Comment on Sales tax holiday for hurricane preparedness starts even as Idalia looms

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers have started filing what are expected to be hundreds of proposals seeking money for local projects and programs — but legislative leaders are cautioning not to expect as much spending as in the past few years. As of Tuesday morning, House members had filed 40 funding proposals, while one had been filed in the Senate, according to legislative websites.

Among the many ambitions of the Community Classroom Project in Delray Beach is to nurture a new generation of food entrepreneurs — there may be no better example of what is possible than local chef and restaurateur Michael Salmon. After decades as a made man on the New York culinary scene, which included a turn as a finalist on “Food Network Star,” Salmon is now the owner of FlyBird in Delray Beach, an elevated comfort-food spot on Linton Boulevard that specializes in chargrilled chicken. Salmon will be one of the chefs taking part in Pub at the Hub, the annual fundraiser for the Community Classroom Project on Saturday night at The Hub at Space of Mind in downtown Delray Beach.

By MARIA SHERMAN, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The 2025 Grammy Awards are right around the corner, which means it is time to get those viewing party plans in action. Allow us to help. The 67th annual Grammy Awards will still take place Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles — though the Recording Academy has refocused its aim to support relief efforts following the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires. Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2025 Grammys, including how to stream and where you can see music’s biggest stars walking the red carpet. When does the Grammys start and how can I watch? The main show will air live on CBS and Paramount+ beginning at 8 p.m.

By KRISTIN M. HALL and TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female student was killed and another student was wounded Wednesday in shooting in a Nashville high school cafeteria, police said. The 17-year-old shooter, who was also a student at Antioch High School, later shot and killed himself, Metro Nashville Police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news conference. The student who was wounded in the shooting suffered a graze, Aaron said. Families wait a school buses arrive at a unification site following a shooting at the Antioch High School in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan.

By BYRON TAU, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s not just criminal prosecutions that worry those who have crossed President Donald Trump. There are more prosaic kinds of retaliation: having difficulty renewing passports, getting audited by the IRS and losing federal pensions. For the many people who have made an enemy of Trump, his return to the presidency this week sparked anxiety.

Gov. Ron DeSantis stunned the Florida Legislature by holding a press conference announcing his intention to call for a special legislative session to focus on a volley of issues that include immigration and condo reform. There’s a real need to tackle the issue of astronomically high HOA and maintenance fees that condo owners are facing in South Florida after the passage of a poorly crafted law requiring maintenance investments in buildings while also mandating vast amounts of reserve funds for these buildings. Thomas Kennedy is a former member of the National Democratic Committee. However, DeSantis seems to be prioritizing immigration again for the special session.