State News

In mid-September, the parents of two children killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School criticized a number of public agencies for failing to give them access to public records, such as meeting minutes, e-mails and police training exercise information related to the shooting.

They called into question Florida's "Sunshine Law," designed to guarantee that the public has access to the public records of governmental bodies in Florida.

 We're now more than halfway through Hispanic Heritage Month, which extends from September 15th through October 15th. So, in honor of those of Hispanic heritage here in Southwest Florida, WGCU is featuring local Latinos from across the region — from all sorts of professions, genders and backgrounds.

Today, you'll hear the story of a man whose career in journalism started in Venezuela but lead him on a journey which brought him to Southwest Florida. 

Hoy es el último día para registrarse para votar en Florida.

Cities such as Kissimeee, Florida and Lafayette, Louisiana will be sending electrical crews to help with power outages caused by Hurricane Michael. Mayor Andrew Gillum and Utility Director Rob McGarrah say there will be consistent help to get power back as soon as the storm passes.

It's possible for the world to keep global warming from reaching a crisis point in the next 20 to 30 years, but it would take an effort that's unprecedented in human history.

That's according to a report released Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a coalition of scientists brought together by the United Nations to guide world leaders on climate impacts.

Folks on Haiti’s north coast are still shaken after Saturday night’s strong earthquake there killed at least a dozen people and injured almost 200. The quake was produced by a Caribbean fault line that’s been relatively quiet for centuries.

A coalition of local governments met Monday to find a way to combat climate change. But there's only so much that can be done on the local level.

Hurricane Michael is developing in the Gulf of Mexico and is planned to make landfall in Florida’s Panhandle on Tuesday night. In addition to rainfall from the hurricane, Floridians can expect king tide flooding. Governor Rick Scott declared a State of Emergency Sunday afternoon and gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum canceled a planned campaign event in Key West. Cyndee O'Quinn is a meteorologist for the Florida Public Emergency Network.

Florida Polytechnic University is announcing their vision for the future -- a five-year plan that includes a research park, an expanded curriculum and new scholarships.

Michael became a hurricane Monday morning and is expected to strengthen before striking the Florida Panhandle later this week.

However, AAA does not currently expect the storm to have a direct impact on gasoline supplies or prices at the pump in Florida.

North Florida and the Big Bend is expected to start feeling the impact of Hurricane Michael today, with the brunt of the storm expected Wednesday. Michael is presently a Category 2 storm and is expected to strengthen into a Category 3 when it comes ashore somewhere in the region.

Downtown Tallahassee turned into a literal buffet of Asian cultures and especially Asian food on Saturday, Oct. 6.  The Fourteenth Annual Experience Asia Festival brought tens-of-thousands to the Bloxham and Lewis parks.

Tallahassee's Mission San Luis hosted its yearly Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, Oct. 6. The ritual dates back to St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century.

Michael is now officially a Category 1 hurricane, and is expected to be a Category 3 when it makes landfall Wednesday. Big Bend Counties are beginning to announce school closures, sandbag locations and additional safety information. 

Governor Rick Scott has extended his emergency order to additional counties and is requesting pre-landfall disaster declaration.