A new state report shows that 475 manatees had died in 2024 in Florida as of Oct. 11.

A Michigan woman has been ordered to stand trial in a crash that killed two siblings and injured several other people who were at a boat club to celebrate a child’s birthday.

A political newcomer’s closer-than-expected finish in Tuesday’s special congressional election in Ohio surprised Republicans and jolted Democrats in a former bellwether state.

A reported 130 manatees died in Florida during the first two months of 2024. Here are the counties with the most manatee deaths.

A county in Indiana has lost its top election official nearly every other month since its longtime supervisor resigned over a vote-counting mistake in the 2022 election.

Some of the biggest employers in St. Johns County, like Northrop Grumman and Flagler Health, say they are struggling to find workers because of the lack of affordable housing.

Authorities say five people linked to viral video footage of workers using a scary mask to frighten children at a Mississippi daycare are now facing charges.

Indiana abortion clinic operators have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state’s ban on abortions that is set to take effect Sept. 15.

Florida’s unemployment rate dipped to 3% last month, with all 10 industries tracked in the state showing year over year job growth.

Florida’s employment picture continues to brighten, while the state jobs agency envisions conditions slowing to a more “stable” pace over the next two years.

Two sheriff’s deputies have been suspended after they were arrested for an off-duty brawl with sailors in Key West.

Beachgoers stumbled upon bales of marijuana over the weekend that washed ashore in both Sugarloaf Key and Big Pine Key.

Bruce Rauner, last week gave the Florida governor's campaign committee $250,000. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried joined Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist in calling for federal officials to probe the DeSantis administration’s vaccine distribution programs. AdDuring a Thursday news conference, DeSantis expressed no misgivings about the early vaccinations at the exclusive Key Largo community. In recent weeks, other reports have surfaced of wealthy retirement communities getting exclusive access to vaccine doses through pop-up vaccine sites. Bruce Rauner to the Florida governor's campaign committee.

Gag grouper will close to recreational harvest in Gulf state and federal waters Jan. 1, 2021. The same day, several species of grouper will also close to recreational and commercial harvest in Atlantic state waters and all state waters off Monroe County. All other Gulf state waters (except waters off Monroe County, which follows the Atlantic state season) and all Gulf federal waters will reopen June 1 through Dec. 31. In the Atlantic and state waters of Monroe County, the grouper closure ends April 30, and harvest will reopen May 1. Grouper information, including Atlantic and Gulf grouper regulations, is available online.

KEY WEST, Fla. – The city of Key West is scaling back its normal New Year’s Eve celebrations following recent surges in the spread of coronavirus. Key West Mayor Teri Johnston signed an emergency order Friday that sets an island-wide curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m., running Thursday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 3. The curfew does not apply to unincorporated Monroe County, which includes the remainder of the Florida Keys, said county mayor Michelle Coldiron. Duval Street typically attracts tens of thousands to celebrate the New Year and watch a giant red shoe with the drag queen inside drop at midnight. Health officials continue to stress that residents and visitors should wear facial coverings, which are mandatory in the Keys, practice social distancing and wash hands frequently.

MIAMI – An Atlanta man was airlifted to the trauma center of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami after he was bitten on the shoulder by a shark Sunday morning near Marathon, Monroe County sheriff’s deputies told WPLG-TV. Witnesses said Eddy was attacked almost immediately after entering the water near the Sombrero Key Light, about 50 miles north of Key West. While investigating the incident, the Sheriff’s Office received information from boaters that they had seen a bull shark in the area. The shark was described by witnesses as eight- to 10-feet long. Investigators said there was no fishing or chumming in the water near where the group was snorkeling.

Tears roll down the face of Vauhxx Booker as he speaks to the hundreds gathered at the Monroe County courthouse, Monday, July 6, 2020, in Bloomington, Ind. (Rich Janzaruk/The Herald-Times via AP)INDIANAPOLIS The FBI is investigating as a hate crime the assault of a Black man by a group of white men at a southern Indiana lake, the victim's attorney said Tuesday. Katherine Liell, Bookers attorney, said at a news conference that the FBI is questioning witnesses and that charging decisions could be made soon. Ryan Pedigo told The Associated Press that the confrontation happened near the Monroe County Courthouse in downtown Bloomington on Monday evening. A 35-year-old man then grabbed the driver's side of the car and held on as the vehicle continued to accelerate.

Snook closes for recreational harvest in Atlantic state and federal waters. Capt Don Dingman, of Hook The Future TV, releases a healthy snookGreater amberjack closes for recreational harvest in Gulf state and federal waters. If you plan to fish for gag grouper in Gulf state or federal waters (excluding Monroe County) from a private recreational vessel, you must sign up as a Gulf Reef Fish Angler (annual renewal is required) before July 1 or as a State Reef Fish Angler after July 1. To learn more, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and click on “Recreational Regulations” and “Gulf Reef Fish Survey” or “State Reef Fish Survey” under “Reef Fish” tab. Learn more about recreational fishing at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations.”

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)Governors around the country are warming to the idea of the return of professional sports to their states, with two caveats: continued progress against the coronavirus and no spectators in the stands. The heads of California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania spoke Monday of the return of professional sports to their states, possibly as soon as next month. Gavin Newsom tied the return of pro sports with the state's continued progress against the virus. He also urged the state's pro sports teams to begin planning to resume playing without fans. New York state will help those major sport franchises to do just that, Cuomo said.

KEY WEST, Fla. The Florida Keys will reopen to tourists on June 1, more than two months after the island chain closed to visitors to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. The decision to reopen comes amid the low coronavirus infection rate in the Florida Keys, the Miami Herald reported. The move to reopen was the toughest decision Monroe County officials had to make, Monroe County Spokeswoman Kristen Livengood told the Miami Herald. The Florida Keys had been closed off to non-residents since March 22. Checkpoints at U.S. 1 and State Road 905 were set up five days later to bar visitors from coming into Monroe County.

___Bundesliga soccer players will be reminded not to celebrate goals together after Hertha Berlins team shared hugs and high fives over the weekend. ___Players from Spanish soccer club Rayo Vallecano have refused to practice in protest against reduced salaries. Spanish media say the players practiced at home instead of going to the teams training center for the start of group sessions. The Premier League season was suspended in March with Liverpool leading by 25 points with nine games remaining. ___Celtic has been declared Scottish champion after the countrys top soccer league was cut short because of the coronavirus outbreak.

MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – Don’t plan on making a visit to the Florida Keys until at least June. While stay-at-home orders may be loosened soon, Monroe County does not anticipate reopening to visitors in May, county officials said Friday. “The last thing we want to do is open up the doors and then have a resurgence,” County Mayor Heather Carruthers told Local 10 News. The Keys have been discussing relaxing some restrictions for their residents in a “new normal.” They say they will first review the plans for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. “It’s not going to be a snap your fingers and everything is back to normal by any means,” Carruthers said.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida had 81 new hepatitis A cases reported last week, as state Surgeon General Scott Rivkees declared a public health emergency because of the virus, newly released numbers show. The 81 cases reported from July 28 to Saturday increased to 2,123 the number of hepatitis A cases reported in the state this year. Meanwhile, Volusia County had the largest number of newly reported cases last week with 11, according to a News Service of Florida analysis of the data. Pasco County reported an additional 10 cases, and Brevard and Palm Beach counties reported increases of seven cases. Meanwhile, 12 largely rural counties have not reported hepatitis A cases this year.