Former COVID whistleblower can stay in House race for now
A former state Department of Health employee who gained national attention for questioning the numbers in Florida’s COVID-19 dashboard can remain a candidate for now in the race to be the Democratic challenger to Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Trey Fisher, son of Jimbo Fisher, transferring to Florida A&M
The Florida A&M Rattlers football team added a familiar last name from the transfer portal. By Jarrett Hoffman(Source HBCU):The Florida A&M Rattlers football team added a familiar last name from the transfer portal. Quarterback Trey Fisher, son of former national championship head coach Jimbo Fisher, committed to the program. Fisher returns to Tallahassee where he played high school football for Godby High School. He played just one game with the team during the 2020-2021 spring season, completing each of his two pass attempts.
thewestsidegazette.comThe FAMU Sports Hall Of Fame Weekend
To Feature a Major Refresh in 2022TALLAHASSEE, FL – Patrons attending the 2022 FAMU Sports Hall of Fame Enshrinement will witness a major refresh of the festivities highlighted by a change of venue to the newly-refurbished Lee Hall Auditorium. New Hall of Fame Board Chairman Marvin Green, Jr. made the official announcement regarding the annual event which celebrates FAMU’s awesome legacy of sports excellence which spans over a century of competition. The 2022 Class will be recognized the following evening during the FAMU-Albany State football contest at venerable Bragg Memorial Stadium. This year’s Enshrinement Weekend will be dedicated to the memory of Coach Bobby E. Lang, a highly decorated coach and educator, who also served tirelessly as a leading light on the Sports Hall of Fame Board until his death this past January. *Harriett Adderley will be given the inaugural FAMU Sports Hall of Fame Trailblazer Award, for her serving as a member of the Rattler Baseball in the 1960s.
thewestsidegazette.comHe almost beat DeSantis to be Florida’s governor. Now Andrew Gillum is indicted
Andrew Gillum, the former mayor of Tallahassee who came within about 34,000 votes of beating Ron DeSantis in the 2018 race for Florida governor, was indicted by federal authorities and arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday, according to court documents.
news.yahoo.comFlorida Senate passes property insurance package
The Florida Senate has approved a sweeping legislative package meant to combat rising property insurance rates and other problems in the state’s turbulent insurance market, creating a $2 billion reinsurance fund and writing new rules around coverage denials and attorney fees.
Governor: Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee to resign
Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee is resigning her post as the state's top election official, Gov. Ron DeSantis' office said Thursday. In a resignation letter, Lee, a Republican, said she would step down Monday and thanked the governor, who appointed her in 2019. "I am grateful for your support throughout my tenure, and I am honored to have been part of your vision for our state," she wrote in her resignation letter to DeSantis.
news.yahoo.comNewly drawn Congressional seat brings former state senator Tony Hill back into the races
By Staff WriterAnthony “Tony” Hill, labor leader and former Florida State senator and legislative aid to Congressman Al Lawson, announced his candidacy for the Florida Fourth Congressional District, the newly drawn seat covering half of Duval County plus all of Nassau and Clay counties. Former state senator Tony Hill will run for the newly drawn Northeast Florida congressional district, bringing a campaign-tested Democrat into the race for a seat covering half of Duval. But it does include Jacksonville where Tony Hill, a leader in the A. Phillip Randolph. This has to do with constituents in the Fourth District “Hill has been immersed for decades in politics. Portions of this article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tony Hill jumps into race for Congress in redistricted seat
thewestsidegazette.comMeningitis outbreak spreading throughout Florida
Officials from the Florida Department of Public Health (FDPH) are recommending vulnerable populations to get vaccinated against meningitis, as three new cases of the potentially deadly disease have arisen among young adults aged 18-22 in Tallahassee, Florida. With 27 cases of meningitis in Florida in 2021 and 21 cases in 2022, according to the Florida Health Department, the spread of meningitis may not seem like a severe threat. As teens and young adults have an increased risk of meningitis, UM students weigh in on how they feel the university could prevent the infection from reaching campus. “In my public health and epidemiology classes, we were taught how severe the symptoms can be: fevers, cardiovascular issues, stiffness in the neck and really bad headaches,” said Ethan Kumar, a microbiology and public health major. While currently unknown, Redfern also noted that some of the meningitis cases have resulted in death.
themiamihurricane.comFlorida governor signs bill creating election police unit
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday to create a police force dedicated to pursuing voter fraud and other election crimes, embracing a top priority of Republicans after former President Donald Trump's false claims that his reelection was stolen. The new law comes after the Republican governor made voting legislation a focus this year, pushing the Republican-controlled statehouse to create the policing unit as states reevaluate their own election systems in the wake of Trump's unfounded allegations. DeSantis, who is running for reelection and is widely considered to be a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has both praised the last election as smooth and suggested more rules were needed to deter fraud, underscoring Trump's lingering influence on Republican policymaking.
news.yahoo.comUS Coast Guard searches for man who jumped from cruise ship
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a man who jumped overboard from a cruise ship early Saturday as it approached Florida. The Coast Guard responded with two cutters and an airplane to search for the 43-year-old man. The Mardi Gras and the cruise ship Elation also participated in the search, said Coast Guard spokesman David Micallef.
news.yahoo.comFlorida Department of Health in Broward County Advises on Meningococcal Disease and Vaccines in Florida
Submitted by Nina LevineTALLAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is responding to an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Florida. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against meningococcal disease. Thus far, the number of cases identified in 2022 surpasses the 5-year average of meningococcal disease cases in Florida. Find meningococcal vaccines, including the MenACWY vaccine, by contacting a health care provider, county health department, or pharmacy. For more information about meningococcal disease, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website or the FDOH website.
thewestsidegazette.comFlorida Gov. DeSantis vetoes new congressional maps
In a rare disagreement with the Republican-dominated Legislature, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the state's newly drawn congressional maps Tuesday, and lawmakers will hold a special session in April to redraw them. The veto puts more pressure on the Republican-dominated Legislature to approve a map and resolve any resulting lawsuits before the June 13 to 17 qualifying period for federal candidates. Florida is also creating a new 28th district because of population growth.
news.yahoo.comFlorida leads multistate effort to sue Biden administration over transportation mask mandate
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Tuesday that Moody will be leading 20 other states in taking legal action against the Biden administration over the federal mask mandate on public transportation.
Miami's Community News
Even though February is the shortest month of the year, it has been one of the busiest. As I shared with you in my previous newsletter, I and a few members of my Leadership Team travelled to Tallahassee to speak with our state legislators about the significant issues that are impacting our office and the community we serve. To view my address before the Florida Senate Appropriations committee, please click here. We are thankful that the Florida Legislature has initiated a process to address the desperate needs of Florida’s criminal justice system. Thank you once again for your continued support for the work that we do at the State Attorney’s office to keep our community a safer place to live, work and raise our families.
communitynewspapers.comFlorida legislative divide: Bills spark debates about racism, sexual identity
The Florida legislative divide continued on Wednesday in Tallahassee, as Democratic lawmakers challenged Republicans who have the votes to pass controversial laws that Gov. Ron DeSantis is likely to sign as he campaigns for reelection.
Florida OKs bill aimed at keeping immigrants out of state
All Florida government agencies would be barred from doing business with transportation companies that bring immigrants to the state who are in the country illegally under a bill sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. The bill is a priority for the Republican governor and an effort to to keep the federal government from sending people crossing the Mexican border illegally to Florida. DeSantis, who is running for reelection this year and is a potential 2024 presidential contender, has repeatedly criticized President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.
news.yahoo.comRosalind Osgood has commanding lead in mail and early votes as Broward, Palm Beach county voters pick two new state lawmakers
Rosalind Osgood, whose decade on the Broward School Board made her one of the county’s highest profile elected officials, was waiting Tuesday evening to find out if she’ll be the newest member of the Florida Senate. In Palm Beach County, Democrat Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds was running far ahead of Republican Guarina Torres in a contest to fill a vacancy in the Florida House.
sun-sentinel.comFlorida to recommend against COVID vaccines for healthy kids
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Monday that the state will formally recommend against COVID-19 vaccinations for healthy children. Ladapo made the announcement at a roundtable event organized by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that featured a group of doctors who criticized coronavirus lockdowns and mandate policies. “The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children,” Ladapo said at the end of the roundtable discussion.
news.yahoo.com‘Forgotten people’: Florida lawmakers aim to recognize, protect abandoned African-American cemeteries
Forgotten, neglected and abandoned Black cemeteries have begun to receive attention. Across the United States, many unmarked African American graveyards have been rediscovered — often hidden under more recently built parking lots, schools and housing complexes. Now, a pair of bills in the Florida Legislature aims to prohibit or limit development on abandoned grave sites.
sun-sentinel.comDade County Medical Association promotes action in healthcare in Tallahassee
The Dade County Medical Association (DCMA) delegation met with elected officials during the 2022 Legislative Session in Tallahassee, visiting with the purpose of promoting several healthcare initiatives that were prioritized by the DCMA Board of Directors in support of their physician members and their patients. The delegation included DCMA President, Jose David Suarez, M.D. ; DCMA President-Elect, Rafael Fernandez, M.D. Past-President who were sponsored as Doctor of the Day at the Florida Senate and the House of Representatives during the DCMA Delegation visit. About the DCMAThe DCMA is the organization of choice for physicians who advocate for patients and for the quality and sustainability of the practice of medicine.
communitynewspapers.comFrydlova’s top-20 outing lifts Miami on leaderboard at FSU Match Up
Hurricanes golf finished seventh at the FSU Match Up this weekend in Tallahassee, Florida, after a disappointing eighth-place finish last week at the Moon Golf Invitational. Her third-round total was 69 (-3) as she finished tied for 12th with a 54-hole total of 222 (+6), yielding her second top-20 result of the season. Fourth-year junior Anna Backman and third-year sophomore Franziska Frydlova finished tied for 26th, with a 54-hole total of 226. Backman led the Canes last weekend at the Moon Golf Invitational and was at the top of Miami’s leaderboard after day one, tied for fifth place. In a tie for 38th was third-year sophomore Daniella Barrett with a final score of 231, and in 48th was Nataliya Guseva with a 233.
themiamihurricane.comMosaic Donates $100,000 to FAMU School of Business and Industry
Mosaic and FAMU sign Memorandum of Understanding to collaborateTALLAHASSEE, FL —The Mosaic Company announced a $100,000 donation to the Florida A&M University (FAMU) School of Business and Industry (SBI) Tuesday in Tallahassee. The purpose of the contribution is to help provide FAMU students with enhanced experiences with global companies and highlight future leadership opportunities in the corporate world, especially in the agriculture and mining industries. “Our students will be the true beneficiaries of this support from Joc O’Rourke and the Mosaic team,” Robinson said. “We are excited about strengthening this partnership.”Following the signing of the agreement, the Mosaic team will be involved in a number of programs interacting with SBI students. “Our focus at FAMU’s School of Business and Industry is to prepare students to thrive in a competitive, global marketplace.
thewestsidegazette.comFlorida high court refuses DeSantis request on redistricting
The Florida Supreme Court told Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday it will not answer his question on whether a Black congressman's district is unconstitutional. DeSantis has interjected himself into the once-a-decade process of drawing new congressional maps, something highly unusual for a governor to do. The House and Senate have considered maps that largely left Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson's district intact, but DeSantis is pushing a map that would make his district lean Republican.
news.yahoo.comRepublicans may prevent Broward’s new Democratic lawmaker from participating in annual legislative session after all
A decision by the Florida secretary of state, an appointee of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, apparently will prevent newly elected Democratic state Rep. Daryl Campbell from taking office before March 8. The annual Florida legislative session ends on March 11.
sun-sentinel.comRepublicans may prevent Broward’s new Democratic lawmaker from participating in annual legislative session after all
A decision by the Florida secretary of state, an appointee of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, apparently will prevent newly elected Democratic state Rep. Daryl Campbell from taking office before March 8. The annual Florida legislative session ends on March 11.
sun-sentinel.comChambers unite for Black Chamber Day in Tallahassee
Black Chambers across Florida to gather at inaugural Black Chamber Day at the CapitolTALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Association of Black Chambers of Commerce will host its first Black Chamber Day at the Capitol. The following chambers will be participating in the Black Chamber Day at the Capitol:African-American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida 2. Jacksonville Black Chamber of Commerce 9. Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce 10. Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce Treasure Coast Black Chamber of CommerceTogether, we will help to develop and sustain vibrant and diverse communities in the state.
thewestsidegazette.comFlorida could shield whites from 'discomfort' of racist past
A bill pushed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that would prohibit public schools and private businesses from making white people feel “discomfort” when they teach students or train employees about discrimination in the nation's past received its first approval Tuesday. The Senate Education Committee approved the bill that takes aim at critical race theory — though it doesn't mention it explicitly — on party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.
news.yahoo.comIn unusual move, Gov. DeSantis submits redistricting map
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has submitted a proposal to reshape the state's congressional map and carve up districts held by Black Democrats, as the Republican takes the unusual step of inserting himself into the redistricting process. The proposed congressional map, submitted Sunday on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, signaled the governor's priorities as the state moves to redraw political maps in the coming months. DeSantis, who is running for reelection and is considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has largely shaped the legislative agenda in the Republican-controlled statehouse this year.
news.yahoo.comGOP Rep. Anthony Sabatini: A Florida House outcast the conservative base adores
Within the halls of the Capitol, Rep. Anthony Sabatini is a pariah among his GOP colleagues. His office is in a basement, his bills rarely given a hearing. But among the base of the Republican Party, the Howey-in-the-Hills resident is a fan favorite, invited to speak at local GOP events.
sun-sentinel.comHCA Healthcare announces Partnership with FAMU’s School of Allied Health Sciences
“Through Capital Regional Medical Center and HCA Healthcare’s Tallahassee-based North Florida Division, the health system has a long history of collaboration with FAMU,” said Chuck Hall, Group President of HCA Healthcare. Additionally, the funding will support the building and operations of the School of Allied Health Sciences Simulation Lab that will be named the HCA Florida Healthcare Simulation Lab. “We are excited to announce this partnership with FAMU to further our commitment to advancing diversity in healthcare,” said Sherri Neal, chief diversity officer of HCA Healthcare. We thank HCA Healthcare for its leadership and vision.”HCA Healthcare has a history of strategically partnering with organizations to develop future healthcare leaders. In addition, HCA Healthcare committed $1 million to Tennessee State University in 2015 to fund internship opportunities and support the growth of the Health Information Management program.
thewestsidegazette.com