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The investigation into a November shooting that killed two at a Tallahassee Yoga studio found the shooter had an intense hatred of women.

Now that father of one victim is partnering with Florida State University on groundbreaking research into the hate and violence resulting from some men who who feel sidelined by the opposite sex.

Investigators found the Yoga studio shooter had a long history of inappropriate behaviour with women.

It including posting songs about violence and hatred. He was also involved in dark chats with others who call themselves incels…short for involuntary celibate.

“They feel like they have been unfairly deprived with intimacy with women,” said Dr. James Clark, Dean of FSU’s College of Social Work. “And that their only recourse is to strike back at women.”

Jeff Binkley is the father of Maura, one of two who died in the shooting.

“This will support positive solutions,” said Binkley.

Through a foundation called Maura’s Voice, Flordia State University will oversee research into men like the one who pulled the trigger last November.
“Ideas before Ideology. Research before rhetoric. Policy before politics,” said Binkley.

Researching what lead to her death and preventing violence to others is exactly what Maura Binkley would have wanted according to her best friend Audrey Benson.

“Maura wanted to do good. She wanted pursue policy,” said Benson.

Maura Binkley marched with Parkland Students a year ago, but her father says this isn’t just about guns.

“The primary focus as stated is addressing these root causes of hatred. Helping identify dangerous individuals,” said Binkley.

Monday would have been Maura Binkley’s 22nd birthday.

One goal of the research is to learn how men who hate women move from hatred into believing violence against women is the only way to get retribution for their perceived slights.

Alabama and Georgia bore the brunt of Sunday’s dangerous storms, but families living just a dozen miles east of the state Capitol spent the day digging out from a tornado that struck the Baum Community.

Ten Houses were hit, five of them completely destroyed.

“About ten homes have suffered substantial damage, and about half of those completely destroyed. You saw out here, some of these homes completely taken off the frames,” said Leon County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson Shonda Knight.

David Byler was sitting at home when the warning on his phone went off shortly after eight o’clock Sunday night.

“The four of us huddled up inside our pantry, and all hell broke loose,” said Byler. “They say it sounds like a freight train, it sounds like a freight train running over you. The house was shaking. Debris, bug debris hitting the front of the house. The front door flew open, wind rushed through, and all this happened in about forty-five seconds.”

Two people were hospitalized, but no one died.

You could soon be rewarded for shopping around for less expensive medical procedures.

Part of a multifaceted approach by Republican lawmakers to cut down on medical costs.

Nearly half of the state’s annual budget goes to health care.

House Speaker Jose Oliva says the rising costs for both the state and consumers is the result of a lack of competition in the market place.

“We have to bring in some real market forces into it so that people have to compete for that business,” said Oliva.

A new bill aims to incentivize patients to shop for the lowest cost procedures.

It would allow insurance companies to return 25% or more of the money policy holders save by finding cheaper options.

Those savings could then go towards paying off policy holders’ premiums or future health care costs.

“It’s a chance to actually spend a few minutes and save money and put money in your pocket,” said Bill Sponsor Rep. Paul Renner. “And who wouldn’t do that?”

Other proposals include importing cheaper Canadian drugs and encouraging certain medical procedures to be conducted outside of hospitals, where costs are higher.

“You put all those together and we start to see a better market, a lower cost for Floridians, while improving access and maintaining the high quality that we have in the state,” said Renner.

Democrats say Medicaid expansion is missing from Republican’s health care fixes.

“All the polling has shown Floridians support the expansion of Medicaid,” said Senator Annette Taddeo.

Taddeo is sponsoring a constitutional amendment to put Medicaid expansion on the 2020 ballot.

“We’re leaving money at the table, money that we send to the Federal government that should be coming back to cover approximately 800,000 Floridians,” said Taddeo.

Republicans have traditionally opposed Medicaid expansion, arguing the system is already overwhelmed and adding more people to the program would reduce the quality of care.

If Democrats aren’t able to push their proposed amendment through the Legislature, there’s also citizen’s initiative collecting signatures that could put the question of Medicaid expansion before voters in 2020.

One out of three veterans in Florida don’t use all the benefits they’re entitled to leaving tens of millions of dollars in veterans benefits unclaimed, but some lawmakers are seeking funding for a new website that would make it easier for service members past and present to find out what they qualify for.

The bill seeks a $130,000 appropriation to expand Florida’s Network of Care Database to offer information about veterans services and benefits.

“And that’s veterans specific. So it has very particular information from DOD, Reserve Affairs, the VA,” said Bruce Bronson, President of Trinity Integrated Resources, the company that would be contracted to host the database. “It makes it much easier for veterans to readjust to coming home and to be able to find a way to move forward in their lives.”

The Florida Network of Care already offers a website for mental health services, broken down by region.

If the new Legislation passes a similar site will launch, that will tell veterans what benefits, jobs and services are offered in their part of the state.

“From anywhere you’re at you can, you know I need emergency financial assistance, I’m at risk, they’re turning my power off and I’m getting kicked out of my house. They hit a button. It takes them directly to Project Vet Relief. And they go there to Project Vet Relief, they get money to stay in their home, they don’t become homeless,” said Retired Navy Commander and Veterans Advocate, Dennis Baker. “So there’s a lot of prevention here, but mostly it’s just a one stop shop.”

And supporters say when veterans use their benefits, everyone is better off.

“It’s going to bring Federal VA dollars into the area. It’s going to free up Medicaid, state Medicaid money for others people, that can use that money for a better use. To help them recover from the hurricane, that’s just an example,” said Baker.

If the funding is approved by the Legislature it will take roughly four months for the site to be completed, putting the launch data somewhere around the end of this year.

So far the bill hasn’t been scheduled for any committee hearing in the House.

The Senate companion has not been filed yet, but that is expected to change.