Dread and Relief at Session Halfway Mark

Dread and Relief at Session Halfway Mark

By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Midpoints can carry a split sensation of dread and relief. And Capitol insiders aren’t immune to those emotions, as the halfway mark of the 2020 legislative session nears. With just five more weeks until the annual 60-day spectacle ends, the heat is on for lawmakers […]

Senate Passes Parental Consent Requirement

Senate Passes Parental Consent Requirement

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In a major victory for abortion opponents, the Florida Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would require parental consent before minors could have abortions. The 23-17 vote tees up the measure for the House, which is almost certain to pass it. The bill would […]

House Budget Chief: Losses to Voucher Program ‘Relatively Small’

House Budget Chief: Losses to Voucher Program ‘Relatively Small’

The News Service of Florida House Appropriations Chairman Travis Cummings on Wednesday said he is not overly concerned about the financial impact of corporate donors halting donations to the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. School voucher supporters said this week the decision by Wells Fargo and Fifth Third Bank to stop future contributions to the […]

Weapon Related Arrests Increase in January, Total Arrests Slightly Down

Weapon Related Arrests Increase in January, Total Arrests Slightly Down

A review of LCSO Booking Reports show that the number of weapon related arrests increased in January 2020 when compared to weapon related arrests during January one year ago. In January 2019 there were 71 arrests that involved weapons charges. That number increased 25.4% to 89 in 2020. The overall number of arrests in 2020 […]

Current Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, Tied to Anonymous Email that Derailed Her Replacement

Current Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, Tied to Anonymous Email that Derailed Her Replacement

UPDATE Julie Meadows-Keefe told TR that she had nothing to do with setting up the email account truthtellertimesup@gmail.com. She does not understand how her cell phone is connected to the email. She is now worried her email has been hacked. Original Report Tallahassee Reports has learned that the personal cell phone number of Julie Meadows-Keefe, […]

A Leon County Park Update: Completed and Current Projects

A Leon County Park Update: Completed and Current Projects

The Leon County Parks and Recreation Department recently released the annual report highlighting Leon County’s accomplishments for 2019 and its current projects that should be completed within the next 12 to 18 months. Below is a summary of ten projects. In September 2019 a new community park opened at the corner of Orange Ave. and […]

Leon County Updates Emergency Management Mutual Aid Agreements

Leon County Updates Emergency Management Mutual Aid Agreements

At the last Board meeting, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the renewal and update of the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement. The agreement is between local governments in the state of Florida which will enable reciprocal emergency aid during disasters. Currently, disasters where aid is given […]

Debate Rages Over Vouchers, LGBTQ Policies

Debate Rages Over Vouchers, LGBTQ Policies

By Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio said Monday a decision by Wells Fargo and Fifth Third Bank to pull contributions to a Florida school-voucher program is a “publicity stunt aimed at earning wokeness points with the radical left.” The banks announced last week that they would stop […]

Florida Ballot Initiatives: Alive, Dead and In Between

Florida Ballot Initiatives: Alive, Dead and In Between

By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Raising the minimum wage will be on the November ballot. Allowing recreational marijuana won’t. With a critical petition-signature deadline Saturday, those and other high-profile ballot initiatives have met different fates. Two initiatives are on the ballot, two others could be headed that way, one has […]