Casey Owens, Author at The Florida Capital Star

Bill Allowing Religious Institutions to Stay Open During States of Emergency Gets Bipartisan Support

January 18, 2022January 17, 2022 Casey Owens

After passing through two different committees in the Florida Senate, a bill (SB 254) giving religious institutions the right to stay open during a state of emergency has been put on the calendar to be considered by the entire Senate.

Introduced by Republican Senators, Keith Perry of Gainesville and Jason Brodeur of Lake Mary, SB 254 was approved by the Senate Rules Committee Thursday who voted 14 to 2, and was unanimously approved by the Military and Veterans Affairs, Space, and Domestic Security Committee in November.

Florida House Committee Approves Two Bills Involving Lobbying Restrictions

January 15, 2022January 14, 2022 Casey Owens

Two bills (HB 7001 and HB 7003) that further restrict public officials from lobbying after leaving office were unanimously voted yes upon by the Florida House State Affairs Committee on Thursday.

Both bills, backed by Representative Traci Koster of Tampa, were filed to implement Amendment 12 from 2018 that prohibits lobbying by certain public officers during public service and for a six-year period following vacation of public office – instead of a two-year period as the law previously stated.

Republican and Democratic Lawmakers File Multiple Firearm Related Bills for 2022 Florida Legislative Session

January 12, 2022January 11, 2022 Casey Owens

As the 2022 legislative session in Florida began on Tuesday, proposals from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers regarding gun rights for Floridians prepare to face off; as one side promotes increased gun safety, while the other promotes loosening gun restrictions that are already in place.

The proposals by Democrats range from safe storage laws, the ban of “ghosts guns,” and a law that would require a background check each time an individual purchases or transfers ammunition.

Charlie Crist Campaign Reports $3.8 Million Cash-on-Hand

January 11, 2022January 10, 2022 Casey Owens

The campaign for U.S. Representative and Democratic candidate in Florida’s 2022 gubernatorial race Charlie Crist announced $670,000 raised in December to round out 2021 and make his starting cash on hand for 2022, $3.8 million.

December fundraising numbers for Crist’s campaign were initially reported by Florida Politics on Tuesday, prior to official numbers being released by the Florida Elections Commission (FEC) late Monday. The actual number was $670,833.25.

Florida Governor DeSantis Suspends Two Sumter County Commissioners Charged with Perjury

January 9, 2022January 8, 2022 Casey Owens

Weeks after being arrested and charged with perjury, two Republican county commissioners in Sumter County were suspended from office Thursday by Governor Ron DeSantis in the first two executive orders of 2022 (EO 22-01 and EO 22-02).

Until their cases are settled, Governor DeSantis ordered the immediate suspension of commissioners Oren Miller of District 5, and Gary Robert Search of District 1, who were arrested on December 15th and charged for lying during an investigation into possible violations of Florida’s Sunshine Law.

Florida Lawmakers Propose Bills That Would Limit Subjects for Citizen Ballot Initiatives

January 7, 2022January 6, 2022 Casey Owens

In an effort to limit ballot initiatives brought on by the citizens, two Republican lawmakers in Florida, Senator Jason Brodeur and Representative Mike Beltran, filed identical bills (SJR 1412 and HJR 1127) that would restrict certain subjects in which citizens could issue the ballot initiative process for.

The two bills will be considered during the upcoming legislative session that begins January 11th, and are the latest attempts by Republicans to make the citizen initiative process harder in the state of Florida.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Addresses Organized Retail Thefts

January 6, 2022January 5, 2022 Casey Owens

A week before the 2022 legislative session in Florida begins, Attorney General, Ashley Moody – at a news conference with other state officials on Tuesday – doubled down on her stance regarding the crackdown on organized retail thefts that have been on the rise across the nation and now here in Florida.

During the news conference, Moody once again emphasized her proposal for a statewide task force and inter-jurisdictional database known as the Florida Organized Retail Crime Exchange, or FORCE, that she had previously announced on December 2nd.

Florida Unemployment Claims Lowest Since December 2019

January 5, 2022January 4, 2022 Casey Owens

Despite the surge in the new COVID-19 Omicron variant that is especially prominent in Florida, the number of new unemployment claims during the week that ended on December 25th was the lowest since before the pandemic during the same time period in 2019.

According to a news release by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) on Thursday, the number of initial unemployment claims in Florida for that week was only 3,982 – down 1,178 from 5,160 the week before.

Amid Omicron Surge, Broward and Miami-Dade School Boards to Enforce Adult Mask Mandates

January 2, 2022January 2, 2022 Casey Owens

As students return from winter break, two South Florida school boards have decided to reinforce mask mandates amid the recent surge in COVID-19 Omicron variant cases.

Given that the two counties account for almost 61% of the new cases – reported by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) for the week of December 17th through the 23rd – Miami-Dade and Broward County school boards have announced plans to enforce an adult-only mask mandate for employees, volunteers, visitors, vendors, and contractors who are indoors at any District school or facility.

Palm Beach Smash and Grab Robbery Nets $1 Million in Merchandise

January 1, 2022December 31, 2021 Casey Owens

On Christmas Eve, almost $1 million in handbags were stolen in a smash and grab robbery of luxury bag store Only Authentics in Palm Beach, Florida – a little more than two weeks after thieves initially stole close to $500,000 worth of bags, totaling almost $1.5 million.

The two robberies come even after Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the state’s plan on December 2nd to help prevent such crimes through the creation of a statewide task force and database known as the Florida Organized Retail Crime Exchange, or FORCE.

Florida Power and Light Rate Increase Appealed by ‘Floridians Against Increasing Rates’

December 31, 2021December 30, 2021 Casey Owens

An appeal to a settlement approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) – that would allow Florida Power and Light (FPL) to increase its utility rates in January 2022 and 2023 – was filed Monday to the Florida Supreme Court by a non-profit advocacy group known as Floridians Against Increasing Rates, or FAIR.

The rate increases are part of a four-year plan that would raise the base rates by $692 million in 2022, $560 million in 2023, and a Solar Base Rate Adjustment (SoBRA) allocated to pay for, install, and operate solar energy fields in 2024 and 2025.

Florida Lawmakers Propose Bills to Allow Criminal Offenders to Opt for Military Service

December 29, 2021December 28, 2021 Casey Owens

In an attempt to create an alternative to prison time for low-level offenders, Florida lawmakers proposed identical bills (SB 1356 and HB 187) last week that would allow said offenders to enlist in military service rather than incarceration.

The option to enlist in lieu of going to prison is only eligible for first-time criminal offenders who are ages 25 or younger, whose primary offense is a misdemeanor, and whose sentencing for imprisonment is no more than four years.

Bill Proposed to Exempt Voter Registration Data From Florida’s Public Records Laws

December 28, 2021December 27, 2021 Casey Owens

A bill that aims to exempt additional voter registration data from Florida’s public records laws was introduced Sunday by State Representative Cyndi Stevenson of St. Augustine.

In addition to data such as a voter’s social security number and address that were already exempt, Stevenson’s bill (HB 983) looks to shield the public from a voter’s date of birth, telephone number, e-mail address, and party affiliation.

DeSantis Announces Three Appointments to Florida Gaming Control Commission

December 27, 2021December 26, 2021 Casey Owens

Ahead of the turn of the new year and the 2022 legislative session that begins on January 11th, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his appointments for the first three of five seats in the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) on Wednesday.

The three appointments include Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Julie Imanuel Brown, Chief of Staff at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Michael Yaworksy, and Founder and President of Drago Professional Consultants, Charles Drago.

Florida Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Challenging Vaccine Mandate for Head Start

December 25, 2021December 24, 2021 Casey Owens

Challenging a rule from the Biden Administration that would require COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employees at a preschool program known as Head Start, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joined 23 other states to express an objection to the mandates.

Head Start is a free preschool program for students three to four-year-old in low-income families, that is funded by the federal Head Start program. The vaccine mandate would require all employees of schools that operate under Head Start to be vaccinated, as well as require mask mandates for children ages two and up.

Florida Is Second Behind Texas in Population Growth from 2020 to 2021

December 23, 2021December 22, 2021 Casey Owens

While the nation recorded a historically low population growth rate from 2020 to 2021, the state of Florida had the second highest population increase in the U.S. behind Texas, according to a report on Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau (USCB).

Following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ efforts during the pandemic to keep Florida relatively open compared to most other states, from July 1st, 2020, to July 1st, 2021, the census report showed that the state’s population grew by 211,196, making the total population 21,781,128.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Takes Action Against China and ‘Woke Corporations’

December 22, 2021December 21, 2021 Casey Owens

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, along with the state’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, and Attorney General Ashley Moody, held a meeting Monday of the State Board of Administration (SBA) to “take action against communist China and woke corporations.”

As stated in a press release by the Governor’s Office, the meeting was an attempt t0, “revoke all proxy voting authority that has been given to outside fund managers, to clarify the state’s expectation that all fund managers should act solely in the financial interest of the state’s funds, and to conduct a survey of all of the investments of the Florida Retirement System to determine how many assets the state has in Chinese companies.”

DeSantis Responds to Recent Spike of Omicron Cases in Florida

December 21, 2021December 20, 2021 Casey Owens

Ron DeSantis holds conference on COVID-19 variant

After more than three months of COVID-19 cases declining weekly since the summer spike in Florida, the holiday season welcomed in a new spike in cases due to the new Omicron variant that began Thanksgiving Day weekend and has boomed into the month of December.

According to the weekly COVID-19 case report provided by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), the 13-week continuous decline of weekly cases ended on the weekend of November 26th through December 2nd, and recorded 10,875 new cases – a 1,234 increase from the previous week that recorded 9,641.

Florida Department of Health to Accept Applications from African American Farmers for Medical Marijuana Licenses

December 12, 2021December 11, 2021 Casey Owens

Almost six months after the Florida Supreme Court upheld a law that designated a single medical marijuana treatment center (MMTC) license for an African American farmer with business ties in the state, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) issued rules for the licensing process on Thursday.

Eligible applicants for $50 million MMTC license are African American farmers who were litigants in the Pigford vs. Glickman lawsuit from 1999 that successfully ruled the U.S. Department of Agriculture of discriminating against African American farmers when allocating farm loans and other financial assistance from 1981-1996.

Florida Governor DeSantis Campaign Finance Report Shows over $4.5 Million Raised in November

December 11, 2021December 10, 2021 Casey Owens

As campaign finance reports for November were filed by 2022 gubernatorial candidates and officially released by the Florida Division of Elections on Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign finance report showed that his political committee, Friends of Ron DeSantis, raised $4,593,936.

DeSantis, who had been fundraising for his campaign well before his official campaign announcement, now has $67 million in cash on hand from a variety of contributors who donated from as low as $1, to as high as $500,000 in November.

Charlie Crist Campaign Releases Finance Report for November

December 10, 2021December 9, 2021 Casey Owens

Campaign fundraising for U.S. Representative and Democratic candidate in Florida’s 2022 gubernatorial race, Charlie Crist, has amassed $5 million raised since his campaign announcement in early May.

Crist’s campaign, and political committee, Friends of Charlie Crist, announced Wednesday that there was more than $607,000 raised in the month of November, which ultimately led to the $5 million fundraising landmark.

AAA Says Florida Gas Prices Could Drop Below $3 in the Coming Weeks

December 8, 2021December 7, 2021 Casey Owens

Motorists in Florida could see gas prices return to under $3 a gallon in the coming weeks, as officials from the American Automobile Association (AAA) say concerns over the surge of the COVID-19 Omicron variant will likely halt demand for fuel.

According to AAA, the price at the pump has continued to drop after reaching its 2021 peak four weeks ago in November, where the average price per gallon was almost $4. In the weeks since, the average price per gallon dropped 21%.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Motion to Block Health-Care Worker Vaccine Mandate Denied

December 7, 2021December 6, 2021 Casey Owens

A motion by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to block a rule by the Biden Administration that would require health-care workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was denied Sunday by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a three-judge panel, it was voted two to one in denying Moody’s proposed injunction, as the two judges who voted against it – Judges Robin Rosenbaum and Jill Pryor – expressed that the state “failed to make the requisite showing for an injunction pending appeal.” Judge Barbara Lagoa was the judge who supported the state’s appeal.

After 23 Years, a New Proposal Calls for Partisan School Board Elections

December 5, 2021December 4, 2021 Casey Owens

After 23 years since legislation from 1998 shifted Florida school boards to be nonpartisan, Florida Senator Joe Gruters on Tuesday proposed a bill to reverse course and make school board elections partisan again.

Gruters, a Republican from Sarasota, filed the bill SJR 244, which was approved by the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee and is awaiting further review.

Florida Court Rules Against FDLE in Firearm Case

December 4, 2021December 3, 2021 Casey Owens

A three-judge panel in the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled against the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Wednesday, in a case regarding an individual who was denied the purchase of a firearm by the Department based off an unapproved background check.

The background check in question was issued through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, which FDLE states denied Leonardo Lynch the purchase of a gun because he had a record of mental incompetency or a court-ordered substance abuse treatment – both of which Lynch denied.

Governor DeSantis Proposes $100 Million for Military Budget and the Florida State Guard

December 4, 2021December 3, 2021 Casey Owens

Florida’s military budget could receive more than $100 million in funding as Governor Ron DeSantis announced multiple proposals on Thursday that aim to support Florida’s National Guard, and establish a “civilian volunteer force,” known as the “Florida State Guard.”

According to the Governor’s Office, his proposals would further support the National Guard in giving them extras hands in helping with state-specific emergencies such as natural disasters.

Florida Democratic Lawmakers File Bills Supporting Abortion Rights

December 2, 2021December 1, 2021 Casey Owens

Months after a Florida House Representative Webster Barnaby (R-Deltona) filed an anti-abortion bill (HB 167) in September, which would ban the procedure after fetal heartbeat, Democrats in the Florida legislature filed identical bills in both the House and Senate that would establish a woman’s right to an abortion.

Representative Ben Diamond of St. Petersburg, and Senator Lori Berman of Lantana, filed HB 709 and SB 1036, respectively, known as “Reproductive Health Care Rights.”

Florida Democrats Oppose Biden’s Decision to Remove FARC from Terrorist List

December 1, 2021November 30, 2021 Casey Owens

After the Biden Administration announced its plan to remove a Colombian rebel group known as FARC from the list of foreign terrorist organizations, an outcry of opposition in South Florida and state Democrats soon followed.

Amongst the outcry were some of the state’s top Democratic elected officials, researchers, and activists who also expressed how Biden’s decision failed to take into account the estimated 150,000 Columbian American voters, as well as the other Hispanic or Latino American voters in Florida who experienced the violence in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Florida U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist Against Bank Account Tracking by IRS

November 29, 2021November 28, 2021 Casey Owens

As the U.S. Senate prepares to discuss legislation that would allow bank account tracking by the IRS, U.S. Representative Charlie Crist called on Senate leadership to exclude it from being wrapped into Biden’s Build Back Better plan.

Crist sent a letter last week to the Oregon Democrat and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, as well as Indiana Republican and Ranking Member of the Senate Mike Crapo, encouraging them to “avoid adding divisive IRS account reporting requirements.”

Report Shows Lowest Florida Jobless Claims Since Before the Pandemic

November 28, 2021November 27, 2021 Casey Owens

The four-week average number of Florida jobless claims reached its lowest mark since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Labor (USDL) released the information on Wednesday.

The data reflected 5,343 first-time unemployment claims filed in Florida during the week that ended Nov. 20, which dropped the four-week average to 6,045 claims.

University of Florida President Supports Testimony by Political Science Professors

November 26, 2021November 25, 2021 Casey Owens

After months of back and forth between University of Florida (UF) and three of its political-science professors who were blocked from participating in a high profile lawsuit against Florida’s new election law, UF President Kent Fuchs approved a report Tuesday that called for that decision to be reversed.

In a separate report sent to an accrediting organization, UF denied that its Board of Trustees or any outside forces influenced their previous decision to prevent professors, Sharon Austin, Michael McDonald and Daniel Smith, from testifying against the law that was approved by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the 2021 legislative session that ended in April.

Governor DeSantis Appoints Democrat, Republican to Broward County Commission

November 25, 2021November 24, 2021 Casey Owens

During a press conference in Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his appointment of Democrat Jared Moskowitz and Republican Torey Alston for two Broward County commission seats.

Moskowitz, the former Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), and Alston, the current Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), look to replace the seats that were opened due to Dale Holness and Barbara Sharief resigning in order to run for Congress.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Proposal for $1 Billion in Gas Tax Relief

November 23, 2021November 22, 2021 Casey Owens

Ron DeSantis proposing that the Florida legislature provide more than $1 billion in gas tax relief to help Florida families save at the pump.

Amid the rising cost people across the country are paying at the pump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday his proposal for $1 billion in gas tax relief, which will be discussed by state lawmakers during the legislative session of 2022.

According to DeSantis Office, if approved, the proposal – or as stated, “gas tax holiday” – would save up to $200 on average per family.

Investigation Reveals Florida Democrats Used Dark-Money Organization to Support Candidates

November 22, 2021November 21, 2021 Casey Owens

A statewide investigation that made its way into an alleged scheme by Republican state Senator Frank Artile to influence a Miami-Dade County election in 2020, revealed that a dark-money organization was used by Florida Democrats to pay for “sham candidate mailers.”

In an attempt to make gains against a Republican-controlled Florida Senate, Josh Weierbach, the executive director of a progressive group called Florida Watch Inc., had $115,000 on hand leading up to the 2020 election that he wanted to use in support for Senate Democratic candidates, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

State and Federal Policies Seek to Expand Broadband Access in Florida

November 21, 2021November 20, 2021 Casey Owens

Expanded infrastructure for enhanced broadband internet could be coming to Florida as state lawmakers and the Florida Internet and Television (FIT) addressed new state and federal policies Thursday that aim to provide internet access to more Floridians.

Following Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act being signed on Monday, which allocated $42.5 billion for broadband with at least $100 million of that going to Florida.

Florida Senator Joe Gruters Proposes Bill to Establish Incentives for Film Industry

November 19, 2021November 18, 2021 Casey Owens

Senator and Chair of the Republican Party of Florida, Joe Gruters, proposed a bill (SB 956) Tuesday that would offer financial incentives for the film industry to shoot, and produce, movies, television, and digital media projects within the state.

As the bill states, it looks to create the “Targeted High Wage Production Program” within the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which will be under the supervision of the state’s Commissioner of Film and Entertainment.

Florida Democrats Propose Bill Regulating Ammunition Purchases

November 18, 2021November 17, 2021 Casey Owens

A new gun control proposal by Democratic lawmakers in Florida looks to require a background check each time an individual purchases or transfers ammunition.

The legislation, SB 334 and HB 181, is an attempt to tackle a “loophole” in Florida Statutes that only requires a background check before the purchase of a firearm and does not require any further review.

Visit Florida Reports Tourism Numbers Up in Third Quarter

November 18, 2021November 17, 2021 Casey Owens

Recent data released by Visit Florida regarding the third quarter of 2021 saw the number of U.S. travelers to Florida exceed the numbers from the same three-month period in 2020, and in 2019, while international travelers slowly make their way back to the state.

The number of domestic travelers in quarter three of 2021 was 31.204 million, 55.3% more than quarter three of 2020. With other countries loosening their COVID-19 border policies, the number of overseas and Canadian travelers was 1.226 million and 85,000, respectively, which toppled 2020 quarter three data by 604.1% and 512.3%, respectively.

Florida Governor DeSantis Announces Request for $25 Million to Repair Freedom Tower Amid Cuban Protests

November 17, 2021November 16, 2021 Casey Owens

Ron DeSantis announcing repairs for Freedom Tower

Four months after the island-wide Cuban protests in July, new protests brought together by the Assembly of Cuban Resistance on Monday encouraged Nicaraguan and Venezuelan exiles in South Florida to join in on pro-democracy demonstrations.

The same day, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a request for $25 million to repair the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami that was the main location for processing and documenting Cuban refugees escaping to Miami during the Cold War. The Freedom Tower now serves as a museum and offices for Miami Dade College.

Campaign Finance Reports Shows DeSantis with $62.6 Million, Huge Advantage

November 14, 2021November 13, 2021 Casey Owens

After formally announcing his re-election campaign last Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign finance report was released Wednesday that showed that his committee – Friends of Ron DeSantis – raised $4.66 million in October and had $62.6 million in cash on hand.

Filed with the Florida Department of State’s Division of Elections, campaign finance data for all gubernatorial candidates in 2022 shows the already massive gap between them and Governor DeSantis is continuing to grow as DeSantis’ newly announced campaign account provides another source for fundraising.

Mayor Lenny Curry’s Proposal to Remove Confederate Monument Defeated by Jacksonville City Council

November 12, 2021November 11, 2021 Casey Owens

Much to his dismay, a piece of legislation proposed by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry to remove a Confederate monument in Springfield Park was withdrawn Tuesday evening by the Jacksonville City Council in a 12 to 6 vote.

Curry’s proposal to remove the Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy Monument would have would cost $1.3 million.

Moms for Liberty Files Lawsuit Against Brevard County School Board

November 10, 2021November 9, 2021 Casey Owens

A chapter in Brevard County of a conservative group titled, Moms for Liberty, has filed a lawsuit against the county’s school board for implementing a public participation policy that they feel is being used to limit free speech and discriminate against speakers with opposing views.

The public participation policy is said to prohibit speakers from making comments that are “personally directed,” “abusive,” or “obscene;” while the Board Chair, Misty Belford, enforces the policy so that speakers can only address her or the Board as a whole, rather than letting speakers talk directly to or about a specific board member.

Former Cuban Child TV Star and Political Refugee Launches ‘ADN América,’ a Nationwide News Organization for Hispanics and Latinos

November 9, 2021November 8, 2021 Casey Owens

Former Cuban child TV star and political refugee, Gelet Fragela, launched a brand-new, bilingual news organization for Hispanic-Americans on Monday, titled ADN América.

The organization will focus on providing the Hispanic-American market with real-time breaking news, in-depth analysis, and political reporting amid the “growing electoral influence among Hispanics across the country.”

Jacksonville Murder Case Involving Immigrant Creates Further Criticism of Biden’s Border Policy

November 9, 2021 Casey Owens

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Region IV Emergency Operations Center (EOC) personnel supporting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) partners monitor final preparations for Hurricane Dorian. CBP Air and Marine Operations aircrews, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Office of Field Operations (OFO) teams from Region IV are ready to deploy as needed for Hurricane Dorian response efforts. CBP Region IV is working closely with a far-reaching network of FEMA partners and local officials. CBP Region IV provides communications and coordination for all CBP surface, land and air assets in Region IV which includes Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands during major disasters and national emergencies.

The murder of a Jacksonville man has further stirred Governor DeSantis’ criticism of the Biden Administration’s border policies as news arose that the suspect of the crime was an immigrant who had faked his identity in order to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to a report by News4Jax, 24-year-old Yery Medina Ulloa from Honduras – who pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder on Thursday – posed as a teenager at the border so that he could pass as an unaccompanied minor. However, federal officials have yet to comment on how Ulloa got to Florida.

Everglades Oil Drilling Proposal Denied by Florida Department of Environmental Protection

November 8, 2021November 8, 2021 Casey Owens

A proposal to dig exploratory oil wells in the Florida Everglades was denied Friday by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The DEP’s decision to reject the proposal by Trend Exploration of north Fort Myers, is due to the concerns that oil drilling will negatively affect surrounding water supplies and natural habitats for endangered species such as the Florida panther.

Tenure Proposal Raises Concerns with Florida’s Public Universities

November 7, 2021November 6, 2021 Casey Owens

A proposal that threatens employment protections for tenured professors is becoming a concern as it circulates throughout Florida’s public universities.

If the proposal is approved, it would make the process of dismissing veteran faculty members easier by establishing a “comprehensive review process” for professors every five years that ultimately puts their employment in the hands of a university provost.

September General Revenue in Florida Exceeds Economic Forecasts

November 5, 2021November 4, 2021 Casey Owens

Florida’s general revenue collections in the month of September were $442.2 million, or 15.7%, more than what economist for the Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) expected in their predictions made at the General Revenue Estimating Conference in August.

The estimated total for general revenue in September was $2.809 billion, while the actual total was $3.251 billion. Additionally, September was the 14th consecutive month that the state of Florida recorded more than what the EDR predicted.

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis Demands Refunds Amid Biden’s Border Settlements

November 4, 2021November 3, 2021 Casey Owens

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, gave an ultimatum to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday, demanding the Department of Justice to refund Floridians’ income taxes if they are used to pay out potential settlements to immigrant family members who were separated at the border.

As the $450,000-per-person settlements could amount to almost a billion dollars, Patronis’ proposal calls on the federal government to “not subsidize or incentivize illegal immigration.”

Publix Announces Increase in Stock Price and Sales for 2021’s Third Quarter

November 3, 2021November 2, 2021 Casey Owens

Publix, an employee-owned and Florida-based grocery chain, announced an increase in its stock price and noted that year-to-year third quarter numbers show an increase in sales, but a decrease in profit compared to 2020.

The announcement comes almost a month after the company announced in early October a plan to hire 30,000 new employees before the end of the year.

Appropriations Chairman Sparks Debate About Virtual School Funding Ahead of 2022 Legislative Session

November 1, 2021October 31, 2021 Casey Owens

A debate about whether Florida lawmakers should change the way public schools fund virtual learning has begun as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic causing virtual school numbers to skyrocket in the past year and a half.

In an interview with the News Service of Florida, Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Chairman, Randy Fine, expressed the concern Florida education lawmakers are facing.