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Ninety-nine people remain unaccounted for and three people are dead in the Champlain condo collapse in Surfside as of the last status update from Miami-Dade County Thursday night. Rescue crews have been working through the night and the next status update is to be provided at 8:00 am Friday morning. A state of emergency has been declared by the state and federal governments.
In other news, prior to traveling to Surfside on Thursday, Governor DeSantis signed three workforce bills into law. The Reach, or Reimagining Education and Career Help Act creates a REACH Office within the governor's office, tasked with tying all of government careers resources together in one place. On a related note, another law was signed to encourage internships by removing workers' compensation liability from companies and placing it through schools offering internships. The third creates a scholarship program for those seeking vocational education. All three are aimed to encourage and assist those seeking education and careers in the trades.
Lastly, Governor DeSantis signed a new law called “Highway Projects”, which prevents three new toll road projects approved in 2019’s session from commencing. The expansion of toll roads, largely on Florida’s gulf coast, was strongly opposed by environmental groups.