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Clearwater Beach Lightning Strike Sparks Summer Safety Concerns

On Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m., lifeguards along Clearwater Beach blew their whistles, warning beach goers that a storm was quickly approaching. The lifeguards then closed the water and left the beach. Twelve minutes later, lightning struck a man, leaving him and seven others nearby injured.

Grand Jury Says 'Numerous' School Districts Not Complying With Safety Laws

Zoo Miami Explores Innovative Techniques To Manage Invasive Pythons

Gulf Coast Live

Land-Based Nitrogen Pollution Playing Major Role in Coral Reef Die-Offs

Coral reefs are facing serious threats all over the world, and are dying at alarming rates. Scientists have mostly attributed coral bleaching and diseases to environmental stressors like warming water temperatures and increased acidification brought on by climate change. Now, a 30 year study reveals land-based nitrogen is playing a major role .

Swamp Rats and April Lee Fields’ Story & Song Perform Live!

New Report Predicts More Dangerously Hot Days Ahead

National News

Trump, Congress Reach Agreement On 2-Year Budget Deal

Update at 6:22 p.m. ET President Trump announced an agreement on a two-year budget deal and debt-ceiling increase. The deal would raise the debt ceiling past the 2020 elections and set $1.3 trillion for defense and domestic spending over the next two years. Congressional sources briefed on the deal said it would suspend the debt limit until July 31, 2021, and include parity in spending increases for defense and domestic programs. It would include about $77 billion in offsets for those...

Patients Are Being Prescribed Opioids For Ankle Sprains, Report Finds

Trump Administration Moves To Speed Up Deportations With Expedited Removal Expansion

Carnival Pledges Steps Ongoing To Curb Ocean Pollution

By Curt Anderson / The Associated Press • 2 hours ago

Carnival Corp. executives pledged anew Friday that steps are being taken to curb ocean pollution, which was the subject of a recent $20 million federal penalty imposed because of continued environmental violations.

Why A Growing Number Of Undocumented Immigrants Are Choosing To Leave The U.S. Voluntarily

By Christine DiMattei • 2 hours ago

Over a week ago, immigrant communities in ten major metro areas nationwide - including South Florida - spent days in fear after the Trump administration announced a plan to hold mass roundups of undocumented immigrants. Those raids never materialized.

Zoo Miami Explores Innovative Techniques To Manage Invasive Pythons

By Chris Remington • 2 hours ago

Invasive snake populations in the Everglades continue to have devastating impacts on the ecosystem.

Burmese Pythons, North African Pythons and Boa Constrictors have reduced the population of fur bearing animals by 99 percent, according to scientists. Since 2007, Zoo Miami has been working with the National Park Service, the United States Geological Services and the University of Florida to manage and eradicate invasive species from the Everglades.

Grand Jury Says 'Numerous' School Districts Not Complying With Safety Laws

By Lynn Hatter & Titilayo Okuwo • 2 hours ago

A statewide Grand Jury investigating school safety says “numerous” districts aren’t complying with school security laws. The report comes weeks before the start of a new school year.

Clearwater Beach Lightning Strike Sparks Summer Safety Concerns

By Carrie Pinkard • 2 hours ago

On Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m., lifeguards along Clearwater Beach blew their whistles, warning beach goers that a storm was quickly approaching.

The lifeguards then closed the water and left the beach.

Twelve minutes later, lightning struck a man, leaving him and seven others nearby injured.

Florida Education Boards Signs Off On Mental Health Instruction For Students

By Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida • Jul 22, 2019

By Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida

Public schools will be required to teach students at least five hours of mental health instruction beginning in 6th grade, under a mandate approved by the state Board of Education Wednesday and hailed by Florida's top educator as a “life saver.”

State Jobless Rate Unchanged At 3.4 Percent

By News Service of Florida • Jul 22, 2019

Gov. Ron DeSantis touted private-sector job creation Friday as Florida’s unemployment rate held steady from May to June.

Congressman Crist: Floridians Deserve A Raise

By Gina Jordan • Jul 22, 2019

The U.S. House passed a bill Thursday that would gradually boost the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by the year 2025.

"We haven’t had a raise in the minimum wage in the United States for ten years now, and certainly workers all across the country and particularly in Florida deserve a raise," says Congressman Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg). He voted in favor of the bill.

Nikki Fried Says Review Time Cut For Concealed Weapons Licenses

By News Service of Florida • Jul 22, 2019

Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said review times for applications for concealed-weapons licenses have been reduced.

Florida's 'Pill Mills' Were A Gateway To The Opioid Crisis

By Terry Spencer of the Associated Press • Jul 22, 2019

Florida survives on tourism, but a decade ago thousands of visitors made frequent trips to the state not to visit its theme parks or beaches. Instead, they came for cheap and easy prescription painkillers sold at unscrupulous walk-in clinics.

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