April 26, 2024
News Service of Florida
Demand, Refinery Shutdowns Boost Gas Prices
With global demand up and refining capacity down, average gasoline prices have jumped 57 cents a gallon in Florida since the end-of-the year holidays.
Florida motorists Monday were paying an...
Read more »
Published on 1/30/2023
Florida, National Jobless Claims Drop
First-time unemployment claims in Florida dropped about 25 percent last week, while claims nationally were the lowest since April.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday issued a report that...
Read more »
Published on 1/26/2023
Startup Andi Launches ChatGPT Alternative – the First Generative AI Search Assistant that Provides Factually Accurate, Summarized Results
Andi, which is building search for the next generation, announced today that after a months-long stealth period in which it attracted 50,000 users purely by word of mouth, it’s now generally...
Read more »
Published on 1/26/2023
Florida lawmakers are considering more oversight of local utilities
TALLAHASSEE — Florida House members Tuesday raised the possibility of giving state regulators more oversight of municipal utilities.
Members of the House Energy, Communications & Cybersecurity Subcommittee repeatedly touched on...
Read more »
Published on 1/25/2023
More Bonus Money Sought for Police Recruiting
TALLAHASSEE --- After distributing over $6.2 million to recruit new law-enforcement officers from across the country since July 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is seeking $30 million to continue the...
Read more »
Published on 1/25/2023
Florida will pay more than $1.3 million in Medicaid transgender case
TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has authorized more than $1.3 million for legal and expert-witness fees in the state’s effort to ban Medicaid coverage of treatments for transgender people,...
Read more »
Published on 1/24/2023
Florida Supreme Court won't temporarily stop 15-week abortion law
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court on Monday rejected requests to halt a law that prevents abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Justices, in a 4-1 decision, turned down a...
Read more »
Published on 1/24/2023
Florida Jobless Rate Down to 2.5 Percent
TALLAHASSEE --- Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to 2.5 percent in December as businesses continue to struggle to fill positions.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity released a report Friday that...
Read more »
Published on 1/22/2023
1 million Floridians to lose Medicaid benefits this year
TALLAHASSEE — After Medicaid enrollment soared during the first three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1 million Floridians likely will drop off the health-care program in 2023.
Changes...
Read more »
Published on 1/19/2023
Early results eyed in new testing system
A Senate panel on Tuesday reviewed some of the early results of a new “progress monitoring” system of student assessments in public schools.
Lawmakers last year passed a measure (SB...
Read more »
Published on 1/18/2023
Florida considers changing name, image, likeness law to level the playing field
A proposal began moving forward Tuesday in the Florida House that would allow colleges and universities to steer endorsement deals and compensation opportunities toward student-athletes.The House Postsecondary Education & Workforce...
Read more »
Published on 1/18/2023
Ian Estimated Agriculture Damages Tops $1B
TALLAHASSEE --- A soon-to-be-released report will estimate Florida’s agriculture industry sustained about $1.07 billion in damages from Hurricane Ian, with growers of citrus, vegetable and horticultural crops taking the biggest...
Read more »
Published on 1/18/2023
Land deals could aid the Florida Wildlife Corridor
Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday approved $17.8 million in land-conservation deals that include protecting two properties that are part of an envisioned wildlife corridor stretching from...
Read more »
Published on 1/18/2023
Florida citrus growers take another hit; USDA reduces production forecast
TALLAHASSEE --- Florida citrus growers took another hit Thursday, more than three months after Hurricane Ian swept through the heart of the industry.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reduced a...
Read more »
Published on 1/13/2023
Jobless Claims See Post-Holiday Bump
First-time unemployment claims in Florida ticked up after the holidays, while the national total dipped slightly.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday said an estimated 7,110 jobless claims were...
Read more »
Published on 1/12/2023
FGCU Presidential Search Poised for Restart
A search committee is getting two new members as it again looks for a successor to outgoing Florida Gulf Coast University President Mike Martin.
Black Gable, chairman of the university’s...
Read more »
Published on 1/11/2023
Florida's ‘intellectual freedom' college surveys ‘highly problematic,' witness says
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge on Monday began hearing testimony in a trial over the constitutionality of a 2021 state law requiring colleges and universities to survey students and staff...
Read more »
Published on 1/11/2023
Court asks, how should 'riot' be defined in Florida state law?
TALLAHASSEE — A federal appeals court Tuesday turned to the Florida Supreme Court for help as it considers the constitutionality of a 2021 state law that enhanced penalties and created...
Read more »
Published on 1/11/2023
Florida's government pension plan falls 6.7% as market falters
TALLAHASSEE — Government pension plans in Florida and other states took a hit in 2022, as a downturn in financial markets caused investment losses, new reports show.
The reports, released...
Read more »
Published on 1/11/2023
DeSantis Outlines Second-Term Environmental Plans
TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans Tuesday to spend $3.5 billion in his second term on environmental projects such as restoring the Everglades and addressing water-quality problems.
“This may...
Read more »
Published on 1/10/2023
A federal judge has reopened the fight over Florida's transgender athlete law
TALLAHASSEE — After an appeals court upheld a school-board policy that prevented a transgender male student from using boys’ bathrooms, a federal judge has reopened a legal battle about a...
Read more »
Published on 1/9/2023
Florida's jobless claims down during holidays
Unemployment claims in Florida decreased during the year-end holiday period.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report that said an estimated 4,064 claims were filed in Florida...
Read more »
Published on 1/6/2023
State, Feds Set to Clash on Immigration Policies
TALLAHASSEE — Amid a fierce national debate about immigration issues, Florida next week will try to convince a U.S. district judge that the Biden administration is violating federal laws through...
Read more »
Published on 1/6/2023
Florida's emergency management chief seeks changes to disaster response rules
TALLAHASSEE --- Florida’s emergency-management director wants lawmakers to make changes to help with disaster preparation and response, pointing to issues that have arisen as the state recovers from Hurricane Ian...
Read more »
Published on 1/5/2023
Lawmakers Look to Stabilize Agriculture Industry
TALLAHASSEE --- As Florida lawmakers look to reduce foreign ownership of farmland, Senate Agriculture Chairman Jay Collins said Wednesday he thinks growth is possible for the state’s agriculture industry.
But...
Read more »
Published on 1/4/2023
