Local

It’s been nearly eight years since the last state-sanctioned bear hunt, and Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith said Florida needs to find solutions as encounters between the animals and humans are increasing.“We need to look at some different ways of doing things,” Smith told The News Service of Florida on Monday.During the past few weeks, a woman in the rural Gulf Coast county southwest of Tallahassee had to lock herself inside a bedroom as a bear broke into her home. In a separate incident, a woman was trapped in a car by a large black bear.

Rural Florida residents strike out when their own commissioner pitches a big developmentCommentary by Craig Pittman for Florida Phoenix said the ex-ballplayer pulled a fast one on his own constituents, pushing urban sprawl into an area unprepared for it

Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi all recorded their all-time high August average temperatures, and the heat is expected to persist until the end of October.

Florida’s minimum wage will increase to $12 an hour on Sept. 30, as the state continues carrying out a constitutional amendment that eventually will lead to a $15 minimum wage.

In a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican legislators, a full federal appeals court Thursday declined to take up a challenge to a 2021 Florida elections law that opponents contend discriminated against Black voters.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is recognizing Deaf Awareness Week by releasing weather safety information for the deaf and hard of hearing.

The state university system Board of Governors on Wednesday took a step in carrying out a controversial new law that includes requiring designation of restrooms for “exclusive use by females” and “exclusive use by males.”

After a natural disaster, a variety of resources become available through emergency declarations to aid in the cleanup process. FEMA financial assistance is just one of many ways to receive help after a weather event.

A House Republican on Monday filed a bill that could lift restrictions on the numbers of hours that 16-year-old and 17-year-old youths can work in Florida.