News from around the state of Florida
Featured image for “Tropical Storm Gabrielle becomes 7th storm of season”
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is expected to remain at sea.
18 hours ago

Tropical Storm Gabrielle becomes 7th storm of season

Gabrielle is forecast to become a hurricane this weekend but will stay away from the Florida coast.…

Featured image for “Florida attorney general says it’s legal to carry guns openly”
Jeff Meling shoots a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun at Shoot GTR in Gainesville on Sept. 20, 2023. | Augustus Hoff, Fresh Take Florida
3 days ago

Florida attorney general says it’s legal to carry guns openly

Attorney General James Uthmeier says a court ruling made open carry of guns “the law of the state.”…

Featured image for “Floridians oppose mid-decade redistricting, poll finds”
Robin Rothove, left, and Paula Smith demonstrate outside the Missouri Capitol as lawmakers prepare for a committee hearing to consider redrawing the state's U.S. House districts, Sept. 4, 2025. | Jeff Roberson, AP
September 11, 2025

Floridians oppose mid-decade redistricting, poll finds

Even a plurality of Republicans oppose redistricting before the next census, according to a poll by Common Cause.…

Featured image for “Appeals court says Florida can’t ban open carry of guns”
People hold their weapons as others look on during a Second Amendment gun rally at Utah State Capitol on Feb. 8, 2020, in Salt Lake City. | Rick Bowmer, AP
September 10, 2025

Appeals court says Florida can’t ban open carry of guns

The court said the state’s ban on open carry conflicts with the nation’s historical tradition of firearms.…

Featured image for “Today marks a strangely quiet peak to hurricane season”
A satellite image shows the Atlantic Basin on Sept. 10, 2025, the peak of hurricane season.
September 10, 2025

Today marks a strangely quiet peak to hurricane season

Sept. 10 is the statistical peak of hurricane season, but it is one of the quietest Septembers in 30 years.…

Featured image for “King tides worsen flood risk on Florida’s East Coast”
September 9, 2025

King tides worsen flood risk on Florida’s East Coast

Intense storms will bring the highest tides of the year, and flash floods are possible.…

Featured image for “Immigration detention center opens in Baker County”
The Baker Correctional Institution became Florida's second immigration detention center. | Kaley Mantz, Fresh Take Florida
September 8, 2025

Immigration detention center opens in Baker County

The former Baker Correctional Institution held more than 100 detainees as of Friday.…

Featured image for “PolitiFact FL: Can I get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this year? Will insurance cover it?”
A pharmacist holds a Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shot on April 24, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.
September 5, 2025

PolitiFact FL: Can I get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this year? Will insurance cover it?

The rules are changing this year on who can get COVID-19 shots and where.…

Featured image for “Appeals court allows ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to remain open”
A police officer urges Art Sennholtz, 80, center, and Christy Howard, 70, of Just Us Volusia to be careful of fast-moving traffic as they hold protest signs outside the entrance to an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades known as "Alligator Alcatraz" on Aug. 28, 2025. | Rebecca Blackwell, AP
September 5, 2025

Appeals court allows ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ to remain open

The ruling will allow the immigration detention center to continue holding detainees for the time being.…

Featured image for “Concerns mount over Florida’s vaccine plan”
A nurse prepares a dose of vaccine for injection. | Reuters
September 4, 2025

Concerns mount over Florida’s vaccine plan

Medical professionals say removing vaccine mandates could hurt public health and put children at risk for disease.…

Featured image for “Former House Speaker Paul Renner enters governor’s race”
Paul Renner, the former Florida House Speaker, has launched a bid for governor.
September 4, 2025

Former House Speaker Paul Renner enters governor’s race

Renner represented areas of Flagler and St. Johns counties in the Florida House from 2015 to 2024.…

Featured image for “Florida’s once-pristine springs are under growing threat”
Kaelin Gibbs dives near the Blue Hole vent Wednesday, July 16, 2025, in Fort White. | Marta Lavandier, AP
August 29, 2025

Florida’s once-pristine springs are under growing threat

Pollution, development and climate change are all taking a toll on one of the state’s great treasures.…

Featured image for “Rain and flash flood risk return for Labor Day weekend”
August 29, 2025

Rain and flash flood risk return for Labor Day weekend

Sunday morning will likely be a wet one across North Florida, and the heat will ignite the sea breeze.…

Featured image for “Florida cracks down on undocumented truck drivers”
A fuel truck delivers gas at a station in Davie. | Jullian Cain Photography, stock.adobe.com
August 26, 2025

Florida cracks down on undocumented truck drivers

Attorney General James Uthmeier says undocumented immigrant truck drivers put Floridians at risk.…

Featured image for “Florida lawmaker proposes to abolish HOAs”
In Florida, there are nearly 49,000 homeowner associations covering about 9.6 million residents, according to a recent national report on the topic by a property management trade organization. |
August 26, 2025

Florida lawmaker proposes to abolish HOAs

Rep. Juan Carlos Porras of Miami says it’s likely he’ll file legislation to get rid of homeowners associations.…

Featured image for “Columbia scientist approved as interim president at UF”
Donald Landry, former chairman of the Department of Medicine at Columbia University, was approved Monday to serve as interim president of the University of Florida. | Azhalia Pottinger, WUFT News)
August 25, 2025

Columbia scientist approved as interim president at UF

Trustees approved Donald Landry, former chairman of the Department of Medicine at Columbia University.…

Featured image for “Judge orders shutdown of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’”
Work progresses on a new migrant detention facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" at Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility in the Florida Everglades on July 4, 2025. | Rebecca Blackwell, AP file
August 22, 2025

Judge orders shutdown of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams said she expects detainees to be transferred to other facilities within 60 days.…

Featured image for “‘Deportation Depot’ stirs fears among Baker County neighbors”
A barbed wire fence surrounds the Baker Correctional Institution, which is set to turn into Florida's second immigration detention facility in Sanderson., Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. | Kaley Mantz, Fresh Take Florida
August 18, 2025

‘Deportation Depot’ stirs fears among Baker County neighbors

The immigration center planned in one of Florida’s most conservative areas has drawn a tangle of reactions.…

Featured image for “Part of schoolbook law ruled unconstitutional”
Books are stacked in a school library. | SKT Studio, stock.adobe.com
August 14, 2025

Part of schoolbook law ruled unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled against part of a law that led to removal of books for “sexual” content.…

Featured image for “For incarcerated students, online school is a disaster”
A photo and letter from Xavier Nicoll is posted on the kitchen of his grandparents Bill and Julie on April 24, 2025, in Naples. Xavier has been incarcerated longer than his original sentence due to behavioral issues during virtual school. | Marta Lavandier, AP
August 14, 2025

For incarcerated students, online school is a disaster

Despite evidence that online learning failed many students in the pandemic, Florida relies on it for juvenile detention.…

Featured image for “As Erin strengthens, when do we expect a turn northward?”
August 14, 2025

As Erin strengthens, when do we expect a turn northward?

The stronger Erin gets, the more likely the storm will turn north late Sunday or early Monday.…

Featured image for “Controversial bear hunt gets go-ahead for December”
August 13, 2025

Controversial bear hunt gets go-ahead for December

Wildlife officials approved rules for a hunt that could lead to 187 bears being killed.…

Featured image for “Tropical Storm Erin could become a major hurricane”
Tropical Storm Erin as of 11 a.m. Monday
August 11, 2025

Tropical Storm Erin could become a major hurricane

Erin is forecast to become the first hurricane of the season by the end of the week, likely staying north…

Featured image for “More Floridians falling ill from consuming raw milk”
In Florida, raw milk can only be sold for non‑human consumption as pet or animal food. |
August 7, 2025

More Floridians falling ill from consuming raw milk

Health experts blame misinformation. Some people think raw milk protects them from asthma and allergies.…