Florida Roundup

As Florida refines its plan to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine, Gov Ron DeSantis is facing criticism for his handling of the pandemic.

COVID-19 numbers are, once again, on the rise across Florida. This week, more than 5,000 Floridians received positive test results every day — the highest numbers since early August.

President Donald Trump won Florida and its 29 electoral votes handily this week. 

With less than a week to go before Election Day, President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden held rallies Thursday in Tampa, with more Florida rallies scheduled over the weekend with their surrogates. 

Turnout has been strong for early voing in Florida. More than 4.8 million Floridians - a third of the state’s registered voters - had already voted by mail or at the polls by Friday morning.

As COVID-19 cases rise in Florida, state leaders are at odds over how cases and deaths are tracked. The statistics are used to inform policy decisions, such as the state’s phased reopening.

On Monday, which was the deadline to register to vote in Florida,  the state’s voter registration website crashed. Governor Ron DeSantis extended the registration deadline to this past Tuesday at 7 p.m., but voters’ rights groups sued, arguing voters should have more time. 

Late last week, Governor DeSantis reopened the state for business under Phase 3. Among other things, that means that most restaurants and bars can now be open at full capacity. He also eliminated fines against anyone ticketed for breaking local mask orders.

With less than six weeks until Election Day, Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed new legislation outlining stiffer penalties for violent protests.

Four months’ worth of rain fell in just four hours in Pensacola on Wednesday as Hurricane Sally hit the far western portions of Florida. The Category 2 storm resulted in rescue efforts to save Floridians from storm surge and floodwaters. Tens of thousands in the Panhandle remain without power as more rain threatens the area this weekend.

Editor’s Note: The Florida Roundup experienced technical difficulties during Friday’s program.

In the final months of the presidential race, Florida’s Latino voters are a focus of President Donald Trump's and Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden's attention, as Marist polling shows that this critical and diverse demographic could swing the election.

On Friday’s program, we discussed how Florida is preparing to vote in the presidential election during the pandemic. One of the areas we focused on was vote-by-mail.

Thursday night, the Republican National Convention concluded with President Donald Trump accepting the GOP presidential nomination for a second term.

Democrats are gearing up to try and win Florida in November. We spoke to Nik Harris, a Joe Biden delegate from Broward County, about the virtual DNC, and why she thinks we need to bring “decency back in the White House.” 

On today’s program we took a closer look at how the COVID-19 pandemic is dividing Floridians on issues such as wearing facemasks in public, reopening schools and playing sports. 

As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the formation of a Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities in Florida.

On Friday's program, we got an update on Hurricane Isaias from Ray Hawthorne, who is a meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN).

On Friday’s program, we discussed President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel the Jacksonville component of the Republican National Convention.

On Friday’s program, we took a closer look at how schools across Florida are planning to reopen during the pandemic.

This week, we took a closer look at the rising number of COVID-19 cases, how patients are being cared for, and what’s being done to try and help slow the spread of the virus in Florida.

On this week’s program, we took a closer look at voting in Florida and how the election might play out here this fall.

Due to a spike in new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations this week, many cities and counties in Florida are now requiring face coverings in public.

Coronavirus cases are surging in Florida, with more than 89,000 cases and 3,104 reported at the time of this story's publication. 

President Trump will now accept the Republican presidential nomination in Jacksonville in August.

People took to the streets across Florida this week - from Pensacola to Key West - marching against police violence and for racial justice.

President Donald Trump is threatening to move the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte this summer unless North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper can assure "full attendance" will be allowed. Cooper has said North Carolina is guided by public health and nothing else. 

The U.S. Department of Labor reported Friday that Florida’s unemployment rate in April was 12.9%, higher than during the Great Recession. 

Some areas of Florida, such as Miami, are just beginning to reopen parts of their economy, while others, like Jacksonville, are planning to expand their reopening. Ron DeSantis announced Friday in Jacksonville that restaurants, stores, and museums can ramp up to operating at 50 percent capacity. Gyms can reopen Monday. 

Florida has entered the Phase 1 stage of reopening with restaurants operating at 25 percent capacity. Parks and beaches have also reopened, across much of the state. 

This week Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his Phase One reopening plan, which will take effect across most of the state (with tighter restrictions remaining in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, where over half the confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths are located) on Monday, May 4.