Jim Turner

Visit Florida reported an estimated 39.89 million people journeyed to the state between January 1 and March 31, down 1% from the first quarter of 2025.

Richard Knight was executed Thursday night at Florida State Prison for the 2000 murder of his cousin’s girlfriend Odessia Stephens and her four-year-old daughter Hanessia Mullings. Knight is the eighth death warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this year.

The Citrus Commission approved a $250,000 contract with Visit Florida to maintain its welcome center.

Members of the state Cabinet warned Tuesday they won’t hold back on taking legal action against those responsible for blazes that get out of control and affect residential areas as the peak of an already highly active year for wildfires has yet to arrive.

Juno Beach-based NextEra Energy, the parent company of Florida Power & Light, announced Monday a deal to buy Richmond, Virginia-based Dominion Energy, combining two of the largest utility providers on the U.S. East Coast.

The Senate offer on economic development removed funding requests for several line items tied to Albritton “rural renaissance” plan.

DeSantis maintained that “while we welcome technology that can enhance our experience as human beings, we should not be trying to generate technology that will supplant us as human beings.”

The Republican-controlled House voted along party lines Wednesday on bills that designates a road in Miami-Dade County and a day annually after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Visit Florida estimated 2.295 million overseas travelers during the quarter this year, an 11.4% jump from the same period in 2024. But the estimated 640,000 Canadian visitors to Florida during the quarter marked a 20%drop from 2024.

A House subcommittee backed a wide-ranging measure (HB 1535) that includes addressing local government responsibilities about issues such as construction regulations and debris removal after storms.

Florida Citrus Mutual CEO and Executive Vice President Matt Joyner stressed the need to continue providing money for research in the long-running battle against deadly citrus greening disease after seeing production drop more than 90% in less than three decades.

Gov. Ron DeSantis proposes a $115.6 billion budget for 2025-2026, focusing on law enforcement pay, commercial-lease tax elimination, and a new sales-tax holiday on guns and ammunition.