Hit-and-run leaves man in critical condition

A man is in critical condition, and police are searching for the driver and the car that hit him.

The hit-and-run occurred in the eastbound lanes of Southwest 30th Avenue and Davie Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale about 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Immediately following the crash, the suspect turned southbound on Southwest 29th Terrace, police said.

The victim, identified only as an adult man, was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in critical condition.

The driver fled the scene, and now police are trying to find the vehicle, an older, gold Toyota Corolla, possibly a 1997 to 2005 model. Investigators said they believe the vehicle has heavy front end damage and is missing a front hub cab.

Authorities ask anyone with information to call 954-764-HELP or Traffic Homicide Investigator P. Williams at 954-828-5755.

“Under this grant program, the Department of Environmental Protection will provide grants to local governments to cover the cost of community resilience planning.”

Sen. Ray Rodrigues

TALLAHASSEE — Part of a House plan to combat impacts of rising sea levels drew bipartisan support Monday in what is expected to be a short trip through Senate committees.

The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved a bill (SB 1954) that includes spending up to $100 million a year on projects to address flooding and sea-level rise and creating a grant program for local governments.

“Under this grant program, the Department of Environmental Protection will provide grants to local governments to cover the cost of community resilience planning,” said Sen. Ray Rodrigues, an Estero Republican who is sponsoring the bill. “For example, conducting vulnerability assessments and developing plans and policies to allow communities to prepare for the threat from flooding and from sea level rise.”

The proposal, part of a plan House Speaker Chris Sprowls introduced on Feb. 26, also includes setting up a three-year statewide flooding and sea level resilience plan that the Department of Environmental Protection would update annually.

The bill has support from Audubon Florida, the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

The proposal must get approval from the Appropriations Committee before it could go to the Senate floor.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who proposed a $1 billion, fouryear plan to help communities fight rising sea levels, has suggested using some of the new federal coronavirus relief money heading to Florida for the “resiliency” efforts. DeSantis also earlier proposed issuing bonds for the projects.

But House leaders have resisted bonding proposals to avoid long-term debt. Sprowls’ proposal calls for spending $25 million next fiscal year on the program, with the amount jumping to $100 million a year starting in the 2022-2023 fiscal year without issuing bonds.

The House version of the bill (HB 7019) has cleared one committee and next goes before the State Affairs Committee.