Florida's Latest News

Judge Orders Hearing In Florida School Mask Lawsuit

Leon County Judge John Cooper will hear arguments in a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis' mandatory school mask policy ban next Thursday. If he declines to dismiss it, arguments will begin August 23.

Cooper says he wants to decide the case quickly. Students in Miami-Dade go back to school on the 23rd. In other districts, schools are already back in session.

A dozen parents have sued DeSantis, saying the governor's executive order attempting to block school districts from requiring students wear masks is unconstitutional because it infringes on a district's right to ensure the safety of all children.

DeSantis and Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran have threatened to defund school district's that violate the executive order.

Florida’s current hospitalizations for COVID-19 drop for the first time in two weeks

The first good news from Florida’s COVID-19 numbers in a while: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services data from Saturday released Sunday morning says the state ended two weeks of resetting the record daily for current hospitalizations.

The continuing bad news: COVID-19 patients in intensive care units kept rising and now account for over half the state’s ICU bed usage.

As for the former, after climbing up to 16,100 current hospitalizations on the 14th consecutive day of that number rising, Florida reported 15,985 COVID-19 patients. One fewer hospital reported data, so the average COVID-19 patients per hospital took a baby step back from 62.4 to 62.2.

Nationally, COVID patients account for 10.7% of all hospital patients while they’re 27.7% of all hospital patients in Florida. Florida’s COVID patients are 19.3% of all the COVID-19 patients in the United States.

'People are just ready': Chamber conference to push jobs amid pandemic, political theater

Amazon's announcement this week to create 1,000 new jobs at a new robotics fulfillment center is being celebrated but still falls short of addressing what some see as a workforce crisis in the capital city. 

Tallahassee is facing short and long-term challenges. Leon County's unemployment rate was 5.4% in June, up from 4.5% in May. To meet the state's lofty goal of creating two million new net jobs by 2030, Leon County's contribution will need to be 17,994 jobs.

Leon County's sluggish job growth coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic are perpetual red flags as business and community leaders prepare to talk strategy at this weekend's conference hosted by the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce in Amelia Island. 

Tropical Storm Fred winds increase to 60 mph as it heads toward Florida Panhandle landfall

Tropical Storm Fred has grown stronger, with winds now up to 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge are expected in the Panhandle and along the Big Bend area later today.

Panhandle residents can continue to expect increasingly intense effects from Fred through the mid to late afternoon, with a landfall currently forecast around 8 p.m., local time, according to AccuWeather.

A 10 a.m. CT, the center of Tropical Storm Fred was located about 55 miles southwest of Apalachicola. Fred is moving toward the north near 10 mph and this general motion is expected through tonight.