North Florida agencies aid Panhandle as Hurricane Isaias recovery continues

Sheriff’s teams from Columbia County deployed to Santa Rosa County in the Panhandle as northwest Florida communities continued recovering from Hurricane Isaias, with more than 12,000 customers still without power as of Tuesday night. Utility crews from Starke traveled to Alabama to assist with restoration efforts. Separately, reporting highlighted how post-Hurricane Michael building code reforms adopted eight years ago are now being tested by Isaias, the Panhandle’s first direct hurricane strike since 2018.

Sources: WCJB TV20 · WUFT News

House District 22 candidates disagree on root causes of rising family costs

Candidates vying for Florida House District 22 — which includes portions of Alachua, Gilchrist, and Levy counties — are offering competing explanations for the financial strain on local families. Democratic candidate Amy Trask emphasizes the burden of childcare costs, citing personal experience as a single mother paying as much as $1,200 a week. Republican incumbent Chad Johnson points to housing regulations as a barrier to building affordable homes for lower-income and first-time buyers.

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Sources: WCJB TV20