TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Joshua Gamblin and the reappointment of John Mitten and Michelle Williamson to the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of George Wheeler and the reappointment of Harry Smith and Larry Thompson to the Suwannee River Water Management District.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, FloridaCommerce announced that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to Florida businesses and residents whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Debby and are not eligible for regular state or federal Reemployment Assistance benefits. Eligible Floridians whose employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of Hurricane Debby are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org.
Today, the Florida Chamber Foundation released its 2024 Florida Business & Economic Mid-Year Report, an analysis of local and national economic data impacting the way Florida conducts business. This annual mid-year report aims to inform Florida leaders about the state's economic conditions, guiding them through the remainder of the year as they plan and budget for 2025. While Florida is creating one in every eleven new U.S. jobs and adding approximately 750 net new residents daily, focusing on key areas will help maintain this momentum.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody addressed the Florida Tax Collectors Association Annual Conference in Orlando, urging vigilance in identifying and reporting voter fraud. Tax collector offices, where Floridians frequently interact with government services, play a significant role beyond tax collection. These offices provide vehicle tags, hunting licenses, driver’s licenses, and facilitate voter registration.
As colleges and universities begin a new academic year, Attorney General Ashley Moody today reminded higher education officials in Florida of their duty to protect Jewish students from harassment, intimidation, and other incidents of antisemitism. This reminder follows radical antisemitic protests across the nation and destructive protests at colleges and universities in the previous academic year.
TITUSVILLE, Fla.— Governor Ron DeSantis awarded over $5.8 million to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF). The funding will support roadway infrastructure by creating direct access from the Space Coast Innovation Park to the Space Coast Regional Airport. The JGGF award aims to expand business opportunities in the park and is estimated to create more than 900 jobs.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Daniel Foganholi to the State Board of Education. This appointment will take effect on November 20, 2024.
Today, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) encouraged residents to restock disaster preparedness items during the second of Florida’s two 14-day Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays. The holiday will run from August 24 through September 6.
A new report from Florida TaxWatch, an independent, nonpartisan research institute, reveals that Indian River State College generates substantial economic benefits for its service area (Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties) and the state of Florida. The report, titled "An Independent Assessment of the Economic Impacts of Indian River State College," underscores the college’s role as a key driver of workforce development and economic growth in the Treasure Coast region and beyond.
Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, issued a statement in response to the Florida State Board of Education’s recent decision on the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Program performance metric.
Governor Ron DeSantis has awarded over $5.8 million to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund (JGGF). The funding aims to enhance roadway infrastructure by creating direct access from the Space Coast Innovation Park to the Space Coast Regional Airport. This award is expected to facilitate business expansion in the park and create more than 900 jobs.
Closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide totaled 23,353, up 5.2% year-over-year, while existing condo-townhouse sales totaled 8,364, down 1.2% over July 2023, according to data from Florida Realtors Research Department in partnership with local Realtor boards/associations. Closed sales may occur from 30 to 90-plus days after sales contracts are written.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians about the dangers of drug use on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. According to a report, law enforcement seized more than 115 million counterfeit prescription pills containing illicit fentanyl in 2023. Fentanyl is also being found mixed in other illicit drugs, like meth and cocaine. To keep Floridians informed about the threats of this deadly substance, Attorney General Moody updated the Fast Facts on Fentanyl toolkit with additional resources to report online drug dealers.
SARASOTA, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis announced "Activate Hope," an expansion of the Hope Florida initiative aimed at assisting Floridians recovering from disasters. Activate Hope will serve as the emergency response arm for Hope Florida, integrating resources from the private sector, nonprofits, and government to aid in recovery efforts.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) stated that Florida is among several states that have prohibited certain types of "manipulative" advertising from law firms. The ILR shared its statement in an August 16 blog post.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 21, 2024 – The State Board of Education convened for its August meeting to implement rules concerning accountability for Voluntary Prekindergarten Programs (VPK), the new School Readiness Plus program, and the creation of a Florida Seal of Fine Arts program. Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. provided remarks on the Florida Department of Education’s progress, noting a 13.3% reduction in teacher vacancies since last year and a decrease in average vacancies per school to 1.11.
Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis have announced the launch of "Activate Hope," an extension of the Hope Florida initiative designed to aid Floridians in disaster recovery. This program aims to unite private sector, nonprofit, and government resources to assist residents with necessities such as food, household goods, and home repairs.
Commissioner Wilton Simpson has announced the approval of the first loan for Florida farmers affected by Hurricane Debby. This initiative aims to provide financial relief to those impacted by the hurricane's devastating effects on agriculture.