Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Danny McAuliffeDecember 14, 2017

Get ready, Florida. Devastating storms like Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria are the new normal. At least that’s what Craig Fugate, who led FEMA under President Barack Obama, and other partners in a campaign are saying to raise awareness and involvement in a new age of hurricane safety. “Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane […]

Scott PowersNovember 13, 2017

The influx of Puerto Ricans evacuating their devastated homes in Puerto Rico are beginning to test the capacities of Central Florida and in particular Osceola County, and more state coordination is needed, a group of local officials told Gov. Rick Scott Monday. Those officials, including Kissimmee Mayor Jose Alvarez, Osceola County Schools Superintendent Debra Pace, […]

Scott PowersNovember 7, 2017

Saying more than 90,000 Puerto Ricans already have evacuated to Florida from Hurricane Maria’s devastation and far more are expected, U.S. Reps. Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, and Dennis Ross have co-signed a letter sent Monday to federal officials urging Florida get its full funding as a host state to support the migration. The letters to […]

Scott PowersNovember 1, 2017

Confusion and concern are mounting as Central Florida governments working with Puerto Rican and Virgin Island evacuees await direction from state and federal officials, leaders of Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties warned Wednesday. In a letter Wednesday to Florida Division of Emergency Management Interim Director Wesley Maul and copied to FEMA Administrator William Long and […]

Scott PowersOctober 31, 2017

Democratic U.S. Reps. Al Lawson and Darren Soto are urging Florida Gov. Rick Scott to extend a time-limit extension he imposed following Hurricane Irma so that food stamp recipients can continue to receive benefits without risking their 90-day deadline. Lawson, of Jacksonville, and Soto, of Orlando, said in a letter to Scott that Hurricane Irma […]

Scott PowersOctober 31, 2017

Federal and state comprehensive, strategic plans are desperately needed to coordinate services for Hurricane Maria evacuees from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands so that they can best find the services wherever they’re available in Florida, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs warned that someone needs to be coordinating where tens of […]

Scott PowersOctober 27, 2017

State Sen. Victor Torres is urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide more housing relief programs in Florida for Puerto Rican and U.S. Virgin Island Hurricane Maria refugees to afford housing in Florida. Torres’s request follows a similar call earlier this week from the Central Florida Heart of Florida United Way, seeking federal assistance […]

Associated PressOctober 24, 2017

The Senate passed a $36.5 billion emergency aid measure Tuesday to refill disaster accounts, provide a much-needed cash infusion to Puerto Rico, and bail out the federal flood insurance program. The 82-17 vote sends the measure to the White House, where President Donald Trump is sure to sign it. The measure provides $18.7 billion to […]

Scott PowersOctober 21, 2017

Rene Plasencia sees it in the faces of countless Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria refugees when he or someone else says, “we’re here to help you.” A mixture of anguish, relief, pain, joy, fear, confidence, hopelessness, hope — all the emotions of losing everything and traveling to a strange, new place with almost nothing, and then […]

Phil AmmannOctober 13, 2017

Jacksonville Bold is intended to appeal to a discerning audience, particularly to those who see politics for what it truly is — a confluence of money, power and timing. We see evidence of that in every Bold — and this week is no different, as Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry’s Kids Hope Alliance reform bill advanced through […]

Tag: FEMA
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Former FEMA admin: Life-threatening storms are the ‘new normal’

Central Florida officials ask Rick Scott for more coordination for Puerto Rico evacuees

Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, Dennis Ross push funding for Puerto Rico evacuees

Orange, Osceola, Seminole leaders urge Florida, FEMA to plan better for Puerto Rican refugees

Al Lawson, Darren Soto urge Rick Scott to seek suspension of food stamps time limit

Teresa Jacobs expresses frustration over lack of FEMA, state coordination plans to help evacuees

Victor Torres seeking FEMA help for housing for Puerto Rico evacuees

Senate passes $36.5B disaster aid bill; Donald Trump signature next

Anguish, relief, fear, hope: Relief efforts serving thousands of Puerto Rico storm refugees

Jacksonville Bold for 10.13.17 — Power, money and timing