As I sat sipping my morning coffee and checking emails today, I noticed that my monthly Sun Pass toll statement popped up. Like many Floridians, I have a transponder that automatically charges my account whenever I use one of the Florida toll roads, and my bank account is automatically drafted whenever toll funds need to be replenished. So things are pretty much on autopilot, and honestly, I haven’t paid much attention to that aspect of my finances. I mean, when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go, right?
A typical sovereign citizen self-made license plate Photo: OrlDemo /Reddit
They call themselves sovereign citizens. They claim they’re not subject to state or federal laws. And every so often, one of them makes headlines—usually after an encounter with law enforcement. In Florida, these self-proclaimed “freemen” are part of a movement that’s less about organized ideology and more about a tangled mess of internet-fueled legal theories.
Cities Grappling with Rapid Population Growth and Its Consequences
Florida’s central corridor is experiencing unprecedented growth. Tampa and Orlando, two of the state’s major metropolitan areas, have seen significant population increases over the past decade, and according to Penske Truck Rentals, both cities are in the Top 10 moving destinations in the country.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has just dropped its outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, and let’s just say it’s possible that Mother Nature might be cranking the volume up to eleven this year. The 2025 hurricane forecast indicates a particularly active season.
Zackery Brandon Barfield, a 31-year-old commercial and charter fishing captain from Panama City, has been sentenced to 30 days in federal prison and fined $51,000 for illegally shooting and poisoning bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of…
Governor Ron DeSantis has officially signed Senate Bill 1388, dubbed the “Boater Freedom Act,” into law. This new legislation aims to enhance the boating experience in the Sunshine State by reducing governmental restrictions and ensuring that boaters can enjoy Florida’s waters with greater ease and autonomy.
Cape Canaveral Beach near Cherie Down Park, May 11, 2025: some areas of the beach are thick with Sargasso while other areas don't have much at all.Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN Florida's beaches are facing an…
Florida’s controversial “Social Media Use by Minors” bill, which among other things sought to mandate encryption backdoors in social media platforms, has failed to pass into law. The legislation, known as SB 868/HB 743, was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration in the Florida House of Representatives earlier this week, despite having previously passed the Senate with a 34–3 vote.
In an unusual turn of events, residents of St. Cloud, Florida, were somewhat surprised on Monday afternoon when a kangaroo was spotted hopping along Hickory Tree Road, a busy thoroughfare in Osceola County. The sighting prompted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to leap into action leading to the safe capture of the marsupial and filing charges subsequent charges against its owner.
When the Florida legislature convenes in an extended regular session the week of May 12th, there will be a lot of hot-button budgetary issues on the table. Probably the closest watched will be the battle over tax relief for Floridians.
South Beach III condos. Photo: LippyRealEstate.com
Approximately 60 residents were evacuated from the 12-story South Beach III condominium at 1460 Gulf Boulevard in Clearwater on Tuesday, May 6, after construction workers discovered a significant crack in a concrete support column within the building’s ground-level parking garage. The crack, reportedly over two feet wide, raised immediate concerns about the structural integrity of the building.
A woman was killed Tuesday afternoon after an alligator attacked her near the mouth of Tiger Creek, where it flows into Lake Kissimmee, according to Florida wildlife officials. At this point in time, her name has not been released.
