Environment

CSU revises 2026 hurricane forecast downward, citing El Niño conditions

Colorado State University has lowered its Atlantic hurricane season outlook for the second time this summer, now projecting nine named storms and four hurricanes — down from earlier estimates of 13 named storms and six hurricanes. Forecasters attribute the quieter outlook to El Niño-driven warming in the Pacific Ocean, which is generating stronger wind shear over the Atlantic that suppresses tropical storm development. NOAA’s original forecast is aligned with the revised CSU numbers.

Sources: WUFT News · WCJB TV20

City

Homeless taskforce warns $11M in federal funds at risk over immigration resolution

The TaskForce for Ending Homelessness has cautioned Alachua County and City of Gainesville leaders that pursuing an immigration resolution could jeopardize approximately $11 million in federal funding. In letters to city and county staff on the Continuum of Care Leadership Council, the organization warned that adopting such a resolution could carry unintended consequences for state and federal funding that supports thousands of local residents. The federal dollars at stake, sought through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, are intended to address homelessness in the area.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

State & National

Lawsuit accuses Florida governor candidate Byron Donalds of assaulting woman in 2022

A lawsuit filed this week alleges that Republican gubernatorial front-runner Byron Donalds confronted and threatened a woman at a Naples grocery store in August 2022, during a dispute connected to prior litigation involving his wife. The plaintiff, who was accompanied by her husband and two young children at the time, claims Donalds berated and insulted her and made threatening statements. Donalds’ campaign communications director called the suit a baseless, politically motivated attack and shameful publicity stunt.

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Sources: WCJB TV20