Florida's Latest News

Gov. Ron DeSantis declares state of emergency for 25 counties

Gov. Ron DeSantis is declaring a state of emergency for 25 counties in North Florida ahead of a dangerous approaching storm.

Tropical Depression Nine is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm by early Wednesday and could become a hurricane Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

The counties in DeSantis’ emergency Executive Order are: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington.

Those areas could be hit with heavy rain up to nine inches that could cause flash flooding or overwhelm the drainage system. The affected counties could also get hit with heavy winds, storm surge and the possibility of tornadoes. 

Florida Lawmakers Unite Behind Bipartisan Farm Relief Bill

Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-25), Scott Franklin (R-18), Darren Soto (D-09), and Kat Cammack (R-03) have banded together to introduce the bipartisan Restore Agricultural Investment, Stability and Expansion (RAISE) Act of 2026 to help American farmers and growers recover from natural disasters.

The bill seeks to amend the 2014 Agricultural Act by granting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to provide emergency Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance for high-value crops.

The USDA Secretary may issue block grants to farmers and growers to recover from revenue, quality, or production losses caused by natural disasters such as droughts, hurricanes, floods, or freezes.

The Agricultural Act of 2014 currently provides emergency assistance exclusively to livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish farmers, as well as eligible orchardists and tree growers.

‘Claims do not submit themselves’: Florida cracks down on Medicaid fraud, projects $1B in savings

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced sweeping results on Tuesday from the state’s ongoing Medicaid fraud crackdown, citing more than 220 provider terminations, over $230 million in suspicious billing identified, and nearly $1 billion in projected savings tied to applied behavioral analysis services alone.

DeSantis made the announcement alongside Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris at the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.

The governor credited a multi-pronged approach, including a new technology-screening vendor, enhanced data analytics and a statewide provider revalidation effort, with producing what he called the opening results of a broader, long-term campaign.

“We’re not done,” DeSantis said. “AHCA will continue using enhanced data analytics, provider screening, site visits, and claims monitoring to identify suspicious activity and bad actors.”

Could a fly help solve Florida's sargassum problem?

As sargassum season around South Florida and across the Caribbean becomes a growing calamity for beachgoers and wildlife, researchers have landed on what they hope is a sustainable fix: Use the seaweed to feed the world.

If it works, the plan could provide a low-cost mobile solution that relies on nature to heal itself.

Using larvae from voracious black soldier flies, researchers at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School’s aquaculture program have successfully converted sargassum in a fraction of the time needed for traditional composting. Once fattened up, the larvae can then be used to feed livestock, fish, even cats and dogs. The larvae poop can be used for fertilizer.

“The idea is to provide local governments or local municipalities with either a tool or an additional tool to manage the sargassum in a relatively rapid cycle,” said researcher Julio Camperio, who's leading a two-year pilot project.

“If you can set up multiple containers in different areas to alleviate some of that pressure, that would be a huge win for us.”