Florida's Latest News

States jockey to land Trump’s new Space Academy

President Donald Trump’s decision to create a new federal academy has set off a fresh space race.

Officials from at least a half-dozen states, from Nevada to Florida, are already angling for the new Space Academy that Trump announced this month. Winning the competition would likely bring in hundreds of millions of federal dollars to build and operate the facility — and the economic boon that comes with it.

But the last time the Trump administration tried to establish a major space unit, when officials sought out a home for a newly reestablished U.S. Space Command in 2019, it touched off a yearslong brawl in Congress and between states. The early jockeying over the fledgling academy underscores the high-stakes competition that’s ahead.

Congress has yet to sign off on the venture. But Colorado Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, whose state hosts the Air Force Academy, offered an early warning, calling the initiative “duplicative, costly, and unserious.”

Byron Donalds, David Jolly outline differences on property taxes, insurance at Fort Lauderdale summit

Florida's two major-party candidates for governor laid out starkly different approaches to property taxes, insurance costs, education and affordability Wednesday, appearing separately at the Sunshine Economy Summit in Fort Lauderdale.

Democrat David Jolly and Republican Byron Donalds participated in back-to-back conversations at the summit, presented by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance. The appearances came days after efforts to arrange debates between the candidates fell apart.

Both candidates also pushed back against portrayals of their positions in campaign advertising.

"Let me hit it right away. I don't support a hurricane tax. It's a lie," Jolly said. 

Donalds similarly disputed claims about his position on data centers.

"I know what they said. I'm gonna build data centers. It's a lie, not true," Donalds said.

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Citizens Property Insurance president: ‘The market is working’

Citizens Property Insurance President Timothy Cerio encouraged policyholders to “shop the market” if their renewal notice includes a sizeable increase.

Addressing the state-run company’s Board of Governors on Wednesday, Cerio also proclaimed that “the market is working” due to legislative changes in recent years allowing it to shed policies that are picked up by private carriers.

“I don’t think we’re going to grow because it is such a robust market,” Cerio said ahead of the board meeting in Lake Mary. “They will find a home in the private market, but they should shop it.”

Cerio said Citizens’ policy count was almost at 255,000 as of Sept. 18, with $70 billion in total insured value. Three years ago, Citizens’ potential exposure was at $552 billion.

DeSantis’ commerce secretary approved as Pensacola State College president

Former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis and sitting state Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly will take over as president of Pensacola State College next month — months before the two-term governor exits office.

Pensacola State College trustees voted unanimously Monday that Kelly will succeed Edward Meadows, who has been president there since 2008.

“I have spent my career working to connect people with opportunity, and few institutions do that more directly than colleges like Pensacola State. Our students will be the workforce, entrepreneurs and leaders who shape Northwest Florida’s future,” Kelly, who is expected to begin Oct. 19, said in a news release.

His experience as commerce secretary “closely aligns with Pensacola State College’s role in creating opportunities for students, meeting regional workforce needs and supporting communities across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties,” the college said in a news release.