Florida's Latest News

Florida’s private passenger train service plans to add stop between South Florida and Orlando

Officials with Florida’s high speed passenger train service said Thursday that they plan to add a stop somewhere along the newly-opened extension between South Florida and Orlando.

Brightline officials said they were soliciting site proposals for a station along Florida’s Treasure Coast in Martin or St. Lucie counties. The proposed stop would open the train service to an area of Florida that is less densely populated and hosts fewer tourists than South Florida and the Orlando area.

“Expanding Brightline into the Treasure Coast region will make Brightline one of the most accessible forms of transportation in Florida, giving access to nearly half of the state’s residents,” said Michael Reininger, Brightline’s CEO.

Brightline opened its extension connecting Miami and Orlando last month. The company reported that more than 17,500 long-distance passengers had ridden along the extension during the first four weeks since its opening.

Proposed rollback of child labor law in FL gets pushback; critics say kids would be exploited

State lawmakers are considering a proposal that calls for eliminating restrictions on the number of hours 16- and 17-year-olds could work — ostensibly to let more teens get employed if families agree. But there are critics against it.

Dr. Chelsea Rivera, of Central Florida Jobs with Justice, said she had concerns about the proposed legislation because of safety and welfare.

 Dr. Chelsea Rivera with Central Florida Jobs with Justice and Acadia Jacobs with Florida Voices for Health spoke out about the child labor bill on Oct. 26, 2023 (photo credit: Mitch Perry)
“There’s been a lot of attention right now on protecting the education of our students and the sanctity of our education. But if students are working longer hours, that’s an immediate danger to their education,” Rivera told the Phoenix after a legislative meeting in the Tampa Bay area on Thursday.

“I’m also really concerned about our immigrant and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) children who are already at increased risk of injuries in the workforce,” Rivera said.

Maxwell Frost, Daniel Webster want to close gaps on sending hurricane alerts

Most people who die in hurricanes are senior citizens. Now, U.S. Reps. Maxwell Frost and Daniel Webster want a review of what can be done to prevent those deaths.

The Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act would task the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with conducting a review on how to better communicate on storm preparedness to certain populations. The legislation focuses on how better to meet the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, non-English speakers, and rural and urban populations.

“With Florida and our people on the frontlines of worsening hurricanes and storms, the Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act will help pave the way for new steps that will help protect the most at-risk folks from the worst of a natural disaster,” said Frost, an Orlando Democrat.

“Our emergency communications and preparations systems need to meet Floridians where they are at — whether you’re a senior, someone living with a disability, or a non-English speaker — you deserve to have the knowledge and tools necessary to protect yourself from a hurricane, and this bill does just that.”

Ron DeSantis says he’s sending weapons to Israel in move that could bolster him in the GOP Primary

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday he’s arranged to send drones, weapons, and ammunition to Israel as it prepares for an incursion of Gaza in response to Hamas’ attack. It’s the latest official response DeSantis has taken to back Israel as he competes in the 2024 Republican primary.

Florida has sent cargo planes with healthcare supplies, drones, body armor, and helmets, said Jeremy Redfern, a spokesman for the Governor’s office. The state also worked with groups to supply unspecified amounts of weapons and ammunition that were privately funded, Redfern said.

DeSantis’ announcement led to confusion between the Governor’s office and an Israeli diplomat in Florida. The Governor’s office said it acted at the request of Israel’s consul general in Miami. But Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, the consul general, said he did not request drones, body armor, or helmets, nor had he talked to the Governor about help getting weapons or ammunition through private parties.

“Nothing went through me,” Elbaz-Starinsky said. “We were never in communication on any shipments of arms or ammunition. The only thing that I have dealt with sending is medical supplies.”