April 25, 2024
News Service of Florida
COVID-19 Cases Down, Deaths Top 78,500
The numbers of Florida residents testing positive for COVID-19 have decreased the past two weeks, but the coronavirus has killed more than 78,500 residents since the pandemic started in 2020,...
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Published on 8/14/2022
State tax collections top expectations
With inflation pushing up prices of taxable items, Florida’s general revenue substantially topped expectations in June and in the recently completed state fiscal year.
General-revenue collections in June were $978.7...
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Published on 8/12/2022
Unemployment Claims Dip in Florida
First-time unemployment claims in Florida dipped for a third consecutive week.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday released a report that estimated 5,656 initial claims were filed in Florida...
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Published on 8/11/2022
Florida, other states target mask requirement
State Attorney General Ashley Moody and other Republican politicians from across the country urged an appeals court this week to uphold a Florida federal judge’s ruling that blocked a mask...
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Published on 8/10/2022
School Challenges Ruling on Pre-Game Prayer
A Tampa Christian school has asked a federal appeals court to find that the Florida High School Athletic Association unconstitutionally prevented a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a 2015...
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Published on 8/10/2022
A federal judge is weighing a legal challenge by businesses to Florida's Stop WOKE Act
A federal judge on Monday questioned part of a new Florida law that restricts the way businesses can address race-related concepts in employee training, as he weighed a request to...
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Published on 8/9/2022
Slot Machine Revenues Beat Expectations
As pari-mutuel facilities returned to more-normal operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, state tax collections from slot machines topped expectations.
A report released Monday said slot-machine tax collections totaled $241 million...
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Published on 8/9/2022
Recreational pot in Florida? Constitutional amendment filed for 2024 ballot
Trulieve, the state’s largest medical-marijuana operator, and country-music legends The Bellamy Brothers are backing a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana by people 21 or older....
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Published on 8/8/2022
State leaders roll out a 'massive' public-private program to stem the opioid epidemic
As Florida grapples with nearly 2,000 overdose deaths so far this year, state leaders on Wednesday announced a “massive” effort to address opioid addiction in counties that need it most....
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Published on 8/8/2022
Less Smoking Hits Tobacco Settlement Revenues
Florida likely will see lower-than-expected revenues from a landmark settlement with the tobacco industry because fewer people are smoking or smokers are cutting back.
State economists on Friday released a...
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Published on 8/8/2022
Vote-by-Mail Totals Increase as Early Voting Nears
Nearly 660,000 vote-by-mail ballots have been cast in the Aug. 23 primary elections, with in-person early voting starting soon, according to data posted on the state Division of Elections website....
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Published on 8/5/2022
Florida Jobless Claims Remain Low Amid Economic Concerns
As unemployment claims in Florida remain relatively low amid inflation and debate about a potential recession, Gov. Ron DeSantis is promoting the need for infrastructure projects as one brace against...
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Published on 8/5/2022
Florida leaders announce "massive" effort to address opioid epidemic
As Florida grapples with nearly 2,000 overdose deaths so far this year, state leaders on Wednesday announced a “massive” effort to address opioid addiction in counties that need it most....
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Published on 8/4/2022
South Florida abortion clinic fights $41,000 state fine over waiting period
A South Florida abortion clinic is fighting an attempt by state regulators to impose a $41,000 fine over allegations that the clinic did not show that it provided required information...
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Published on 8/3/2022
Nearly 600,000 primary ballots already cast
Almost 600,000 Floridians had cast vote-by-mail ballots as of Wednesday morning for the Aug. 23 primary elections, with Democratic voters outnumbering Republicans, according to data posted on the state Division...
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Published on 8/3/2022
Lottery sales beat expectations but start to slow
Florida Lottery ticket sales were $370.3 million higher than expected during the recently completed fiscal year, even with a slowdown in play during the second half of the year, according...
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Published on 8/3/2022
Three Property Insurers Downgraded
In another sign of problems in Florida’s property-insurance market, a financial-ratings agency has withdrawn ratings for two insurance companies and downgraded another company.
The Demotech agency on Monday withdrew financial-stability...
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Published on 8/2/2022
Floridians Continue Pulling Plug on Phone Lines
Not that long ago, millions of Florida homes and businesses had landline phones.
But a new state report details the continued disappearance of what was a staple of life and...
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Published on 8/2/2022
Moody and hospital districts are in a legal battle over opioid settlements
Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office this week pushed back against two public hospital districts battling Moody about settlements with pharmaceutical industry companies over the opioid epidemic.
As part of a...
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Published on 8/1/2022
Space Florida Eyes Playing Bigger Financial Role
Florida’s aerospace agency wants to expand its role from helping companies finance rocket and satellite projects to more directly getting money into the hands of firms seeking to move burgeoning...
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Published on 8/1/2022
Florida launches plan to temporarily help keep homeowners insured if ratings get downgraded
Amid fears that a financial-ratings agency will downgrade numerous property-insurance companies, Florida regulators Wednesday announced a stopgap plan to try to make sure homeowners can maintain coverage.
The plan involves...
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Published on 7/31/2022
Florida to get $70 million in transportation resilience money this year
Florida will get $70 million this fiscal year to address the effects of climate change on transportation infrastructure and evacuation routes as part of a new federal program.
In all,...
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Published on 7/31/2022
Lottery gets boost from $50 tickets
The Florida Lottery has seen growth in the sales of instant tickets because of people buying new $50 scratch-off tickets, a lottery official said this week.
"When you look at...
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Published on 7/29/2022
JetBlue, Spirit Airlines Reach Deal
A day after scrapping a planned merger with Frontier Airlines, the Miramar-based Spirit Airlines on Thursday announced a deal with JetBlue.
Under the deal, JetBlue will pay $3.8 billion, or...
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Published on 7/28/2022
Florida Weekly Unemployment Claims Dip
Despite concerns about a possible recession, the number of first-time unemployment claims filed last week in Florida decreased.
The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 6,511 claims were filed...
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Published on 7/28/2022
