This story has been updated to correct in the 14th paragraph that Jones was fired from the Health Department and did not resign, and more precisely describes the felony criminal case against her. Rep. Matt Gaetz and challenger Rebekah Jones argued over the best health care for service members and …
Read More »Behind scenes at Senate debate: Different styles for Demings, Rubio
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to remove a reference that reported incorrectly that only Rubio’s press team spoke to credentialed reporters after the debate. Both candidates sent representatives into the spin room. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – As the sun set and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” blasted …
Read More »Rubio, Demings tussle in Senate campaign’s only debate but no knockouts
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Val Demings tangled late Tuesday night in a feisty, one-and-only debate on hurricane relief for Florida, future limits on abortion, gun rights and illegal immigration. There were no knockout punches thrown. Rubio, facing his closest re-election campaign in more than …
Read More »New surveys of Florida colleges, universities fail to support concerns over anti-conservative sentiment
Concerned about what they worried was anti-conservative sentiment on college and university campuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers ordered a survey of nearly 2 million students, faculty and staff across the state. Results are in, and they did not go as expected. Most faculty, instructional staff and administrators who …
Read More »DeSantis extends early voting by up to 2 days in hurricane-ravaged counties
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday extended early in-person voting by up to two days for next month’s midterm elections in three largely Republican counties in southwest Florida ravaged by Hurricane Ian. DeSantis also allowed officials there to open “super” voting centers, made it easier to request …
Read More »Living without internet: Library is hot spot after hurricane disconnected parts of Florida
Still without home internet access, Charlotte county residents are returning to their remote jobs by logging in at the Punta Gorda Charlotte library.
Read More »Protesters disrupt first visit to UF for school’s presumptive new president
Hundreds of boisterous student protesters drove Sen. Ben Sasse from a stage Monday afternoon at the University of Florida, where he has been selected as the sole finalist to become the school’s next president. Before he was interrupted, Sasse – a conservative Republican – defended his remarks opposing forgiveness of …
Read More »Sanibel residents return to hurricane-ravaged island by boat, await bridge repair
With Sanibel’s causeway bridge still out of commission from damage during Hurricane Ian, many islanders in southwest Florida scrambled to secure transport by boat this weekend, the first time they were allowed home.
Read More »‘Just heartbreaking’: Southwest Florida small family farmers struggle after Hurricane Ian
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Watching from an elevated window at home as Hurricane Ian struck their farm in Fort Myers, the McMahon family saw the storm blow the market roof into the pond. Torrential wind and rain whipped across two acres of hydroponic vegetables. By last week, the fourth-generation farm family …
Read More »Early reports emerge of stunning damage on Florida’s iconic Sanibel Island, still severed from mainland by bridge collapse
FORT MYERS, Fla. – A cement-like mixture of sand, muck and oil cloaks everything on Sanibel Island, one of two barrier islands renowned for their sandy beaches and seashells where Hurricane Ian particularly focused its fury. The mixture smeared across Carolyn Bradbury Schwartz’s face and filled her boots as she …
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