Florida motorists paid an average of $2.67 a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline Monday, a 14-cent drop from a week earlier, according to the AAA auto club. “Crude oil prices remain relatively unchanged from the end of 2025 and unaffected amid questions about Venezuela’s impact on the oil market,” AAA said in a news release. […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida After months of speculation, Lt. Gov. Jay Collins on Monday announced he will run for governor this year, setting up a Republican primary fight against Congressman Byron Donalds, former state House Speaker Paul Renner and investment firm CEO James Fishback. The announcement, which came a day before […]
By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix All eight Democratic U.S. representatives from Florida have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to immediately restore temporary protected status (TPS) to Venezuelans in the U.S. following the administration’s military attack on Venezuela last weekend. TPS provides a shield against deportation for people from counties in the middle […]
By The News Service of Florida High-school sports coaches would be able to spend their own money, up to $15,000 annually per team, to help players in need of food, transportation or recovery services, under a bill filed Thursday for the upcoming legislative session. The bill (HB 1253), filed by Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, […]
By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix Florida businesses that purposely ignore whether employees are legally in the United States could face hefty fines or even criminal charges if they hire more than 50 undocumented immigrants, according to a sweeping new immigration package. Filed Wednesday by Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, the 34-page bill would presume certain non-citizens […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida The University of West Florida Board of Trustees on Thursday approved former state Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., an ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, to serve as the university’s president. Diaz, who has been interim president since July, emerged from a search as the lone finalist for […]
By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix Legislation that would require new Florida voters to show proof of U.S. citizenship has again been filed in advance of the Florida legislative session kicking off next week in Tallahassee. HB 991 reportedly has the backing of the Florida supervisors of election and is sponsored by state Reps. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, […]
By Liv Caputo, Florida Phoenix Undocumented immigrants in Florida won’t be able to attend public universities if a sweeping new education bill passes the state Legislature. The 32-page SB 1052, filed Monday by Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall, instructs public colleges and universities to exclusively admit students who are “citizen[s] of the United States” […]
By Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida Florida lawmakers next week will start the 2026 legislative session. With hundreds of bills filed for consideration during the session, here are 10 issues to watch: — ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Gov. Ron DeSantis has made a priority of creating what he has dubbed an “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights.” […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida Former longtime Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence President and CEO Tiffany Carr on Monday pleaded no contest to two felony charges stemming from allegations that she bilked the state out of money earmarked for domestic violence shelters. Carr, 57, appeared on Zoom from a hospital bed to […]