Hurricane Dorian, Florida's New Governor, Parkland Anniversary

MIAMI, FL — Florida dodged a close call from Hurricane Dorian in 2019 thanks to a"pretty strong right hand turn" while the grieving Parkland community continued its healing process as families of the 17 shooting victims commemorated the first-year anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre.

Even as the memories from that shooting seem all too fresh, a gunman from Saudi Arabia killed three people at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola before being shot dead himself.

Floridians also welcomed a new governor for the time in eight years as Republican Ron DeSantis settled into the Florida Governor's Mansion with his wife, Casey, and their two young children to become the Sunshine State's 46th chief executive.

Meanwhile, Florida also welcomed a new U.S. senatoras former Republican Gov. Rick Scott took the seat of of former Sen. Bill Nelson after a hard fought election.

As one of his first acts as governor, DeSantis suspended embattled Broward Sheriff Scott Israel over his handling of the horrific Valentine's Day 2018 school massacre in Parkland as well as Israel's handling of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport shooting in which five people were killed in 2017.

The Florida Senate later disregarded a recommendation to give Israel his job back and instead voted 25-15 in favor of Israel's removal.

Star War's Galaxy's Edge opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2019, while officials announced plans for a new Star Wars-inspired hotel.

Universal Orlando announced plans for a fourth theme park in the United States that will be called Universal's Epic Universe with a promise to deliver an "entirely new level of experience that forever changes theme park entertainment."

Florida man became a thing when people started Googling "Florida man" followed by the month and day of their birthday. The entire challenge was based on Florida's well deserved reputation for crazy news headlines.

In sports, Running back Lamical Perine of the University of Florida lifted the Gators to a 36-28 victory over the University of Virginia in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

But the University of Miami football team was defeated by Louisiana Tech by a score of 14-0 in the Independence Bowl broadcast on ESPN.