WEATHER ALERT
Hurricane Milton ravaged one of the most popular areas for 'snowbirds' on Florida's Gulf Coast
Read full article: Hurricane Milton ravaged one of the most popular areas for 'snowbirds' on Florida's Gulf CoastHurricane Milton’s devastating landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast hit one of the most popular areas for temporary residents who spend the winter months living in the Sunshine State.
‘We take so much for granted’: On first day of early voting, man pleads for people to cast ballots
Read full article: ‘We take so much for granted’: On first day of early voting, man pleads for people to cast ballotsOn the first day of early voting, voters across the Sunshine State, including those in St. Johns and Duval counties, got a chance to cast their ballots ahead of the November 5th election.
As Hurricane Milton looms, City Rescue Mission added to list of Jacksonville area shelters
Read full article: As Hurricane Milton looms, City Rescue Mission added to list of Jacksonville area sheltersIn response to Hurricane Milton, local nonprofit City Rescue Mission announced it will increase its overnight capacity and extend its hours for people seeking shelter.
Path to the Polls: Is Gov. DeSantis violating the law in Florida’s abortion battle?
Read full article: Path to the Polls: Is Gov. DeSantis violating the law in Florida’s abortion battle?The abortion battle is intensifying in Florida with Amendment 4 supporters saying Gov. Ron DeSantis is engaging in government overreach and breaking the law by tapping into taxpayer-funded resources to fight the November ballot initiative. Also, is Florida in play for Kamala Harris? And the three key states that could put Donald Trump back in the White House.
Gas prices falling fast across Sunshine State as oil prices plunge: AAA
Read full article: Gas prices falling fast across Sunshine State as oil prices plunge: AAAGas prices are quickly falling across the Sunshine State after a drop in the crude oil market, according to the American Automobile Association.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says the Democratic Party has plans to change Florida back to a swing state
Read full article: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says the Democratic Party has plans to change Florida back to a swing stateDemocratic Party heavyweight Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear spoke to News4JAX about how the party plans to change Florida to a swing state.
Florida delegates at DNC say Jacksonville electing Deegan as mayor shows ‘the tide is turning’
Read full article: Florida delegates at DNC say Jacksonville electing Deegan as mayor shows ‘the tide is turning’The Democratic National Convention is well underway and much of the discussion for Florida delegates who are on hand in Chicago is Jacksonville.
Governors of battleground states encourage Florida delegates at Democratic National Convention
Read full article: Governors of battleground states encourage Florida delegates at Democratic National ConventionFlorida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried is hosting the first of four delegation breakfasts on Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
DeSantis urges Florida Republicans at RNC to ‘get engaged’ on abortion, recreational marijuana amendments on ballot
Read full article: DeSantis urges Florida Republicans at RNC to ‘get engaged’ on abortion, recreational marijuana amendments on ballotGov. Ron DeSantis is worried about two amendments to the state constitution that will be on the ballot in November.
‘Corporate invasion’: Firms flock to Florida, buy up apartments because of weak tenant-protection laws, study finds
Read full article: ‘Corporate invasion’: Firms flock to Florida, buy up apartments because of weak tenant-protection laws, study findsFlorida is one of the most attractive states for investors because of weak tenant-protection laws, a recent study found.
Path to the Polls: Florida not among ‘swing’ states but could still play crucial role in presidential election
Read full article: Path to the Polls: Florida not among ‘swing’ states but could still play crucial role in presidential electionSix swing states could swing the pendulum in the presidential election. Right now Florida isn’t among them.
It's not a matter of if a hurricane will hit Florida, but when, forecasters say
Read full article: It's not a matter of if a hurricane will hit Florida, but when, forecasters sayU.S. officials who predict, prepare for and respond to natural disasters have a message for Floridians: It’s not a matter of if but when a hurricane will hit the state.
Panthers score twice in the third period and beat the Lightning 3-2 in Game 1 of NHL playoffs
Read full article: Panthers score twice in the third period and beat the Lightning 3-2 in Game 1 of NHL playoffsCarter Verhaeghe tapped in a pinpoint pass from Aleksander Barkov for the lead 58 seconds into the third period, Matthew Tkachuk added a goal and an assist and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Game 1 of their NHL playoff series opener.
‘I want it to be attractive to coach’: DeSantis wants head football coaches to make more here
Read full article: ‘I want it to be attractive to coach’: DeSantis wants head football coaches to make more hereFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis is in favor of paying high school football coaches in the state more.
Will part of Florida be underwater in the near future? Scientists, leaders developing solutions to fight back
Read full article: Will part of Florida be underwater in the near future? Scientists, leaders developing solutions to fight backClimate researchers are raising the alarm about sea level rise, tidal flooding, and extreme rain.
River City Beats presents The Jonas Lorence Band
Read full article: River City Beats presents The Jonas Lorence BandGrowing up aboard a sailboat amidst Florida’s coastal beauty, Jonas Lorence’s heart remains tethered to the Sunshine State despite his relocation to Texas. Fondly recalling Florida as a cherished second home, Jonas Lorence Band has left its musical mark across the state, with vibrant performances echoing through iconic locales like St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach. From salty sea breezes to the lively rhythms of Funky Little Beach Town, the essence of Florida permeates Jonas Lorence’s musical journey, reflecting the vibrant spirit of the Sunshine State.
2 private Florida insurance companies want to increase premiums by more than 53%
Read full article: 2 private Florida insurance companies want to increase premiums by more than 53%The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation will hold public hearings next week to determine if two private insurance companies can increase their premiums by more than 53%.
Florida asks state Supreme Court to keep abortion rights amendment off the November ballot
Read full article: Florida asks state Supreme Court to keep abortion rights amendment off the November ballotLawyers trying to keep an abortion-rights measure off the Florida ballot told the state Supreme Court that the proposed amendment is deceptive.
Florida asks state Supreme Court to keep abortion rights amendment off the November ballot
Read full article: Florida asks state Supreme Court to keep abortion rights amendment off the November ballotLawyers trying to keep an abortion-rights measure off the Florida ballot told the state Supreme Court that the proposed amendment is deceptive.
This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition - JPMorgan Chase expanding in Northeast Florida
Read full article: This Week in Jacksonville: Business Edition - JPMorgan Chase expanding in Northeast FloridaThe largest bank in America announced an investment in Northeast Florida. JPMorgan Chase plans to open ten new branches in the region, which would increase branch presence by about 50%.
Florida Democrats call on Gov. DeSantis to do more to address ‘affordable housing crisis’
Read full article: Florida Democrats call on Gov. DeSantis to do more to address ‘affordable housing crisis’Florida lawmakers and Jacksonville-area residents are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to do more to address what economists call an “affordable housing crisis.”
Trust Index: Presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Florida has highest cost of living in the country. Is it true?
Read full article: Trust Index: Presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Florida has highest cost of living in the country. Is it true?It was a wide-ranging debate where the candidates touched on various topics including foreign policy, abortion, and aid to Ukraine, but two statements raised some eyebrows and made News4JAX run them through the Trust Index.
Abortion initiative hits milestone for getting in front of Florida voters
Read full article: Abortion initiative hits milestone for getting in front of Florida votersA petition initiative that would enshrine abortion rights in the Florida constitution has reached the necessary number of verified signatures to qualify for the 2024 ballot.
Florida tourism up 1.6% compared to last year, and Fernandina Beach small business owners feeling the bump
Read full article: Florida tourism up 1.6% compared to last year, and Fernandina Beach small business owners feeling the bumpAbout 35 million visitors came to Florida between July and September of 2023. That’s according to the latest numbers from Visit Florida.
Florida citrus forecast improves over last year when hurricanes hit state
Read full article: Florida citrus forecast improves over last year when hurricanes hit stateFlorida's citrus production is expected to improve in the upcoming season compared to last year when twin hurricanes battered the state.
Another major Florida hurricane threatens to worsen property insurance market, add ‘Hurricane Tax’ for policy holders
Read full article: Another major Florida hurricane threatens to worsen property insurance market, add ‘Hurricane Tax’ for policy holdersAs a major hurricane, Idalia not only threatens the lives of Floridians but also the progress of Florida’s property insurance market that was already in crisis.
LIST: Back-to-school events in Northeast Florida, Southeast Georgia
Read full article: LIST: Back-to-school events in Northeast Florida, Southeast GeorgiaTo ensure students are prepared to start the school year on the right foot, volunteers, organizations and others have organized backpack giveaways and free school supply events.
Historically Black fraternity drops Florida for convention because of DeSantis policies
Read full article: Historically Black fraternity drops Florida for convention because of DeSantis policiesThe oldest historically Black collegiate fraternity in the U.S. says it is relocating a planned convention in two years from Florida because of what it described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration’s “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
Catastrophe losses double at Travelers as insurance industry and more regions absorb severe weather
Read full article: Catastrophe losses double at Travelers as insurance industry and more regions absorb severe weatherTravelers, considered a bellwether for the insurance industry due to its size, said catastrophe losses doubled in its most recent quarter and the company swung to a loss as severe wind and hail storms in a number of regions led to rising coverage claims.
After devastating 2022 hurricane season, AAA not renewing some insurance policies in Florida
Read full article: After devastating 2022 hurricane season, AAA not renewing some insurance policies in FloridaAAA says it won’t renew a small percentage of homeowner and auto insurance policies in hurricane-wracked Florida, joining other insurers in limiting their exposure in the Sunshine State.
100+ people line Jacksonville street to protest new Florida immigration laws
Read full article: 100+ people line Jacksonville street to protest new Florida immigration lawsAt least 100 people lined Atlantic Boulevard near Spring Park Road on Thursday morning to protest Florida’s new immigration laws.
Largest US gay rights group issues Florida travel advisory for anti-LGBTQ+ laws
Read full article: Largest US gay rights group issues Florida travel advisory for anti-LGBTQ+ lawsThe largest LGBTQ+ rights organization in the U.S. has joined other civil rights organizations in issuing a travel advisory for Florida.
Community honors Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Day at Jacksonville National Cemetery
Read full article: Community honors Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Day at Jacksonville National CemeteryVietnam War Veterans Memorial Day is commemorated every March 29 as a day to publicly honor the courage and sacrifice of the 3 million men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War.
Breaking down state, local efforts to tackle affordable housing crisis in Florida
Read full article: Breaking down state, local efforts to tackle affordable housing crisis in FloridaA $711 million plan to make housing more affordable statewide is headed to the governor’s desk, and there is also help on the way for people in Jacksonville who are struggling to pay bills.
NAACP Florida chapters recommend travel advisory amid DeSantis policies
Read full article: NAACP Florida chapters recommend travel advisory amid DeSantis policiesAt its statewide conference in Orlando, member organizations of the Florida NAACP voted unanimously to recommend that the national NAACP board issue a nationwide travel advisory against moving or visiting the Sunshine State.
Is DeSantis darkening Florida's sunny open-records laws?
Read full article: Is DeSantis darkening Florida's sunny open-records laws?Advocates for open government are ringing alarms about plans by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration that could make it harder to learn what public officials are doing and to speak out against them.
Flagler Palm Coast football coach Robert Paxia leaving alma mater for position in Georgia
Read full article: Flagler Palm Coast football coach Robert Paxia leaving alma mater for position in GeorgiaFlagler Palm Coast is on the search for a head football coach after Robert Paxia announced his resignation on Thursday afternoon.
Facing high rent in Florida? Experts say vacation rentals could be part of the problem
Read full article: Facing high rent in Florida? Experts say vacation rentals could be part of the problemThe News4JAX I-TEAM found that short-term vacation rentals are helping to drive up traditional rents in Northeast Florida, and it's not just in tourist hot spots.
News4JAX readers say they want Gov. DeSantis to focus on guns, cannabis and housing in second term
Read full article: News4JAX readers say they want Gov. DeSantis to focus on guns, cannabis and housing in second termFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis was sworn in on Tuesday in Tallahassee for the start of his second term.
Florida has changed a lot in the last year, data shows
Read full article: Florida has changed a lot in the last year, data showsAs 2023 inches closer, records and data show the Sunshine State changed a lot in the past year. From overall population to housing and politics, 2022′s impact on Florida was significant.
Frigid weather doesn’t stop Santas surfing off Florida coast
Read full article: Frigid weather doesn’t stop Santas surfing off Florida coastFor the surfing Santas off Florida’s central coast, the Atlantic Ocean felt more like the North Pole than the Sunshine State as temperatures plunged to around freezing, while freeze warnings were in place for at least half of the state.
Could Duval be heading for a housing crisis? Jacksonville among 7 Florida cities cited in new study
Read full article: Could Duval be heading for a housing crisis? Jacksonville among 7 Florida cities cited in new studyLocal realtors are responding to what a study conducted by a national research team called “alarming signs” that could show a housing crisis is in the future for cities in the Sunshine State.
Study finds that climate change added 10% to Ian's rainfall
Read full article: Study finds that climate change added 10% to Ian's rainfallA quick study by two scientists calculates that climate change made Hurricane Ian 10% rainier than it would have been if there were no such thing as global warming.
Has Hurricane Ian ruined vacation plans in Florida? Here’s a visitor’s guide on how to deal with storm
Read full article: Has Hurricane Ian ruined vacation plans in Florida? Here’s a visitor’s guide on how to deal with stormHere’s a look at how tourists can best cope in terms of air travel, evacuation shelters and park closures.
Landlords try to stop rent control initiative in Florida
Read full article: Landlords try to stop rent control initiative in FloridaBallots haven’t even been printed yet, but already a group of landlords, apartment managers and real estate agents in Florida are trying to stop voters from deciding on a measure that would implement rent control for a year in the theme park hub that has been one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. The Florida Apartment Association and the Florida Association of Realtors last week sued Orange County, Florida in an attempt to halt a ballot initiative aimed at limiting how much...
Shark scientist shares ways to stay safe in light of recent attack
Read full article: Shark scientist shares ways to stay safe in light of recent attackAs friends and families flock to the beaches to celebrate the fourth of July, one Flordia family is in the hospital with 17-year-old Addison Bethea after she was attacked by a shark Thursday off the coast of Keaton Beach, Florida.
Connecticut governor invites Florida businesses to move to his state ‘that supports rights of women’
Read full article: Connecticut governor invites Florida businesses to move to his state ‘that supports rights of women’As the battle continues in Florida over a 15-week abortion ban that was slated to take effect Friday but is being blocked by a state judge, an open letter went out to Florida businesses from the governor of Connecticut.
FAA hires 30 new air traffic controllers for Hilliard center
Read full article: FAA hires 30 new air traffic controllers for Hilliard centerThirty air traffic controllers have been hired for the federal air traffic control center in Hilliard, a source familiar with the Federal Aviation Administration’s plan told News4JAX.
Duval County leads state in number of schools considered ‘high-priority’
Read full article: Duval County leads state in number of schools considered ‘high-priority’Duval County has more struggling schools than any other district in the Sunshine State, according to a Florida Department of Education report. The same report outlines the subject areas in which there exists a critical shortage of certified teachers, with English as the category projected to be in the direst need in the upcoming school year.
Florida summer heat: Here’s how our temperatures have changed over the years
Read full article: Florida summer heat: Here’s how our temperatures have changed over the yearsFlorida is known for its hot summer days and sandy shores, but for many new residents, this may be their first summer in the Sunshine State.
Inflation could keep many Floridians from evacuating this hurricane season, AAA survey finds
Read full article: Inflation could keep many Floridians from evacuating this hurricane season, AAA survey findsOn the eve of the Atlantic hurricane season, a new survey shows a growing number of Floridians are choosing not to leave their homes if there’s a hurricane.
Oh, my! ‘Voice of the Gators’ Mick Hubert retiring & Jimbo Fisher fires back after Nick Saban says A&M ‘bought every player on their team’
Read full article: Oh, my! ‘Voice of the Gators’ Mick Hubert retiring & Jimbo Fisher fires back after Nick Saban says A&M ‘bought every player on their team’We’ve got some big Florida and SEC news this week.
Child pornography investigation that began in Pacific Northwest leads to suspect in Middleburg: warrant
Read full article: Child pornography investigation that began in Pacific Northwest leads to suspect in Middleburg: warrantAn investigation into child pornography that began back in the fall of 2020 has now led to an arrest, according to an arrest warrant.
Former Lee forward Alex Fudge transferring from LSU to Florida
Read full article: Former Lee forward Alex Fudge transferring from LSU to FloridaOne of the best high school basketball players from the Jacksonville area of the past decade is coming back to the Sunshine State. Alex Fudge announced Wednesday that he’s leaving LSU and transferring to Florida.
Federal Reserve warns of brewing US housing bubble
Read full article: Federal Reserve warns of brewing US housing bubbleEconomists with the Federal Reserve issued an unsettling warning to millions of potential homebuyers, cautioning that the real estate market is showing signs of a brewing U.S. housing bubble. A local real estate agent who News4JAX spoke with says the bubble won’t burst like it did in the 2008 recession, especially in growing cities like Jacksonville -- which instead might continue to see a home and rent affordability crisis.
Home foreclosures rose 11% in February, double-digit increases could continue, report finds
Read full article: Home foreclosures rose 11% in February, double-digit increases could continue, report findsForeclosures are climbing across the nation, and the frustration for homeowners is being felt here in Florida.
Rain pushes The Players into the weekend; Monday finish a certainty
Read full article: Rain pushes The Players into the weekend; Monday finish a certaintyTwo days of bad weather and a miserable forecast for the rest of Friday has forced the postponement of The Players Championship, with a Monday finish now a certainty.
Florida: Latest tourist numbers higher than before pandemic
Read full article: Florida: Latest tourist numbers higher than before pandemicFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the number of tourists coming to the Sunshine State in the last quarter of 2021 surpassed the visitor count in the same quarter before the start of the pandemic.
Severe Weather Awareness Week: What to know about wildfires and extreme temperatures
Read full article: Severe Weather Awareness Week: What to know about wildfires and extreme temperaturesFlorida’s Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Feb. 7 to Feb. 11, and Friday’s focus is wildfires and extreme temperatures.