5 Things to Know in Florida for May 5

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

TEXAS, KANSAS TO JOIN FLORIDA LAWSUIT AGAINST OBAMA

Governors in Kansas and Texas say they’ll join Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s lawsuit against the Obama administration alleging that federal officials are coercing the state to expand Medicaid in order to get $1 billion in federal hospital funds. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback said Monday he plans to file an amicus brief in a fight to protect states’ right to make their own decisions. Scott said Monday that he’d talked with Gov. Greg Abbott, who also pledged support.

GOVERNOR REAPPOINTS TOP POSTS AFTER ABRUPT SESSION END

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is reappointing more than a dozen agency heads in the aftermath of this year’s contentious legislative session. The Florida Senate ended the session last week without confirming dozens of appointments made in the last few months by Scott. Scott on Monday reappointed those holding top spots in 14 state agencies, including the heads of the Department of Health, the Department of Corrections and the Agency for Health Care Administration.

DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE ENDORSES MURPHY FOR RUBIO SENATE SEAT

The Democratic Senate campaign committee endorsed Rep. Patrick Murphy on Monday as its candidate for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican Marco Rubio of Florida, who is running for president. The endorsement comes even as another Democratic congressman, Alan Grayson, is eyeing the same seat. It’s the latest move by establishment Democrats to unite behind Murphy, a moderate in his second House term who represents portions of Florida’s east coast. There are concerns that a run by the liberal and unpredictable Grayson could hurt the party’s chances in a major swing state.

MAN FALLS 30 FEET INTO WATER WHILE CHANGING TIRE

The Florida Highway Patrol says a man is recovering from minor injuries after he got out of a vehicle following a crash, stumbled backward and fell some 30 feet off an approach to the Sunshine Skyway bridge. Troopers say 43-year-old Reginald D. White of Bradenton stopped on Interstate 275 after a tire blew out on his SUV on Sunday night. As he changed the tire, White lost his balance and fell backward, over a barrier wall and into the water below. An incident report says officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rescued White, who was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg with minor injuries.

FLORIDA COUPLE CONVICTED OF HAVING SEX ON BEACH

A couple accused of having sex on a public beach in front of families has been found guilty by a jury. It took the Manatee County jury about 15 minutes on Monday to find 20-year-old Elissa Alvarez and 40-year-old Jose Caballero guilty of lewd and lascivious exhibition. Video played in the courtroom showed Alvarez moving on top of Caballero in a sexual manner in broad daylight. Witnesses testified that a 3-year-old girl saw them.