By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – For the third consecutive week, Florida’s primary focus involved the unnerving anticipation of a major hurricane and the exhausting — and expensive — recovery from heavy rains and battering winds.
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By JIM SAUNDERS
News Service of Florida
Hurricane Milton strengthened into a Category 4 storm Monday, as Florida officials implored Gulf Coast residents to follow evacuation orders and utilities prepared for widespread power outages.
Read More …By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – Recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene continued this week along the Florida Gulf Coast and throughout the Big Bend, where President Joe Biden made a brief tour of impacted areas.
Read More …By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – The Category 4 Hurricane Helene unleashed its wrath on Florida this week, packing 140 mph winds and making landfall Thursday night near the Taylor County community of Perry.
Read More …By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – The state university system’s Board of Governors drew the spotlight this week, with a member of the panel raising questions about spending at New College of Florida and the incoming House Speaker pushing back against a move to give DeSantis’ appointees more power over presidential selections.
Read More …By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – As Tuesday’s presidential debate drew tens of millions of national viewers, much of the action in Florida this week was in the courts.
An appellate-court panel heard arguments in a two-state legal battle between Florida State University and the Atlantic Coast Conference over issues such as sports media rights.
By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – Florida slowly got back to business after Labor Day weekend getaways and the first full slate of college football games.
For Capitol types, the House and Senate this week scheduled committee meetings that will start in December and lead up to the 2025 legislative session. Lawmakers also got briefed on what to expect with the state’s finances over the next three years.
And state utility regulators started formally looking at the possibility of adding nuclear power in the future.
By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – August came to a close with Gov. Ron DeSantis trying to douse a growing uproar about adding amenities such as golf to award-winning state parks.
The week ended as animosity between the governor’s office and Rep. Randy Fine, a Brevard County Republican, continued to simmer over DeSantis’ recent trip to Ireland.
By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – Last week’s primary-election results were a mixed bag for Gov. Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis’ record in backing school board candidates was below .500. But he had success with legislative endorsements, particularly in a Northeast Florida Senate race where Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, easily defeated two opponents, including one endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
By JIM TURNER
News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE – Florida received some positive economic numbers this week. But as university students get ready to return to class, controversial spending at Florida’s flagship university drew widespread attention.
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office and state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis on Thursday raised the possibility of looking into spending under former University of Florida President Ben Sasse.