Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsSeptember 14, 2017

It should go without saying, but state officials are asking residents not to use water during a “boil water” alert without boiling it first. “If you are under a boil water notice and have no electricity and no way to boil water, use bottled water,” the state’s Department of Health said Thursday. Here’s the rest […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 14, 2017

640px-Santa_Fe_River_near_river_rise_in_Oleno_State_Park_Florida.jpg

Happy news for hurricane evacuees trying to come home and other motorists: Interstate 75 will remain open, the Florida Department of Transportation said Thursday. State officials had warned earlier this week that the engorged Santa Fe River was rising dangerously high under an I-75 bridge in Alachua County. “Flood waters have been receding,” and “FDOT engineers […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 14, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott announced late Wednesday that the Federal Highway Administration approved a $25 million Emergency Relief Quick Release Grant to support response and recovery efforts for Florida’s roadways and transportation system. This federal funding will be used to conduct emergency repairs on roads, embankments, bridges or other infrastructure and help restore traffic on major roadways […]

Scott PowersSeptember 14, 2017

Power outages continue to plague just over one quarter of all the homes and businesses in Florida, though the number fell to almost 2.7 million customers Thursday morning. A 6 a.m. update from the Florida Office of Emergency Management showed that those counties hit first and hardest by Hurricane Irma – Monroe, Collier and Lee […]

Associated PressSeptember 14, 2017

Larry and Elida Dimas didn’t have much to begin with, and Hurricane Irma left them with even less. The storm peeled open the roof of the old mobile home where they live with their 18-year-old twins, and it destroyed another one they rented to migrant workers in Immokalee, one of Florida’s poorest communities. Someone from […]

Scott PowersSeptember 13, 2017

Wednesday hundreds of thousands of Florida power customers got their lights turned back on but almost exactly one third of Florida is still waiting. The latest numbers from the Florida Office of Emergency management show 3.5 million customers still were without power at 3 p.m. Wednesday, representing 33.4 percent of all Florida homes and businesses. […]

Peter SchorschSeptember 13, 2017

The manager of a Florida nursing home where six people died following Hurricane Irma has a history of health-care fraud accusations. Federal court records show the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami filed civil charges in 2004 against Dr. Jack Michel, several other individuals, and several businesses, including Larkin Health Systems. Larkin Health Systems owns The […]

Associated PressSeptember 13, 2017

Eight patients at a sweltering nursing home died in Hurricane Irma’s aftermath, raising fears Wednesday about the safety of Florida’s 4 million senior citizens amid widespread power outages that could go on for days. Hollywood Police Chief Tom Sanchez said investigators believe the deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills were heat-related, and added: […]

Associated PressSeptember 13, 2017

President Donald Trump will travel to the Naples area as part of a visit to hurricane-damaged Florida on Thursday. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president will be in the Naples area, in southwest Florida. Few additional details were available. Nearly all of the state was engulfed by the massive Hurricane Irma. The number of […]

Associated PressSeptember 13, 2017

Monroe County officials say water service is slowly being restored to the Florida Keys. County officials said in said in a Facebook update Wednesday: “MORE WATER IS COMING” Water would be turned on for two-hour spurts Wednesday morning and evening in Key West, but officials warned it would need to be boiled before drinking. Key […]

Headlines
We can feel it in the air: College football is back! Image via Katalina Enriquez/FreshTake Florida.

Don’t drink the (contaminated) water

Interstate 75 to stay open, state says

Federal funding OK’d for road repairs

Power outages down to 2.7 million homes, businesses

Irma pushes Florida’s poor closer to the edge of ruin

Nearly half-million customers get power; one-third of Florida waits

Nursing home manager where seniors died has history of fraud

8 die at Florida nursing home in Irma’s sweltering aftermath

President Trump picks Naples for post-Irma Florida visit

Water service slowly returning to Florida Keys