SeaWorld parks reopen with masks, temperature checks

Two more Florida theme parks were opening Thursday after being closed since mid-March to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay were opening their gates with new restrictions. Reservations are now required to enter the parks in order to limit capacity for social distancing. But SeaWorld Orlando will […]

FILE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday a proposal to increase the minimum salary for teachers. By raising the minimum salary to $47,500, Florida will rank second in the nation for starting teacher pay. (Credit CBS Miami/FILE)

DeSantis expands reading programs after coronavirus shutdown

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a $64 million spending plan Thursday aimed at improving the reading skills of Florida’s poorest performing elementary school students, an achievement gap he believes was exacerbated by the statewide school shutdown from the coronavirus outbreak. DOWNLOAD (pdf): Reopening Florida’s Schools and the CARES Act DeSantis also announced a $223 million spending […]

Florida city known for mermaids now sleeps with the fishes

A Florida city known for its mermaid shows now sleeps with the fishes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Tuesday dissolving the city of Weeki Wachee. The city located about 50 miles north of Tampa was founded in 1966 to help put the Weeki Wachee mermaid attraction at a state park onto maps and […]

Wednesday’s Coronavirus Updates: 1,371 new cases reported in Florida

As of Wednesday at 11 a.m., there have been 67,371 positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Florida. The case count includes 65,779 Florida residents and 1,592 non-Florida residents. There are 2,801 deaths reported and 11,345 hospitalizations, according to the Florida Department of Health. There have been 1,280,003 tests administered in Florida. A total of […]

Jacksonville is a leading final contender for Republican Convention

Jacksonville has emerged as a leading final contender for where President Donald Trump will accept his nomination for a second term in August, according to two GOP officials close to the matter. Republican Party officials are scrambling to try to put on the kind of convention Trump wants after the President decided to ditch the […]

Gwen Margolis, Florida’s first female Senate president, dies

Democrat Gwen Margolis, the first woman to serve as the leader of a state Senate, died early Tuesday. She was 85. Margolis served 30 years in the Florida Legislature, including three different times in the Senate. She served as Senate president from 1990 to 1992, and was the last Democrat to lead the chamber. “President […]

Police: Florida man lets 12-year-old drive Jeep 85 mph

A Florida man is facing felony charges after police said he let a 12-year-old girl drive his SUV and told her to speed because he wanted to be a “cool father” – even though he is not her dad. Shaun Michaelsen, 41, told the arresting officer Monday he is friends with the girl’s mother, and […]