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 […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Four busy Florida ports will see direct impacts from an International Longshoremen’s Association strike for higher wages that began Tuesday. JAXPORT in Jacksonville, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, PortMiami and Port Tampa Bay are among ports along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where tens of […]
By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Ranchers, farmers and timber growers are reporting widespread damage from the wind and rain of Hurricane Helene, which raced through rural North Florida last week. Chicken houses had roofs blown off. Acres of sweet corn and carrots were laid horizontal. Irrigation systems have been uprooted. […]
Nearly 40,000 insurance claims had been filed in Florida as of Sunday from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall Thursday night in Taylor County and caused widespread damage in the state. The number of claims and estimated insured losses will increase in the coming days and weeks. Here are initial numbers as of Sunday: — $434,696,041: […]
The News Service of Florida Attorneys for the state late Monday urged a Leon County circuit judge to reject a political committee’s request for a temporary injunction to block the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration from disseminating disputed information about a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights. A 26-page document filed in Leon County […]
By Jim Turner & Tom Urban, The News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency for 41 counties as a storm system is expected to rapidly grow into a powerful hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. The system, expected to be named Helene, was forecast Monday to reach northern […]