Things To Do In SW Florida

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday a bill banning TikTok on government devices along with two other bills targeting Chinese influence.

The other measures restrict land ownership in Florida by Chinese citizens and further limit colleges and universities from building relationships with foreign “countries of concern” such as China.

DeSantis said the legislation, which will take effect July 1, “makes it very clear we don’t want the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party) in the Sunshine State.”

“They have established a position of economic might, of industrial hegemony, and their military is far stronger today than it was 20 or 25 years ago,” DeSantis said during an event in Brooksville. “They have a leader who’s very ideological and is intent on expanding CCP influence, not just in their region but even around the globe.”

DeSantis, who has been working to build international credentials ahead of an anticipated presidential run in 2024, blamed “elites in our own country” who for a generation have favored “short-term profits” with China. He did not specify the individuals. read more

How familiar are you with the Kia Challenge?

Even if you answered “Not at all,” you may have still heard about the TikTok trend of people hot-wiring and stealing Kias and Hyundais for fun.

This was an alarming turn of events for the owners of around 8.3 million at-risk cars, a number estimated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While both Kia and Hyundai have announced software updates to address the issue, many of those vehicles are still unprotected, according to the NHTSA — including the cars owned by both writers of this article.

For full transparency: Ryan drives a Hyundai, Drew drives a Kia and neither vehicle is currently eligible for the software updates. So this article is more than just another assignment — it’s also the advice we’re following to protect our cars.

What is the Kia Challenge?

The Kia Challenge started in Milwaukee with a group called the Kia Boyz. They gained local notoriety in 2021, but found a national audience in July 2022 when a TikTok video showed how to hot-wire a Kia with only a screwdriver and a USB cable. read more