January 25, 2025 Weekly Newsletter

You may remember last year when the Indian River Neighborhood Association raised concerns about the Florida Legislature loosening its own ethics rules. Well, it didn't take long for those changes to come back and help them. The Florida Commission on Ethics is now considering dropping several cases, including one against state Rep. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican and congressional candidate.
Fine allegedly threatened to influence state funding for the Special Olympics and the city of West Melbourne as part of a personal feud with Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins. Text messages suggest he pressured officials to disinvite Jenkins from a fundraising event, implying that funding requests would suffer otherwise. He also allegedly sought to block the release of these messages and suggested firing the city attorney handling the public records request. Ethics experts have condemned his actions as unethical and harmful to democratic governance.
The root of this problem lies in Senate Bill 7014, quietly signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis. This legislation severely weakens ethics oversight in Florida by requiring complainants to have "personal knowledge" of alleged violations. This means that investigative journalism or anonymous tips—often crucial sources for exposing misconduct—are no longer valid grounds for filing complaints. As a result, many legitimate investigations will never even start, allowing unethical behavior to go unchecked.
The law also strips local ethics agencies of their authority to launch independent investigations, forcing them to rely solely on formal complaints that meet the new, restrictive criteria. Investigations like the Miami-Dade corruption case, which led to an arrest, might never happen under these new restrictions. While supporters of the bill claim it prevents politically motivated complaints, in reality, it makes it easier for misconduct to flourish without oversight.
Adding to the damage, the new "personal knowledge" standard applies retroactively, meaning ongoing investigations—including those where violations have already been identified—are now in jeopardy. Ethics Commission staff are currently reviewing cases to determine which ones must be dropped due to these legislative changes.
This situation is a direct result of poor governance. Florida's ethics enforcement was already weak, and the Legislature's decision to weaken it further only serves to shield elected officials from accountability. Whether lawmakers fully understood the long-term consequences of their actions is unclear, but the result is a system where government accountability is severely compromised.
The IRNA is committed to promoting ethical governance and holding public officials accountable. We will continue to call out bad actors and advocate for stronger ethics enforcement. The Legislature should take immediate steps to address the damage caused by Senate Bill 7014, including revisiting the Ethics Commission's long-standing request for whistleblower protections to encourage ethical accountability. Unfortunately, as things stand, these changes do nothing but protect elected officials from the consequences of their own misconduct.
Joining the IRNA in this effort to create accountability in our elected officials are our friends at VoteWater. You can learn more about their work and how to get involved by visiting their website here.
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 LAST CHANCE:
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Lunch and Learn
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"Critical Condition: Florida’s Waterways in Crisis
— and How to Save Them"
Keynote Speaker: Eve Samples, Executive Director of the Friends of the Everglades
Where: Vero Beach Country Club: 800 30th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960
When: January 29 at noon
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How Much: $45/pp payable at the door (cash or check) or online here. This luncheon will also serve as a fundraiser for the IRNA and part of the cost of lunch will be tax deductible.
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(Or Reply to this Email to RSVP)
Questions? Email: Info@IndianRiverNA.com
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TCPalm compared driving to taking Brightline train to Miami, Orlando (TCPalm) - Taking Brightline from West Palm Beach to Orlando is generally more expensive than driving unless parking for at least seven days, while traveling to Miami can be more cost-effective if parking exceeds three hours, with variations based on the traveler's starting location.
Vero Beach Three Corners plans narrow as new pitches emerge (TCPalm) - The Vero Beach Three Corners redevelopment process has restarted with two revised proposals from Clearpath and The Blue at Vero Beach, both offering ambitious plans featuring hotels, marinas, and public amenities, though the city aims for a more objective selection process after last year's controversy.
Hiking: 5 of the best walking trails on the Treasure Coast (TCPalm) - Five of the best walking trails on the Treasure Coast include Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, Round Island Riverside Park, D.J. Wilcox Preserve, Spruce Bluff Preserve, and Blowing Rocks Preserve, each offering unique natural features and scenic views.
Video: Bacteria in Florida's water can be dangerous, even deadly (TCPalm) - Even when Florida's waters appear beautiful and clear, harmful bacteria such as Vibrio vulnificus, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), and fecal coliforms can pose serious health risks or even be deadly. (Video)
Numerous airport tenants in violation of lease agreements (Vero News) - Several businesses at Vero Beach Regional Airport are in violation of their lease agreements due to the inability to afford or obtain required windstorm insurance, prompting city officials to explore alternative solutions to keep tenants while mitigating financial risks for taxpayers.
County upholds Hallstrom family legacy with Farmstead Conservation Area (Vero News) - Indian River County has officially opened the Hallstrom Farmstead Conservation Area, preserving the legacy of Swedish botanist Axel Hallstrom by offering walking trails, picnic pavilions, and educational opportunities on the historic land adjacent to the Hallstrom House museum.

Florida’s Gentle Giants: What History Teaches Us About the Manatee
The Florida manatee, our beloved "sea cow," is a symbol of Florida’s waterways, but their story is more surprising than most realize. Recent studies in historical ecology have shed light on their past, offering insights into how we can protect them for the future.
For thousands of years, manatees were likely rare visitors to Florida, occasionally migrating from the Caribbean during favorable climate conditions. Archaeological evidence suggests Indigenous Floridians saw them more as curiosities than a significant food source. Even when European settlers arrived, manatees were scarcely mentioned in records from the 1500s and 1600s.
Things started to change in the 19th century. Warm winters and growing human populations helped manatees expand their range, particularly along Florida’s Atlantic coast. By the 20th century, the construction of canals and power plants created warm-water refuges, giving manatees places to survive cold snaps. Conservation laws, first passed in 1893, further bolstered their numbers, though illegal hunting continued for decades.
Today, manatees face new challenges. Pollution-driven algal blooms are destroying their food supply, and the loss of warm-water refuges due to power plant closures poses a significant threat. Climate change adds even more uncertainty to their future.
But there’s hope. Understanding how manatees have adapted to human-altered environments can guide conservation efforts. Protecting their habitats, restoring seagrasses, and developing alternative refuges are all steps we can take to ensure Florida’s gentle giants thrive for generations to come.
By looking to the past, we can shape a better future for manatees—and for the waterways they call home.
Dubious EAA 'water resource project' (rock mine) lurches ahead (VoteWater.org) - A controversial proposal to convert 8,600 acres of Everglades Agricultural Area land into a rock mine under the guise of a water resource project is advancing despite concerns over potential environmental impacts, financial benefits to Big Sugar, and a lack of transparency in the approval process.
City of Miami wants to eliminate recycling in 2025 (Miami Herald) - Miami's City Commission is considering ending citywide recycling services due to high contamination rates and outdated equipment, with a proposal that would grant the Solid Waste Department flexibility in determining service levels and potentially introduce drop-off locations for uncontaminated recyclables.
Research on past hurricanes aims to reduce future risk (ScienceDaily) - Research led by The University of Texas at Arlington analyzes isotopic compositions of past tropical storm precipitation to better understand their impact on regional water resources, aiming to improve preparedness and reduce future risks as climate change intensifies storm frequency and severity.
USGS Study: Water scarcity a risk for 27M Americans (Water Education Foundation) - A USGS study warns that water scarcity poses a risk to 27 million Americans, highlighting the growing challenges of managing water resources in the face of increasing demand and climate change.
Young conservatives want to push Trump on climate change — the 'America First' way (Grist) - Young conservatives in the American Conservation Coalition are working to influence Trump's second term with an "America First" climate strategy that promotes clean energy innovation and deregulation while maintaining support for fossil fuels, aiming to reshape the Republican stance on climate change without compromising conservative values.
Partnership helps Southwest Florida reduce water use on farm by 40 percent (Fresh Plaza) - A partnership between Sakata Seed America Inc. and UF/IFAS Extension has helped a Southwest Florida research farm reduce water use by 40% through the use of soil moisture sensors, leading to improved root growth, reduced fertilizer leaching, and lower operational costs.
Manatee Steals Yet Another Camera In Hilarious POV Video (InspireMore) - A curious manatee in Florida was caught hilariously stealing a diver's camera, hugging the selfie stick and taking close-up selfies, highlighting the playful nature of these gentle, protected sea mammals. (Video)

Florida’s EV Readiness Rollback Undermines Local Communities
In 2024, Florida lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1084, stripping local governments of the ability to require developers to prepare parking lots for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Cities like Miami-Dade, Orlando, and Tampa had enacted forward-thinking EV readiness rules to save costs and meet growing consumer demand, but these local efforts were nullified by the state.
The bill transfers control to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which recently issued statewide rules that exclude any EV readiness requirements. This decision has sparked concern among sustainability advocates, who argue that preparing for EV infrastructure during initial development is far cheaper than retrofitting later.
Proponents of SB 1084 claimed it would provide uniformity across Florida, but critics see it as another example of the state overriding home rule. Local governments, best equipped to address their communities’ unique needs, are increasingly losing their authority as the state centralizes control. This one-size-fits-all approach leaves Florida communities less prepared for the transition to cleaner transportation.
The U.S. wants to cut food waste in half. We're not even close. (Grist) - The U.S. is far from meeting its goal of halving food waste by 2030, with recent research highlighting stagnant waste levels and emphasizing the need for stronger federal policies, improved prevention strategies, and a shift in public perception to prioritize reducing waste over composting.
Trump Moves Again to Exit the Paris Agreement. Here’s What That Means (Inside Climate News) - President Trump has signed an executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, citing economic concerns, a move experts warn could undermine global climate efforts, harm the American economy, and weaken the nation's international standing.
We can make fertilizer more efficiently under the surface of the Earth (ScienceDaily) - Researchers at MIT have developed a sustainable method to produce ammonia for fertilizer by harnessing Earth's natural heat and pressure, potentially offering an energy-free, carbon-neutral alternative to conventional production methods that could significantly reduce emissions and costs.
The Supreme Court Let Lawsuits Against Oil Companies Proceed. This Is What It Means (Inside Climate News) - The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed climate lawsuits against major oil companies, such as Honolulu's case seeking damages for climate impacts, to proceed in lower courts, potentially leading to significant financial accountability and setting a precedent for similar cases nationwide.
Wildfire smoke is always toxic. LA's is even worse. (Grist) - Wildfires in Los Angeles have released exceptionally toxic smoke by burning thousands of homes and buildings, raising concerns about long-term health impacts from hazardous chemicals, contaminated water, and lingering air pollution even after the fires are extinguished.
Fiction to reality: Will the US ever embrace insect cuisine? (Grist) - Despite the environmental and nutritional benefits of eating insects, cultural resistance and misinformation hinder their acceptance in the U.S., though advocates believe changing perceptions and creative culinary approaches could help normalize insect-based cuisine.

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