Covering All Things Florida
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.
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 The legislation, known as SB 868/HB 743, was indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration in the Florida House of Representatives earlier this week, despite having previously passed the Senate with a 34–3 vote.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.
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.
A man and his dog were found dead early Monday morning in what wildlife officials are investigating as a suspected bear attack in rural Collier County, Florida. The incident occurred near the intersection of State Road 29 and U.S. 41, just south of the Big Cypress Wildlife Management Area, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) .
Less is more – that’s the thinking of the Florida legislature when it comes to the use of cell phones in schools. Last week, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that expands restrictions on student cellphone use in public schools. The new measures, part of Senate Bill 1296, prohibit the use of cellphones throughout the entire school day for elementary and middle school students and initiate a pilot program to test similar restrictions in select high schools.
Since the October 7th 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, members of Florida’s Jewish community have responded in a multitude of different ways. Some fight the battle here at home, facing stepped up antisemitic activities, while others are taking an even more direct approach to fighting terror.
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.
