Before you head into the weekend, here's the news you should know
DeSantis touts more National Guard spending
Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped by Pensacola on Thursday, to announce plans to spend more on the Florida National Guard, and the proposed return of a World War II-era organization. That includes more than $87 million to expand the existing readiness center in Miramar, along with three new armories around the state — which will house about 1,500 Guard members. Read more here.
These heritage trees are part of a family's legacy
Devota Pye loved the heritage trees on her property so much that she designed for house floor plans around them. Her daughter, Grace Hawkins, keeps the legacy alive and says she'll never cut the trees down at the Escambia County home. Read more about them here.
Manatees are starving in Florida. Wildlife agencies are scrambling to save them
In Florida, an ecological disaster has led to the deaths of more than 1,000 manatees. The large, slow-moving marine mammals graze on seagrass in shallow coastal areas, but a massive die-off of seagrass has left them without enough to eat. Read more from NPR here.
Judge again rejects injunction in vaccine fight
Disagreeing with two judges in other parts of the country, a Pensacola-based federal judge is standing behind her decision to reject Florida’s request for an injunction against a Biden administration rule that would require health-care workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Read more here.
A new planet?
An iron-rich planet spotted in a nearby solar system could help scientists understand the mystery of how the planet Mercury formed in our own neighborhood. Read more from NPR here.