President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden toured the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Idalia Saturday, taking in the damage by air and by land. The president promised to help with the area's recovery "until the job is done."
Read More »Hurricane, shooting test DeSantis leadership as he trades the campaign trail for crisis management
First a shooting, then a storm. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing a one-two punch testing his leadership at a critical moment for his presidential campaign, with the Republican moving to cast aside his role as culture warrior and show the country that he can govern through crises. His first …
Read More »Prosecutors urge prison sentence for former Rep. Joe Harding
With a sentencing hearing scheduled Sept. 11, federal prosecutors said in a court filing Thursday that former state Rep. Joe Harding, R-Ocala, should be sent to prison for fraudulently applying for business loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Joseph Harding is a businessman and former member of the Florida House of …
Read More »How to watch the first GOP presidential debate on Wednesday night
Republicans are looking at a crowded field to challenge President Biden for the 2024 presidential election and most will face off on a Milwaukee stage Wednesday night for the first GOP debate. Late Monday the Republican National Committee confirmed the names of eight presidential candidates who will participate. The location …
Read More »Democrat announces challenge to Sen. Rick Scott in Florida
TALLAHASSEE — Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, an immigrant born in Ecuador who served one term in Congress, entered the race Tuesday to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott in 2024. The announcement made Mucarsel-Powell the top name in a Democratic field that includes former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and …
Read More »DeSantis suspends Orlando-area prosecutor
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday suspended Orlando-area State Attorney Monique Worrell, accusing the prosecutor of “neglecting her duty” and being lax on criminal enforcement. DeSantis’ suspension of Worrell, elected in 2020 as state attorney for Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit in Orange and Osceola counties, marks the second time …
Read More »Controversial PragerU curriculum approved for Florida classrooms, but it’s unclear where it will be used
Amid the flurry of changes to Florida public school curriculum before the beginning of the academic year, a new set of curricula, published by PragerU, has emerged as approved content for public school teachers in the state. It’s unclear whether the content — controversial because it is seen as conservative-leaning …
Read More »‘Choose Peace’: Gainesville to host gun violence summit to address deaths and violence in the community
Gainesville will host a two-day summit to address the high gun violence rates sweeping the city. The summit, titled “Choose Peace: Gun Violence Must Cease,” will be held Sunday and Monday and seeks to address the nuances and logistical issues facing gun-violence prevention. The event aims to bring community stakeholders …
Read More »After helping prevent extinctions for 50 years, the Endangered Species Act itself may be in peril
SHARON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Biologist Ashley Wilson carefully disentangled a bat from netting above a tree-lined river and examined the wriggling, furry mammal in her headlamp’s glow. “Another big brown,” she said with a sigh. It was a common type, one of many Wilson and colleagues had snagged on …
Read More »What’s happening with GRU? Here’s an explainer as its control shifts to new authority
A timeline of mounting debt, the biomass plant and a power struggle With Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signing of a bill last month appointing an independent board to oversee Gainesville Regional Utilities, customers may be wondering about the future of the city’s utility company. If the headlines about GRU from the …
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