Florida's Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is urging dentists and patients to avoid dental amalgam fillings, citing concerns over mercury poisoning.
While not calling for a ban, Ladapo highlights the risk of mercury exposure, aligning with the European Union rather than the American Dental Association, which finds amalgams safe and affordable.
Consistent with FDA guidance, Floridians are advised against removing existing fillings, as the greatest danger occurs during installation or removal.
On Monday, Attorney General James Uthmeier held a press conference in Live Oak to announce that truck weigh stations around the state will also serve as ICE checkpoints as part of a new immigration enforcement initiative.
The new partnership with federal agencies will check for English proficiency while continuing agricultural inspections along major interstate highways. It follows the arrests of two truck drivers found to be in the country illegally with licenses from other states.
Officials said that the 23 interdiction stations "will serve as critical enforcement points to stop human smuggling, fraudulent documents, and unsafe commercial vehicles."
Illegal immigrants …
The Florida Public Service Commission will hold a hearing in October on a proposed base-rate increase settlement for Florida Power & Light (FPL).
Under the agreement, FPL reduced its 2026 base rate revenue request from the $1.55 billion it had presented in February by 39%, to $945 million. The base rate revenue request for 2027 was reduced by 17%, from $927 million to $766 million.
The settlement would cap the typical residential bill increase at 13 cents a day—or $3.79 a month—starting in 2026. Under the plan, a 1,000-kWh bill would rise from $134.14 today to $137.93 in January 2026, reaching $148 by the end of 2029.
The settlement drew sharp criticism from opponents. AARP Florida blasted it as a "closed-door deal" that leaves residential customers—especially seniors on fixed incomes—with little voice.
A new law removes the option for a Certificate of Completion for high school students with disabilities who could not meet the requirements for a diploma, instead choosing to focus on alternate pathways to a diploma.
"I’ve had a very busy phone the last 24 hours—families calling, absolutely mortified. But what I want them to know is—it’s okay. Florida’s intent with this law is to make sure every student, no matter their disability, can leave with a standard diploma through access points. That actually gives them more opportunities than a certificate ever could," said disability advocate Stephanie Norden.
Florida first …
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Florida is calling for a recount of the most recent U.S. Census, claiming there was an undercount in 2020. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier made the announcement Wednesday at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth.
The governor believes the state deserves at least one more representative in the U.S. House, bringing the number to 29, saying this is "something that's kind of stuck in my craw."
DeSantis said if Florida receives another representative, it will necessitate redrawing the congressional maps.
"I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but every state that got shortchanged was a Republican state and every state that got more was a Democrat state," DeSantis said. "That's just the truth about how that Census was applied."
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Gables Estates, a small gated community located in Coral Gables just outside Miami, was named by Zillow as the most expensive neighborhood in the U.S. in 2024. Beverly Hills, California, which is now ranked No. 4, no longer holds that crown.
According to the report, 7 of the 10 most expensive neighborhoods are in the Sunshine State, including the top 3. Port Royal in Naples (No. 2) and Old Cutler Bay in Coral Gables (No. 3) have typical home values between $11 million and $15 million.
San Marino Island (No. 7), Palm Island (No. 9), and Rivo Alto Island (No. …
Florida's tourism industry reached a historic milestone in the second quarter of 2025, welcoming 34.4 million visitors.
The Sunshine State remains a top travel destination within the U.S., with 31.5 million domestic travelers accounting for 91.5% of visitors.
International tourism increased 11.4% year-over-year, reaching 2.3 million visitors. Canadian tourists contributed 640,000 arrivals.
Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted the milestone, noting Florida's attractions, amenities, and public safety measures as key factors drawing visitors.
Essential workers across the state can now apply for financial aid to purchase their first home through the Hometown Heroes Housing Program, a state-funded initiative offering zero-interest loans to help cover down payments and closing costs.
Backed by $50 million in state funding through the Live Local Act, the program provides up to $35,000 in forgivable loans for eligible first-time homebuyers in the communities where they serve.
Eligible applicants include full-time employees of Florida-based companies working in healthcare or schools, first responders, public safety or court employees, childcare workers, or current or veteran service members.
A key feature of the …
The Farmers Feeding Florida (FFF) program connects farmers and ranchers with surplus stock in the slow season and families struggling to make ends meet.
By expanding food bank infrastructure, the Sunshine State can supply more fresh produce, meat, and other products to more food banks to help hungry people.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Senate President Ben Albritton joined other state leaders and representatives from the agriculture sector to announce the program's launch. Albritton called it a "hand up, not a handout."
Included in the 2025-26 state budget, FFF uses state funding to increase the availability of fresh food …
Teens are offering free seeds at some Broward County libraries to encourage people to grow plants that attract pollinators.
A federal judge struck down major parts of a Florida law that allowed parents to challenge and remove books from schools on Wednesday, ruling the measure’s ban on material describing sexual conduct was overly broad.
“Historically, librarians curate their collections based on their sound discretion, not based on decrees from on high. There is also evidence that the statute has swept up more non-obscene books than just the ones referenced here,” U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza said.
The statute …
Florida Attorney General James Uthemeir issued an emergency rule on Wednesday banning the sale of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products, making the kratom byproduct a Schedule I controlled substance in the state.
Uthmeier said he banned the drug, known as "legal morphine," as an extension of addressing the opioid crisis because it is "chemically manipulated in a way" to make it very dense and "up to 13 times more potent than morphine."
Readily available at smoke shops, vape stores, convenience stores, and gas stations before the ban, 7-OH is a derivative of the kratom plant, generally cultivated in Asian countries. The highly addictive substance works as a painkiller.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner praised the attorney general for taking quick action following the agency’s decision last month to send warning letters to companies for allegedly illegally marketing products containing 7-OH.
Among this year’s changes: new schools, new cell phone rules and a few lunches made from scratch. As they reconnect with friends and get settled with teachers, students will encounter some new rules, expectations and activities. Here’s an overview of what they can expect:
Statewide, schools received new directives for student cellphone use.
Lawmakers declared that phones are off limits for elementary and middle school students from the first bell to the last. Children can have their devices, but with only limited exceptions, they’re to remain off and out of sight throughout the school day.
High schoolers may use their phones during classes only when allowed by teachers and also when there is no instruction.
Local school boards have not yet revised rules to reflect the new law, which went into effect July 1. But local officials said they will enforce the law as written while the codes of conduct get revamped during the fall.
Students and staff also should find it easier to get around campus due to changes to the state’s school security law that last year kept doors, gates and access points locked whenever any child was present.
At the urging of school leaders, lawmakers lightened restrictions that drew complaints that schools were becoming as locked down as prisons. Campuses now may create secure zones inside where doors can remain open for easier passage.
The state also limited hours during which the restrictions are in effect, starting 30 minutes before classes and ending 30 minutes after the final bell. That change should allow parents to get to their children’s after-school events without waiting for someone to let them in.
Schools across the region are redesigning their security plans to accommodate the shift.
There are plenty of changes at the district level, too.
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