Florida's Latest News

Florida House Republicans launch effort to expand majority

Florida House Republicans are launching an aggressive effort to expand their already sizable majority in 2022, branding their control of the state legislature's lower chamber as a "firewall for freedom" put on especially stark display during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In debuting a promotional video Monday, the chairman of the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee, Rep. Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast), told reporters his party's agenda during the 2021 legislative session puts it in a good position to pick up additional seats next year.

"We're going to go on offense to make sure that not only we defend the 78 members that we have today, but if there are opportunities to pick up seats, we are absolutely going to go after those opportunities," he said.

DeSantis hosts Miami meeting as dissidents urge regime change in Cuba, defends ‘riot’ law

At a meeting hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis in Miami, Cuban refugees and Cuban-American elected officials on Tuesday called on President Joe Biden’s administration to do more to support the demonstrators who took to the streets Sunday to protest the communist government there.

“The people have made their view very, very clear: they want an end to the regime. They don’t want a reform to the regime,” said Marcell Felipe, a Miami attorney. “The Cuban people have spoken — they’re not taking a step back.”

Specifically, dissidents called for stricter economic sanctions on Cuba’s communist government, assistance in making sure Internet access is available and broader international support for protestors.

Florida School Children Won’t Need Proof Of COVID Vaccine To Attend In-Person Classes

Many parents are wondering if their kids will have to show proof of COVID vaccination to attend school in the fall. For many states, that answer is no.

At least seven states, including Florida, have enacted legislation that specifically forbids public schools from requiring vaccinations.

Most states introduced general legislation that limits requiring people to demonstrate COVID vaccination status.

And in many cases, if the laws pass, it will likely apply to schools as well. The Centers for Disease Control is not taking a solid stance on vaccine requirements in schools.

Citrus Season Ends On Sour Note

Florida’s beleaguered citrus growers ended the 2020-2021 growing season Monday with a yield below what had already been expected to be one of the lowest in decades.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Florida growers produced enough oranges --- mostly for orange juice --- to fill 52.8 million 90-pound boxes, the industry standard, during the season that began late last summer.

The total is up slightly from a June forecast of 52.7 million boxes but below preseason expectations that growers would fill 57 million boxes. The current crop is also down from 67.3 million boxes in the 2019-2020 season.

As state citrus-marketing efforts ratchet up, Florida Citrus Commission Chairman Steve Johnson focused on the future.