Tag Archives: Florida

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: Gadsden County religious leaders are demanding a local commissioner and Gov. Ron DeSantis “come forward” to address allegations that the commissioner resigned last Friday after a photo surfaced purportedly showing him wearing a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood at what could have been a Halloween party years earlier. Jeffery Moore, a Havana resident and former …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Universal Orlando Resort, including CityWalk, will close on Wednesday and Thursday, with tentative plans to reopen on Friday as conditions permit. Universal Orlando said its hotels are currently at full capacity and will remain operational. Walt Disney World has announced that the theme parks and Disney Springs will be closing. All Disney parks are scheduled to …

The Hill reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) says more than 2 million residents in the state are under evacuation orders as Hurricane Ian approaches, set to make landfall on the Gulf Coast as soon as Wednesday. DeSantis said at a press conference on Tuesday that he is urging those under evacuation orders to heed them and move to higher …

The Intercept reports: Under the leadership of Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron Desantis, a Missouri-based railroad and transport company that contributed generously in support of his campaign saw an astonishing 280-fold increase in its Florida state government contract awards. A construction aggregates firm that contributed $82,500 was awarded $30 million in new contracts. And a highway and civil site contracting firm …

Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports: Manatee County officials issued a mandatory evacuation for Zone A residents ahead of Hurricane Ian, according to a release. The evacuation will be effective at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Those who live in Zone B have been issued a voluntary evacuation. Evacuation orders also went into effect for low-lying areas in Charlotte County as well as the …

Tampa’s NBC affiliate reports: Pinellas County officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in zones A, B, and C, including all residents in mobile homes. The mandatory order for Zone A will take effect at 6 p.m. Monday while the order for Zones B and C will take effect at 7 a.m. Tuesday. County officials said residents and visitors who …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Hurricane Ian formed Monday morning as its path continued to shift back more to the east with much of Central Florida within the cone of uncertainty and the first hurricane watches issued on the state’s Gulf Coast. The latest track forecasts Ian to make landfall north of Tampa Bay early Friday as a Category 1 hurricane …

The Tallahassee Democrat reports: With a vast swath of Florida’s Gulf Coast facing the possibility of a direct strike from a major hurricane in the coming days, Gov. Ron DeSantis urged residents to finish making preparations and not focus too much on where the storm’s center currently is predicted to track, noting there still is significant uncertainty about its path. …

Fox News reports: President Joe Biden has postponed his scheduled trip to Florida due to Tropical Storm Ian looming over the Caribbean Sea. He was scheduled to visit Orlando to headline a rally for the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on September 27th, but the major storm is expected to strengthen to a Category 3 or 4 before making landfall on …

Gainesville’s ABC affiliate reports: On Saturday morning, members of the Pride Community Center in Gainesville received a call from a real estate office in the same complex about their building being vandalized. “She told me that she was just informed by somebody that came to her office that the pride center had been vandalized and that the windows were all …

The Insider reports: A Florida school district removed a high school teacher who was recorded using racist rhetoric to admonish a student who didn’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. A TikTok of the Wednesday incident has amassed more than 1.4 million views as of Saturday. A spokesperson for Manatee County Schools told Insider that the district launched an investigation …

NPR reports: The Artemis 1 moon mission has been delayed, not once, not twice, but now three times. The launch was scheduled for Tuesday, but NASA announced on Saturday that it had decided to postpone the mission in response to Tropical Storm Ian, which threatens to hit Florida next week as a hurricane. The Kennedy Space Center is located on …

Florida Politics reports: A new report card was published by the NRA-Political Victory Fund. That allows some politicians to boast to voters about their high score — and in some cases their low rating.  Of note, the organization has not endorsed U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio for re-election and gave him a “B” grade. That said, U.S. Rep. Val Demings, his …

Orlando’s NBC affiliate reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a State of Emergency in 24 Florida counties as the state braces for the potential impacts of Tropical Depression 9, according to a news release sent Friday afternoon. DeSantis has also asked for a federal pre-landfall Emergency Declaration ahead of the storm. The governor’s office said the declaration will make …

Florida Politics reports: Longtime Republican government official Pete Antonacci, who was serving as the head of Florida’s new election police unit, has died after suffering a major heart attack. Gov. Ron DeSantis had named Antonacci to lead the Office of Election Crimes and Security less than four months prior. The Office of Election Crimes and Security, which works closely with …

The Orlando Sentinel reports: Tropical Depression Nine formed in the Caribbean on Friday with a path that could bring it to Florida next week as a major Category 3 hurricane that could become either Hurricane Hermine or Hurricane Ian depending on how fast it intensifies compared to another new tropical depression in the Atlantic. In its 11 a.m. update, the …

Orlando’s NBC affiliate reports: A pastor and owner of a kung fu training academy from Palm Bay has been charged with multiple sex crimes involving children, according to the Palm Bay Police Department. Palm Bay police arrested 42-year-old Roberson Douge Wednesday after they said two victims reported the alleged sexual abuse. According to the arrest affidavit, police recorded a call …

Civiqs Polling reports: Republican Marco Rubio leads Democrat Val Demings 49% to 47% in the race for U.S. Senate in Florida. Rubio is viewed favorably by 41% of Florida likely voters, and unfavorably by 51%. Demings has a similar 40% favorable rating, with 47% unfavorable and 13% who are still unsure about her. In the race for Governor of Florida, …

The Washington Post reports: Florida’s attorney general on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to decide whether states have the right to regulate how social media companies moderate content on their services, a move that sends one of the most controversial debates of the internet age to the country’s highest court. The petition is a response to a decision by the …

Florida Politics reports: If credit card companies say they won’t front suspicious firearm purchases, they can just stop doing business in Florida. At least, that’s the message Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis wants the state to send. The Cabinet member said Florida’s government will act against any credit card companies targeting the right to bear arms. “Our rights come from …