Florida News & Current Events | Public News Service

In Florida, more than 4.3 million people are enrolled in Medicaid. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, June 13, 2025

Medicaid cuts could strain FL’s safety net, advocates warn

The budget reconciliation bill being considered by the U.S. Senate proposes $863 billion in Medicaid reductions over a decade, with 10.9 million …

Consumer advocates warned Florida Power & Light's proposed rate increase would mean its customers would be locked into supporting natural gas over cleaner, price-stable alternatives, like solar energy. (Silberfuchs/Pixabay)

Could FPL’s $9B rate hike deepen FL energy affordability crisis?

Florida Power & Light's request for a nearly $9 billion rate hike, possibly the largest in state history, has sparked concern about the potential …

The Sunshine State Ranks 35th in Child Well-being in the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book, which advocates say appears to be a concern as the state seems to be reversing previous Gains in fourth-grade reading proficiency. (Evgeniy Kalinovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Child well-being stagnates in FL amid education, housing challenges

Florida ranks 35th in child well-being - with notable declines in education and ongoing struggles with housing affordability, according to the 2025 …

A study of living shorelines along Florida's Cedar Key found they reduced wave energy by 33% to 79% in typical conditions and by up to 28% during hurricanes, consistently outperforming armored shorelines. (Adobe Stock)

Study shows 'living shorelines' provide better protection from major storms

Research indicates living shorelines are more effective at protecting Florida's fragile coastal areas from the wave action of hurricanes and other maj…

Florida State University is among the top five ranked schools for free speech according to the nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. (Adobe Stock)

Free speech under fire? Report ranks Florida campuses

Florida colleges are getting mixed marks when it comes to protecting free speech. A new national report, the College Free Speech Rankings, lists …

Studies show even small amounts of alcohol may increase a woman's risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which can cause lifelong developmental challenges. (Pixabay)

Women face rising health risks with alcohol use

As alcohol consumption among women rises nationwide, Florida health experts are voicing concern about the unique risks women face, from increased …

Advocates say completing the Ocklawaha River restoration project would benefit Florida's largest spring, Silver Springs, and the 20 lost springs of the Ocklawaha River. (Adobe Stock)

Ocklawaha River restoration hangs in balance as Florida budget stalls

CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this story did not capture the correct scope of economic benefits identified in the Jacksonville University study…

Florida has become the second state to officially ban fluoride in public drinking water. (Pixabay)

Florida’s fluoride ban sparks concerns over dental health

Florida's new law banning fluoride in public water systems has drawn sharp criticism from dental professionals, who cite decades of evidence …

The 2025 Florida hurricane season, from June 1 to Nov. 30, is predicted to be above average with 17 named storms. (Adobe Stock)

FL emergency managers prep for hurricane season amid FEMA uncertainty

As Florida emergency response officials conduct their annual statewide hurricane preparedness exercise this week, emergency managers are grappling …

Florida A&M University, a public historically Black land-grant institution in Tallahassee, was founded in 1887. It is one of the largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities by enrollment and the only public HBCU in Florida. (Adobe Stock)

Controversy erupts over FAMU’s presidential selection process

The selection of Marva Johnson, a longtime corporate executive and ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, as the next president of Florida A&M University has …

According to Pew Research, of the 45 million immigrants in the United States, 4.7 million (10.4%) are Black. (Adobe Stock)

Black immigrants in Florida grapple with fear, isolation

While Florida's immigration debates center on mostly Hispanic communities, the state's Black immigrant populations, including more than 300,000 …

All cattle and calves on Florida farms and ranches as of January 1, 2024, including dairy cattle, totaled 1.56 million head, down 50,000 head from 2023, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. (Pixabay)

FL researcher exposes meat and dairy industry’s misinformation tactics

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

Harvard economist Raj Chetty's research reveals Black men's outcomes drive the racial wealth gap nearly twice as much as women's, with profound mobility implications. (Adobe Stock)

FL schools could learn from HBCU enrollment initiative

As Historically Black Colleges and Universities grapple with declining Black male enrollment, a program at Howard University is working to reverse …

The Florida Solar Rights Act protects homeowners' rights to install solar energy systems. (Pixabay)

FL solar advocates urge Congress to keep tax credits

As Congress prepares to vote this week on a budget bill which would repeal solar energy tax credits, Florida solar advocates warned the move would …

In Florida, Highway Patrol troopers and Border Patrol agents are also traveling together in the same vehicles to enforce immigration laws. (Adobe Stock)

Florida's immigration crackdown 'tearing families apart'

While Gov. Ron DeSantis touts "Operation Tidal Wave" as a success, advocates for Florida's immigrant families say the crackdown is tearing them apart …

Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue said 90% of the tomatoes exported by Mexico go to the United States. (Pixabay)

FL tomato industry enters new era as U.S.-Mexico trade agreement ends

The Florida tomato industry is stepping into uncharted territory following the termination of a decades old trade agreement with Mexico, marking what …

Florida's school vouchers program, which lawmakers expanded in 2023, is projected to divert nearly $4 billion this year from public education, according to the Florida Policy Institute. (Pixabay)

Florida PTA fights charter school expansion, cuts to mental health funding

Jude Bruno, president-elect of the Florida Parent Teacher Association, is leading a charge against two controversial education bills which would …

The Inflation Reduction Act allocated $3.1 billion for

South Florida farming program in limbo after federal grant freeze

Frozen federal grants have thrown a South Florida farm training program into chaos, leaving a nonprofit scrambling to salvage it after sudden funding …

Florida State University, where a gunman killed two people last Thursday, experienced another shooting more than a decade ago that left three people injured. (ernie114/Pixabay)

Students, lawmakers clash over gun violence response after FSU shooting

Florida State University students joined survivors of past mass shootings at the state Capitol this week, demanding that Gov. Ron DeSantis veto a …

Florida is one of 16 states not requiring annual mental health screenings in schools, according to the advocacy group Inseparable. (Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

Report: FL schools face mental-health staffing shortfalls

Florida schools still face critical mental health staffing shortages with less than 25% of needed psychologists in place, despite expanding …

The osprey is found year-round in Florida, both as a nesting species and as a spring and fall migrant passing between more northern areas and Central and South America. (Pixabay)

Annual wildlife survey documents Florida's changing biodiversity

Teams of researchers and volunteers will fan out at dawn Friday with their smartphones and binoculars on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus for …

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an international, nongovernmental organization that uses Unarmed Civilian Protection in conflict zones to help build peace within local communities. (Pixabay)

International relief organizations in FL impacted by USAID cuts

As global conflicts and natural disasters escalate, groups like the Nonviolent Peaceforce, which works to protect civilians in conflict zones…

National Healthcare Decisions Day is held on April 16 each year to educate health care providers and consumers about advance care planning and empower all to make their wishes known about care preferences in case they are unable to communicate them. (Pixabay)

Florida health disparities highlight need for advance care planning

Wednesday is National Healthcare Decisions Day and advocates are calling attention to Florida's pressing need for advance care planning, particularly …

Seasonal allergies impact about one in four adults and one in five children in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control. (Pixabay)

Achoo! Coping with allergy season in Florida

As yellow pollen dust coats cars and porches, seasonal allergies are plaguing nearly a quarter of adults and one in five children in the U.S.…

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and will last through the end of November. (Pixabay)

FEMA grant cancellations spark FL outcry as hurricane season looms

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has abruptly ended a key disaster-preparedness program, sparking concerns as another active hurricane season …

Researchers in the ZYWang Lab at the University of Washington investigated how social isolation disrupts natural behavioral patterns. Their current work examines the neurological and physiological impacts of prolonged isolation with direct implications for understanding solitary confinement's effects on humans. (Pixabay/iira116)

Research: People suffer in solitary confinement as FL reforms sit idle

New research showed damage to Florida's 3,000 inmates in solitary confinement extends far beyond psychological trauma. Solitary, which often lasts …

The Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) grant program, created in 1979, helps Florida students pay tuition at private, nonprofit colleges. (Pixabay)

FL House budget proposal threatens college access for 22,000 students

Nearly 22,000 Florida college students could lose critical tuition help under a state House budget proposal. The plan would cut $3,500 annual grants …

'The Visioneers': FL innovators lead climate solutions in new CBS series

A group of Florida middle schoolers is tackling water pollution in an unconventional way - by collecting scientific samples while surfing and skateboa…

USDA data show Black farmers have lost 90% of their land since 1910, while Florida has lost more than 300,000 acres of farmland since 2017. (Pixabay)

FL coalition joins call to honor USDA contracts, support small farmers

Many Floridians watched as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.Y., set a record for his historic 24-hour-plus Senate floor speech protesting President Donald …

Gov. Ron DeSantis launched Florida DOGE in February 2025 to

Federal and state job cuts threaten FL workers' rights, services

Florida's public employees face twin crises as federal collective bargaining rights suddenly disappear and state government jobs are cut, leaving …

Florida's 2025 child labor bills, Senate Bill 918 and House Bill 1225, go further than 2024's House Bill 49, raising new safety concerns. (Pixabay)

Florida child labor bill advances amid exploitation concerns

A Florida bill that would roll back child labor restrictions cleared a Senate panel this week, sparking debate over whether it empowers families or …

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, rescued six soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq on Oct. 17, 2005, enduring severe burns and enemy fire while refusing medical evacuation until all others were saved. (CMOHS website)

National Medal of Honor Day: Honoring FL heroes and their legacy

Tuesday is National Medal of Honor Day, a time to reflect on the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of the fewer than 4,000 Americans who have …

Filmmaker Michael Nash aims to feature his acclaimed film

From the moon to mailboxes: Filmmaker puts climate refugees in spotlight

Last year, filmmaker Michael Nash achieved the extraordinary when his documentary "Climate Refugees" was sent to the moon as part of a Lunar Museum …

Eliseo Santana, the Gulf Coast Region manager for the Alianza Center, which serves the Puerto Rican and Hispanic communities, showcased the first-aid kits they distribute after hurricanes. (Trimmel Gomes)

Hispanic veteran demands respect amid immigration crackdown

As the Trump administration continues to implement aggressive immigration policies, many Hispanic residents in Florida, a key voting bloc for Trump…

Trash 2 Trends designers create runway looks from items headed to the landfill. Proceeds from the event fund recycling initiatives, litter prevention and community beautification in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Trash 2 Trends: Turning garbage into glamour to fight climate change

What if your trash could be the key to a more sustainable wardrobe? The group Keep Orlando Beautiful is proving it is possible with its annual "Trash…

According to the World Health Organization, climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health. (Adobe Stock)

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

As the warming climate continues to reshape the environment, its impact on people's health is becoming increasingly evident in Florida. Doctors and …

Nonprofits face a funding cliff as recent executive orders and federal cuts create uncertainty nationwide. Experts in philanthropy addressed the issue at the Climate Corrections Conference in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

As federal funding for climate initiatives faces steep cuts, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are stepping into the breach, calling out the …

Opened in 2017, Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence is the first new school in Parramore, Fla., in more than 40 years, serving preschool through eighth grade. It features a three-wall, climate-themed mural by artist Allison Dayka. (VoLo Foundation)

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

As Florida grapples with rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and extreme heat, the state's vulnerability to climate change is impossible to ignore…

Farmers unions and agricultural advocacy groups are calling on Congress to push the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release all frozen funds. (Adobe Stock)

Southern farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

Florida farmers face mounting uncertainty as a federal funding freeze and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have disrupted some of the …

The American Diabetes Association reported 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. (Adobe Stock)

FL lawmakers push to expand diabetes care with new bills

Florida lawmakers are taking steps to address the state's growing number of people with diabetes, by improving early detection and access to care…

FL advocates push back against corporate dominance in agriculture

Advocates for small independent farmers and ranchers in Florida are sounding the alarm about the effects of corporate agriculture on their land and lo…

The Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use was established by the Florida Legislature in 2021 to address the state's growing mental health and substance-use disorder crisis. (Adobe Stock)

Florida commission urges statewide mental-health data repository

As Florida's legislative session begins on Tuesday, the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use is urging lawmakers to prioritize the …

In 2024 first-time pass rates for registered nurses in Florida stood at 84.9% in 2024, falling short of the national average of 91.16%.(Adobe Stock)

FGCU nursing program achieves 100% pass rate amid nursing shortage

For the second year in a row, every nursing graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University passed the national licensing exam required to become a …

After years of collaboration among conservationists, scientists and policymakers, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act was signed into law on June 29, 2021, with unanimous bipartisan support from the Florida Legislature. (Adobe Stock)

Protecting Florida’s Ocala-to-Osceola wildlife corridor

A 1,086-acre property in Putnam County has been secured as part of the ongoing effort to protect the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, a critical …

Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, President Joe Biden withdrew specific offshore areas from oil and gas leasing. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups sue Trump administration over offshore drilling policy

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its revocation of President Joe Biden's …

Florida became the second-largest prison system primarily because California reforms reduced its incarcerated population, while Florida's strict sentencing policies and slower adoption of reforms have kept its prison numbers high. (Adobe Stock)

New research could help FL prisons address violence

Violence in prisons is a pervasive issue, affecting both incarcerated people and staff, and minimizing it is the topic of some new research. …

Continuous glucose monitors are now used by most of the estimated 300,000 people in the United Staates who are younger than age 20 and living with Type 1 diabetes, according to health experts. (Adobe Stock)

Schools struggle to keep up with diabetes tech, leaving parents to fill gaps

By Phil Galewitz for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Serv…

An agonist mimics a neurotransmitter or hormone, triggering a response by binding to specific brain receptors. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), approved for diabetes and obesity, also show promising heart health benefits. (Adobe Stock)

GLP-1 meds offer new hope for heart health amid weight-loss craze

The GLP-1 medication trend has taken the health and wellness world by storm, largely hailed as a game-changer for weight loss. Now, new research …

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