Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced a Florida civil investigation into Discord, alleging the popular messaging and voice chat platform has become a primary conduit for online sexual predators targeting children, with many state criminal cases tracing back to the app. Speaking at a news conference at the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office alongside Sheriff…
The Florida Legislature has passed a bill mandating that counties, municipalities, special districts and other local governments accept electronic payments—including credit cards, debit cards and electronic funds transfers—for taxes, fees, fines, civil penalties and court-ordered obligations, while also requiring online payment options. The measure, carried as House Bill 967 by Rep. James Buchanan, R-Tarpon Springs,…
In Washington, The House of Representatives has advanced legislation to restore temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian refugees for three years. The bill (HR 1689) passed with support from all Democrats and 10 Republicans, including three from Florida: Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez and María Elvira Salazar of Miami-Dade County. Florida is home to about…
Reports now indicate Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly sent a letter to Ft. Meade Mayor Jaret Landon Williams cautioning that the city’s proposed 4.4-million-square-foot hyperscale data center campus northwest of downtown remains far from ready to move forward, citing significant risks to Central Florida’s energy capacity, water resources and transportation infrastructure.  Kelly described…
A Colombian national illegally in the United States has been charged with stealing more than $5,000 in backup batteries from cell towers in Central Florida, a theft that authorities say threatened emergency 911 communications. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the arrest of 44-year-old John Serna of Miami. Investigators allege Serna and an unidentified accomplice…
A husband and wife are behind bars facing first-degree murder charges after a botched illegal eviction turned deadly on Monday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. James Sidney Llanos, 47, and Lizeina Marie Cepeda, 39, were arrested following an investigation into the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Travon Jackson. Both suspects are being held without…
Officials at The Avon Park Main Street have announced they’ve kicked off a community fundraising campaign to bring a vibrant new mural to downtown, celebrating the city’s citrus heritage amid challenges facing the industry. The organization has unveiled the official rendering of the “Orange You Glad You Stopped Here” mural, designed to be fun, playful…
A bipartisan push to replace Florida’s nearly century-old state bird with the vibrant American flamingo stalled for the second straight year in the Legislature, as companion legislation in the Senate failed to advance beyond an initial committee. The House passed HB 11 on Feb. 11, 2026, by a resounding 112-1 vote, designating the American flamingo…
Republican gubernatorial candidate Paul Renner has issued a sharp rebuke of state leadership as the Florida Legislature appeared poised to miss its deadline for the 2026-27 state budget. Renner, the former House Speaker now seeking the executive office, accused the House and Senate of “an abdication of responsibility,” urging lawmakers to set aside political friction…
Florida’s economy, which climbed to $1.85 trillion in the third quarter of 2025 and led the nation in growth, and will continue expanding through 2035 but at a markedly slower pace than in recent years. That, according to Florida TaxWatch’s latest long-term forecast released last week. The Q4 2025 economic outlook, produced in partnership with…
