Aug 12, 2021
Florida unemployment claims at pre-pandemic level
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he anticipates “pretty good” July unemployment numbers, as a federal report Thursday showed that first-time jobless claims last week in Florida were at a level not seen since before the coronavirus pandemic.
Aug 11, 2021
Vaccination rates for young children decline
Vaccination rates of young children who rely on county health departments to provide shots dipped in 2021, with a top Florida health official describing a decrease in vaccinations of 2-year-olds as “alarming.”
Aug 10, 2021
Judge to weigh challenge to DeSantis mask order
A Leon County circuit judge has scheduled a hearing Friday in a lawsuit filed by parents challenging an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis that seeks to prevent school districts from requiring students to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aug 9, 2021
Judge backs cruise line in ‘vaccine passport fight’
A federal judge Sunday sided with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in a constitutional challenge to Florida’s ban on so-called “vaccine passports,” clearing the way for the company to require passengers to show documentation that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Aug 9, 2021
Feds clear way for Florida gambling deal
Delivering a major victory to Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe, President Joe Biden’s administration has allowed to go into effect a 30-year gambling deal that gives the tribe control of sports betting in Florida, setting the stage for litigation over the agreement that could reshape the state’s gambling footprint
Aug 6, 2021
Medicaid enrollment expected to top 5 million
By June 2022, more than 5 million Florida residents are expected to be enrolled in Medicaid — the state and federal health program that serves as a safety net for low-income people, according to new estimates by state economists.
Aug 4, 2021
Politics surround pandemic in Florida
No mask mandates in classrooms. No vaccination “passports.” And no more business shutdowns.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ management of COVID-19 has boosted his countrywide cachet among fellow Republicans as he seeks re-election to the governor’s mansion next year and mulls a run for president in 2024.
Aug 4, 2021
DeSantis, Fried offer different takes on red tide
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried made appearances Tuesday along the Gulf Coast, offering competing views about an ongoing toxic red-tide outbreak.
Aug 4, 2021
Florida COVID-19 hospital rate tops nation
Florida leads the nation in the percentage of inpatient hospital beds occupied by people with COVID-19, according to data posted Tuesday by the federal government.
Aug 3, 2021
Hospitals continue seeing surge in COVID-19 patients
The number of people hospitalized in Florida because of COVID-19 continued at a record pace Monday, according to the Florida Hospital Association.