Florida Times

San Francisco activist Wynd Kaufmyn was sentenced to 14 days in jail after helping block access to OpenAI's offices during a StopAI protest against the race to develop superintelligent systems.

Space Coast Tourism Benefits From Continued Commercial Rocket Launch Activity

Tourism officials along Florida’s Space Coast said frequent commercial launches continue to support hotel occupancy and visitor spending, reinforcing the region’s role as an aerospace destination.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coaches Praise Kenneth Gainwell During Training Camp

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and coaches highlighted free-agent running back Kenneth Gainwell’s route-running versatility and leadership during training camp practices in Tampa.

Florida University Students Expand Coverage of Overlooked Local School Board Races

Student journalists from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications deployed across 13 counties to cover school board primaries in communities underserved by local news.

Florida Legislative Leaders Preview Priorities for Upcoming Sessions

State legislative leaders and committee chairs began outlining proposals involving tax policy, infrastructure investment and budget adjustments ahead of upcoming special and regular sessions.

Florida University Board Finalizes Updated Governance Rules for Public Campuses

The state university system’s Board of Governors approved new administrative guidelines covering oversight and campus operations, prompting debate among faculty and student leaders.

Florida Emergency Officials Urge Hurricane Preparedness Ahead of Peak Atlantic Season

The Florida Division of Emergency Management urged residents to review evacuation plans and disaster supplies as the Atlantic hurricane season enters its peak period.

Florida Agriculture Officials Support Citrus Growers Facing Drought Conditions

Agricultural authorities are working with farming cooperatives to manage water supplies and provide technical assistance to citrus growers affected by prolonged precipitation deficits.

Florida Forestry Officials Tighten Wildfire Monitoring as Dry Conditions Persist

State forestry and emergency personnel increased monitoring and burn restrictions across inland Southwest Florida as prolonged dry weather raised seasonal brushfire risks.

Miami and South Florida Technology Firms Continue Attracting Venture Capital Investment

Technology companies and venture capital funds continued deploying capital across South Florida’s startup ecosystem, strengthening Miami’s position as a regional center for financial technology and software development.

Florida Regulators Publish Updated Report on Property Insurance Litigation Trends

The Office of Insurance Regulation released a report examining residential policyholder lawsuits and legal dispute resolutions across Florida’s property insurance market.

Citizens Property Insurance Cuts Homeowners Rates While Raising Some Commercial Residential Rates

Citizens Property Insurance introduced rate changes that lower personal-lines homeowners premiums while requiring increases for commercial-residential and condominium association policies.

Florida Insurance Court Ruling Reinforces Presuit Notice Requirements for Property Lawsuits

The Second District Court of Appeal ruled for Citizens Property Insurance, finding that statutory presuit notice requirements apply to residential and commercial property insurance lawsuits, including declaratory actions seeking no monet...

South Florida Ports Expand Cruise Infrastructure as Passenger Volumes Rise

Port authorities in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are advancing terminal modernization projects to handle higher passenger volumes and larger next-generation cruise ships.

Florida Highway and Interchange Projects Advance Across Central and South Florida

Transportation officials reported progress on major roadway expansion projects intended to ease commuter congestion and accommodate continued population growth across Central and South Florida.

Tampa Bay Rays Stadium Builder Consortium Selected for Proposed $2.3 Billion Ballpark

A panel selected AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction and HORUS Construction Services as the preferred construction consortium for the proposed Tampa Bay Rays stadium in Tampa, subject to final financing approvals.

SpaceX Sets Launch Turnaround Record With Two Falcon 9 Missions 38.5 Minutes Apart

SpaceX launched two orbital missions from opposite U.S. coasts just 38.5 minutes apart, including a Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral carrying replenishment satellites for Globalstar.

Florida Heat Advisories Warn of Heat Indexes Above 110 Degrees

The National Weather Service issued prolonged heat advisories across Florida, urging residents, outdoor workers and vulnerable populations to take precautions as extreme temperatures persisted.

David Jolly Competes in Crowded Democratic Primary for Florida Governor

Former Republican congressman turned Democrat David Jolly campaigned across Florida as he sought the Democratic nomination in a competitive field for governor.

Byron Donalds Emerges as Central Republican Figure in Florida Governor Primary

U.S. Representative Byron Donalds campaigned on conservative policies with prominent endorsements as he competed in an 11-candidate Republican primary for governor.

Florida’s New Congressional District Maps Face First Electoral Test in 2026 Primaries

Voters cast ballots in newly redrawn congressional districts following recent redistricting legal battles, setting the stage for November contests between incumbents and challengers.

Millions of Florida Voters Cast Ballots in 2026 Primaries to Choose Candidates for Governor and Statewide Offices

Voters across all 67 counties took part in Florida’s primary elections, selecting nominees for governor and other statewide and legislative offices ahead of the November general election.

China’s Lifelike AI Humans Move From Livestreams Into Real-World Service Roles

Digital presenters are already reducing the need for some human livestream work, while Chinese robotics companies are commercializing humanoids with synthetic skin, expressive faces, memory and emotion-focused AI; evidence of broad repla...

Florida Revenue Forecast Raised on Stronger Corporate and Consumer Tax Collections

The state’s Revenue Estimating Conference has raised its projections for the coming fiscal year, citing stronger-than-expected corporate and sales tax collections supported by population growth and resilient consumer spending despite bro...

Florida Python Challenge Removes 96 Burmese Pythons From the Everglades

The winner of Florida’s annual Python Challenge captured ninety-six invasive Burmese pythons as wildlife officials and participants continue efforts to reduce the snakes’ impact on native Everglades ecosystems.

Florida Records Historic Sea Turtle Nesting Numbers Amid Conservation Concerns

Marine biologists have recorded an unprecedented number of sea turtle nests along Florida’s coastline this summer, while conservation groups warn that proposed changes to federal environmental rules could threaten longer-term recovery ef...

HCA Healthcare Workers Across Florida Demand Higher Pay and Increased Staffing

Nurses and support staff at several HCA Healthcare facilities are taking coordinated labor action over wages and staffing levels, arguing that nurse-to-patient ratios and working conditions are affecting patient safety as the hospital op...

Florida’s Citrus Industry Turns to Disease-Resistant Varieties to Fight Citrus Greening

Researchers at Florida Southern College in Lakeland are developing citrus varieties that can withstand the bacterial disease that has severely damaged Florida’s citrus industry, as growers seek ways to protect future production.

Florida Heat Advisories Cover Much of State as Heat Index Tops 110 Degrees

The National Weather Service has issued widespread heat advisories across Florida, warning of dangerously high heat index values while emergency managers monitor a temporary lull in tropical cyclone activity across the Atlantic.

Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down Limits on Workers’ Compensation Attorney Fees

The Florida Supreme Court has overturned statutory caps on attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases, a major ruling that could increase legal costs for employers and insurers while strengthening the position of workers seeking compen...

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes

The newlyweds chose a separation-of-assets regime before their private Portuguese wedding, while a separate, long-reported agreement is said to guarantee Rodríguez about £85,000 a month if they split.

Thieves Steal Antonello da Messina Renaissance Masterpieces From Sicilian Museum

Three panels from the 1473 San Gregorio Polyptych and a double-sided devotional painting were taken in a Ferragosto heist in Messina, with experts estimating the stolen works could be worth €70 million to €80 million.

Better.com Founder Who Fired 900 Employees on Zoom Is Ousted as CEO

Vishal Garg, whose 2021 mass layoff became a symbol of brutal corporate management, was replaced by Daniel Lewis and is now fighting to regain control of the mortgage company he founded.

AI Manager at San Francisco Store Recommends Firing Human Employee

Luna, an autonomous AI running Andon Market, moved to dismiss a worker who was late for 17 of 23 shifts; human supervisors reviewed and carried out the termination.

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

The new Pixel phones start at $899 alongside the Pixel Watch 5 and Google's first Pixel Tag tracker, as Google turns its devices into an increasingly integrated platform for Gemini.

St. Petersburg Completes Summer Outdoor Arts Festival Series With Strong Attendance

The St. Petersburg Department of Cultural Affairs reported record local attendance for its summer outdoor arts program, highlighting continued activity in the regional creative economy.

Visit Florida Targets Canadian Travelers With New Autumn Tourism Campaign

Florida's tourism promotion agency has launched a multi-million-dollar campaign in Toronto and Vancouver to attract Canadian visitors ahead of the winter holiday season.

Space Coast Tourism Prepares for Busy Autumn Rocket Launch Schedule

Hotels and hospitality businesses across Brevard County are preparing for increased visitor demand as NASA and commercial aerospace companies schedule a busy series of rocket launches from the Space Coast.

Central Florida Begins Overnight Interstate Four Resurfacing Work

The Florida Department of Transportation has started nighttime lane closures along a heavily traveled section of Interstate Four through downtown Orlando for asphalt rehabilitation and pavement safety improvements.

Key West Considers Tighter Mooring Rules to Protect Coral Reef Habitats

The Key West City Commission is reviewing stricter anchoring and mooring regulations intended to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems around the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

University of Florida Reports Progress in Research Into Citrus Greening

Researchers at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have published promising laboratory findings on citrus rootstock designed to improve resilience against citrus greening disease.

South Florida Climate-Tech Startups Attract More Venture Capital

Technology hubs in Miami and Fort Lauderdale recorded a twenty percent increase in early-stage venture investment targeting sea-level-rise adaptation and renewable-energy software.

Miami Developers Accelerate Transit-Oriented Housing Near Metrorail Stations

Developers in Miami-Dade County have begun construction on several high-density residential towers linked directly to public transit, with projects aimed at addressing housing affordability and traffic pressures.

Florida Housing Markets Show Signs of Price Stabilization in Tampa and Orlando Suburbs

Real estate associations report that median home prices in suburban Central and West Florida have reached a more balanced level after years of rapid post-pandemic gains.