Overnight I-10 wreck involving eight vehicles kills dog, injures three people, FHP says

A stray dog caused an eight-vehicle collision on a Florida highway early Friday. The overnight wreck left three people with minor injuries, and shut down all westbound traffic on the I-10 in Jefferson County, Florida Highway Patrol said. The accident began when a sedan hit a dog, rendering the car …

Expert: Ransomware attack on Martin County Tax Collector's Office could inflict data damage

A "security incident" that shut down a Florida county's tax collection office was the result of hacking, Treasure Coast Newspapers reports. Little has been released about what type of breach occurred or whether taxpayers' confidential information was exposed. Officials initially blamed BlackByte fo…

Seminole Tribe of Florida, pari-mutuels reach sports betting agreements

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has reached agreements with five pari-mutuel facilities to help market sports betting. The gambling deal, which was negotiated by Gov. Ron DeSantis (de-SAN-tis) last spring and approved by lawmakers during a May special session, allows the tribe to operate online sport…

Federal government files complaint against Florida for withholding school board pay

The U.S. Department of Education has filed an administrative complaint against the Florida Department of Education. The complaint, filed Thursday, asked that the state education department be found in violation of federal law, given Florida's ban on COVID-19-related mask mandates. The complaint als…

Florida Gov. DeSantis sets special November session to defy Biden vaccine mandate

Gov. Ron DeSantis (de-SAN-tis) made good on plans to call Florida lawmakers into a special session to defy President Biden’s anticipated vaccine requirement rule for large, private businesses. On Friday, DeSantis ordered lawmakers to meet on Nov. 15 for a possible week-long session. No bills have b…

FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for kids 5-11; Florida sues Biden administration over vaccines Latest COVID-19 updates

The Food and Drug Administration voted on Friday to recommend Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. The FDA cleared the use of child-sized doses, which contain just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. The FDA's vote paves the way for emergency use authorization, but…

Florida appeals court casts doubt on school mask case

A Florida appeals court Wednesday said a group of parents likely do not have legal standing to challenge an executive order by Governor Ron DeSantis about school mask mandates, and indicated it disagrees with a circuit judge who backed the parents in the case, Tallahassee Democrat reports. The 1st …

157 mph in a 50 mph zone: Ocala driver charged in June crash that killed two young women

Florida Highway Patrol troopers have arrested a 20-year-old man and charged him with two counts of D-U-I manslaughter, two counts of vehicular homicide, and one count of D-U-I with property damage in connection with the June 18th deaths of two young women. Billy George Tomci was also given a ticket…

'Dying' ex-NY cop who for decades evaded child sex abuse trial arrested on felony charges

A former New York police officer, who for decades has delayed facing justice over allegations that he repeatedly raped and molested his daughter's 12-year-old friend, was arrested in Florida on charges related to the case, USA Today reports. Law enforcement officials arrested Leonard Forte, who is …

From NASA to Blue Origin, the cutting-edge space industry has old problems Sexism and harassment

The space industry, a cutting-edge field rife with romanticized goals of exploration, has an ancient problem: sexism and harassment, Florida Today reports. A group of former and current Blue Origin employees published an essay last month calling out sexism at Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company. Dozens…