May 19, 2024
News Service of Florida
Gas prices dip below $3 as demand holds steady
Average Florida gasoline prices are back below $3 a gallon but are still up 91 cents from a year ago.
The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded gas...
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Published on 7/26/2021
Appeals Court Reverses Course on Cruise Restrictions
An appeals court on Friday reversed itself and at least temporarily blocked federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention restrictions on the cruise-ship industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A panel...
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Published on 7/25/2021
Numbers Show Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Deaths
The numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Florida continue to increase, with an additional 67,413 infections and 358 deaths reported between July 16 and Thursday, according to data published...
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Published on 7/25/2021
Doctors Blast DeSantis Over COVID-19
Gov. Ron DeSantis has drawn national attention for bucking federal health-care officials over the handling of the novel coronavirus, but a group of Florida physicians said Thursday the governor’s push...
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Published on 7/23/2021
Florida unemployment rate continues upward climb
Florida’s unemployment rate again ticked upward as employers scramble to fill openings amid a surge in spending as people emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity...
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Published on 7/22/2021
Florida part of major opioid settlements
Florida is slated to receive as much as $1.6 billion in multi-state legal settlements with three pharmaceutical distributors and one drug manufacturer stemming from the opioid epidemic, Florida Attorney General...
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Published on 7/22/2021
DeSantis dismisses calls for a red tide state of emergency
Gov. Ron DeSantis toured the Tampa Bay region by boat Wednesday and pledged continued support for ongoing efforts to combat a red tide algae bloom killing marine life and impacting...
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Published on 7/21/2021
Charter school decisions reversed after state pressure
The Hillsborough County School Board is reversing course on a decision to not renew contracts for four charter schools after pressure from the state's top education officials.
The school board...
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Published on 7/21/2021
Canada border changes could help Florida tourism
State economists expressed optimism Tuesday that already-rebounding tourism numbers will see a quicker-than-anticipated boost from international travelers as Canada eases COVID-19 border restrictions.
While decisions remain from the White House...
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Published on 7/20/2021
Duke Energy, hedge fund continue battle
Duke Energy and a hedge fund continued a public battle Monday about the financial performance of the utility, including the operations of Duke Energy Florida.
The West Palm Beach-based Elliott...
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Published on 7/20/2021
State gives assurances on addressing red tide
Department of Environmental Protection Interim Secretary Shawn Hamilton plans to be in the Tampa Bay region Tuesday to address a red-tide outbreak that is being tied to massive sea-life deaths....
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Published on 7/19/2021
Florida still leads nation in new Obamacare enrollment
Florida continues to lead the nation in the number of new people enrolling in Obamacare health plans during a special enrollment period that began earlier this year, according to data...
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Published on 7/19/2021
Approval of hospice programs draws numerous challenges
Legal wrangling has begun over Florida's decision late last month to approve hospice programs in seven counties across the state.
Thirty-four petitions have been filed in state administrative court by...
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Published on 7/19/2021
COVID-19 cases spike in Florida
Florida saw a significant jump in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the past week, a surge noted by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
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Published on 7/18/2021
Citizens braces for influx of policies
Florida’s insurer of last resort is bracing for changes in the commercial market regarding high-rise towers following the deadly condominium building collapse last month in Surfside.
Citizens Property Insurance Corp....
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Published on 7/14/2021
Florida State University names new dean of College of Nursing
Florida State University has tapped Jing Wang to be the next dean of the university’s College of Nursing, billing Wang as a “national leader in digital health” for her experience...
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Published on 7/14/2021
Judge blocks Florida property insurance law
A federal judge has blocked the state from enforcing a key part of a new property-insurance law designed to combat fraud that prohibits roofing contractors advertising to potential customers.
Chief...
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Published on 7/14/2021
State to pay $17.5 million for improper reporting of SNAP benefits
Florida has agreed to pay $17.5 million to resolve allegations that go back a decade regarding improper claims involving the state’s administration of food stamps.
The U.S. Department of Justice...
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Published on 7/14/2021
Florida citrus season ends on sour note
Florida’s beleaguered citrus growers ended the 2020-2021 growing season Monday with a yield below what had already been expected to be one of the lowest in decades.
The U.S. Department...
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Published on 7/13/2021
Key West commissioners revisit cruise ship restrictions
Key West commissioners on Monday directed their attorney to draft ordinances limiting local cruise ship operations, mirroring city voter-approved measures recently overturned by state lawmakers.
During a special meeting Monday...
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Published on 7/13/2021
Florida to seek $945 million from Feds to boost Medicaid
Florida plans on tapping into $945 million in additional federal health-care dollars made available by President Joe Biden’s administration to enhance access to home- and community-based health-care services for poor, disabled and...
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Published on 7/13/2021
DraftKings, FanDuel place $10M bets in backing Florida ballot initiative on gambling
Two major online platforms have dropped $20 million into an effort to legalize sports betting in Florida and direct the state’s proceeds from the popular activity to education.
DraftKings and...
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Published on 7/12/2021
House leader: Legislature may examine building codes
As the investigation continues into the deadly condominium collapse in Surfside, a top Republican Florida House leader said Monday that lawmakers don’t need to make immediate changes to state building...
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Published on 7/12/2021
Florida Cabinet officers Moody, Patronis cite financial gains. Fried hasn't filed yet.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, whose family-owned landmark restaurant in Panama City Beach has recently weathered a major storm and a pandemic, reported his net worth grew 2.8 percent in...
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Published on 7/12/2021
Florida unemployment claims continue to drop
Newly filed unemployment claims continue to slow in Florida, with the state recording its lowest weekly total since the COVID-19 pandemic crashed into the economy in March 2020.
The U.S....
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Published on 7/8/2021
