Florida's Latest News

First COVID-19 vaccines given to Florida nursing home residents

Residents in nursing homes, devastated by the coronavirus pandemic in Florida and nationwide, began getting vaccinated against COVID-19 on Wednesday in Florida.

An 88-year-old former schoolteacher in Pompano Beach was among the first to get a shot, kicking off one of the earliest nursing home vaccination programs in the country.

“I hope it will help me from getting COVID,” said Vera Leip, who was inoculated during a Gov. Ron DeSantis news conference Wednesday at the John Knox Village long-term care center outside Fort Lauderdale. “I don’t know if [the vaccines] will help or not. I hope they do. … I don’t know anything about [the disease], but I would prefer not to have it.”

Lauren Book considering statewide bid in 2022

Democratic Sen. Lauren Book is considering a statewide run for office in 2022, with a likely landing spot being a race against Republican Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

“Senator Book clearly has a very bright future and is being approached by a number of leaders about seeking higher office,” Steve Vancore, a longtime Book consultant, said in an interview. “At this critical time in our state, her focus is on her Senate duties, but nothing is off the table.”

Vancore did not get into specifics about what statewide post Book, a Broward County Democrat, might seek. But there has been increased talk of her running for CFO, a statewide elected post that oversees a range of functions, including regulating the state financial industry and serving as state fire marshal. The CFO is one of three members of the Florida Cabinet.

Florida taking wetlands permitting role from federal government; only 3rd state to do so

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is granting Florida authority to issue wetlands permits that were handled until now by the federal government, greatly increasing state responsibility for development affecting waterways.

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler told the Florida Times-Union, one of TCPalm's USA TODAY Network news partners, he would sign an agreement Thursday delegating power under the Clean Water Act to approve or deny permits for work that releases “dredged or fill material” – dirt – into wetlands or waterways.

Only two states, New Jersey and Michigan, have that authority, and none has joined that list since 1994.

Florida shuts down bay known nationally for its oysters

Because of a dwindling oyster population, a Florida agency voted unanimously Wednesday to shut down oyster harvesting in Apalachicola Bay through the end of 2025, dealing a blow to an area that historically produced 90% of the state’s oysters and 10% of the nation’s.

People in the area are divided between coming up with a long-term plan to save the industry, and allowing it to continue on a limited basis. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did express the hope of reopening the bay before the ban on commercial and recreational harvesting ends if oysters recover sooner.

“If we can get there faster, that’s everyone’s desire,” Commissioner Michael Sole said. “Look, time is money for these people. I understand why we’re saying a five-year time horizon, I just think that should be the outside edge of our closure and we should be driven to doing what we can to make this as fast as possible.”