Gov. Ron DeSantis calls to permanently ban COVID-19 restrictions in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced a package of proposals Tuesday to make permanent bans on COVID-19-related restrictions in Florida, from mask requirements to medical professionalsโ ability to disagree with those COVID-19 restrictions.
BASE jumper dies in fall from 14th floor of Florida resort
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. โ A man died when his parachute didnโt open after he jumped from a hotel balcony in Floridaโs Panhandle, police said. The man who appeared to be in his 20s jumped from the 14th floor of the Sunrise Beach Resort in Panama City Beach on Sunday night, police said. Panama City Beach police were investigating the BASE jumping incident and have released few other details. BASE jumping stands for jumping not from planes, but from fixed locations including buildings, antenna, spans or Earth. It has produced stunning online videos of people parachuting from buildings and wingsuit fliers zooming shockingly close to the treetops โ mostly recorded outside the United States.
Florida man with Down Syndrome competes in Ironman triathlon
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. โ A 21-year-old Florida man could make history as the first person with Down Syndrome to compete in a grueling Ironman Florida triathlon this weekend, which includes a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run in a single day. Chris Nikic signed up for a new triathlon program with the Special Olympics Florida in 2018. Nikik eagerly wrote โChris world champ.โHis father Nik Nikic said that led to a talk about doing triathlons and, eventually, an Ironman. But he persevered, swimming in the family pool as a child and at 16 competed in a spring triathlon. The Special Olympics connected him with veteran Ironman competitor Dan Grieb who helped coach him along the way.
Florida GOP fights to animate Trump's base without president
โIโd like to see President Trump. Don Jr. is fine,โ said Rick Scott, a 64-year-old retired construction manager who joined the modest crowd in Panama City Beach on the shores of the Gulf Coast. There is no question Trump will win the Florida Panhandle this fall. The president's campaign dispatched its best available assets to Panama City Beach this week, including Donald Trump Jr., Gov. Diane Vitale, 74, who lives in Panama City Beach, said she never worried about Trump's infection: โHe's strong.