By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Republicans had a great night. Democrats? Not so much. And 60 is a magic number in Florida. Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s elections: — NO DOUBT: In 2022, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis won a second term by 19.4 percentage points, and Republican U.S. Sen. […]
By Dara Kam and Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — In a show of Republican strength in Florida, incumbent Corey Simon on Tuesday handily defeated Democratic challenger Daryl Parks in what was considered the only competitive state Senate race and the GOP maintained supermajorities in both legislative chambers. Simon’s double-digit victory in […]
By The News Service of Florida State university-system leaders are trying to quickly educate themselves about how a tentative legal settlement involving compensation for athletes, including some no longer in school, might change college sports in Florida. The system’s Board of Governors on Wednesday directed members of its Budget and Finance Committee to learn about […]
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 […]