Florida's Latest News

Back-to-school tax holiday poised to start a surge of savings

This year, back to school really means going back to an actual school building for almost every Florida student. And a 10-day tax holiday started Saturday so parents can get everything the kids need.

For some, it has been more than a year since they’ve needed a backpack, for instance.

This year’s tax holiday, which goes through Aug. 9, is more than triple the length of last year’s three-day break from the state’s 6% sales tax. Tax-free back-to-school items include school supplies, clothing items less than $60, and the first $1,000 of a computer purchase.

Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Palm Beach County Business Development Board, a private nonprofit aimed at stimulating the county’s economy, said that she expects a lot of pent-up demand compared to last year.

During Dan Bongino interview, Ron DeSantis says CDC would mask kids ‘indefinitely’

Gov. Ron DeSantis ramped up his rhetorical offensive against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the same day Florida set a record for COVID-19 diagnoses.

The Governor has already banned mask mandates in Florida schools, meaning that local districts cannot require them, but they can be worn. Nonetheless, on Saturday night, he blasted the federal government.

During a Fox News hit on Unfiltered with Dan Bongino, DeSantis suggested the CDC would want to mask students “indefinitely,” adding that schools were “perfect” for mask-optional policies.

“One of the dangers I feel with having mandatory masks at this point — I think a lot of those bureaucratic authorities are going to say ‘hey, we mask for COVID, flu is more dangerous for kids than COVID. Maybe they need to mask the kids every flu season.'”

Rural, North Floridians lagging further behind in COVID-19 vaccinations

Residents of Florida’s rural counties, particularly in North Florida, are falling further behind in efforts to vaccinate the public against COVID-19. At the same time, statewide demand for vaccines has increased again in recent weeks.

There still are seven counties in Florida — all low-population, North Florida counties — where less than a third of eligible people have gotten at least one vaccination shot, according to the latest weekly COVID-19 report released by the Florida Department of Health.

In Holmes County, only 26% of people who could get vaccinated have gotten the shot.

In 16 Florida counties — all among the Sunshine State’s least populated, almost all in North Florida — the vaccination rates remain below 40% of the eligible population, those age 12 or older.

Gas prices hold steady at $2.97 per gallon

Florida drivers got no relief at the pumps last week, but things also didn’t get any worse.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline across Florida held steady at $2.97, AAA — The Auto Club Group reported Monday morning. That’s the same as two weeks ago.

Florida drivers are paying an average of 4 cents per gallon less than a month ago, though 81 cents per gallon more than a year ago. The price is 43 cents per gallon more than on Aug. 1, 2019, in pre-pandemic times.

“July was the most expensive month at the pump since October 2014,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a news release. “Florida gas prices remain elevated due to tightening global supplies, as demand recovers from the pandemic. Florida gas prices averaged $2.99 per gallon, in July 2021. The monthly average was 89 cents more than what drivers paid in July 2020, and 35 cents more than July 2019.”