Marketing for Enterprise Florida takes a big hit

by Jim Turner, the News Service of Florida on August 22, 2017 at 2:42PM

Florida's business-recruitment agency isn't giving up on marketing to executives just because its budget has been slashed. But it might not market to as many.

Florida Republican doesn't think poor people should have soda

by Colin Wolf on August 22, 2017 at 2:22PM

Last year, House Republicans unsuccessfully tried to pass HB 581, which would've denied 229,000 Floridians from using food stamps, most of them children, because they wrongly suspected vast amounts of statewide fraud. According to the Tampa Bay Times, for the past seven years Florida has received nearly $54 million in bonuses from the federal government for having one of the lowest food stamp error rates in the U.S.

Orange County deputies arrest suspected car thief after he stopped to watch solar eclipse

by Colin Wolf on August 22, 2017 at 1:33PM

Florida lawmaker wants to make it harder to amend constitution

by News Service of Florida on August 22, 2017 at 12:21PM

State Rep. Rick Roth, R-Loxahatchee, reintroduced a measure Monday that would make it harder for voters to change the Florida Constitution. The proposal (HJR 65), which Roth seeks to place on the 2018 ballot, would require ballot measures to receive the support of two-thirds of voters for approval.

Bill seeks to add police to Florida's hate crimes law

by News Service of Florida on August 22, 2017 at 12:16PM

Hate-crime protections would be extended to law-enforcement officers and other first responders under a measure reintroduced Monday by Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah. Under the proposal (SB 178), criminal penalties would be increased when “crimes evidencing prejudice” are committed against law-enforcement officers or other emergency workers.

Democrat withdraws candidacy in Central Florida House race

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 22, 2017 at 11:03AM

Democratic candidate Paul Chandler is ending his campaign in the special election for southwest Orange County's Florida House District 44. "The Paul for Florida campaign will halt all campaign activities," a statement from the campaign says.

Anti-Muslim group cancels pro-Trump rally in downtown Orlando

by Colin Wolf on August 22, 2017 at 7:59AM

Rather than hold rallies where they would undoubtably be outnumbered by counter protesters (like in Boston last weekend), ACT for America says they now plan to hold demonstrations online Sept. 9.   It's worth noting that only 29 people were registered to attend September's Orlando rally.

Suspended Kaká mingled with us common folk last weekend

by Colin Wolf on August 21, 2017 at 6:12PM

Orlando City superstar Kaká was mingling among us common folk at last Saturday's match against Columbus Crew SC, suggesting that perhaps a suspended Kaká is the best Kaká. Serving his mandatory red card suspension for hamming around with his buddy Aurelien Collin of the New York Red Bulls, the Brazilian star was spotted smack in the middle of The Wall.

Charities keep canceling fundraisers at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 21, 2017 at 5:05PM

The Post reports the Mar-a-Lago's highest-paying events, galas by the Palm Beach Police Foundation and the Palm Beach County Republican Party, are still continuing. But the newspaper estimates the cancellations could cost the Trump Organization $1.1 million in total, with rental fees ranging from $24,000 to $276,000.

Lawmaker renews effort to replace Florida's Confederate statue with McLeod Bethune

by Jim Turner, the News Service of Florida on August 21, 2017 at 3:17PM

Amid a national debate about monuments and statues, a South Florida lawmaker renewed his push Monday for a likeness of Mary McLeod Bethune —- an educator and civil-rights activist who founded what is now known as Bethune-Cookman University —- to represent Florida in the U.S. Capitol. State Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, proposed a resolution (SCR 184) to have Bethune replace Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith as one of Florida's two representatives in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.

Florida snake hunters have killed 500 Burmese pythons this year

by Colin Wolf on August 21, 2017 at 1:38PM

The state's first ever "snake hunters for hire" program was launched back in March, and has attracted quite a bit of attention. Last month, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay joined a hunt and caught, cooked and ate three large snakes for his show The F Word.

Look at this stupidly massive fish

by Colin Wolf on August 21, 2017 at 12:45PM

Last weekend, a Bradenton firefighter landed one of the world's biggest Warsaw groupers at the St. Pete Open annual fishing tournament, and holy nightmare of the deep, just look at this thing. According to WFTS, James Taylor speared the 409-pound grouper at a depth of 250 feet and roughly 85 miles off the shore on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Rick Scott removes Aramis Ayala from case of slain Kissimmee Police officers

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 20, 2017 at 3:35PM

After the fatal shooting of two Kissimmee Police officers, Gov. Rick Scott has removed Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala from the case because of her previous opposition to the death penalty. In an executive order, Scott reassigned the case of Everett Glenn Miller, 45, from Ayala to State Attorney Brad King, whose district covers Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.

Second Kissimmee Police officer dies after Friday shooting

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 20, 2017 at 2:55PM

A second Kissimmee Police officer died from his injuries Saturday afternoon after a fatal Friday shooting claimed the life of another officer. The Kissimmee Police Department says Sgt. Richard "Sam" Howard and Officer Matthew Baxter were shot during a routine stop near the intersection of Palmway and Cypress streets around 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

Democratic candidates for Florida governor vow to back LGBTQ anti-discrimination law

by Lloyd Dunkelberger, News Service of Florida on August 20, 2017 at 12:04PM

Three Democratic candidates for governor pledged Saturday to support legislation that would prohibit discrimination in jobs and housing based on sexual orientation. Despite support from the business community, the legislation, known as the “Competitive Workforce Act,” has stalled in the Legislature in recent years.

Eustis official says city will take donated Confederate monuments

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 18, 2017 at 6:42PM

The Orlando Sentinel reports at least three commissioners voiced their disapproval to Sabatini's proposal, making it dead in the water before it even went Florida-man-viral. Unfortunately for Sabatini, the internet is forever.

Aramis Ayala's initiative hopes to give juveniles a second chance with clean record

by Monivette Cordeiro on August 18, 2017 at 4:32PM

Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala announced a new initiative this week to help give juvenile offenders who haven't been arrested a second chance with a clean record. Before the initiative, police officers investigating minor crimes who decided a juvenile shouldn't be arrested would still submit a report to the State Attorney's office for prosecutors to decide if they wanted to file charges.

Florida lawmaker will file bill to ban all Confederate statues, signs and names from public property

by Colin Wolf on August 18, 2017 at 1:35PM

Jones was part of the successful fight to rename three streets in Hollywood, Florida, that were named for Confederate generals. No exact details were given on the proposed bill, or when he plans to file it.

Confederate plaques removed from Daytona Beach park

by Colin Wolf on August 18, 2017 at 12:53PM

Florida bill would protect mama bears during hunts

by News Service of Florida on August 18, 2017 at 11:58AM

Black bears mothering cubs under 100 pounds would be off-limits if the state conducts bear hunts in the future, under a measure filed Wednesday by Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando. Stewart's proposal (SB 156), filed for the 2018 legislative session, also would make the unlawful harvesting of saw palmetto berries on state lands a second-degree misdemeanor.