Tag Archives: Florida

Carrie Meek, the first Black person to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction and a fierce advocate for Black communities in the state, died Sunday, her family said. She was 95. Meek died at her home in Miami after a long illness, family spokesperson Adam Sharon said in a statement. …

A Florida man pled guilty Monday to a charge of wire fraud in connection to an alleged extortion scheme targeting the father of Congressman Matt Gaetz. Stephen M. Alford, 62, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud related to his attempt to illegally obtain …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed four bills into law on Thursday restricting mask and Covid-19 vaccine mandates in an effort to combat federal rules handed down by President Joe Biden. Flanked by his newly appointed surgeon general and Republican legislators, DeSantis described the bills as a win for personal freedoms …

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that he is suing the Biden Administration over its order requiring vaccinations against COVID-19 for federal employees and contractors by December 8. The lawsuit alleges that the president doesn’t have the authority to issue the rule and that it violates procurement law. DeSantis has …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week called for a special legislative session next month to pass legislation to ban the COVID-19 vaccine mandates announced by the White House last month. Legislative leaders said they might use the session to pull away from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA), which …

A Florida school district announced last week that it is the first school district in the nation to receive a federal grant to replace funding that was withheld over its mask mandate. The U.S. Department of Education gave Alachua County Public Schools nearly $148,000 through its Project Safe grant program, …

A Florida State Representative filed a Texas-style abortion bill on Wednesday prohibiting abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill, filed by Florida GOP Rep. Webster Barnaby, is deemed the “Florida Heartbeat Act.” It states that once a heartbeat is detected, abortions will not be allowed unless the mother’s …

Florida’s new “anti-riot” law, which would allow harsh penalties for peaceful protesters, has been blocked by a federal judge. The bill, which Republican Governor Ron DeSantis heavily endorsed, was ruled to be unconstitutional on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Mark Walker. The 90-page judgment found the law to be “vague …

A Florida judge ruled against Gov. Ron DeSantis and allowed schools in the state to mandate masks. Second Circuit Judge John Cooper’s order is effective immediately and means the state must stop enforcing the banning of mask mandates. “It’s undisputed that in Florida, we are in the midst of a …

The Florida Department of Education is withholding school board members’ salaries in Alachua and Broward counties for defying Governor Ron DeSantis‘ ban on mask mandates. The Director of Communications for Florida’s Department of Education, Jared Ochs, wrote an email to NBC News confirming that the School Board members will have …

On Friday, a judge ruled that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis‘ ban on school mask mandates was unlawful, and school districts in the state can require students to wear masks. Judge John Cooper’s decision came after a five-day hearing, and as at least 10 Florida school boards voted to defy DeSantis …

The City of Orlando is asking residents to reduce water consumption due to COVID-19. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) held a news conference asking residents to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars for at least a week. Mayor Dyer said Friday that water …

Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is promoting Regeneron (REGEN-GOV), a COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy treatment in which one of his top donors’ companies is invested. Regeneron is authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and while it is available for free to patients, the government is charged …

Less than a week into the school year, thousands of students in a Florida county are either quarantined or in isolation because of COVID-19. As of Monday, 5,599 students in Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida are either isolated due to a positive case or quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. …

A federal judge ruled that Norwegian Cruise Line can require passengers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination despite Florida’s ban on vaccine passports. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams says that the ban compromises public health and is unconstitutional. In a statement, Norwegian Cruise Line’s president said, in part, “We welcome …