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 […]

Confederate statue in Jacksonville removed in predawn hours

A Confederate statue that had been in a northeast Florida park for more than a century was removed in the predawn hours Tuesday ahead of a protest demanding racial equality. The statue of a Confederate soldier had sat atop a 62-foot (19-meter) monument memorializing Confederate soldiers in downtown Jacksonville’s Hemming Park next to City Hall […]

2 bodies found on Fort Lauderdale Beach; deaths deemed suspicious

Two dead bodies were discovered on Fort Lauderdale Beach early Tuesday and police said both had been stabbed. Fort Lauderdale police said the bodies were discovered in the 3000 Block of North Ocean Blvd., around 6:15 a.m. The circumstances of their deaths are suspicious, according to police. “Just to think there are two bodies there, […]

State troopers respond to crash with patrol car in LaBelle

Florida Highway Patrol responded to a crash involving a patrol car in LaBelle in Hendry County Monday night. According to FHP, state troopers were on scene of the crash at Bryan Avenue and S Elm St. The crash has been cleared.  

Mote Marine Laboratory announces major coral restoration effort

A major announcement was made Monday about protections for the ecosystem lining Florida’s coastline. A new coral reef research and restoration project is underway in the Florida Keys and in Sarasota. “Florida’s coral reef is really in trouble,” said Stephannie Kettle, public relations manager for Mote Marine Laboratory. In fact, it’s on the brink of […]

State nursing homes approach COVID-19 testing deadline

There is a big deadline approaching Florida, as 700 nursing homes statewide must test all of their workers and residents for the coronavirus by Friday. And it looks like it’ll go right down to the wire. We visited ManorCare in East Naples Monday, where we spoke to a woman who says her mom, who lives […]

Congressman Francis Rooney. (Credit: CBS News)

Rooney says he’s considering a vote for Biden

Some big-name Republicans said they’re thinking they may not vote for President Donald Trump this fall. One of them is Rep. Francis Rooney, who represents a large portion of Southwest Florida. Rooney said the president has mishandled the coronavirus pandemic and is taking the wrong approach to the recent demonstrations across the country. For decades, […]

Schumer calls for inquiry into Florida’s unemployment system

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the top Senate Democrat, called on the Department of Labor to investigate Florida’s glitch-ridden unemployment system, asserting on Monday that the state mismanaged claims and failed to deliver timely benefits after massive job losses from the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the department’s inspector general, Schumer joined […]

10 racehorses killed in fiery tractor trailer crash

Ten racehorses were killed in a fiery tractor-trailer crash early Sunday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike. Two of the horses identified in the crash were sired by champion horses. The trailer caught fire after the truck struck the center divider near East Windsor township, according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeff Flynn. Nine […]