GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis, lauded by conservatives for his efforts to reopen Florida businesses and schools early in the deadly pandemic and who opposed mandatory vaccinations and masks, easily won re-election Tuesday. The victory sets national expectations for a possible showdown against former President Donald Trump in a …
Read More »Ticketed for speeding 116 mph, UF student tells trooper he didn’t want to be late for class
Ticketed for speeding 116 mph on a crowded stretch of Interstate 75 in this college town, a University of Florida student told the trooper the reason for his fast driving: He didn’t want to be late for class on the first day of the fall semester. Just his luck, he …
Read More »A Florida law takes effect that requires the state to hit certain cleanup levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’
PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals most commonly found in drinking water, groundwater and soil. These toxic substances are known as forever chemicals due to their carbon-forming bonds that make them indestructible.
Read More »Congress passes legislation to address toxic algal blooms in South Florida, bill to target manatee restoration
As the bill waits for the president’s signature, local officials feel that this legislation is bringing together federal, state and local efforts in a cohesive attempt to restore the seagrass and manatee population.
Read More »FBI investigating whether Florida prisoner sent threatening letter to US judge
A federal grand jury has indicted a self-described gang member with a violent criminal history in a Florida prison, accusing him of mailing a ruthless threat to a senior federal judge in Jacksonville – and trying to frame one of his fellow prisoners, according to court records.
Read More »Large alligator killed that menaced Florida paddleboarder in viral video
Florida wildlife officials have now killed a nearly 12-foot alligator that swam within inches of a frightened paddleboarder in a popular state park during an encounter in September recorded on video that went viral. The male alligator – 11 feet, 10 inches long – was shot in the head one …
Read More »‘Rape loophole’: Florida bill raising penalty for sexual assault against intoxicated victims dying in Legislature
A bill with bipartisan support aimed at protecting college students by increasing penalties against those who sexually assault intoxicated victims is dying as Florida’s legislative session comes to a close. The measure would have raised the penalty for raping a woman who had become drunk at a bar while celebrating …
Read More »US appeals court reconsiders Florida transgender rights case
ATLANTA – Andrew Adams, the plaintiff in a landmark civil rights case from Florida, was in the courtroom Tuesday while a full panel of federal appeals judges considered weighty issues of gender and identity about him at the center of the nation’s culture wars. The case challenged a decision by …
Read More »Landmark Florida case challenging transgender athlete law to depend on related case before US appeals court, judge says
The outcome of a landmark civil rights lawsuit being waged over Florida’s new law banning transgender girls from girls’ sports teams in schools may depend on the verdict in a related legal battle, a judge has ruled.
Read More »Former NYPD officers in Florida heralded by DeSantis include surprises
New details are emerging about the newest dozen police officers lauded by Gov. Ron DeSantis for moving to central Florida from New York City to escape what the governor described as low morale and a lack of support from Democratic politicians there. The new hires include one previously fired as …
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