FLORIDA GOV. SCOTT TO RELEASE SPENDING PLAN FOR 2015
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is releasing his spending priorities for the coming year. The Republican governor is scheduled to announce his budget recommendations on Wednesday during the annual legislative planning meeting hosted by The Associated Press. State lawmakers will use the proposed budget as a framework for a final budget that will be passed during the annual session that starts in March.
COURT DATE FOR EX-MUSIC PROMOTER IN $300 MILLION FRAUD CASE
A former music promoter who produced shows for top-name acts such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Aerosmith is scheduled to enter a formal plea in a $300 million fraud case after his extradition from Brazil. An arraignment hearing is set Wednesday in Miami federal court for 72-year-old Jack Utsick. Prosecutors say he fled to Brazil in 2006 amid investigations by the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission into his Worldwide Entertainment Inc. promotion company. He was extradited last year.
PINELLAS COUNTY SHERIFF SUPPORTS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told a Florida newspaper that he supports a bill introduced by a state senator that would allow a variety of patients to use a number of different marijuana strains. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Gualtieri said he vigorously opposed last year’s proposed constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana. But he said Sen. Jeff Brandes’ bill is “narrowly tailored,” gives local authorities control over dispensaries and addresses many of his other concerns about the amendment.
SEARCH CALLED OFF FOR MISSING KAYAKER
The search has been called off for a 22-year-old kayaker who went missing off Jacksonville Beach. University of North Florida student Garth Sangree told people he planned to go on a kayak trip alone on Saturday near the Jacksonville Beach pier. Rescue crews ended their search on Tuesday.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA MAY END MIDWIFERY, 2 OTHER NURSING PROGRAMS
The University of Florida College of Nursing is not accepting admissions to three doctoral programs and may eliminate them. The Gainesville Sun reports the school announced that it will not accept applications for the fall term in the nurse midwifery, adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner and neonatal nurse practitioner programs.