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Florida ‘whistleblower’ says he was fired for leaking plans to build golf courses in state parks
Read full article: Florida ‘whistleblower’ says he was fired for leaking plans to build golf courses in state parksA former state employee who said he leaked information about the plans to build golf courses and hotels in Florida’s state parks has apparently been fired.
Florida pushes back meetings about proposal to add golf, pickleball to state parks
Read full article: Florida pushes back meetings about proposal to add golf, pickleball to state parksThe state Department of Environmental Protection has pushed back a series of meetings about a controversial proposal.
Florida state parks to open Monday as part of phase 1 plan
Read full article: Florida state parks to open Monday as part of phase 1 planRon DeSantis announced Friday that he will open all state parks Monday as part of phase one of his plan to reopen Florida. “Today, I am announcing that as part of phase one, as of Monday, Florida’s world-renowned state parks system will be opening,” DeSantis said. “Opening the parks back up is consistent with my safe, smart, step-by-step plan to reopen Florida.”The governor said he based his decision to open state parks on a study conducted by the Department of Homeland Security. “When you’re talking about open spaces with appropriate distancing distancing, that is a very low-risk environment,” DeSantis said. “It’s also very high reward for the people of Florida because they can go out, they can get sunlight, they can get fresh air.
State parks limit hours of operation in wake of coronavirus outbreak
Read full article: State parks limit hours of operation in wake of coronavirus outbreakTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida parks will open during set daytime hours for the next two months, with campground and overnight accommodations closed completely starting Friday, the Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday. The action concerning the parks comes as state officials respond to the rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases in Florida. After Wednesday, existing reservations will be canceled and refunded, the state agency said in a release. State parks had been operating during daylight hours, but the change announced Tuesday limits sets visitation between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The state agency also is closing three Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection facilities --- Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.