Haiti

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discuss a proposed federal bill to lower property insurance rates, concerns on Capitol Hill over Citizens, possible changes in real estate commissions and its effect on Florida realtors, this week's elections, an update on the turmoil in Haiti and its impact in Florida, why some state universities are giving students more time to decide, and March Madness meets spring training.

With Haiti's main airport still closed, Haitians in South Florida can only watch as gangs that control Port-au-Prince violently tear through their families' neighborhoods.

Haiti is a country in crisis. Freelance photojournalist Octavio Jones, who's worked with WUSF and NPR, was on the ground there earlier this week and documented what he saw.

Florida's governor is deploying troops and law enforcement officers to intercept any migrants coming by boat from Haiti. Some Haitian-American leaders say it's more about politics than being prepared.

The state Division of Emergency Management said a plane carrying 14 people landed Wednesday evening at Orlando Sanford International Airport.

International search and rescue nonprofit Project Dynamo launched Operation: Rum Runner last week. It’s a mission to rescue stranded Americans in Haiti.

Hundreds of faith leaders in Florida and throughout the country have pledged to write their local representatives to ask for more humanitarian aid for Haiti.

More than 30 U.S. citizens were on the government-chartered flight, officials said in a statement. It later arrived at the Miami International Airport.

Humanitarian aid groups say some 1.4 million Haitians are on the verge of famine, and more than 4 million require food aid, sometimes eating only once a day or nothing at all.

A proposal to install new leadership in Haiti appears to be crumbling as some political parties rejected the plan to create a presidential council that would manage the transition.

The governor said he is sending a mix of law enforcement, fish and wildlife and National Guard personnel to the waters around Florida's southern peninsula.

Ariel Henry, Haiti's de facto leader, agreed to resign once a transitional presidential council is installed and interim prime minister named. The Caribbean bloc of nations brokered the deal.