Florida

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This Is the Most Diverse State in America

California ranks No. 1 on WalletHub's list; West Virginia is in last place

(Newser) - If you're looking to set down roots in a true melting pot—in a place that WalletHub notes features "a complex tapestry of backgrounds"—there are some places in America that thrive when it comes to diversity. The site wanted to determine "where idea and identity...

Cops Drew Their Guns. They Didn't Expect What Came Next

Runaway 10-year-old boy, 11-year-old sister drove 200 miles in mom's car before they were busted

(Newser) - Cops say two Florida tweens said to be upset about a punishment handed down by their mom decided to run away—by taking their mom's car and trying to drive to California. Per the AP , the Alachua County Sheriff's Office became involved when deputies pulled over a sedan...

Privately Owned Rail Line Begins Key Test in Florida

Brightline launching high-speed service between Miami and Orlando

(Newser) - The first big test of whether a privately owned high-speed passenger train service can prosper in the United States will launch Friday when Florida's Brightline begins running trains between Miami and Orlando that reach speeds of 125mph. It's a $5 billion bet that Brightline's owner, Fortress Investment...

Man Allegedly Killed Neighbor's Son Over Tree Trimming

Edward Druzolowski, 78, has been charged with 2nd-degree murder in death of Brian Ford

(Newser) - A Florida man allegedly shot his neighbor's son Sunday after the two argued over tree trimming along a shared fence line. The Volusia Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post that Brian Ford, 42, was trimming tree limbs along the fence line between 1880 and 1890 Alameda Drive...

Amazon Driver Dropped the Box. The Snake Struck

She was bitten on the back of her leg while delivering a package

(Newser) - An Amazon driver encountered something worse than a porch pirate on Monday. As Monet Robinson was delivering a package to a home in Palm City, Florida, she was bitten in the back of her leg, just above the knee, by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake that had been coiled by the...

This Is the Happiest State in America

Utah takes the top spot in WalletHub ranking, West Virginia is last

(Newser) - In some states, happiness seems to come more easily. WalletHub analyzed various environmental factors to see which US states boast more contented surroundings, examining 30 metrics in three main categories: emotional and physical well-being, including such factors as the share of adults with depression or alcohol use disorder, life expectancy,...

DeSantis to Floridians: Don't Get New COVID Vaccine

Florida governor and surgeon general warn against the new shot

(Newser) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state's top health department official are directly contradicting federal health recommendations and warning residents against getting a new COVID-19 booster , saying there's not enough evidence it provides benefits that outweigh risks, the AP reports. DeSantis, who is running for president, and Florida...

Boy Saves Drowning Man With CPR Learned 'on TV'

12-year-old Austen MacMillan of Florida credited with saving the life of his behavioral therapist

(Newser) - Twelve-year-old Austen MacMillan was swimming with his behavioral therapist in a backyard pool when the therapist decided to see how long he could hold his breath underwater. He didn't come back up. "It was like [five to six] minutes he was under the water and I was like,...

At DeSantis' Behest, Colleges Add Untested Admissions Exam

Classic Learning Test has mostly been accepted by private schools

(Newser) - Florida's state university system has endorsed accepting the results of the little-known Classic Learning Test in its undergraduate admissions process, a step in Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' efforts to change public education at all levels. The test becomes an alternative to the long-accepted SAT and ACT, the New York ...

Man Who Keeps Trying to 'Run' Across the Ocean Is Arrested

Is there nothing a Florida man won't do?

(Newser) - The US Coast Guard has arrested a Florida man who was attempting to "run" across the Atlantic Ocean in a large hamster wheel. Marathon runner Reza Baluchi was found about 70 nautical miles east of Georgia's Tybee Island on Aug. 26 in what officials described as a "...

Cruise Ship Returns Minus a Passenger

Kevin McGrath last seen around 2am Monday aboard Carnival Conquest, bound for Miami

(Newser) - A 26-year-old man has been reported missing after his Carnival cruise ship returned to Florida, apparently without him. Kevin McGrath left Miami aboard Carnival Conquest on Friday for a Labor Day weekend cruise to Bimini, in the Bahamas. However, McGrath wasn't accounted for when the ship returned to Miami...

Best, Worst Cities to Retire
Best, Worst Cities to Retire
Sep 5, 2023 4:08 PM CDT

Best, Worst Cities to Retire

The Sunshine State is well represented in the top 10, while the Golden State dominates the bottom

(Newser) - Those lucky enough to be looking to retire might also be looking for the best places in which to do so—and maybe save a coin or two by relocating to a new location. WalletHub notes that the average age of American retirement has stretched from 60 in 1995 to...

Alabama's Congressional Map Is Again Rejected, With Scolding

Latest redistricting doesn't comply with court order on racial makeup, panel says

(Newser) - Federal judges threw out Alabama's newest attempt to redraw its congressional districts on Tuesday, chastising the state for not complying with the Voting Rights Act as mandated by a court order. The plan approved by the legislature provides for a single district that has, barely, a Black majority, the...

Hate Groups Hold March as Florida Braces for More

Demonstration near Orlando draws small crowd and is denounced by lawmaker

(Newser) - Hate groups marched outside Orlando on Saturday, shouting, "We are everywhere!" in a video posted by a Florida state representative. Democratic Rep. Anna V. Eskamani denounced the demonstration and called it "another example of the far right extremism growing" in the state. The Anti-Defamation League's Center...

In Florida, Biden Pledges Aid
In Florida, Biden Pledges Aid
Sep 2, 2023 5:00 PM CDT

In Florida, Biden Pledges Aid

'Your nation has your back,' president assures state after hurricane

(Newser) - President Biden on Saturday saw from the sky Hurricane Idalia's impact across a swath of Florida before he set out on a walking tour of a city recovering from the storm. Notably absent was Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate who declined to join Biden after he suggested...

Hunters Land Gigantic Alligator
920-Pound Alligator Caught
Sep 2, 2023 12:39 PM CDT

920-Pound Alligator Caught

'I had fear like I never felt before,' Florida guide says

(Newser) - After a four-hour struggle, hunters have landed a 920-pound alligator in a Florida lake, possibly the second-largest one ever recorded in the state. The gator was more than 13 feet long, Fox News reports. "I've done probably close to a thousand alligator hunts, and I've never seen...

Biden: I'll Meet With DeSantis in Florida. DeSantis: Well...

President heads south to survey Hurricane Idalia damage, but governor won't meet up with him

(Newser) - Not even a year ago, President Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented a united front when the former went to visit the latter's home state following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian. Don't expect such a joint appearance on Saturday, when the president is set to tour...

Two 4-Year-Olds Die in Toy Box
Two 4-Year-Olds Die in Toy Box
Sep 1, 2023 10:01 AM CDT

Two 4-Year-Olds Die in Toy Box

No charges have been filed in Jacksonville deaths

(Newser) - Two 4-year-olds in Jacksonville died last weekend in what is believed to be a tragedy that federal regulators have long sought to prevent. The children "were pronounced deceased after they were found unresponsive in a footlocker/toybox while playing at home," the Florida Department of Children and Families said...

Cops Say Mom Went to Awful Lengths to Please Her Beau

Jazmin Paez allegedly thought she was hiring a hitman to kill her 3-year-old son, per authorities

(Newser) - Rent-a-Hitman is a parody website , but its fake customer-service awards and customer testimonials have convinced more than a few people to submit legitimate requests for an assassin, leading to at least 30 arrests, per People . The latest to fall for the ruse is apparently Jazmin Paez, an 18-year-old Florida woman...

Florida Braces for the &#39;Unprecedented&#39; as Idalia Nears
'Unprecedented' Idalia
Barrels Into Florida
UPDATED
Aug 30, 2023 7:20 AM CDT

'Unprecedented' Idalia Barrels Into Florida

Hurricane made landfall as Category 3 storm along western Big Bend region

(Newser) - Hurricane Idalia briefly strengthened to a dangerous Category 4 storm, then fell back to Category 3 status on Wednesday morning as it made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, where it threatened to unleash massive rainfall and life-threatening storm surges as high as 15 feet. As it made landfall...

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