Florida News & Current Events | Public News Service

Florida is one of 16 states not requiring annual mental health screenings in schools, according to the advocacy group Inseparable. (Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Report: FL schools face mental-health staffing shortfalls

Florida schools still face critical mental health staffing shortages with less than 25% of needed psychologists in place, despite expanding …

The osprey is found year-round in Florida, both as a nesting species and as a spring and fall migrant passing between more northern areas and Central and South America. (Pixabay)

Annual wildlife survey documents Florida's changing biodiversity

Teams of researchers and volunteers will fan out at dawn Friday with their smartphones and binoculars on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus for …

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an international, nongovernmental organization that uses Unarmed Civilian Protection in conflict zones to help build peace within local communities. (Pixabay)

International relief organizations in FL impacted by USAID cuts

As global conflicts and natural disasters escalate, groups like the Nonviolent Peaceforce, which works to protect civilians in conflict zones…

National Healthcare Decisions Day is held on April 16 each year to educate health care providers and consumers about advance care planning and empower all to make their wishes known about care preferences in case they are unable to communicate them. (Pixabay)

Florida health disparities highlight need for advance care planning

Wednesday is National Healthcare Decisions Day and advocates are calling attention to Florida's pressing need for advance care planning, particularly …

Seasonal allergies impact about one in four adults and one in five children in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control. (Pixabay)

Achoo! Coping with allergy season in Florida

As yellow pollen dust coats cars and porches, seasonal allergies are plaguing nearly a quarter of adults and one in five children in the U.S.…

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and will last through the end of November. (Pixabay)

FEMA grant cancellations spark FL outcry as hurricane season looms

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has abruptly ended a key disaster-preparedness program, sparking concerns as another active hurricane season …

Researchers in the ZYWang Lab at the University of Washington investigated how social isolation disrupts natural behavioral patterns. Their current work examines the neurological and physiological impacts of prolonged isolation with direct implications for understanding solitary confinement's effects on humans. (Pixabay/iira116)

Research: People suffer in solitary confinement as FL reforms sit idle

New research showed damage to Florida's 3,000 inmates in solitary confinement extends far beyond psychological trauma. Solitary, which often lasts …

The Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) grant program, created in 1979, helps Florida students pay tuition at private, nonprofit colleges. (Pixabay)

FL House budget proposal threatens college access for 22,000 students

Nearly 22,000 Florida college students could lose critical tuition help under a state House budget proposal. The plan would cut $3,500 annual grants …

'The Visioneers': FL innovators lead climate solutions in new CBS series

A group of Florida middle schoolers is tackling water pollution in an unconventional way - by collecting scientific samples while surfing and skateboa…

USDA data show Black farmers have lost 90% of their land since 1910, while Florida has lost more than 300,000 acres of farmland since 2017. (Pixabay)

FL coalition joins call to honor USDA contracts, support small farmers

Many Floridians watched as Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.Y., set a record for his historic 24-hour-plus Senate floor speech protesting President Donald …

Gov. Ron DeSantis launched Florida DOGE in February 2025 to

Federal and state job cuts threaten FL workers' rights, services

Florida's public employees face twin crises as federal collective bargaining rights suddenly disappear and state government jobs are cut, leaving …

Florida's 2025 child labor bills, Senate Bill 918 and House Bill 1225, go further than 2024's House Bill 49, raising new safety concerns. (Pixabay)

Florida child labor bill advances amid exploitation concerns

A Florida bill that would roll back child labor restrictions cleared a Senate panel this week, sparking debate over whether it empowers families or …

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, rescued six soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq on Oct. 17, 2005, enduring severe burns and enemy fire while refusing medical evacuation until all others were saved. (CMOHS website)

National Medal of Honor Day: Honoring FL heroes and their legacy

Tuesday is National Medal of Honor Day, a time to reflect on the extraordinary bravery and sacrifice of the fewer than 4,000 Americans who have …

Filmmaker Michael Nash aims to feature his acclaimed film

From the moon to mailboxes: Filmmaker puts climate refugees in spotlight

Last year, filmmaker Michael Nash achieved the extraordinary when his documentary "Climate Refugees" was sent to the moon as part of a Lunar Museum …

Eliseo Santana, the Gulf Coast Region manager for the Alianza Center, which serves the Puerto Rican and Hispanic communities, showcased the first-aid kits they distribute after hurricanes. (Trimmel Gomes)

Hispanic veteran demands respect amid immigration crackdown

As the Trump administration continues to implement aggressive immigration policies, many Hispanic residents in Florida, a key voting bloc for Trump…

Trash 2 Trends designers create runway looks from items headed to the landfill. Proceeds from the event fund recycling initiatives, litter prevention and community beautification in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Trash 2 Trends: Turning garbage into glamour to fight climate change

What if your trash could be the key to a more sustainable wardrobe? The group Keep Orlando Beautiful is proving it is possible with its annual "Trash…

According to the World Health Organization, climate change presents a fundamental threat to human health. (Adobe Stock)

Health and climate: A growing crisis in Florida

As the warming climate continues to reshape the environment, its impact on people's health is becoming increasingly evident in Florida. Doctors and …

Nonprofits face a funding cliff as recent executive orders and federal cuts create uncertainty nationwide. Experts in philanthropy addressed the issue at the Climate Corrections Conference in Orlando. (Trimmel Gomes)

Climate philanthropy steps up as federal funding falls short

As federal funding for climate initiatives faces steep cuts, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are stepping into the breach, calling out the …

Opened in 2017, Orange County Public Schools Academic Center for Excellence is the first new school in Parramore, Fla., in more than 40 years, serving preschool through eighth grade. It features a three-wall, climate-themed mural by artist Allison Dayka. (VoLo Foundation)

Art, action unite at Florida Climate Correction Conference

As Florida grapples with rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes and extreme heat, the state's vulnerability to climate change is impossible to ignore…

Farmers unions and agricultural advocacy groups are calling on Congress to push the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately release all frozen funds. (Adobe Stock)

Southern farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

Florida farmers face mounting uncertainty as a federal funding freeze and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have disrupted some of the …

The American Diabetes Association reported 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. (Adobe Stock)

FL lawmakers push to expand diabetes care with new bills

Florida lawmakers are taking steps to address the state's growing number of people with diabetes, by improving early detection and access to care…

FL advocates push back against corporate dominance in agriculture

Advocates for small independent farmers and ranchers in Florida are sounding the alarm about the effects of corporate agriculture on their land and lo…

The Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use was established by the Florida Legislature in 2021 to address the state's growing mental health and substance-use disorder crisis. (Adobe Stock)

Florida commission urges statewide mental-health data repository

As Florida's legislative session begins on Tuesday, the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use is urging lawmakers to prioritize the …

In 2024 first-time pass rates for registered nurses in Florida stood at 84.9% in 2024, falling short of the national average of 91.16%.(Adobe Stock)

FGCU nursing program achieves 100% pass rate amid nursing shortage

For the second year in a row, every nursing graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University passed the national licensing exam required to become a …

After years of collaboration among conservationists, scientists and policymakers, the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act was signed into law on June 29, 2021, with unanimous bipartisan support from the Florida Legislature. (Adobe Stock)

Protecting Florida’s Ocala-to-Osceola wildlife corridor

A 1,086-acre property in Putnam County has been secured as part of the ongoing effort to protect the Ocala to Osceola Wildlife Corridor, a critical …

Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, President Joe Biden withdrew specific offshore areas from oil and gas leasing. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups sue Trump administration over offshore drilling policy

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its revocation of President Joe Biden's …

Florida became the second-largest prison system primarily because California reforms reduced its incarcerated population, while Florida's strict sentencing policies and slower adoption of reforms have kept its prison numbers high. (Adobe Stock)

New research could help FL prisons address violence

Violence in prisons is a pervasive issue, affecting both incarcerated people and staff, and minimizing it is the topic of some new research. …

Continuous glucose monitors are now used by most of the estimated 300,000 people in the United Staates who are younger than age 20 and living with Type 1 diabetes, according to health experts. (Adobe Stock)

Schools struggle to keep up with diabetes tech, leaving parents to fill gaps

By Phil Galewitz for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Serv…

An agonist mimics a neurotransmitter or hormone, triggering a response by binding to specific brain receptors. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), approved for diabetes and obesity, also show promising heart health benefits. (Adobe Stock)

GLP-1 meds offer new hope for heart health amid weight-loss craze

The GLP-1 medication trend has taken the health and wellness world by storm, largely hailed as a game-changer for weight loss. Now, new research …

The Trump administration has halted all pending environmental litigation and reassigned four career Justice Department attorneys specializing in environmental issues. (Pixabay/sergeitokmakov)

Climate advocate: EPA closure harms Florida’s environment

The Trump administration has begun dismantling the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and Civil Rights, which focuses on reducing environmental …

Experts noted one contributing factor to seasonal affective disorder, the technical name for wintertime blues, is a lack of sunlight, a crucial vitamin D source, which helps regulate wake/sleep cycles. (sasint/Pixabay)

Florida mental health experts share tips to beat winter blues

As winter drags on with a recent rare burst of snow across North Florida, many Floridians struggle with seasonal affective disorder. It is a form of …

Florida immigrant advocacy groups are intensifying efforts to help undocumented individuals navigate encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. (David Peinado/Pexels)

Florida immigrant advocates intensify efforts to support affected communities

Immigrant advocates in Florida are ramping up efforts to help families navigate President Donald Trump's new immigration orders, which have increased …

The 2023 Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, was a revised version of the 2021 bill, which also failed to advance. (Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay)

A renewed push for EATS Act amid FL agricultural battles

A bill known as the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act failed to advance in Congress last year but food policy advocates warned it is still a…

Florida's recently passed TRUMP Act allocates $500 million to enhance state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement but Gov. Ron DeSantis opposes the bill, arguing it undermines his executive authority by shifting oversight to the agriculture commissioner. (Pixabay)

Educators sound alarm over immigration policy affecting FL schools

Immigration policy changes under the Trump administration are instilling fear in Florida schools, as educators and advocates warned of their effects …

The Trump administration's funding freeze prevented multiple states, including Florida, from accessing federal Medicaid payments, leaving health-care providers unpaid. (vjohns1580/Pixabay)

Proposed Medicaid cuts could leave Florida’s most vulnerable without care

Florida residents who depend on Medicaid said they fear for their futures as lawmakers consider $2.3 trillion in federal cuts, which could force …

The National Association of School Psychologists and other organizations have declared a national youth mental health emergency, with Florida's trends reflecting the broader crisis. (sasint/Pixabay)

Florida schools struggle to fund mental health services amid growing demand

With Florida facing a youth mental health crisis, outdated Medicaid reimbursement policies are leaving schools struggling to meet growing demands…

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has indicated he wants to establish criminal penalties for

DeSantis’ immigration agenda sparks concern for public safety, civil rights

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a special legislative session to advance his immigration agenda in Florida, which is closely aligned with President …

Florida ranks fourth nationally in the share of children in rural areas covered by Medicaid/CHIP, with over 52% of rural children relying on the program for their health insurance. (Pixabay)

Medicaid cuts could devastate rural Florida, affecting children

A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families highlights the significant role Medicaid plays in ensuring healthcare acc…

Rep. Darren Soto, D-Fla., showed several constituents the Capitol rotunda, which held Trump's inauguration. (Trimmel Gomes)

Trump pardons Capitol rioters, sparks rebuke over justice, law enforcement

In an effort to make up for President Donald Trump moving his inauguration indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, leaving many ticket holders to watch from …

According to the Sentencing Project, the number of people serving life without parole is highest in Florida. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Florida leads nation in life sentences without parole as advocates push for reforms

Florida holds the highest number of people serving life sentences without parole in the country, with nearly 11,000 individuals behind bars …

According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants make up more than 22% of Florida's population, with undocumented residents comprising nearly 4%, contributing significantly to the state's economy and workforce. (Adobe Stock)

FL lawmakers, advocates push back on DeSantis’ immigration special session

Florida has been a key battleground in the national immigration debate, with past legislation banning sanctuary cities and requiring companies to use …

Florida's 2018 Amendment 4 restored voting rights to individuals with felony convictions once they complete their sentence, except for those convicted of murder or felony sex offenses. (Adobe Stock)

FL League of Women Voters helps returning citizens restore voting rights

The League of Women Voters of Florida is taking a personal approach to restoring voting rights for returning citizens. The group is sending …

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates more than one billion birds fly into glass each year in the United States, with most fatal crashes occurring at homes and buildings less than four stories tall. Applying patterns to window exteriors can help avoid these incidents. (Florida Gulf Coast University)

Art, science unite in FL to prevent birds hitting windows

With a thud, the tranquil sounds of nature are shattered as a bird crashes into a glass window. It's an all-too-common, deadly occurrence that …

Florida received a D on the National Center for Science Education's 2020 report card for its limited inclusion of climate change content in state science standards. (Adobe Stock)

Climate Emotions Wheel aims to address mental health in climate education

By Rebecca R. Randall for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Florida News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News …

Congress recently extended the Farm Bill for one year, providing $20 billion for federal farm programs and $10 billion in direct economic aid to farmers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Small FL farmers face rising costs, call for infrastructure support

Small farmers are calling for more government support as they navigate rising costs and industry challenges. Pedro Velez and Maria Ramirez co-own …

On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm. Two weeks later, on Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton struck as a dangerous Category 3 storm. (Adobe Stock)

This year, FL community health centers took on more than medicine

In this year's devastating hurricane season, Florida community health centers are proving indispensable in disaster response and recovery, providing …

A critically endangered Florida bonneted bat. (Bat Conservation International)

Rare Florida bat’s survival hinges on urban conservation efforts

Beneath the glow of Miami's streetlights and the towering skyline, a rare species of bat clings to survival. The Florida bonneted bat, one of the …

Critics argue Florida's book removals limit access to important information. At the same time, state officials insist they ensure only age-appropriate materials remain in schools, rejecting claims of outright bans as a

FL parents raise concerns over changes to health lessons

Recent changes to Florida's education laws have removed information on consent, contraceptives and prenatal development from many health lessons at …

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