Jim Turner - News Service of Florida

Wrapped around Independence Day for the second year, a sales-tax holiday dubbed “Freedom Week” will provide tax breaks on a wide range of recreational activities and outdoor gear.

After a record number of manatee deaths mostly linked to malnutrition, state and federal wildlife officials hope to double rescue and rehabilitation capacity before the sea cows again congregate in warm waters during the winter.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that Florida growers will fill 44.75 million boxes of oranges, grapefruit and specialty crops during the soon-to-end season, down more than 22% from the previous season.

Taddeo instead will run for Congress in South Florida. She said the decision was based on the need for federal leadership on issues such as gun violence, inflation and abortion.

With COVID-19 protocols lifted and people pinching pennies, emergency management officials anticipate that people will opt for public shelters rather than drive to hotels hundreds of miles away.

Byrd has been at the forefront of controversial legislation supported by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who described him as "an ally of freedom and democracy in the Florida Legislature." Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said Byrd's confrontational temperament makes him unfit for the office.

Lee has guided elections in a state with a history of election controversies. While many states stumbled through the 2020 elections, Florida had relatively few problems.

People in Northeast Florida woke up Friday to the 18th orbital launch of the year from Cape Canaveral, as a SpaceX Falcon 9 topped with 53 Starlink internet satellites lifted off just before sunrise.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved a rule change that will extend what had largely been nighttime alligator hunting — between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. — to 24 hours during the season.

The governor is calling legislators to Tallahassee on May 23 to address problems that have led to homeowners losing coverage and facing soaring premiums.