An upward trend in the state’s unemployment rate paused in May, with hiring by small businesses considered “flat.”

The Department of Commerce on Friday posted a 4.8 percent jobless rate for the state.

The rate is unchanged from April and marks the first time the figure didn’t go up since the rate held at 3.7 percent from June 2025 to July 2025.

Nationally, the unemployment rate held at 4.3 percent from April to May.

Commenting after the U.S. Department of Labor’s June 5 jobs report showing the U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs in May, the National Federation of Independent Businesses stated their figures showed little change in the jobs market, with the small business employment index being “essentially flat” in May compared to April.

“Florida’s small businesses continue to feel the pressures from increased costs across business operations, with rising labor costs as a top concern,” NFIB Florida executive director Bill Herrle said in a released statement. “Small business hiring stalled in May as owners continue to report challenges finding qualified workers.”

The latest state figures show an estimated 531,000 Floridians are unemployed out of a workforce of 11.45 million. Both numbers are slightly down from April, but the number of unemployed has grown by 118,000 over the past year.

Also in the last 12 months, the state has seen seven of 10 major employment fields post negative growth, with the private sector adding just 20,200 jobs.

The number of private sector jobs declined from April to May by 2,200.

The report estimated jobs within the area of education and health services grew by 31,400 over the past year. Those gains were driven by a projected 25,800 new jobs in health care and social assistance.

Professional and business services added 17,600 over the past year, followed by 5,300 in leisure and hospitality related jobs.

Those numbers were partially offset by a drop of 15,500 positions over the year involving financial activities, 9,200 among government workers, and 6,900 in the area of trade, transportation, and utilities. Also, construction jobs decreased by 2,900 over the year and manufacturing dropped 500 positions.

South Florida continues to have the lowest unemployment rate, with the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area at 3.6 percent, followed by the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford region at 4.4 percent.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg, Panama City and Naples regions were each at 4.5 percent.

The Melbourne, Jacksonville and Sarasota regions were each at 4.7 percent.

Pensacola was at 4.8 percent, followed Tallahassee at 4.9 percent, Daytona Beach at 5.2 percent and Gainesville at 5.3 percent.

Lakeland was at 5.5 percent.

The Wildwood area that includes The Villages remains at the other end with a 7.6 percent jobless rate, ahead of Homosassa Springs at 6.4 percent and Sebring at 6.2 percent.

Monday, June 22, 2026

Weather: Today, a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm with a high near 92. Tonight, a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm with a low around 76. Tuesday, a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 4pm with a high near 93. Tuesday night, A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, with a low around 75. NWS

US stock markets were closed Friday.

Local & State News

During a candidate forum for city commission seat 5 featuring incumbent Dianne Williams-Cox and challengers Tifany Hill and Dot Inman-Johnson, Inman-Johnson responded with a false statement in her answer to a question related to the FSU Health purchase of the city of Tallahassee owned hospital assets. Details.

Florida’s attorney general concluded the State University System Board of Governors has no legal authority to delay its confirmation vote on Dr. Stuart Bell as University of Florida president. Details

National News

US average gas price drops to $3.93; see state-by-state map (More).

The Trump administration will likely carry out a second round of repairs on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, President Donald Trump said over the weekend, alleging vandals were responsible for algae buildup and large swathes of peeling paint.

In her answer to question on the subject, Inman-Johnson said FSU Health is not contractually obligated to provide indigent care to patients served by Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (TMH) under the new agreement. Inman-Johnson said, “We don’t have a contract that shows a commitment that FSU will continue that commitment…”

However, that is not the case.

It has been widely reported that the agreement signed in April, which transferred city owned hospital assets to FSU Health, has the same provisions for indigent care that the City of Tallahassee agreement with TMH provided. The new agreement requires FSU Health and TMH to provide at least the same amount of indigent care that was provided under the City of Tallahassee agreement with TMH.

In addition to the contractual language, FSU Health has noted that “Charity care and low-income medical access are unchanged by the partnership with Florida State University. The transition explicitly protects vulnerable populations. The legal property deeds transferred from the city include strict, ironclad restrictions requiring FSU and TMH to maintain charity and indigent care commitments that are at least as generous as those previously set forth in the City-TMH lease agreement.”

TR was told that the failure of FSU Health to meet the contractual obligations and provide the appropriate level of charity care would be a breach of contract.

 The State University System’s Board of Governors has no legal basis to delay the confirmation vote for Dr. Stuart Bell as president of the University of Florida, Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office has determined.

BOG Chairman Alan Levine wrote to Chancellor Ray Rodrigues outlining “governance issues” at UF concerning the school’s board’s deferral to chairman Mori Hosseini on key decisions. That held up the BOG’s confirmation of Bell, who was unanimously approved by the UF Board of Trustees earlier this month.

In a letter sent Friday and addressed to BOG member Nicholas Sinatra and written on behalf of Uthmeier, general counsel Greg Slemp stated the university’s board is “not out of compliance,” and Levine is “incorrect to withhold consideration of the Trustees’ nomination on that basis.”

“Chairman Levine’s assertions are not a legally correct basis on which to withhold consideration of the Board of Trustees’ nomination of Dr. Stuart Bell to be the president of the University of Florida,” the letter reads.

Uthmeier is a UF graduate who teaches at the school, a role that pays him $100,000 per year.

Trustees unanimously approved Bell as the school’s 14th president, and Bell was set to be confirmed by the BOG at its next meeting until Levine removed the item from the agenda, saying he was concerned about the “sweeping authority” granted to Hosseini.

In his letter to Rodrigues, Levine alleged Hosseini has been granted “financial, contractual and other delegations that I feel are problematic, inconsistent with best practices in governance,” and run afoul of state regulations.

“One board member may not substitute his or her judgment for that of the other duly appointed board members,” Levine wrote.

Uthmeier’s office, however, said Florida law “provides broad discretion for a university board of trustees to require university presidents to perform various duties, including obtaining approval of the board chair for the hiring and compensation of university personnel or for any other lawful purpose.”

Rahul Patel, vice chair of UF’s board, called Levine’s letter “unfair” and said Bell’s candidacy was being dragged into a dispute “unrelated to his candidacy.”

“Delaying consideration of the unanimously approved president designate of Florida’s flagship university is a consequential action that should be decided by the Board of Governors as a body, not by a single individual acting alone,” Patel said.

UF has been searching for a president for two years after former president Ben Sasse resigned in 2024. Initially, former UF president Kent Fuchs took over on an interim basis, then Donald Landry took over the job – also on an interim basis – on Sept. 1, 2025.

In its search for a permanent president, the university approved former University of Michigan president Santa Ono in 2025, but the BOG rejected their pick with a 10-6 vote.

BOG members questioned Ono’s avowed reversal on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which he embraced at UM when he was president.

Bell has been criticized for the same thing by online activists, who say he backed DEI initiatives during his 10-year tenure as president of the University of Alabama.

Uthmeier has come to the defense of Bell and Hosseini on social media, slamming conservative activist Chris Rufo for questioning Hosseini’s actions and calling for an investigation by the BOG

“You can debate Stuart Bell’s candidacy, but if you want to defame and smear a good man’s name, you’re going to have a real problem with me,” Uthmeier said in response to Rufo.

In his meeting with UF leaders last week, Bell assured the board he would not enact DEI programs as president.

“Let me be clear. I am not coming to Florida to bring DEI or ‘woke’ back, period,” he said.

Before serving as president of the University of Alabama, Bell served as provost and professor of engineering at Louisiana State University and as dean of the School of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Kansas.

Friday, June 19, 2026

Weather: Today, showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, high near 89. Tonight, a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms with a low around 75. Saturday, showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 5pm, high near 88. Saturday night, showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, low around 73. NWS

US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +1.1%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq +2.0%) (More).

Local & State News

Steve Stewart discusses candidate forum for city commission seat 5.

The University of Florida has hit another snag in the push to install a new president. Details

National News

US national average gas prices fall below $4 per gallon for the first time since March, but remain 25% higher than a year ago (More).

Vice President JD Vance delays trip to Switzerland to begin 60 days of negotiations with Iran, including over the country’s nuclear program (More).

The University of Florida has hit another snag in the push to install a new president.

Even though the school’s board unanimously approved Stuart Bell as the school’s 14th president, the chairman of the Board of Governors said Bell would not be confirmed until “governance issues” at UF are reviewed.

In a May 20 letter to State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues, BOG Chairman Alan Levine wrote he was concerned about the “sweeping authority” granted to UF’s Board of Trustees chairman Mori Hosseini and therefore would not put any item on the agenda from a university that is “out of compliance.”

Levine alleged Hosseini has been granted “financial, contractual and other delegations that I feel are problematic, inconsistent with best practices in governance,” and run afoul of state regulations.

“One board member may not substitute his or her judgment for that of the other duly appointed board members,” Levine wrote.

Now, UF’s board plans to name Bell as an interim president until Levine’s concerns are resolved, said Rahul Patel, vice chair of UF’s board.

In a statement the university posted on X, Patel called Levine’s move “unfair” and that his candidacy is being dragged into a dispute “unrelated to his candidacy.”

“Equally concerning is that a decision of this magnitude has been made unilaterally rather than by the full Board of Governors,” Patel said. “Delaying consideration of the unanimously approved president designate of Florida’s flagship university is a consequential action that should be decided by the Board of Governors as a body, not by a single individual acting alone.”

UF’s board will meet on Monday so the university can “continue to move forward while the issue is addressed,” Patel added.

Last week, Bell was confirmed as the next UF president after a volatile two-year search. The university’s first choice in 2025, former University of Michigan president Santa Ono, was approved by UF’s board of trustees, but was later rejected by the BOG with a 10-6 vote.

BOG members questioned Ono’s avowed reversal on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which he embraced at UM when he was president.

Bell has been criticized for the same thing by online activists, who say he backed DEI initiatives during his 10-year tenure as president of the University of Alabama.

In his meeting with UF leaders last week, Bell assured the board he would not enact DEI programs as president.

“Let me be clear. I am not coming to Florida to bring DEI or ‘woke’ back, period,” he said.

Before serving as president of the University of Alabama, Bell served as provost and professor of engineering at Louisiana State University and as dean of the School of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Kansas.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Weather: Today, a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1pm and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Tonight, a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 11pm with a low around 77. Friday, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2pm with a high near 89. Friday Night, showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, low around 75. NWS

US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -1.2%, Dow -1.0%, Nasdaq -1.3%) after Fed holds rates steady, signals at least one rate hike this year (More).

Local & State News

Steve Stewart discusses local government budget workshops.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently pushed for a major overhaul of property taxes paid to cities and counties, will soon decide whether to increase the amount of money local governments and the state must pay out in negligence lawsuits. Details

National News

The US and Iran have remotely signed their deal to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Pakistan’s prime minister said yesterday. Read the 14-point memorandum of understanding here.

US military strikes boat it says was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing one person and leaving two survivors; at least 208 people have been killed in alleged drug boat strikes by the US since September (More).

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently pushed for a major overhaul of property taxes paid to cities and counties, will soon decide whether to increase the amount of money local governments and the state must pay out in negligence lawsuits.

The Legislature sent HB 145 to DeSantis June 15. The governor has until June 30 to sign it, veto it, or allow the bill to become law without his signature.

HB 145 was one of the most hotly contested pieces of legislation during the 2026 regular session, attracting hundreds of lobbyist registrations.

And at least two organizations have sent correspondence to the governor  requesting that he veto the bill. Fourteen superintendents signed on to an April 2 veto letter from the Florida Panhandle Area Education Consortium requesting DeSantis to veto the legislation due to the “significant fiscal impact” it would have on the school districts if it were to become law.

“PAEC’s member districts operate within constrained local tax bases and narrow budget margins, leaving them with limited ability to absorb sudden financial liabilities. While we recognize the importance of ensuring fairness in the claims process, the increases to sovereign immunity caps contained in this legislation would create serious financial exposure for districts that are least equipped to manage it. For many small rural districts, the proposed caps in this legislation would have immediate and substantial consequences,” reads the letter written and signed by PAEC Executive Director John Selover.

DeSantis has not spoken about the bill publicly and his office didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.

HB 145 was supported by the Florida Justice Association, a group that represents trial attorneys. DeSantis has a history of vetoing legislation that has been supported by the trial bar group, including a 2025 bill that would have repealed a 35-year-old law that prevents some families from suing for the wrongful death of loved ones due to medical malpractice.

And in 2021 DeSantis vetoed FJA-supported legislation that would have repealed Florida’s no-fault automobile insurance system a and return to a fault-based system.

The king cannot commit a legal wrong

Sovereign immunity stems from the Latin phrase “rex non potest peccare,” which translates to “the king cannot commit a legal wrong.” It refers to the state’s authority to exempt itself from civil lawsuits, although the state does allow negligence claims against itself and its subdivisions — agencies, cities, counties, and public hospitals — within limits.

Injured parties can sue for damages and collect within the liability thresholds established by law, but if they win awards in excess of the limits they must go to the Legislature in the form of what’s called a claims bill to collect the overage. These in the past have involved harm from traffic accidents caused by government workers, medical malpractice at public hospitals, or wrongful convictions that have resulted in prison sentences.

The caps have been set at $200,000 per individual and $300,000 per incident since 2010, when the Legislature last agreed to address the issue.

HB 145 ups the caps from $200,000 per individual to $350,000 and from $300,000 per incident to $500,000.

An early iteration of the bill also would have changed the claims bill process, including amending the law to permit government entities to settle a claim or judgment in excess of the caps without requiring legislative approval. Moreover the initial bill also would have not allowed insurance policies to condition the payment of benefits on the enactment of a claims bill. Those provisions were removed before final passage.

Though not as much of an increase in the caps as she initially sought, House bill sponsor Rep. Fiona McFarland said she was happy the legislation passed during the 2026 session.

“Passing something is still significant right? We’re raising it [the sovereign immunity caps] from $200,000 to $350,000. That’s like a 75% increase. That’s still meaningful, right? If you are looking at medical bills or loss of wages or, or you know, all of the things that happened to these victims, an extra $150,000 sure goes a long way while you’re waiting for your claims bill to be passed,” the Sarasota Republican told the Phoenix shortly after the final House vote. “And I would rather do that now than … kick the proverbial can for another session and hope that we could maybe get half a million more.”

A lot of lobbying

Records show HB 145 drew 242 lobbyist registrations.

The FJA, meanwhile, reiterated its support for the bill in a prepared statement to the Phoenix Tuesday night.

“While HB 145 doesn’t address much needed reforms to the claims bill process, it is a small step toward addressing the lack of accountability that allows government entities to avoid fully compensating Floridians who have been injured by government negligence,” the FJA statement said.

Another association that opposed the bill was the Florida Hospital Association, which, according to an FHA spokesperson, also sent a letter to the governor June 9 requesting  that HB 145 be vetoed.

In a statement to the Florida Phoenix, FHA President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew said the existing framework is sufficient and “supports accountability without adding unnecessary stress and risk to an already strained system.”

“Florida’s current sovereign immunity framework already reflects a careful balance that supports accountability without adding unnecessary stress and risk to an already strained system,” Mayhew said in the statement. “Public hospitals play a vital role in Florida’s health care system … Every additional dollar diverted to litigation exposure, insurance premiums, settlements or claims administration is a dollar unavailable for patient care, workforce investment, access expansion, and community health priorities.”

The push for the veto comes after the PAEC and the FHA, and nine other organizations sent a letter to legislative leadership during the waning days of the 2026 session imploring them to kill HB 145.

The letter was sent by 11 organizations that collectively identified themselves as the “Sovereign Immunity Coalition.”

“While we recognize the importance of ensuring fairness in claims made against state and local governments, proposed increases and other changes to sovereign immunity caps raise significant fiscal and policy concerns that could negatively affect public services, and the taxpayers that pay for those services,” reads the letter.

Leon County Alum Lee Poppell finished his second round with a final score of 142 (-2), just four shots behind the fourth qualifier. Although Poppell did not qualify, he finished under par with a round of 70 (-2) on the first day and a round of 72 (E) on the second, finishing in 13th place out of a field of 71 golfers.

Poppell advanced to final qualifying after shooting a 4-under 68 to tie for second place at a local U.S. Open qualifier at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra. He carded six birdies during the round, including four on the back nine after making the turn at even par.

The qualifier capped a strong junior season at Troy University, where Poppell posted a 72.06 stroke average, recorded 15 under-par rounds and finished inside the top 25 in eight of 11 events.

According to the May 2026 sales data tabulated by the Florida Realtors® , the median single-family home sales price increased from $340,00 in Mayl 2025 to $355,000 in May 2026, a gain of $15,000 or 4.4%. The increase suggests that home values in the Tallahassee area continue to appreciate, although at a moderate pace that is more consistent with a stabilizing market than the rapid price growth experienced during the pandemic-era housing boom.

Sales activity also improved during the month. Total transactions increased from 330 homes sold in May 2025 to 357 in May 2026, an increase of 27 sales or 8.2%. The rise in transactions indicates that buyer demand remained strong enough to support increased market activity despite higher mortgage rates and elevated home prices.

Year-to-date figures present a somewhat different picture. While overall sales volume is stronger, median prices have softened slightly. Through the first five months of 2026, the median sales price stood at $339,300, compared with $331,000 during the same period in 2025, a decline of $8,300 or 2.5%. The decrease suggests that while May was a strong pricing month, lower-priced sales earlier in the year may have pulled down the cumulative median.

Meanwhile, year-to-date transactions rose significantly from 1,373 sales in 2025 to 1,466 sales in 2026, an increase of 93 homes or 6.8%. This stronger growth in sales volume indicates a healthier level of market participation and suggests that buyers remain active in the Tallahassee market despite economic uncertainties.

Overall, May’s data show a housing market characterized by modest price appreciation and increasing sales activity, while year-to-date figures point to stronger demand but slightly lower average pricing than a year ago.

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Weather: Today, showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 2pm, with a high near 87. Tonight, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm, with a low around 77. Thursday, showers and thunderstorms likely, with a high near 87. Thursday night, showers and thunderstorms likely, with a low around 76. NWS

US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.1%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq -1.2%) ahead of Fed’s interest rate decision today (More).

Local & State News

During a budget workshop, Leon County Commissioners considered some changes to cut expenses if taxpayers vote to roll back property taxes this fall. Details.

Leon County Commissioners want a bigger say in how the Council on Culture and Arts, or COCA, spends local tourist development dollars. Details.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a series of law enforcement-related measures Tuesday, with many of them designed to increase penalties for criminals and give police and prosecutors more options to pursue them. Details

National News

Infant mortality in the US falls to an all-time low of fewer than 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births but remains higher than other high-income countries (More).

Federal authorities said yesterday they disrupted an alleged plot targeting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House, arresting five people and identifying 23 individuals in a related online chat.

County officials said a study found Leon County is more reliant on the funds from property taxes than a typical Florida county, with property tax revenue making up about 60% of the county’s budget. They also said there is no other revenue source that can replace the funds generated by property taxes.

Documents prepared for the workshop reviewed the FY 2027 Preliminary Budget, which totals $420.8 million — a 4.8% increase over the current fiscal year budget. County officials described the upcoming budget year as a transition period designed to prepare for potential structural changes if voters approve a proposed constitutional amendment affecting property taxes.

The proposed amendment, approved by the Florida Legislature for the November ballot, would increase the homestead exemption and direct the Legislature to establish procedures to gradually eliminate homestead property taxes. It would also reduce the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%. County staff estimate the measure could reduce Leon County’s property tax revenue by approximately $71 million, or 30%, during the first two years of implementation.

County leaders discussed cost saving measures to prepare for possible cuts like implementing a hiring freeze for non-essential positions and a voluntary separation program, similar to the one offered by the City of Tallahassee.

“Given the magnitude of the projected property tax reductions, I’m proposing that the county implement immediate stop-gap measures in the current fiscal year to the best position the county for the difficult decisions to be made in the coming months,” Leon County Administrator Vince Long said. “This includes a hiring freeze for all nonessential personnel, a freeze on nonessential travel and training not required to maintain certifications and licenses, a freeze on discretionary community sponsorships, not including those line items approved in March in your budget.”

Long said that these measures are designed to mitigate layoffs to the greatest extent possible by leaving vacant positions unfilled and to realize cost savings that can be used to delay service level reductions.

With commission approval, the hiring, travel and training freezes will extend to the constitutional offices, such as the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Leon County Clerk of Courts.

Amid all the cost saving discussion, commissioners voted 4-3 in favor or a 4% raise for county employees. This will cost the county an additional $800,000, but commissioners in support said this may be the last time they’re able to give raises for a while. Those against said they can’t support spending more on salaries when the potential for property tax revenue to be cut is on the table.

“We’re lucky to have a gap year to prepare for what we have to deal with next year. But as we make our decisions today, let’s make our decisions today understanding what we’re going to have to deal with a year from now, and understanding the position that Leon County – not just the commissioners and not just the constitutionals – but Leon County as a whole is going to be in when we have to deal with those cost-savings,” Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox said.

The county may also enact a voluntary separation program for employees. It would be the second local government to institute that form of cutback.

Specific details related to the issues discussed will be provided at another workshop in July.