Florida

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FHFA Chief Is Having a 'Pot, Meet Kettle' Moment

Records show Pulte's family claimed same tax breaks that he's slamming Fed governor for

(Newser) - Bill Pulte, a federal housing official, has publicly accused Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of improperly claiming homestead exemptions—tax breaks for owners on their primary residence—on more than one property. However, a Reuters investigation found that Pulte's own father and stepmother, Mark and Julie Pulte, have...

Florida Moves to Scrap All State Vaccine Mandates

State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the planned change

(Newser) - Florida is poised to wipe its vaccine mandates off the books, with state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announcing Wednesday that all requirements—including those for schoolchildren against diseases like measles and polio—are set to end, reports the Tampa Bay Times . Ladapo didn't offer details on the process...

Shark Bites 8-Year-Old Off Florida Keys

Boy was reportedly spearfishing when he was bitten above the knee

(Newser) - An 8-year-old boy was bitten by a shark off Key Largo, Florida, on Monday, losing a "significant amount of blood." The boy was spearfishing with his father and a sibling a few miles from Horseshoe Reef around 3:30pm when he was bitten on the leg above the...

Man in Batman Pajamas Catches Burglary Suspect

'It was good to see Batman, you know, keeping Cape Coral safe'

(Newser) - "Thanks to a quick-thinking neighbor in his Batman pajamas, another burglary suspect was put behind bars," police in Florida said after an arrest last week. The pajamaed crusader was contractor Kyle Myvett, who had gone to bed in his favorite onesie when his wife told him security cameras...

Key to Tesla's Huge Court Loss: A Hacker in Starbucks

Washington Post recounts how the hacker uncovered data from fatal crash

(Newser) - Earlier this month, a Florida jury ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in a landmark verdict over a fatal Autopilot crash. Now the Washington Post has an extensive look at a crucial part of the plaintiffs' victory: a hacker uncovered the vehicle's electronic data from the crash, while...

Florida Carries Out Record 11th Execution of the Year

Curtis Windom killed 3 people in 1992

(Newser) - A man convicted of killing his girlfriend, her mother, and a man he claimed owed him $2,000 was put to death Thursday in a record 11th execution this year by the state of Florida, the AP reports. Curtis Windom, 59, was pronounced dead at 6:17pm following a lethal...

This $500K Robot Army Only Needs to Look, Smell Good

Florida officials optimistic about ongoing effort to attract the invasive Burmese python

(Newser) - They look, move and even smell like the kind of furry Everglades marsh rabbit a Burmese python would love to eat. But these bunnies are robots meant to lure the giant invasive snakes out of their hiding spots. It's the latest effort by the South Florida Water Management District...

In Florida, a 'Hostile Act' at Memorial for Pulse Victims
Orlando Once Again Loses
Its Rainbow Crosswalk
UPDATED
Aug 26, 2025 1:00 AM CDT

Orlando Once Again Loses Its Rainbow Crosswalk

State DOT once again paints crosswalk black and white

(Newser) - Orlando's once-rainbow crosswalk is now black and white again. The Florida Department of Transportation on Sunday painted over the rainbow colors again, NBC News reports. The rainbow crosswalk was originally created in 2017 as part of a tribute to the 49 people killed in the 2016 shooting at LGBTQ...

States That Are the Most Fun
States That Are the Most Fun
Aug 24, 2025 1:10 PM CDT

States That Are the Most Fun

California tops WalletHub's rankings, while West Virginia needs to lighten up

(Newser) - Every day of your existence "should be sprinkled with at least a little bit of fun," not just your vacations. That's Travel + Leisure's take , and why the magazine is promoting WalletHub's latest rankings to find the state that has the most of it. The...

Hurricanes Strike a New Fear Into America's Migrants

Those without permanent legal status fear they'll need to avoid shelters due to ICE detentions

(Newser) - If a major hurricane approaches Central Florida this season, Maria knows it's dangerous to stay inside her wooden, trailerlike home. In past storms, she evacuated to her sister's sturdier house. If she couldn't get there, a shelter set up at the local high school served as a...

Florida Executes Woman's Killer
Florida Executes Woman's Killer
Aug 19, 2025 6:20 PM CDT

Florida Executes Woman's Killer

Janet White's husband witnesses death of Kayle Bates

(Newser) - A man convicted of abducting a woman from a Florida Panhandle insurance office and killing her received a lethal injection Tuesday evening in the state's 10th execution this year. Kayle Bates, 67, was pronounced dead at 6:17pm following a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke under...

'Deport Depot' Merch Doesn't Sit Well With Home Depot

Pulled merchandise mimicked retailer's stenciled letter logo

(Newser) - The Florida GOP's attempt to cash in with "Deport Depot" merchandise quickly fizzled after the Home Depot objected to its branding being used without permission—underscoring the tensions brewing over Florida's new migrant detention plans. The Republican Party of Florida on Friday began promoting a new...

Last Text From NC Teen Who Vanished in Florida: 'Help Me'

Body of Giovanni Pelletier, 18, found in Florida after he vacationed there with family

(Newser) - An 18-year-old from North Carolina whose family says he vanished under "deeply troubling and suspicious circumstances" has been found dead in Florida after vacationing there. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Thursday that a body found Aug. 8 in a retention pond in Bradenton is indeed that...

Authors, Publishers Win Ruling on Book Banning in Florida

State says it will appeal after judge finds school library statute too broad

(Newser) - A federal judge has struck down key parts of a Florida law that helped parents get books they found objectionable removed from public school libraries and classrooms. It is a victory for publishers and authors who had sued after their books were removed, the AP reports. US District Judge Carlos...

Teen Girl Killed on Surprise Grad Trip

Jet ski crash in Florida leaves 13-year-old dead, 16-year-old sister in critical condition

(Newser) - A New York family's vacation in Florida became a nightmare from which they could not awake Tuesday when two sisters crashed a jet ski, leaving a 13-year-old dead and a 16-year-old fighting for her life. The sisters were taking part in a guided tour when they collided with a...

DeSantis Unveils Plans for 'Deportation Depot'

Florida's second immigration detention facility will be in a 'ready-made' facility, a prison

(Newser) - Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration is preparing to open a second immigration detention facility dubbed "Deportation Depot" at a state prison in north Florida, as a federal judge decides the fate of the state's holding center for immigrants at an isolated airstrip in the Florida Everglades known...

After Fatal Attack, Florida Revives Its Black Bear Hunt

Up to 187 permits will be issued for hunt in December, which excludes cubs

(Newser) - The first black bear hunt in Florida in a decade will take place in December under a rule adopted Wednesday by state wildlife officials despite strong opposition to the eventual use of dogs and targeting the animals in baited locations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously in...

DeSantis Taps a Potential Successor
DeSantis Taps a
Potential Successor
Aug 12, 2025 12:25 PM CDT

DeSantis Taps a Potential Successor

Florida governor appoints state Sen. Jay Collins as lieutenant governor, potentially setting up a proxy war

(Newser) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis can't run for reelection in the 2026 race, but on Tuesday he gave a broad hint at who he might like to see take his place in the governor's mansion. The term-limited DeSantis appointed GOP state Sen. Jay Collins as the state's next...

Robot Rabbits Join Florida's Fight Against Invasive Snakes
In Fight Against Pythons,
Florida Stuffs 40 Toy Bunnies
in case you missed it
Aug 9, 2025 1:00 PM CDT

In Fight Against Pythons, Florida Stuffs 40 Toy Bunnies

Robotic rabbits join state's battle against invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades

(Newser) - Florida's ongoing battle with invasive Burmese pythons has gone high tech, with wildlife teams now deploying robotic rabbits to help find and capture the elusive snakes. The solar-powered, remote-controlled decoys look and smell like marsh rabbits—favored python prey—and even emit heat signatures to lure the snakes...

Well, Now There's a Debate About Orange Juice

Health concerns and industry struggles are prompting proposed changes

(Newser) - Orange juice is having an identity crisis. Once the poster child of a healthy breakfast, it's now caught in a tug-of-war between nutrition science, government regulation, and a struggling citrus industry. The Washington Post reports the citrus drink could be made with slightly less sugary oranges under a regulation...

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