Florida’s Job Market Stays Steady, But Where You Live Makes a Big Difference

Wikipedia Commons Construction Worker
Trades led the way in new Florida jobs. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Whether you live here or are considering moving to Florida, you may be wondering how Florida is doing in terms of jobs. The March numbers have just been released, and the news is mixed, depending on which part of the Sunshine State you live in.

Florida Legislature Considering Bill To Allow Homeowners To Shoot Down Drones

Florida Legislature Considering Bill To Allow Homeowners To Shoot Down Drones

Florida lawmakers are weighing a new bill that would give homeowners the right to use “reasonable force” against drones flying over their property—a move likely triggered by a spike in unexplained drone sightings last year centered around New Jersey. That “reasonable force” might involve shooting the drone out of the air under some circumstances.

File photo of a typical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, commonly known as “drones”
Wikimedia Commons
How to Erase Your Personal Data from the Internet

How to Erase Your Personal Data from the Internet

Grok created image.

In today’s hyper-connected world, your personal information—name, address, phone number, even your birthdate—is a valuable commodity. Data brokers and people-search websites, such as Whitepages, Spokeo, and Intelius, collect and sell this data to advertisers, scammers, and cybercriminals, often without your consent. With over 4,000 data brokers amassing profiles on more than 500 million consumers globally, the risk of identity theft, phishing scams, and unwanted spam has never been higher. Fortunately, a growing suite of automated data removal services and proactive strategies can help you reclaim control over your digital footprint.

alligator

UF Study Shows Most Alligator Attacks On Humans Result From ‘Risky Behavior’

An alligator inside Kennedy Space Center
An alligator inside Kennedy Space Center.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now

Florida’s subtropical climate and extensive wetlands provide an ideal habitat for the American alligator, a species so prevalent that it can be found in all 67 counties across the state. With an estimated population of 1.3 million, the alligator has become both a symbol of Florida’s natural heritage and a regular presence in its backyards, golf courses, and waterways. As urban development continues to encroach on these reptiles’ natural environments, it is more important than ever for residents and visitors to understand how to safely coexist with them.

EV Boom Leaves Florida’s Transportation Budget Running on Empty

EV Boom Leaves Florida’s Transportation Budget Running on Empty

Florida TaxWatch Report on EV's
Florida TaxWatch Report on Electric Vehicle Usage in the state.

Florida’s roads are getting busier, but the gas tax revenue that pays for their upkeep is heading in the opposite direction—and electric vehicles are at the center of it. According to a new report by Florida TaxWatch, the Sunshine State is losing as much as $78 million a year in fuel tax revenue thanks to the rising popularity of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. And with more Floridians plugging in instead of filling up, lawmakers are grappling with how to replace that lost income.

Protests Continue as Florida Teacher Faces Fallout Over Improper Use of Student’s Name

Protests Continue as Florida Teacher Faces Fallout Over Improper Use of Student’s Name

Satellite High School in Satellite Beach, Florida. Image: Facebook

Students, parents and teachers continue to speak out in the case of Brevard County school teacher Melissa Calhoun, a veteran educator at Satellite High School in Brevard County, Florida. Calhoun, as of now, will not have her teaching contract renewed following a February 2025 incident in which she used a student’s preferred name without parental consent, violating a 2023 Florida state law.

Florida House Votes To Reduce Sales Tax

Florida House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville. Meredith Geddings | Florida House of Representatives
Florida House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville. Meredith Geddings | Florida House of Representatives

​In a unanimous decision, the Florida House of Representatives approved House Bill 7031 on Wednesday, aiming to reduce the Florida sales tax rate from 6% to 5.25%. The bill, which brings even more substantial sales tax cuts in certain areas, passed with a 112-0 vote. ​

Dolphins

What Killed The Dolphins? There May Finally Be An Answer

dolphins

In 2013, Florida’s Indian River Lagoon witnessed a significant and alarming increase in bottlenose dolphin deaths, with 77 individual dolphins—approximately 8% of the local population—succumbing to what was classified as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). The Indian River Lagoon is a shallow-water estuary located along Florida’s east coast, stretching approximately 156 miles from Ponce de Leon Inlet near New Smyrna Beach southward through Brevard County, and on to Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County. 

REAL ID sample

Planning To Fly or Cruise Soon? Make Sure You Have REAL ID.

Sample REAL ID for Florida
Sample REAL ID from Florida DMV

As of May 7, 2025- just one short month from now- significant changes will take effect regarding identification requirements for Americans. With the coming enforcement of the REAL ID Act, individuals who want to board US domestic flights or enter government facilities will need to possess a REAL ID-compliant form of identification (And yes, Florida’s cruise terminals count as a government facility). There are only a few exceptions, such as states that issue what is known as “Enhanced ID” – Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) issued by Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont.  The government says REAL ID requirements will be strictly enforced. Here’s how to make sure you are ready.