Florida Times

Environmental Groups Display Melting Wax Sculpture of Governor DeSantis in Tallahassee Climate Protest

Climate advocacy organizations gathered outside state offices in Tallahassee to unveil a life-sized melting wax sculpture of Governor Ron DeSantis, using the public art installation to protest the administration's environmental and energ...

Ocala Homeowners Escalate Lawn Damage Contract Dispute With Regional Water Utility

A homeowners dispute in Ocala over residential lawn and pipeline damage attributed to Liberty Water has triggered a broader municipal inquiry into the utility company’s installation and customer service practices in Marion County.

Disney's Hollywood Studios Sets Early Park Closure for Private Corporate Technology Conference

Walt Disney World has notified resort guests that Disney's Hollywood Studios will close to general day guests early on Tuesday afternoon to host a private buyout event for the Gartner IT Symposium, while neighboring theme parks maintain ...

Historic Tampa Theatre Reopens for Centennial Celebrations Following Publicly Funded Restoration

The historic downtown Tampa Theatre has resumed full community programming following an extensive interior and architectural restoration partially financed by the city’s municipal redevelopment agency to mark the cinema’s one-hundredth a...

University of Tampa President Announces Plans to Step Down After Decade of Institutional Growth

The president of the University of Tampa has informed trustees of plans to step down from the post, initiating a nationwide search for executive leadership to oversee the private downtown university's continuing campus expansion.

Longtime Tampa Civil Rights Activist and Business Owner Joe Redner Dies at Eighty-Six

Joe Redner, the prominent Tampa adult entertainment owner who mounted numerous high-profile legal battles over First Amendment rights, local government regulation, and medical cannabis access, has died at the age of eighty-six.

Orange County Intersection Collision Hospitalizes Five People Near Local Daycare Center

Emergency responders transported two adults and three children to area hospitals following a two-vehicle crash at a busy Orange County intersection, leading nearby childcare providers and residents to demand immediate roadway redesigns f...

Tragic Alligator Attack Claims Life of Florida Fisherman Near Freshwater Marsh

State wildlife officers and local deputies recovered the body of a Florida fisherman after an encounter with a twelve-foot alligator, prompting the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to reissue statewide safety reminders f...

Central Florida Police Officer Arrested for Driving Under the Influence in Marked Patrol Car

Internal affairs investigators arrested an on-duty Central Florida law enforcement officer after finding an open alcohol container in his marked cruiser and measuring a blood alcohol level three times above the state legal limit.

Oviedo City Council Weighs Fines and Parental Liability to Regulate E-Scooter Traffic

City commissioners in Oviedo are considering municipal traffic regulations that would establish fines for improper electric scooter use and penalize parents of underage riders following persistent pedestrian safety complaints across Semi...

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Predicts Warmer and Wetter Florida Winter

Federal climate forecasters expect above-average temperatures and increased rainfall across Florida throughout the upcoming winter months, a weather pattern that could complicate seasonal agricultural harvests and elevate localized flood...

Maryland Investment Firm Acquires Sprouts-Anchored Shopping Center in Pinellas County

A Baltimore-based commercial real estate firm has finalized the purchase of a major grocery-anchored retail plaza in Pinellas County featuring Sprouts Farmers Market, reflecting ongoing institutional interest in Florida retail corridors.

Sarasota County Registers Surge in Ultra-Luxury Residential Property Purchases Exceeding Ten Million Dollars

Southwest Florida property records show a notable cluster of residential sales closing above ten million dollars in Sarasota County, demonstrating steady high-end buyer demand even as broader national mortgage markets face higher borrowi...

Pinellas County Cancels Longstanding Sexual Assault Forensic Exam Contract Over Training Failures

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has issued formal notice terminating its operational contract with the Suncoast Center for sexual assault examinations by year's end, citing the provider's persistent failure to update st...

East Manatee County Breaks Ground on Fifty-Million-Dollar Renewable Natural Gas Production Plant

Construction crews have started site work on a fifty-million-dollar renewable natural gas production facility in eastern Manatee County, marking a substantial private capital investment aimed at converting local agricultural and municipa...

SpaceX Schedules Morning Falcon 9 Launch from Cape Canaveral Carrying Thirty-Two Payloads

SpaceX ground crews are preparing for a Tuesday morning launch of the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which will loft thirty-two customer satellites into orbit and could produce an illuminated pre-d...

North Miami Mayor Disqualified From Reelection Ballot Over Campaign Filing Payment Error

A Miami-Dade County circuit judge has removed incumbent North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme from the upcoming municipal ballot after ruling that his candidate qualification fees were improperly paid using cashier's checks rather than funds dr...

Florida Executes Seventy-Seven-Year-Old Inmate in Eighteenth Death Warrant of the Year

State prison officials have carried out the lethal injection of seventy-seven-year-old death row inmate Reaves at Florida State Prison, completing the eighteenth execution authorized by Governor Ron DeSantis this calendar year.

Economic Report Identifies Florida as Leading the Nation in Skilled Trade Labor Shortages

A national employment analysis indicates Florida is experiencing the most severe shortage of skilled industrial workers in the country, with contractors and manufacturers reporting acute deficits in specialized repair technicians and ind...

Florida Citrus Forecast Projects Devastating Twenty-Five Percent Drop in Orange Production

Agricultural forecasters project Florida orange production will tumble nearly twenty-five percent this season, compounding years of crop loss driven by citrus greening disease and severe storm damage across central and southern groves.

Florida Prosecutors Prepare Charges Against Former Cuban Leader Raul Castro Over Deadly 1996 Shootdown

State and local authorities in Florida are preparing formal charges against former Cuban President Raul Castro over the 1996 shootdown of civilian planes operated by the Miami-based humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue, which killed...

Civil Lawsuit Accuses Florida Representative Matt Gaetz of Sex Trafficking Two Women

United States Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida faces serious new allegations in a federal civil lawsuit accusing the congressman of sex trafficking two women, intensifying legal and ethical scrutiny surrounding his political office.

In-Person Early Voting Opens Across Most Florida Counties Ahead of General Election

Voters in Tampa Bay and dozens of counties across Florida have begun casting early ballots in person, launching a crucial voter mobilization window for candidates on both sides of the ballot ahead of the general election.

Governor Ron DeSantis Approves Emergency Loans and Temporary Housing for Hurricane Survivors in Pensacola

Governor Ron DeSantis has authorized over four point five million dollars in state emergency bridge loans to support small businesses damaged by Hurricane Isaias, while state emergency teams deploy temporary housing units for displaced f...

Florida Awaits Major Federal Disaster Declaration as Statewide Hurricane Recovery Accelerates

State emergency officials across Florida are awaiting final approval of a major disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an essential step to unlock critical recovery funding following widespread damage caused b...

Baylor Defeats Florida Men's Basketball in Jacksonville Exhibition Clash

The University of Florida men's basketball squad fell to Baylor during a closely watched preseason exhibition matchup hosted in Jacksonville due to early shooting struggles.

South Carolina Dominates Florida Gators in 38-19 Upset at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

The South Carolina Gamecocks handed the Florida Gators a lopsided thirty-eight to nineteen defeat in Gainesville, leaving head coach Jon Sumrall and the team facing intense scrutiny over both lines of scrimmage.

No. 3 Miami Outlasts Florida State 43-35 in Historic Double-Overtime Thriller

Quarterback Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes, capped by a game-winning three-yard strike to Malachi Toney in the second overtime, as the third-ranked Miami Hurricanes edged archrival Florida State forty-three to thirty-five in ...

Eckerd College Student Radio Station Earns National Top-Tier Ranking

The student-run radio station WECX 99.9 at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg has achieved a prestigious fourth-place ranking nationally by the Princeton Review for its longstanding campus broadcasting excellence.

Central Florida Welcomes Historic Drought Relief as Region Transitions Into Dry Season

Agricultural producers and water management officials across Central Florida are reporting much-needed soil and reservoir hydration just as the region officially enters its seasonal dry period.

Biketoberfest Draws Large Crowds to Daytona Beach Alongside Heightened Traffic and Safety Scrutiny

Tens of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts have converged on Daytona Beach for the annual Biketoberfest rally, prompting local authorities to step up traffic enforcement and public safety patrols.

Titusville Officials Narrow Search for New Police Chief Following Leadership Transition

Municipal leaders in Titusville have advanced their recruitment process to select a new police chief, reviewing finalists to fill the top law enforcement post for the Space Coast community.

Daytona Beach Boardwalk Attacker Receives 45-Year Prison Sentence for Violent Assault

A Florida court has handed down a forty-five-year prison sentence to the perpetrator responsible for a brutal, throat-slashing attack along the high-traffic Daytona Beach boardwalk.

Winter Garden Community Reels After 12-Foot Alligator Attack Kills Local Fisherman

Wildlife officials and local authorities secured a twelve-foot alligator following a fatal wildlife attack that claimed the life of a fisherman in the Winter Garden area.

Titusville Police Investigate Officer-Involved Shooting During Residential Well-Being Check

State and local investigators are reviewing an incident in Titusville where law enforcement officers fired upon a man while conducting a routine residential well-being check.

Orange County Daycare Investigation Underway After SUV Ploughs Into Facility

Emergency responders and local law enforcement in Orange County are investigating a traumatic accident after an SUV crashed into a local childcare facility, injuring both children and adults.

State Senate District 6 Candidates Make Final Push Ahead of November 3 Election

Voters across Florida Senate District 6 are weighing competing policy platforms as candidates Jennifer Bradley, Jason Bellamy-Fults, and Joseph Thornton enter the final stretch of campaigning.

Byron Donalds and Challengers Debate State-Level Immigration Enforcement and ICE Partnerships

Florida political contenders have clashed over state mandates requiring local county jails to maintain 287(g) cooperation agreements with federal immigration authorities.

Florida Attorney General Candidates Debate Enforcement Priorities and Election Integrity

Candidates vying for Florida's attorney general post have intensified their statewide campaigns, outlining contrasting visions on election administration, constitutional rights, and state legal defenses.

Tampa City Council Advances Bond Validation Process for New Rays Stadium Funding

City leaders in Tampa have moved forward with a legal bond validation process required to issue public debt and fund the municipal government's eighty-million-dollar financial commitment toward a new stadium for the Tampa Rays.

Tampa City Council Approves Controversial AI Police Software Integration

The Tampa City Council voted to approve the deployment of Peregrine, a data-sharing software integrating artificial intelligence tools to connect police databases and assist law enforcement operations across the city.

Osceola County Schools Warns of Potential Service Cuts Ahead of Voter Referendum

School district officials in Osceola County have cautioned families that critical educational programs and operational services could face significant reductions if voters reject an upcoming property tax rate renewal.

Orlando Utilities Commission Prepares New Electricity Pricing Structure for November

Customers across the Orlando Utilities Commission service area are facing an impending transition to a revised electricity pricing framework scheduled to take effect at the start of November.

Clearinghouse for Florida Citizens Commercial Policies Hits Regulatory Snag

State insurance regulators and board officials are navigating operational and structural hurdles regarding the clearinghouse platform designed to streamline commercial property insurance policies across Florida.

St. Petersburg Residents Share Personal Toll of Local Dengue Transmission

Local healthcare providers and patients in St. Petersburg are raising awareness about vector-borne disease risks after health officials identified a cluster of locally acquired dengue infections driven by active mosquito populations.

Orlando Neighborhoods Schedule Targeted Mosquito Spraying Following Dengue Confirmations

Orange County health and mosquito control divisions have launched targeted aerial and truck-based spraying operations after confirming multiple locally acquired cases of dengue fever in the region.

Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties Extend Mosquito Emergencies Amid Rising Dengue Cases

Pinellas and Hillsborough counties have extended their local mosquito declarations of emergency following a sharp rise in locally acquired dengue fever cases affecting residents across the Tampa Bay region.

Federal Energy Officials Authorize Emergency Crude Supply Actions Following Gulf Storm Impacts

Federal authorities have approved strategic petroleum reserve exchanges to stabilize regional energy markets and supply chains following hurricane disruptions affecting Gulf Coast energy infrastructure.