Florida News & Current Events | Public News Service

Florida KidCare is the umbrella brand for the four government-sponsored health insurance programs - Medicaid, MediKids, Florida Healthy Kids and the Children's Medical Services (CMS) Health Plan. (Semevent/Pixabay)

Monday, December 6, 2021

FL Health Groups Urge Senate Passage of Build Back Better

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Healthcare reform advocates are asking U.S. senators to pass the Build Back Better Act, saying it would provide a federal fix for …

The Southern Opportunity and Resilience (SOAR) Fund lenders are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), serving small businesses that often can't get credit from traditional banks. (Adobe Stock)

Fund Focuses on Post-Pandemic Support for FL Small Businesses

MIAMI, Fla. -- As Florida and other southern states recover from the financial impact of the pandemic, one program aims to ensure small businesses …

Experts estimate the Gulf of Mexico lost between 4 billion and 8 billion oysters due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and loss of reproduction in ensuing years. Places like Suwannee Sound in Florida and other Gulf states are tapping settlement money to help populations rebound. (macayran/Pixabay)

Settlement Funds from Oil Spill to Help Restore FL Oyster Reefs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Storm damage, pollution and other factors - some related to climate change - are reducing the oyster population. But settlement …

Numerous studies including from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency shows disproportionate impacts of climate change on socially vulnerable populations in the United States. (Pixabay)

Advocates Call Build Back Better Essential For Environmental Justice

ORLANDO, Fla. - Advocates are calling on Florida's leaders to keep the momentum going after the U.N. Climate Change Summit by thinking of ways to …

The Florida House and Senate on Monday rolled out proposals for a special legislative session next week that will focus on opposing COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates. (KlausHausmann/Pixabay)

Overcoming Politics In New Phase With Childhood COVID Vaccinations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Health officials are optimistic broad immunity against COVID-19 can be achieved for children, because the Centers for Disease …

Unions representing Florida workers are concerned about calls by Republican leaders to pull Florida out of federal employer safety programs. (danisampa/Pixabay)

FL Unions: Pulling Out of OSHA Would Risk Health, Safety of Millions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Gov. Ron DeSantis' newest battle with the Biden administration involves dropping Florida out of the nation's workplace-safety …

Florida's Senate president, Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, is calling on visitors to the chamber to be respectful, saying while there are no mask mandates, senators and staff can request social distancing and masking within their own offices. (Pixabay)

Senator Calls FL Surgeon General Unfit for Job

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo is facing bipartisan rebuke for refusing to wear a mask at the office of a state …

Republicans in charge of Florida's redistricting process say conversations still are ongoing on how to include public participation in the redistricting process despite proposals from Democrats and advocates. (terimakasih0/Pixabay)

Will Florida Lawmakers Hold Public Hearings on Redistricting?

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - When it comes to Florida's once-a-decade process of redrawing political boundaries, known as redistricting, both House and Senate …

Some 500 volunteers made phone calls and canvassed neighborhoods in Broward County to find truant students. (Pixabay)

FL Teachers, Volunteers Go Door-to-Door to Get Missing Students Back to Class

TAMARAC, Fla. -- Teachers and volunteers in Broward County embarked on a unique canvassing campaign to find up to 11,000 students who either have not …

The third full week in October ushers in National Business Women's Week each year. (Pixabay)

National Business Women’s Week Highlights Need for Credit Equity

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - After discovering the healing powers of eating natural, healthy foods, one Jacksonville woman sought to show her community what …

Through P-EBT, eligible schoolchildren receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. (Oleg Magni/Pexels)

Florida OK'd for More than $1B in P-EBT Funding for Children

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After weeks of pressure on Gov. Ron DeSantis to apply for a one-time pandemic food-stamp program, this week Florida became the …

Every 10 years, Florida legislators redraw political divisions or boundaries for state legislative and congressional districts. (DXR/Wikimedia Commons)

Advocates: Florida's Redistricting Process Needs More "Sunshine"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After census delays, Florida lawmakers kick off the complex, once-a-decade process of redrawing state legislative and …

Republican lawmakers across the country have proposed legislation to limit or forbid the teaching of such concepts as racial equity and white privilege. (Kelly Lacy/Pexels)

Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory Sparks Call for African American History

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - State Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, is lashing out against the idea of Critical Race Theory, filing a bill to ban its use in all …

Catholic Charities Jacksonville expects to see about 150 Afghan refugees settle in their community in the next few months, through the Afghan Parolee Support Program (APS). (Andrew Neel/Pexels)

"Help a Brother Out" – FL Groups Rally to Resettle Afghan Refugees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Organizations providing relief support for Afghan refugees say more people can help by simply taking time to learn about the …

House Democrats advanced a $3.5 trillion spending plan in a party-line vote Tuesday, which includes free two-year community college tuition. (Emily Ranquist/Pexels)

FL Supporters Amplify Need for Biden's Free Community College Plan

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Despite the raging pandemic, college students are flooding Florida classrooms and campuses this week as the fall semester begins…

The Piney Point property has received 22 inches of rain since the start of June, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protections' motion to request to transfer control of the troubled former phosphate plant from its owners, HRK Holdings. (Pixabay)

Piney Point Pollution Could Overflow with Storms, Hurricanes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Due to the recent tropical weather systems threatening the region, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is clashing with school districts over decisions to impose mask mandates. (Alexandra_Koch/Pixabay)

GoFundMe, Federal Aid Offered to School Officials in Masking Disputes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As the DeSantis administration continues its attempt to block school districts from imposing public-health protections on …

Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's, could land on a list of more than 60 blacklisted companies prohibited from doing business with the State of Florida. (Stevepb/Pixabay)

FL Dems: DeSantis Should Focus on COVID, Not Ben & Jerry's

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis is promising to block any state money from going to the parent company of ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry's unless …

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) decided not to act to change the state's net-metering rule at its Sept. 17, 2020, workshop on Customer-Owned Renewable Generation. (mrganso/Pixabay)

Report: Power Companies Block Rooftop Solar Growth in FL, US

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A new report shows an effort by investor-owned utilities in the Sunshine State to block the growth of rooftop solar. The …

Founded just before the pandemic, the USA Wheelchair Football League is the first football league of its kind, for adults living with disabilities. (Move United)

Beyond Olympics, USA Wheelchair Football Inspires Adaptive Athletes

TAMPA, Fla. -- Move United's USA Wheelchair Football League is expanding from four cities to nine, including Tampa, to give athletes with …

According to the U.S. Census, on average, Black women were paid 63% of what non-Hispanic white men were paid in 2019. (Pexels)

A Call to Build Black Women's Futures by Canceling $50K in Student Debt

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- With Black women carrying more student loan debt than any other group, a national petition has been launched to cancel $50,000 …

Florida currently allows minors to expunge first-time misdemeanors if they complete a diversion program. (Pxabay)

Advocates See DeSantis Veto of Juvenile Records Bill as Missed Opportunity

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Republicans and Democrats alike are stunned by Gov. Ron DeSantis' veto of a bill they passed unanimously. It would've expanded …

Groups such as Veterans for Responsible Leadership and We the Veterans are urging current and former military officials to continue to stand up for democracy. (eurobanks/Adobe Stock)

Veterans Raise Concerns About Far-Right Group Membership

PALM BEACH, Fla. - Veterans across the aisle are concerned about what they call recent attacks on democracy by far-right organizations. On July 4th…

Florida mangroves' natural ability to curb flooding protected over 626,000 people during Hurricane Irma in 2017, according to a University of California Santa Cruz report. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Say FL Coasts Need Federal Dollars to Mitigate Storm Impacts

TAMPA, Fla. -- Environmental groups are urging federal lawmakers to allocate $10 billion in the upcoming infrastructure package for coastal …

On Florida's northwestern Gulf coast, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve supports 664 jobs and generates $46.4 million, including $15.1 million in labor income. (NOAA/Wikimedia Commons)

Report: Apalachicola, Other Estuarine Reserves Help Power Local Economies

APALACHICOLA, Fla. - A system of little-known public lands protecting sensitive coastal habitats generates significant economic impacts for local …

Nearly one in four adults living in households with children said they felt "down, depressed or hopeless," according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (markzfilter/Pixabay)

Report Suggests FL Gains in Child Well-Being Could be Temporary

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- An annual report on child well-being underscores the need in Florida for specific action to repair the damage caused by the …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know "a little bit" or "nothing at all" about Juneteenth, the date that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. (DoDEA.edu)

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by …

According to Advanced Energy Economy, each dollar of public investment into electric vehicles generates $2.60 of direct private investment. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Electric Transportation Investment Would Boost FL Economy

MIAMI - Florida would benefit from the federal government's proposed $274 billion investment in electric vehicles and infrastructure, according to a …

Since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago, Florida has paid nearly $30 billion in unemployment benefits. (Pexels)

Petition Urges FL Governor to Keep "Vital" Unemployment Benefits

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Laid-off workers are appealing to Gov. Ron DeSantis to reverse plans to terminate a federal pandemic assistance program that …

Forage fish are small, nutrient-rich species that serve as food for predators like saltwater fish, sharks, coastal birds and marine mammals. (Pexels/Milada Vigerova)

FL Researchers Study Links Between Prey Fish, Predators and Algal Blooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- For the most part, if you're a fish, you're either prey or predator, but Florida research is finding the symbiotic relationship …

Polling by the Hart Research Associates shows 85% of voters support federal law ensuring the right to reproductive health care, including abortion, annual screenings and birth control. (Adobe Stock)

Proposal Would Guarantee Access to Abortion Across U.S.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Lawmakers in Congress have reintroduced a bill they say would ensure access to safe abortions across the country, just as …

Florida's Blue-Green Algae Task Force outlined in 2019, "Increased delivery of nutrients to Florida's water bodies is widely recognized as the primary driver of algal proliferation and subsequent degradation of aquatic ecosystems." (lasaa/Pixabay)

As Toxic Algae, Other Issues Bloom, FL Environmental Secretary Resigns

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today marks the last day on the job for Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) secretary, who turned in his …

In April, the Florida House passed a bill to ban abortions based on disability, but the measure didn't move past committee. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Lifting Abortion Restrictions Would Benefit Women, Economy

TAMPA, Fla. - Ending reproductive-health restrictions is beneficial for women and the economy, according to an online tool from the Institute for …

In accordance with a TSA face-mask requirement extension through mid-September, all travelers - even those who are fully vaccinated - must wear masks and practice COVID-safe behavior at all U.S. airports, and aboard commercial aircraft. (Adobe Stock)

As COVID Restrictions Loosen, Safety Urged on Public Transportation

TAMPA, Fla. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that people two weeks out from receiving their last dose of the COVID-19 …

Before the pandemic, the risk of social isolation for seniors in a given state was correlated with higher rates of frequent mental distress, according to the 2021 Senior Report. (lisabussell/Pixabay)

Report Highlights Challenges to Health of Older Americans

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Even before the pandemic, seniors were experiencing increasing mental- and behavioral-health challenges, according to a new …

This image depicts Piney Point's water management features. This year, a liner in the wastewater pond leaked again, causing Manatee County to declare a state of emergency. (FPWC)

Lawsuit Launched Over Piney Point Wastewater Leak

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Conservation groups say Florida's environmental regulators ignored a decade of warning signs - including advice from the U.S…

According to the nonprofit Florida TaxWatch, "Broward UP" students stand to earn an average of $204,000 more income in their lifetimes. (Adobe Stock)

One FL College Strives for Better Workforce Recovery

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- As the nation recovers from the recession, a community college in Broward County is taking a different approach to make …

Gov. Ron DeSantis says his executive order waiving the work-search requirement for those getting unemployment benefits will likely end May 29. (Pixabay/Kalhh)

Laid-Off FL Workers Left to Make Do as Businesses Get Relief

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Laid-off workers who had to fight through Florida's broken unemployment system were promised relief with increased benefits. But…

In Florida, prospective foster parents work with local community organizations to complete the licensing process to become a foster parent. (Pexels)

Florida Sees Growing Need for Foster Families, Training

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- May is National Foster Care Month, and states like Florida are still adjusting to federal changes put in place three years ago…

A study by the National Academy of Sciences reveals salt marsh provides an average of $695,000 per square mile a year in protective value to Southeast communities and military installations from storm-surge flooding. (Adobe Stock)

Million-Acre Southeast Salt Marsh Conservation Plan Gets Green Light

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- An initiative to conserve a million acres of salt marsh from Northeast Florida to North Carolina is in motion, following …

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that would block transgender children from playing on sports teams that don't align with their gender at birth. (Pexels)

FL Republicans Ban Transgender Athletes, Send Bill to Governor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Last-minute maneuvering by Republican lawmakers revived a bill that would ban transgender girls and women from playing on public …

Only six states will gain seats in the House of Representatives in 2022: Texas, Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon. The U.S. Census Bureau announced new apportionment data Monday based on the 2020 U.S. Census. (Bill Oxford/The Brennan Center)

FL Group Works for Fair Process, Greater Awareness in Redistricting

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Reapportionment data announced Monday has sparked conversation about a census undercount, and lower-than-expected Florida …

The Florida Department of Corrections is encouraging people behind bars to get the COVID-19 vaccine.(Pexel)

Misinformation About COVID-19 Shot Spreads Inside FL Prisons

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After months of keeping Floridians in prisons and jails off the priority list for a COVID vaccine, the state is finally …

Connecticut, Maryland and Vermont all have banned the sale of neonicotinoids, bee-killing pesticide, according to Environment America. Florida has yet to do so, but the group hopes it also will take action in order to save the insect. (Adobe Stock)

On Earth Day, Environmentalists Push to Save Bees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today is Earth Day, and environmental advocates are calling on citizens to do their part to save the bees. National …

Lawmakers and leaders opposed to HB1, Florida's "anti-riot" bill, say it will undermine First Amendment freedoms. (Pexels)

Civil-Rights Leaders Denounce Passage of Florida's "Anti-Riot" Bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Despite emotional testimony from Democrats and civil-rights groups, Florida's Republican lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to pass …

In a new survey by the Marie Christie Foundation, only half of college faculty members said they'd be able to recognize if a student was in emotional distress. Fewer than one-third said they could recognize signs of alcoholism or drug abuse. (Adobe Stock)

Could Faculty, Peers Help in College Crisis Intervention?

TAMPA, Fla. -- A new survey of a dozen higher-ed schools revealed many faculty members want to be better equipped to help students who are struggling …

The most recent manatee population survey by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows 400 Florida manatees died in 2019. But 2021 could set a new mortality record, due to water pollution and loss of food and habitat. (Adobe Stock)

FL Manatees Face Greater Threats to Habitat, Health

TAMPA, Fla. -- Polluted wastewater released into Tampa Bay at Piney Point in the last two weeks is only one threat to Florida manatees, as an …

The Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection is partnering with Tampa Bay area governments and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program to monitor water quality at locations affected by the Piney Point breach. (Pexels)

Tampa Bay Braces for Red Tide Outbreak After Toxic Wastewater Leak

TAMPA, Fla. - The uncontrolled release of millions of gallons of polluted wastewater at Piney Point into Tampa Bay is raising concerns about a …

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