FloridaCommerce announced the availability of over $25 million in community development funding through the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The funds are designated for economic development, commercial and neighborhood revitalization, and other infrastructure improvements. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
Commissioner Wilton Simpson has announced the preservation of 1,642 acres of Florida farmland through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program aims to safeguard working agricultural lands from development while maintaining their economic viability.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the preservation of more than 386 acres of working agricultural land in Heart Bar Ranch, Osceola County, through the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The land is being preserved through a rural land protection easement valued at $2,600,000.
Governor Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis highlighted two transformative initiatives—Father First and Hope Florida—during a fireside chat at the Florida Department of Children and Families’ 2024 Children and Families Summit. These initiatives aim to provide additional support to families and nonprofits that promote strong family structures.
Recently, Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly joined Governor Ron DeSantis to meet with several business leaders in Dublin, Ireland, to discuss investment and research opportunities in Florida’s innovation economy. Both Florida and Ireland are recognized for their rapidly accelerating economies.
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued a proclamation declaring September as Florida Preparedness Month. The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) highlights the importance of Florida residents and visitors preparing for natural and man-made hazards.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis visited Daytona State College today to highlight Florida’s progress in enhancing the nursing talent pipeline through the Prepping Institutions, Programs, Employers and Learners through Incentives for Nursing Education (PIPELINE) Fund and the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund. These programs aim to increase the number of nurses entering the workforce by incentivizing collaboration and performance in nursing education.
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 are encouraged to submit a claim at FloridaJobs.org.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit against the Biden-Harris administration for not producing documents in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The request, submitted by the Florida Attorney General’s Office in March, seeks information on policies that allegedly allow the release of dangerous criminals into U.S. communities following their release from federal prisons.
The fall red snapper season for private recreational anglers and state for-hire operations in the Gulf of Mexico will be open on specific weekends from September 1 through November 30.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold a public meeting to discuss aquatic habitat management in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes on Wednesday, September 18. The meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Extension Office, located at 1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee, FL, 34744.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is emphasizing boater safety as Labor Day weekend approaches. This period traditionally marks the unofficial end of summer, prompting many Florida residents and visitors to take to the water. FWC officers will be on heightened patrol during the holiday weekend, focusing on identifying reckless or impaired vessel operators and other hazardous boating behaviors.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has issued a reminder for beachgoers this Labor Day weekend about the ongoing nesting activities of sea turtles and shorebirds on Florida's beaches. The FWC emphasizes the importance of giving these species space, removing beach gear at night, keeping beaches clean and dark, and filling in holes dug in the sand before leaving.
Every year, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) publishes its South Florida Environmental Report (SFER), detailing environmental and water projects for the past water year.
Florida farmers and ranchers affected by Hurricane Helene can now apply for interest-free loans through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program. These loans are available to eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property, such as fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings. They can also be used to remove vegetative debris.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced today the reopening of the recreational bay scallop harvest in the Pasco Zone following a temporary closure. The zone will be open from August 28 through September 24, 2024. This area includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, encompassing the Anclote River.
With hunting season approaching, the urgency of addressing chronic wasting disease (CWD) continues as a primary concern for hunters and property owners in the Florida Panhandle. CWD is a contagious, fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk, moose, and caribou. Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) confirmed Florida’s first known case of CWD in a white-tailed deer in Holmes County and has since implemented new rules and regulations to control its spread. This disease poses significant economic and environmental risks for Florida’s...
Today, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) commemorates the one-year anniversary since Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Hurricane Idalia was the first major hurricane on record to hit this part of the Big Bend region. The storm brought a devastating storm surge of 7-12 feet above normally dry ground to the coastline in Levy, Dixie, and Taylor counties.