Florida's Latest News

Budget Chairman Urges Florida Ports To Push For Federal Stimulus Money

With seaport leaders still waiting for the arrival of $250 million in federal COVID-19 stimulus money, the powerful head of the Florida House budget committee said Wednesday, “I wish we could have done more” for the port industry, which lost billions of dollars because of the pandemic.

House Appropriations Chairman Jay Trumbull, R-Panama City, also implored port officials to lobby their local representatives about pumping more money into infrastructure during the 2022 legislative session so Florida doesn’t “lose out” to ports in Alabama and Georgia.

“We need to continue, especially for our North Florida ports like Jacksonville and Panama City, to make investments to compete with ports, like I talked about, in Alabama, in Georgia,” Trumbull said during a luncheon speech at the Florida Ports Council annual board meeting at the Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort.

Demand for COVID-19 antibody drugs soars in hard-hit states

People infected with COVID-19 were captured in a photo this week lying on the floor in pain while waiting for antibody infusions at a treatment site set up inside the library in Jacksonville, Florida.

The image has become a vivid illustration of the huge demand for the once-neglected COVID-19 drugs in the states hit hardest by a summer surge of infections being driven by the highly contagious delta variant.

“They were moaning and obviously in a lot of pain. They were miserable,” said Louie Lopez, who shot the photograph as he waited for more than two hours to receive the treatment.

Antibody treatments remain one of a handful of therapies that can blunt the worst effects of COVID-19, and they are the only option available to people with mild-to-moderate cases who aren’t yet in the hospital.

Mike Grieco files bill to make forging, possessing fake vaccine cards a felony

A bill filed Wednesday for the 2022 Session of the Florida Legislature aims to raise the stakes for creating or possessing fake vaccine documentation.

On Wednesday, Rep. Michael Grieco of Miami Beach filed HB 47, which, if enacted, would impose on forgers and possessors of fake vaccine proof the same penalties levied against people who counterfeit or own fake government-issued IDs.

Starting Oct. 1, 2022, first-time offenders would be charged with a third-degree felony and risk fines of up to $5,000. Repeat offenders and felons could receive prison time.

Punishment, the bill says, would apply to anyone who “counterfeits, forges, clones, or possesses a certificate, card, or other physical or electronic media that falsely indicates that the holder of the certificate, card, or other physical or electronic medium has been vaccinated against a specific disease, with the intent to defraud …”

Florida homebuyers struggle to compete. Can a real estate startup help?

Cash is king, especially for homebuyers in Florida.

The number of homes bought without a mortgage has skyrocketed, according to Florida Realtors. From May 2020 to this year, the number of houses bought fully in cash spiked by 150 percent. The booming housing market has put homebuyers who need a loan at a disadvantage.

Ribbon, a real estate startup, wants to give homebuyers a leg up against cash offers. The company is expanding into Florida this month.

“Florida right now, and Tampa, is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country,” said Shaival Shah, Ribbon’s co-founder. “And there are multiple offers from many different home buyers on any given day.”