Florida's Latest News

DeSantis announces CVS expansion statewide for COVID-19 vaccines

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an expansion of vaccinations to dozens more CVS pharmacy sites in the state including several in Central Florida.

Speaking from Lehigh Acres in Lee County, DeSantis announced CVS is expanding to 76 more locations statewide. The pharmacy, which already had select pharmacies in the state including Volusia, Polk and Flagler counties, offering COVID-19 vaccines, also distributes vaccine through its sister chain Navarro Discount Pharmacy and CVS Pharmacy y más locations, which cater to Hispanic consumers.

With the expansion, all of the CVS-owned pharmacies will hit 157 statewide. Appointments will be available to be made online Thursday morning at CVS.com for shots as early as Friday. DeSantis said the expansion would include Central Florida.

Lakeland's first 'mega-POD' to offer by-appointment vaccinations Wednesday

Florida Department of Health in Polk County will host its first "mega-POD" for COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment only on Wednesday in the heart of downtown Lakeland. 

The health department will be using the city-owned RP Funding Center as a vaccination site to provide shots only to those who have signed up on Polk's vaccine waitlist and been scheduled for an appointment, according to FDOH spokeswoman Nicole Riley.

Riley stressed that no one will be offered vaccination without a scheduled appointment. Walk-ups or drive-ups will not be accepted.

Republican Leaders Back Changes To Bright Futures Scholarship Program

A plan steering bright futures scholarship money to students who enter in-demand degree fields is getting endorsements from Florida House and Senate leaders. The bill limits funding from going to students who decide against majors the state deems critical for its workforce.

After years of trying to incentivize more schools to invest in science and technology-based majors, the state is now looking to do the same with students—this time through the Bright Futures program, which rewards high-performing seniors with scholarships for higher education. The majors would be decided by the Florida Board of Governors, which has been tracking which programs yield higher salaries and employment opportunities and match Florida’s workforce needs.

“We’re saying that we’d prefer the degree you’re getting leads to a job, and I think that’s fair. If it’s taxpayer money paying for your education, then the taxpayer should have the opportunity to look at what degree is being gotten and which lead to jobs," said Senate President Wilton Simpson.

Ashley Moody Lawsuit Claims Biden's Immigration Action Threatens Florida's Public Safety

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a federal lawsuit challenging immigration moves by President Joe Biden’s administration, contending that the decisions threaten public safety.

“The Biden administration’s actions will allow criminal aliens to be released into and move freely in the state of Florida, and their resulting crime will cost the state millions of dollars on law enforcement, incarceration, and crime victim’s assistance,” said the 28-page lawsuit, filed Monday in Tampa. “It will also cause unquantifiable harm to Florida’s citizenry and will force the state to expend its own law enforcement resources to pick up the slack.”

The lawsuit focuses on memos issued Jan. 20 and Feb. 18 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement about immigration enforcement.