Florida’s regular legislative session is scheduled to end in one week, but official budget negotiations haven’t even started. This likely means an extended session or a special session to finish the only job constitutionally required of lawmakers. We’ve also seen some priority bills pass the Senate – while getting no discussion in the House. Gina Jordan tells us what’s behind the disagreements.
Legislation banning diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and offices from local governments passed the Florida Senate this week. WFSU’s Tristan Wood reports that’s after five hours of tense debate and questions on the Senate Floor from Democrats.
Even as Governor DeSantis mounts a last-minute push, it appears his drive to impose state regulations on the AI industry are going nowhere in the Legislature.
Spanish-language radio has long been a conduit for political misinformation and disinformation. As WLRN’s Sofia Baltodano reports, media watchdogs warn the rhetoric is part of a broader trend ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Supermarkets are estimated to throw out more than 350 million pounds of food each day. According to Feed America, the retail sector is responsible for the majority of the 92 billion pounds of food waste in America each year. To combat this issue, many food retailers are partnering with local non-profits to turn the discards into donations. But as WGCU’s Youn-Joo ("yahn-joo") Park reports, not every organization has the necessary equipment to capitalize on those food products.
Following a year with no hurricanes and $140 million dollars to help fund new technologies, Florida's citrus industry is finally seeing stabilization. The USDA predicts that Florida will produce 12 million boxes of citrus, a small decline from the previous harvest season. WGCU "Southwest Florida In Focus" Host Jennifer Crawford spoke with President of Everglades Harvesting and Citrus Commission for Collier, Lee and Hendry Counties Paul Meador ("MEHD-ur"). He says he is hopeful for the future of the industry.
Special congressional elections in Florida may be moving from April to June.
A survey supported by the National Institutes of Health finds teen drug and alcohol use remains at a five-year low. Community based interactive learning programs, like Drug House Odyssey in Lee County, play a big role by giving teens a firsthand look at consequences of substance abuse. The aim is to prevent risky behavior before it starts, as WGCU's Dayna Harpster reports.