Tag Archives: Florida

The Insider reports: A district board appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis passed a motion Monday during an emergency meeting to counter-sue Disney. The lawsuit will be filed in central Florida, Martin Garcia, chairman of the board for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, said. It was not immediately clear from Monday’s meeting what the basis of the lawsuit would …

Nexstar Media reports: Bits of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt – a 5,000-mile-wide seaweed bloom – have started to wash up in Florida, but we’re likely months away from peak activity, researchers said Sunday. Photos show piles of the algae starting to accumulate on beaches in Fort Lauderdale, and videos posted by Fox Weather show it piling up in marinas …

The BBC reports: A US principal forced to resign after parents complained about an art lesson showing one of the world’s most famous sculptures has visited the masterpiece. Hope Carrasquilla and her family went to see Michelangelo’s David on Friday at Florence’s Accademia Galleria. They came at the invitation of museum director Cecilie Hollberg, who said that she was grateful …

“If you are an American and you really believe and appreciate America’s core values, it doesn’t matter your ethnicity, when you come here it’s like a second home. Our founding fathers, when they launched the revolution, were not revolting against the British way of life. “They were revolting because they wanted the rights of Englishmen. That’s what they believed. The …

Deadline reports: The federal judge presiding over Disney’s lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has recused himself, citing a conflict of interest. The lawsuit, filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. on Wednesday, accuses DeSantis of a “targeted campaign of government retaliation.” That would violate the company’s First Amendment rights, the suit contends. Friday’s order by U.S. Magistrate …

Florida Politics reports: Never Back Down is rolling out a new ad in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, four early Primary states where the Governor has slumped in polls in recent weeks. The 60-second spot is replete with soaring oratory from the Governor itself, juxtaposed with shots of people consuming his speech — on cellphones, in living rooms …

The Washington Post reports: Florida lawmakers on Friday cleared the path for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to run for president without resigning as governor, approving the measure as part of a broader elections bill. The bill, which passed on a party-line vote in the Republican-controlled legislature, stipulates that a rule requiring political candidates already holding office to resign does not …

“We brought the delegation for prayer at the Western Wall. The only thing I can tell you is my prayer in 2019 is that we would be spared the upcoming hurricane season in the state of Florida. And we were in a situation as we got in the height of hurricane season, you had a monstrous hurricane barreling east – …

Inside Higher Ed reports: During a contentious Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday, five professors at the New College of Florida were denied tenure—even though they had already received approvals at every other point in the process. Those professors are the latest casualties of the culture-war politics that led conservative trustees appointed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis to spearhead a self-declared …

Politico reports: It’s been a tough stretch for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ putative presidential campaign, as chief rival Donald Trump racks up endorsements in the governor’s backyard and hammers him on the airwaves. But DeSantis has one big advantage heading into his likely White House bid: A heap of donor cash. As he prepares to enter the presidential race in …

Dayton’s NBC affiliate reports: An attorney from Ohio is indicted for voter fraud, accused of casting a ballot twice in both the 2020 and 2022 elections. Prosecutors say Shaker Heights Attorney James Saunders voted in Cuyahoga County and Broward County, Florida. An indictment accuses the 56-year-old Saunders of two counts of election fraud, both fourth degree felonies. Saunders is accused …

Politico reports: A federal appeals court sided with Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday when it overturned a lower court’s decision on a controversial voting law. That law, approved by the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature in 2021, placed restrictions on the use of drop boxes and set new requirements for voter registration groups, among other things. A federal judge in March 2022 …

NBC News reports: Former President Donald Trump and his allied super PAC are up with new TV ads Wednesday morning that paint Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as disloyal, criticizing him for considering a presidential bid against his former ally. Trump’s new spot is his presidential campaign’s first television ad. The spot quotes DeSantis saying: “I’d like to thank our …

The Associated Press reports: Florida officials are threatening to revoke the teaching license of a school superintendent who criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis, accusing the educator of violating several statutes and DeSantis directives and allowing his “personal political views” to guide his leadership. Such a revocation by the state Department of Education could allow DeSantis to remove Leon County Superintendent Rocky …

The Washington Post reports: Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade moved his family out of Florida because of the state’s increasing hostility to LGBTQ people — including Wade’s daughter, Zaya. That revelation emerged in an interview Wade gave reporter Rachel Nichols for her Showtime program Headliners. “I have to make decisions for my family, not just personal, individual decisions,” Wade …

The Miami Herald reports: A pair of related bills rapidly advancing through the Florida Legislature would eviscerate protections for historic buildings and districts in coastal areas across the state, allowing property owners and developers to bypass local regulations and bulldoze and redevelop much of Miami Beach, among many other places. That would include the iconic Art Deco hotel row on …

The Hill reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday criticized the move by Disney to sue the governor, arguing the suit has no merit and it is politically motivated. “I don’t think the suit has merit, I think it’s political,” DeSantis told reporters at a news conference in Israel. “They had no transparency, no accountability, none of that, and …

Florida Politics reports: A bill that would more closely regulate the diversity of speakers at the state’s universities and colleges has advanced through the House and now awaits the full Senate’s approval. The bill (HB 931), which passed 82-34, would create an Office of Public Policy Events through the Board of Governors and the State University System that would put …

The New York Times reports: The fight between Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and the Walt Disney Company is headed to court. On Wednesday, a board appointed by Mr. DeSantis to oversee government services at Disney World voted to nullify two agreements that gave Disney vast control over expansion at the 25,000-acre resort complex. Within minutes, Disney sued Mr. DeSantis, …

ABC News reports: Hundreds of drag performers and allies rallied in Florida Tuesday afternoon against recent legislation that organizers say is attacking the LGBTQ community. The rally drew advocates from across the state to Tallahassee for a march to the state Capitol, where speakers included state Sen. Shevrin Jones. “First of all, I want to acknowledge your existence,” Jones said …