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Students and adults with disabilities had an up and down year with funding thanks to the state legislature and Governor. As Matt Galka tells us, that’s not stopping uniquely abled young people from pursuing their career goals.

Disabled 18 year old Ioana Zanchi says the Able Trust’s Youth Leadership Forum helped her decide to go to college and possibly pursue a law degree one day.

“As an individual with a disability it’s all about finding your purpose, and I always feel like it’s very important to find a job that you really enjoy,” she said.

Students from across the state hoped to find similar paths Friday.  The Forum aims to help connect kids with potential careers. Tyler Von Harten says he’s always wanted to be a television weatherman, but it’s not easy.

“It’s kind of difficult because with a disability, there’s a lot of people that have doubts about your presentation as a minority being on television. I want to break through that barrier,” he said.

The Career Fair comes in the same week that the Governor signed a bill that will allow disabled students to better save for college.

The new law boosts the amount families can save for children with disabilities without being hit with taxes.  But there were heavy cuts to the Adults with Disabilities program and a veto for job training and college scholarship programs.

Keynote speaker Neil Romano, who has served in the U.S. Office of Disability Employment and has dyslexia, says that budget cuts matter, but it will take a change in perception to truly enable people with disabilities.

“We have an entire history of saying they can’t, we now have to change the mindset and say “no, they can.” So you can’t change that with dollars,” he said.

Expect the funding fight in Florida to continue.  The programs that were vetoed this year were backed by the State’s Senate president.

Governor Rick Scott signed the ABLE Act this week, which allows families to deposit up to 100 thousand dollars into trust fund accounts to help people with disabilities remain financially independent.  The previous amount was limited to only two thousand dollars.

Voters will be deciding the future of solar in the state next year if some pro-sun groups have their say. But as Matt Galka tells us, a new ballot effort has caused a solar flare up within Florida.

Simpler Solar Systems owner Al Simpler says the sunshine state needs to embrace its name and solar power.

“Maryland is now using more solar than we are, it’s time to step up,” he said.

He’s backing an amendment initiative for the 2016 election. The group Floridians for Solar Choice is gathering petitions to allow homeowners and businesses to harness and sell up to two megawatts of solar power without government intrusion.

The effort is heavily opposed by utility companies and now another group.  Consumers for Smart Solar launched their own ballot initiative this week. They seek to allow Floridians to install solar panels on their homes…something they can already do. Smart Solar is also calling the Solar Choice amendment shady.

“People that didn’t use solar would end up being charged or having to bear some responsibility for maintaining the grid,” said Screven Watson with the group.

Floridians for Solar Choice says the rival ballot effort is deceptive.

“There’s no solar companies supporting what they’re doing, it’s just basically the large power companies who want to maintain the status quo, and they don’t want to have a robust market here in Florida for solar power,” said Steve Smith with the group.

The opposing amendment isn’t the only shade being thrown Solar Choice’s way. They’re also getting opposition from the League of Cities and the Attorney General.

Despite the opposition, Floridians for Solar Choice has already collected around 100 thousand signatures. They’ll need almost 600 thousand more to get the proposal on 2016’s ballot.

The Florida Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments for the Floridian’s for Solar Choice’s ballot language in September.

If you’ve been getting those annoying robocalls trying to pitch you a product, you’re not alone. As Matt Galka tells us, the Attorney General’s office says there’s been a spike in the phone scams this year.

The sound of the phone ringing is getting to be cringeworthy for thousands of Floridians.

“We’re seeing an increase in the number of robocall complaints, about a 70 percent increase in the first half of this year to our office alone,” said Attorney General spokesman Whitney Ray.

Ray says companies can unleash up to 1,000 calls every minute trying to sell you something you never asked for.

“If you receive a robocall that’s pitching a product, more than likely that’s a scam and you should hang up the phone,” he said.

The Attorney General’s office and Federal Trade Commission recently shut down two scams in the state. One company targeted seniors with a promise of a medical bracelet.

“They were promising that these devices were free, but they were getting the financial information of seniors and charging their credit cards,” said Ray.

So what should you do if you get one of these annoying phone calls? Just hang up and don’t press any numbers on the phone even if you’re asked to.

“A lot of robo calls will prompt  you to press zero to talk to a live operator, or hit the pound sign to be taken off the call list, but by doing that you’re verifying to the machine that there’s a live person on the other end of that phone and this could lead to more robocalls,” said Ray.

If you think you’ve been a victim, write down the information of the caller from call ID and you can report it to the Attorney General’s office.

There are some instances where robocalls are legal. Political organizations and nonprofits can make the calls.  Attorney General Pam Bondi is also tweeting out tips on how to deal with robo calls from her twitter page @AGPamBondi.

How would you like to have an eight thousand dollar stipend to pay for traveling from your home to your office? Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez Cantera’s office is in the state Capitol, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the Lt. Governor has managed to arrange work related state paid trips to and from his Miami home most every weekend…and when he hasn’t traveled, it’s because he never made it to the Capitol that particular week.

Since being sworn in in January, Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera has made 24 trips to or from his home in Miami at taxpayer expense. The price tag…just under 8 thousand dollars.

Miami is where the Lt Governor’s family still lives, and most trips there were are on Thursdays or Fridays, and return trips to the Capitol, often a week or two later, are on Monday or Tuesdays. Peter Butzin, Board Chair for Common cause calls the trips questionable.

“You know, what we’ve got here is either an egregious abuse of state travel policy or a remarkable coincidence.”

Lopez Cantera, is a millionaire six times over and while jobs events are sited as a reason for some trips,  Lopez Cantera has stopped showing up. On July 7th, Rick Scott touted job creation in nearly Hollywood Fl.

But the Lt. Governor was nowhere to be found that day

In June we also reported that the Lt. Governor works just about a third of the time, logging 368 Hours since January while people working 40 hour weeks put in 968 hours on the job.

Lopez-Cantera is expected to announce that’s he’s running for the U-S Senate, so the big question is…will he resign his Lt. Governor’s gig.?

“That’s a decision he’ll make” Rick Scott said last week.

But democratic Spokesman Max Steele has another take on it all.

“Is that the message he want to take to the US Senate that he’s going to live large on the taxpayers dime and not show up for work?”

Travel records for the Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture, both of whom maintain residences in other counties, are less than one fourth of the Lt. Governor;s. Lopez -Cantera is expected to announce his Senate Plans on Wednesday.

A bill allowing concealed weapons on college campuses here in Florida failed in the state legislature this past year, but as Matt Galka tells us, a court decision could expand where guns are allowed.

Campus gun-free zones could be changing pending a court ruling.  The first district court of appeal heard a case Tuesday morning from the University of Florida.  Pro-gun group Florida Carry says students have a right to possess firearms where they live, even if that’s in university housing.

“Well number one it’s not kids, it’s adults and all the other firearm use and possession laws that apply to them. These are people that you are with every day that have carry permits who you’re next to in the grocery store,” said Florida Carry attorney Lesley McKinney.

A circuit judge sided with the university last year in the case. UF says a student doesn’t have to live on campus if they want to keep a gun in their room.

“Florida carry appealed that decision and I cannot speak specifically to what was argued in court today, we’ll wait for the decision,” said spokeswoman Janine Sikes.

A bill that would have allowed guns on campuses throughout the state failed in the legislature earlier this year. Campus police from universities across the state, including UF, opposed the bill.

“It’s about the faculty who have expressed to me they will not feel safe,” said UF Police Chief Linda Stump-Kurnic in March.

But Florida Carry says the ban is unconstitutional.

“You can’t force someone to wave a constitutional right in order to gain a benefit of attending a public university. If that’s true, then university’s can require students to wave their fourth amendment rights and be subject to search at any time,” said lead counsel Eric Friday.

A ruling could set the stage for an expansion of where guns could be allowed on campuses state wide if the ruling goes Florida Carry’s way.

There’s no timetable on a potential ruling. It’s expected that the legislature will take up the bill allowing guns on campus in next year’s legislative session. The proposal is backed by the National Rifle Association.

A state Supreme Court ruling requiring Stand Your Ground defendants to prove their innocence has the National Rifle Association hopping mad. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the decision will likely result in state lawmakers getting involved.

It was Christmas 2011 when a car nearly ran an Indiana family off the road on their way to Disneyworld. Jared Breatherick made a frantic 911 call.

“And he stopped in the middle of the road and won’t move his vehicle.”

When the other driver approached,  Breatherick help up his holstered gun and the driver backed off. That driver made his own 9-1-1 call.

“He has a gun pointed to me on the back of my car.”

Now the Supreme Court has upheld Breatherick being charged with aggravated assault.  The court also ruled it was up to Breatherick to prove he was entitled to stand your ground immunity, not prosecutors to prove he wasn’t. Marion Hammer of the National Rifle Association says the decision is an assault on second amendment rights.

“Under our system of justice, you are innocent until the state proves you guilty. They have reversed that. If you protect yourself and your family against the criminal, you are now guilty until proven innocent” says Hammer.

Lawmakers are almost certain to get involved in coming months with legislation that will clarify or minimize what the court has done.

State Rep. Alan Williams says the ruling is now an opportunity for lawmakers to scrap stand your ground and start over.

“There are provisions of the law that allow aggressors to get away with murder, so I want us to repeal it and start over, so hopefully this is our opportunity” says Williams.

Legislation, if filed, could reignite the Stand Your Ground battle as early as September.

The NRA says the court decision will have a chilling effect on people willing to protect themselves or their families because people will be afraid of being charged with a crime and may hesitate when danger is imminent.

Over the weekend, Florida State footballF team was told to stay out of bars in the State Capitol after two players were arrested in separate incidents last week. Florida State Running Back Dalvin Cook remains suspended from the team. Cook was arrested Friday and is the second player in a week to be charged with hitting a woman in the face. De’Andre Johnson was show throwing a punch on video released early last week. It is not Cook’s first brush with Tallahassee authorities. A year ago, he was cited by animal control agents for improperly chaining three puppies with a heavy chain which immobilized them. He was also cited for failure to provide the animals shelter. The infraction carries a $275 fine.

The court battles are over and now Florida is taking the next steps to grow and distribute a form of medical marijuana. As Matt Galka tells us, farmers around the state are waiting to see if they’ll be selected to grow the plant.

Hackney Nursery owner George Hackney has never grown marijuana.  That could change soon for the Gadsden County farmer.  Hackney is one of 28 applicants that applied to grow a low-THC medical marijuana strain known as Charlotte’s Web. Experts say it’s effective in helping seizure patients.

“We researched it and we talked to parents, we talked to doctors, and we found out there is a need,” he said.

Hackney’s nursery has the tools and has assembled a team that includes lab and medical experts.

“We felt we had the ability to grow a really quality product that could be a benefit to these children and help them out. And, hopefully, at the end of the day, might be a profit in there for us,” said Hackney.

The Department of Health will only be granting 5 licenses to growers.

The process opens the door for the bigger question of whether or not the state will ultimately expand medical marijuana use or even jump to recreational use. Medical Marijuana Business Association’s Jeff Sharkey says the low-THC law is limited.

“It potentially does not help as many people, patients as possible, as it could.  There’s strong interest in expanding the medical conditions and increasing the potency of the medical canibus,” he said.

Hackney isn’t sold yet on expanding past medical uses.

“I can’t answer that, I don’t know, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing for Florida or not,” he said.

He and the other applicants will have to wait about three months before they know whether or not they’ll be growing the medicinal pot on their farms.

Growers say it will take about a year to grow and cultivate the medical marijuana plant.

In a strongly worded opinion, the state’s highest court told lawmakers they did not follow the publics will in redrawing the state’s congressional districts. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the decision is a victory for voters.

More than 6 of every ten voters told lawmakers in 2010  that they wanted congressional and state legislative maps drawn without concern for party or individual legislators. Then, when the redistricting process began in 2011, Senate redistricting chairman Don gaetz promised the most open and transparent process in the state’s history.

“Every citizen was listened to respectfully” gaetz told fellow Senators.

But in a strongly worded opinion, the Florida Supreme Court said that was a myth.

The high court court threw out 8 congressional districts which will likely require redrawing the entire state. The court found the districts were draw by Republicans to benefit Republicans.  Pamela Goodman, the President of the FL League of Women Voters calls the decision a major victory.

“The message the court sent today…they sent our legislature to the woodshed and they should have. They gave them a firm, firm reprimand” says Goodman.

Jimmy Smith was the only lawmaker at the Capitol on Thursday. He told reporters lawmakers will get it right sooner than later.

“We are experienced at this. We’ve already had people who have, obviously, dealt with the whole mapping process. I don’t think it will be a problem to come up with new maps when it comes time” said Smith.

The Congressional maps are likely just the first domino to fall. The same evidence that proved those maps were drawn illegally is set to be used again, when the state senate maps are challenged this fall.

So far lawmakers have spent more than six million of your tax dollars defending the illegal maps.

Each day of a special session to redraw the maps will cost taxpayers at least 60 thousand dollars, and tens of thousand more to defend the new maps in court.

The fight over recognizing Confederate symbols and soldiers has spilled over into the state’s Veteran’s Hall of Fame. As Matt Galka tells us, Southern soldier supporters continue to push for inclusion.

A board of former military members set out to nominate a new class for the Florida Veteran’s Hall of Fame Thursday. The induction of this year’s class was interrupted by a small outburst earlier in the week.

Sons of Confederate Veterans member David McCallister has been lobbying for rebel soldiers to be included. The law says only veterans serving in the Spanish American War and on are eligible.

Dale Landry with the NAACP says it’s more than that. He says the soldiers should be excluded for what they fought for.

“The Confederacy served for one purpose. They seceded because they were angry that the North was talking about dealing with slavery and ending slavery. Let’s not get that confused,” said Landry.

McCallister says it should only be about the service.

“We’re not about the flag, we’re not about any kind of public display of the flag or anything else except the Veteran’s Hall of Fame and I think to bring anything else into this conversation is disingenuous and overreaching,” he said.

Retired Military and current State Representative Jimmie Smith tried to keep the peace by encouraging both parties to reach a compromise. He says the state statutes are fine but there’s wiggle room if a former Confederate soldier went on to serve in the United States military.

“Somebody is, or has served in the Confederate Service, but has served in the U.S. army afterwards, or Navy, subsequently they should be allowed,” he said.

Three confederate soldiers were denied entry in the state’s most recent class. Another two submitted for next year’s also didn’t make the cut.

Eight Veterans were nominated for the next class of the state’s Veteran’s Hall of Fame, including former Governor Lawton Chiles.

At least five Florida State Football players are being questioned by the state in the case of former Quarterback De’ Andre Johnson, who is seen punching a woman in a Tallahassee bar. Johnson was kicked off the team on Monday night after the video of the incident was released. Now, as Mike Vasilinda tells us, authorities want to know what was said afterward.

Subpoenas have been issued for five FSU football players who were in a Tallahassee Bar when Freshman quarterback De’ Andre Johnson was caught on surveillance video punching a woman in the face.  Two players, Malique Jackson and Wilson Bell were questioned Tuesday. Three more, Jacob Pugh, Auden Tate and Mavin Saunders face questions from State Attorney Willie Meggs on Friday.

“He left with them, and I’m interested in, number one, what they saw, and what he may have said. So I am compelling some of them to come in and answer those questions” says Meggs.

The altercation took place here, In a bar just a block off campus, two weeks ago.

Requests for the woman to tell her story continue unanswered. Johnson’s attorney says

his client was provoked after the woman allegedly used the N word. The State Attorney says he doesn’t buy the claim.

“I’ve talked to several people who were there, and so far the case doesn’t get weaker. It gets stronger” says Meggs.

Johnson was thrown off the team Monday after the video was released. FSU President John Thrasher issued a statement Tuesday supporting the decision, saying in part “I have no tolerance for the behavior exhibited in this case”

De’Andre Johnson has a case management hearing scheduled for July 22nd, but any resolution of this case is likely months away.

Popular ride sharing service “Uber” says they’re leaving one Florida county. As Matt Galka tells us, it’s a fight over local regulations that will spill into the next state legislative session.

Ride sharing service Uber says they’ve had enough with at least one part of Florida.  The California based company that lets almost anybody turn their car into a pop-up cab says they’re pulling out of the lucrative market of Broward County at the end of July.

Uber spokesman Cesar Fernandez says local government regulation restricts business.

“Florida is obviously a big state, over 400 cities, 67 counties, it’s always difficult when there’s a patchwork of local regulation,” he said.

The legislature failed to pass uniform rules for the state this year. Growing tensions will most likely drive lawmakers next legislative session.

Cab companies led the charge against companies like Uber this year saying they’re not playing by the same rules and that traditional cabs have more rules to follow.  State Representative Matt Gaetz said lawmakers will need to get a handle on the situation next year.

“In Broward County it appears the Cabbie Cartel has scored a temporary victory. Our job in the state legislature is to make sure we have fair and reliable rules for everyone in Florida,” said Rep. Gaetz (R-Shalimar).

Uber Driver Tom Villaverde says he’s worried about his future as a driver. Tallahassee city officials are getting ready to put their own Uber regulations into place.

“I’m hoping for new, modern regulations not the old antequated ones that are used for cabs, because they’re two different things,” he said.

Villaverde said he’s gone ahead and been finger printed just in case tougher background checks will be required.

Uber lobbied to have bills be included in Florida’s special session this past June, but legislation was not taken up.

Florida State University wasted no time dismissing freshman Quarterback De’Andre Johnson after video released yesterday shows him punching a woman in the face. Johnson was charged with battery, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, the football player and his family say it is the woman who should face charges.

In a  written statement and in an interview, De’Andre Johnson’s lawyer, Jose Baez,  says the woman in the June 24th altercation in a Tallahassee bar was the initial aggressor.

“It began with the woman turning around and raising her fist at him. She later strikes him in the groin area with her leg. And then takes a swing at him before he even responds” says Baez.

The family is calling for the woman to be charged, But State Attorney Willie Meggs says he went over the video frame by frame with the woman, who says the first contact was by Johnson when he elbowed her in the back. She turns to tell him to back off…he them pushes his way to the bar where she raises her hand. He grabs her. She responds by kneeing him and attempting to throw a punch. He then lets loose with a right to her face.

Q:”Both the lawyer and the family are saying that she should be charged.”

“I can tell you one hundred percent she is not going to be charged” says Meggs.  “She is not going to be arrested. She was not the agressor in this case.”

State Attorney Meggs says the video is very strong evidence, and he says the woman still has a black eye.

We went to the woman’s Tallahassee address to ask her about the altercation.
“apparently not home.:”

In a written statement just hours after the video was released, the FSU football program dismissed Johnson from the team. He had previously been suspended indefinitely.

Today, FSU President John Thrasher issued a statement supporting the dismissal. Johnson has entered a not guilty plea and is due in a Leon County Court on July 22nd.

Monday was supposed to be a joyous celebration of the new class of Florida Veterans inducted into the state’s Veterans Hall of Fame.  But as Matt Galka tells us, a wild scene erupted because of a Confederate Veteran supporter.

David McCallister with the Sons of Confederate Veterans group was outraged Monday. He’s pushed for Confederate Florida soldiers to be honored in the state’s Veteran’s Hall of Fame.

“CONFEDERATE VETERANS SERVED FLORIDA, TOO! WHY ARE THEY NOT BEING PUT INTO THE VETERANS HALL OF FAME? IT’S A SCANDAL!” shouted McCallister.

Florida’s Governor and cabinet rejected 3 Confederate soldiers from the hall of fame earlier this year – including a former Governor, U.S. Senator, and Florida National Guardsman.

Dale Landry with the Florida NAACP has been against including the soldiers all year.

“They should keep it just the way it is, for the veterans who died serving our country,” said Landry.

The main reason Confederate soldiers aren’t currently allowed in the hall of fame: they never served in the United States military because they fought for the Confederacy.

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs went ahead with the ceremony and inducted 5 new members into the state’s Hall of Fame.

Surveillance video released by the office of State Attorney Willie Meggs appears to show freshman FSU quarterback De’Andre Johnson punching a woman at the bar Yanni’s. Johnson was charged with battery after the video was seen by the State Attorney. He has been suspended from the team indefinitely.