanne Swerlin.

The lovebirds, who tied the knot in 2024 and still gush that they feel like teenagers together, had some Valentine’s Day advice for the lovelorn.

“Never give up.”

“It’s never too late to find love, especially a great love — look at us,” Swerlin, a New York native who lives in Florida, told The Post. “You have to be open — love will find you.”

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100-year-old American World War II veteran Harold Terens and his 96-year-old bride Jeanne Swerlin Terens arrive for their wedding ceremony in the Carentan-les-Marais Town Hall on June 8, 2024 in Carentan-les-Marais. Getty Images

Terens is among the last of the Greatest Generation, surviving a series of harrowing series of close calls during the war. After enlisting in 1942, he served as a radio repair technician in Great Britain attached to a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter squadron. 

He went on to repair planes on D-Day, returning from France to survive a secret mission that led to a robbery that left him naked in the desert of Tehran and fearing death until he was miraculously rescued by an American military police patrol.

The native New Yorker — who lost his first wife of 70 years in 2018 — declared he’s grateful “for every day I’m alive,” and swore he never looked at another woman until he met Swerlin.

The two were set up on a blind date in 2021 and the nonagenarian became instantly smitten.

Terens lost his first wife of 70 years in 2018. Getty Images

“It’s the greatest love I’ve ever known, by far,” said a vibrant Terens, who’s written a book, “Tomorrow Will be the Best Day of my Life.”

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Life was “beyond remarkable,” even before Terens met his plucky bride. 

“My whole life changed. It went in a totally different direction,” he said, adding in French, “I regret nothing.

“All the adjectives in the world can’t describe how I feel about her.”

The feeling is mutual.

The two were set up on a blind date in 2021. Getty Images

“He always tells me, ‘I don’t know how I ever lived without you,’” said the youthful-looking bride.

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The canoodling couple, who say they can’t keep their hands off each other, recalled their magical wedding day.

The extraordinary couple said they’ve never experienced so powerful a connection. 

“The day of our wedding is the greatest day I’ve ever experienced in 102 years of life,” Terens said of his June 2024 Normandy beach-area wedding that had thousands of well-wishers cheering them on.

The extraordinary couple said they’ve never experienced so powerful a connection. Getty Images

Terens, who plans to be bar mitzvahed this year, said finding life-changing love is about sticking to the basics.

“Remember why you fell in love with a person, and don’t try to change them,” said Terens, who still drives and meditates daily. 

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Yet there’s another secret ingredient to their passionate romance: 

“The best secret about a successful love affair and marriage is that we don’t live together,” quipped Terens, who maintains a home 30 minutes from his his sweetheart in south Florida, where they see each other about four days a week. “We live happily ever after.”  

As for Valentine’s Day, he surprised his wife with two dozen pink roses with a love letter attached.

“Every day is Valentine’s Day,” said Terens, who plans to make his sixth visit to Normandy to mark the 87th D-Day anniversary in June.

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Predictions for #25 Kentucky’s game at #14 Florida on Saturday

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Predictions for #25 Kentucky’s game at #14 Florida on Saturday


The Kentucky Wildcats are getting set to play in what will not only be their biggest game of the season, but their toughest matchup to this point. Kentucky will take on the Florida Gators, who are ranked 14th in the entire country and have been on a very hot winning streak. Florida has not only been winning their games, they have been dominating opponents.

It will be a very tall task for Kentucky basketball to get the massive road win, but both teams also have a lot on the line. This game will decide first place in the SEC. With Florida currently being in first, the Wildcats will need to win if they want that top spot, what would complete an incredible turnaround job for this Kentucky team after starting SEC play with an 0-2 record. Florida has won their last four games by an average margin of 27.3 points, winning eight of their last nine games overall. Meanwhile, Kentucky has won nine of their last ten, looking to shock the college basketball world with an absolutely massive win.

The Kentucky Wildcats on SI staff is here to give their predictions for the big game between Kentucky and Florida in Gainesville.

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Andrew Stefaniak

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images
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Florida has been on a tear over their last four games, winning by a point differential of 27.3 points over that stretch. They played three of those four games on the road, so this team might be the hottest in college basketball. While most are talking about the Gators being hot, Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats are also hot having won eight of their last nine. This game is for first place in the SEC, so Pope’s team will be hoping to pull off the upset. Florida’s elite frontcourt will prove to be too much for the Wildcats, but Kentucky will play well enough to prove that they are capable of beating the defending National Champions in Rupp Arena to finish the regular season. 

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Score prediction: Florida 78, Kentucky 69

Kentucky MVP: Malachi Moreno

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Wyatt Huff

Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh (00) holds the ball after being fouled against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

This one is obviously the toughest team Kentucky has faced and will have for the entire season when it’s all said and done. It’s hard for me to see Mark Pope and the Wildcats pulling off some magic this time around. Florida has been playing like a juggernaut lately and have shown no signs of slowing down. Not to mention, they are good on both sides of the ball. Kentucky has handled physicality well up to this point, but Florida is just on another level in that area. I say Florida wins this one easy, especially with it being on their home floor.

Score prediction: Florida 86, Kentucky 71

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Kentucky MVP: Otega Oweh

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The Kentucky Wildcats have already shocked the college basketball world with multiple comeback wins, including victories over Arkansas on the road and a regular-season sweep over Tennessee, but can they do it against the toughest competition they have faced yet? The Florida Gators have been playing the best basketball of anyone in the country over the last month. Kentucky has a tall task at hand, especially with the Florida bigs. Can they overcome the big challenge?



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