News

Florida county leaders say ‘DOGE’ audits lack context, including state mandated spending

“This whole thing is a made-for-television event, and it’s specifically made for television for the CFO’s reelection”

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 24, 2025November 24, 2025

News

Florida election supervisors again ask lawmakers to make it easier to vote by mail

Whether the GOP-controlled Legislature will act on the request is questionable

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 20, 2025November 20, 2025

Orlando Area News

Orlando receives perfect score on LGBTQ inclusive polices and services report

Orlando is one of just seven Florida cities to receive a 100 percent score in The Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 19, 2025November 19, 2025

News

Florida AG supports federal ban of hemp-derived THC products

A nationwide ban on most hemp-derived THC products was approved by Congress last week and is scheduled to take effect late next year

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 18, 2025November 18, 2025

News

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings intends to change home rule if elected governor

The latest such move by the Legislature is a law passed earlier this year that restricts local governments from regulating development

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 18, 2025November 18, 2025

News

Florida bill would impose timelines for governor to set special election dates

Gov. DeSantis’ delay means some voters won’t be represented until after the next legislative session ends

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 12, 2025November 12, 2025

Cannabis

Federal legislation could ‘devastate’ Florida’s hemp industry

Florida’s multi-billion dollar hemp industry is in jeopardy of collapsing

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix November 11, 2025November 11, 2025

Florida News

Florida couple pushes to allow ‘granny cams’ at long-term care facilities

They want Florida to require nursing homes and assisted-living facilities to allow residents to install video monitoring devices in rooms

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 30, 2025October 30, 2025

Florida News

DeSantis says he wants just one constitutional amendment on property taxes in 2026

He insisted that voters should be given just one proposed constitutional amendment to overhaul the system instead of multiple proposals.

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 29, 2025October 29, 2025

News

Florida Republicans lead Democrats in top 2026 races by double digits, survey says

The survey includes First Lady Casey DeSantis, who polls slightly better vs. Democrats than Byron Donalds

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 28, 2025October 28, 2025

News

Doctors plead with Florida lawmakers to resist ban on vaccine mandates

Nearly a dozen doctors called on lawmakers to reject any proposed legislation that would remove vaccine mandates from Florida schools

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 23, 2025October 23, 2025

News

Muslim civil rights group calls on Trump to pressure Israel to release Florida teen

The 16-year-old dual Palestinian-American citizen from Brevard County has been held in an Israeli prison for more than eight months

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 22, 2025October 22, 2025

News

Florida corrections secretary asks for ‘staggering’ $512M for prison system

That amount didn’t include funding for salaries of correction officers, which he said rank among the lowest for its size in the country

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

News

Florida’s manufacturing workforce is ‘aging out,’ says commerce secretary

Alex Kelly discussed what he said was a ‘huge challenge’ in getting young people interested in working in a skilled labor environment

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

News

Floridians with felony convictions can now contact the state to learn if they are eligible to vote

The change is a result of negotiations after the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition dropped its lawsuit against state election officials

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

News

Bill that would allow teens to buy guns in Florida filed once again

The legislation would reduce the minimum to buy a firearm in the state from 21 to 18 years of age

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 13, 2025October 13, 2025

Cannabis News

Florida bill would protect public employees who use medical marijuana

There are exceptions if the employer can establish the use of cannabis is impairing a worker’s ability to perform their job

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 10, 2025June 18, 2026

News

Trump backs James Uthmeier for Florida attorney general in 2026

Uthemier, 37, is a close ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 8, 2025October 8, 2025

News

Equality Florida fires back at DeSantis calling Pride events ‘wasteful spending’

Equality Florida called the list of expenditures ‘a pathetic effort to distract from his corruption, inside dealing, and scandals’

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 6, 2025October 6, 2025

News

Some Florida members of Congress say they’ll go without pay during shutdown

Some Florida Republicans said Wednesday they’ll have their pay withheld or, in some cases, donate it

by Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix October 1, 2025October 1, 2025

BEST OF ORLANDO® 2026 IS HERE. SEE THE RESULTS!