Health
FL Supreme Court knocks education Amendment 8 off November ballot; keeps other measures on
In a high-stakes decision on the future of public education, the Florida Supreme Court on Friday knocked so-called Amendment 8 off the November ballot, cementing the role of local school boards to create and oversee their public schools. The 4-3 decision came after oral arguments on Wednesday, with justices asking pointed questions about whether voters […]
What do we know about Chris King? The Phoenix asked, he answered
With Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum choosing affordable housing executive Chris King for his running mate this week, the pair has been described as the most progressive Democratic ticket in modern history in Florida. But what do voters know about King’s views? He was a candidate competing against Gillum in the primary, and now joins […]
What are your tax dollars paying for at women’s “crisis pregnancy centers”?
A new state law that provides taxpayer dollars to a network of so-called women’s “crisis pregnancy centers” is raising questions about whether the state will monitor how the centers – which don’t offer medical services, birth control, sex education, or abortions – deal with women who go there seeking help. According to the law that […]
Federal authorities designate dolphin die-off in SW Florida as “unusual mortality event.”
Federal authorities have officially declared the die-off of bottle nosed dolphins along Florida’s southwest coast as an “Unusual Mortality Event.” An alarming tide of dead sea creatures washing ashore since July has drawn national attention, and the rising death count of dolphins – at last count, 49 – in Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Hillsborough […]
An inside view of Andrew Gillum’s ideas that could reshape Florida
With Tuesday night’s victory by Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum in the headlines – and changing the landscape of politics in the state – the Florida Phoenix today offers an expansive picture of how Gillum could re-shape Florida’s state policies and how those ideas could affect every Floridian. The Phoenix got an inside view of Gillum’s […]
Three questions for the candidates running for governor: Affordable Housing
Today on the Florida Phoenix, we continue our election series, where we ask three questions of the candidates for governor, who face off in the Aug. 28 primary. Each day, we’ll cover a different topic of interest to voters. Today, we ask about affordable housing. The Republican candidates – Adam Putnam and Ron DeSantis – […]
To Florida Legislature: Pass the fracking ban in 2019
Stymied over the past three years, a coalition of environmental and business groups issued a letter calling on Florida lawmakers to ban the controversial practice of fracking, with more than 100 city and county elected officials signing on. “Fracking and the associated chemicals pose unacceptable risks to Florida families, tourists, our water supply, and economy,” […]
Florida environmentalists blast Trump proposal on power plant standards, saying “health disaster” will result
Environmentalists and some public officials in Florida criticized an Environmental Protection Agency proposal released today which gives states more authority to make their own plans for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. “What is new about this rule is it will guarantee that climate change will progress from a serious health problem to […]
Florida inmates expected to join in a nationwide prison strike today
Prisoners in Florida correctional facilities are refusing to report to their assigned jobs and in some cases engaged in peaceful sit-ins to demand immediate improvements to living conditions. It’s part of a strike in 17 states called by prisoner advocacy groups in the wake of bloodshed at a maximum-security South Carolina prison back in April, when […]
Wells Fargo closes Dept. of Ag candidate’s campaign accounts after questions about medical pot
In early August, Wells Fargo bank notified Florida Democratic candidate Nikki Fried – running for Commissioner of Agriculture – that she had 30 days to find another bank. Why? Apparently because of Fried’s strong ties and support for the medical marijuana industry. “I thought it was a joke,” Fried said during a Monday morning press […]
CDC releases data on 2017 opioid overdoses. The numbers don’t look good.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released new data on drug overdose deaths in the last year nationwide and the numbers are not promising. Since January 2015, deaths from opioid overdoses have increased by the thousands and spiked in October with 47,801 reported deaths nationwide. This year began with a reported 47,232 people […]
Five Florida cities ranked top 10 best places to retire, WalletHub reports
Orlando is the best city to retire to in the nation, according to a recent WalletHub study. Newark, NJ was the worst. The study looked at the “retirement-friendliness” of 182 cities across the nation and compared affordability, activities, quality of life and healthcare. The report assumed people would live on a fixed income. Orlando came […]