A federal judge has shielded Escambia County School Board members from having to testify in a legal battle about the removal of children’s books from school libraries. United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on Friday issued a 15-page order agreeing with the school board that members do not have to give depositions because of […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Damages to farmers and ranchers from Hurricane Milton may double the statewide agricultural destruction from three other storms that pummeled Florida since August 2023, according to state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson. Simpson estimated Milton caused between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion, […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday issued an order allowing voting-related changes in counties hammered by Hurricane Milton, the second time in less than a month flexibility has been given to supervisors of elections because of catastrophic storm damage. Milton made landfall in Sarasota County last […]
By Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With voters already casting mail-in ballots, candidates in a hotly contested North Florida legislative race squared off on Tuesday as Democrats try to chip into Republicans’ supermajority in the state Senate. Republican Sen. Corey Simon, a former Florida State University football star who went on […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration on Friday denied a license for a new Pensacola abortion clinic, rejecting a recommendation by an administrative law judge who said the application should be approved. Agency Secretary Jason Weida signed a 49-page final order that cited a […]
BY Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — A federal appeals court recently backed a chapter of the group Moms for Liberty in a constitutional challenge to Brevard County School Board policies that placed restrictions on speakers at board meetings. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said policies targeted […]
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast last night as a Category 3 storm, bringing wind speeds of 120 mph and over a dozen tornadoes and thunderstorm warnings. See live updates here. Among the greatest dangers is Milton’s storm surge, expected to reach up to 13 feet as of this writing. An estimated 6 million Florida residents were […]
Hurricane Milton is set to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area this evening as a Category 3 storm with winds of 111-129 mph, the first major hurricane to hit the area in over 100 years. See a time-lapse video of Milton from space here (via X). The region’s west-facing geographic location and typical weather patterns make direct hurricane landfalls […]
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — After seeking help from the Florida Supreme Court on the meaning of the word “riot,” a federal appeals court Monday overturned an injunction against a 2021 state law aimed at cracking down on violent demonstrations. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of […]
By The News Service of Florida With 84,400 claims filed, estimated insured losses in Florida from Hurricane Helene have topped $835 million. Data posted Thursday on the state Office of Insurance Regulation website showed $835,853,221 in estimated insured losses, up from $656,767,627 on Tuesday and $507,534,581 on Monday. Of the 84,400 claims, almost exactly half […]