Culture & Society
A truly heartless act
North American right whales are among the Earth’s rarest creatures. Only about 400 remain, with just 100 breeding females. Each year the whales perform a wondrous 1,000-mile migration from Nova Scotia to as far south as Cape Canaveral, where they give birth off our Atlantic coast – the only known breeding ground. Except last year. […]
Senate bill introduced Thursday looks to move concealed weapons permitting to FDLE
A bill introduced Thursday in the Florida Senate by Democrat Sen. Lauren Book would move a controversial concealed weapons licensing program from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It’s a measure that Democrat Commissioner of Agriculture-elect Nikki Fried supported during her campaign. Florida’s gun permitting process landed […]
Ag Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried sets up transition team; asks citizens for input
Set to become Florida’s first female elected Agriculture Commissioner, Democrat Nikki Fried has set up a transition team that includes a wide range of experts, leaders and politicians. “From Democratic, Republican, and independent leaders, to leaders in Florida’s agriculture and environmental communities, public safety, energy, consumer protection, and marijuana industries—our transition team reflects the values […]
This group of concerned Republicans is running an anti-Trump ad
(UPDATE) Floridians will soon begin viewing a digital ad from a Republican group that disputes claims by President Trump and his supporters that the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into possible Russian collusion is a “witch-hunt.” The ad, called “This is Not a Witch-Hunt,” is produced by Republicans for the Rule of Law. It […]
Coalition supporting reproductive rights launches advocacy website
People who want to support reproductive rights – from promoting access to birth control, sex education and information about abortions – can now go online to www.FloridaReproFreedom.org, a new website backed by a reproductive rights coalition called Floridians for Reproductive Freedom. The coalition is made up of more than 50 organizations and includes the Florida […]
From caretaking to workforce: The Legislature cut this statewide program, but in one county it’s still alive, helping people get new skills
Elizabeth Pineda’s husband had always been the family’s main breadwinner. It wasn’t until her marriage fell on hard times, though, that she realized the extent of her dependence. She’d held office jobs in the past, but found herself stymied in her job search. “I was not up to par with my skills,” she says. “This […]
Lawsuit against Duval County schools aims to stop “illegal” gun program on campuses
A group of parents and elementary students and the League of Women Voters of Florida filed a lawsuit Thursday against Duval public schools, saying a district gun program allows “inadequately trained individuals who are not law enforcement officers to carry guns while policing public schools.” The school board-adopted program is illegal — posing serious risks […]
The FL Department of Education gave a top-level teaching certificate to a troubled substitute fired for misconduct
Lack of communication, confusion, and potential holes in state law reveal how a troubled substitute got – and kept — a full-fledged, professional teaching certificate to work in Florida’s classrooms, despite being fired twice for misconduct, the Florida Phoenix has found. The state Department of Education issued the certificate for now-deceased educator Scott Beierle – […]
Don’t worry, your salad is OK: Florida’s romaine lettuce is safe to eat
Florida’s romaine lettuce is safe to eat, according to Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. Putnam announced Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say Florida-grown lettuce is free of a certain strain of E. coli, which has already made a number of people sick nationwide. […]
What’s the matter with Congress? Washington Post and ProPublica undertake analysis to find out
A study by the Washington Post and the nonprofit investigative reporting operation ProPublica finds that America’s founding tradition of robust debate in the elected Congress “has been replaced by a weakened legislative branch in which debate is strictly curtailed, party leaders dictate the agenda, most elected representatives rarely get a say and government shutdowns are […]
Reshaping the Florida Supreme Court: 11 potential justices now being considered in Tallahassee
In the first step in a major – and likely conservative – reshaping of Florida’s Supreme Court, a key legal panel Tuesday recommended eleven people to replace three liberal-leaning justices who are retiring. Republican Governor-elect Ron DeSantis is likely to pick three new justices for the seven-member court on or before he takes office Jan. […]
Meet some of the new Florida House Democrats
The much hyped “Blue Wave” that Democrats were hoping would manifest itself during this year’s midterm elections ultimately did live up to the hype around most of the country, but not so much in the Sunshine State. Still, Democrats did manage to flip seven seats in the state House of Representatives, and six of the […]