By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — When Florida voters went to the polls in 1998, they passed a constitutional amendment that made a series of election-related changes, including requiring nonpartisan races for county school board seats. But 26 years later, voters could change course. Voters are casting ballots on a proposal, […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With the industry’s problems exacerbated by Hurricane Milton, Florida citrus growers are turning to state and federal lawmakers for help. Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Johnson said Wednesday he’s met with farmers from North Carolina and Georgia, who sustained damage in last month’s Hurricane Helene, […]
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 […]