Gina Jordan

Florida’s share of film and television productions is waning as the state no longer offers tax credits for the industry. A new analysis finds Florida lawmakers may have good reason to reconsider those incentives.

The HBO series “Ballers” starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was filmed in South Florida for its first two seasons. Then it moved to California – after Florida’s film tax credit program ended in 2016. The show is still going strong, now working on its fifth season.

The Florida Legislature convened in Tallahassee before the Thanksgiving holiday for an organizational session. New lawmakers were sworn in, and new leaders were installed.

Chief Justice Charles Canady administered the oath of office to senators in groups of five. Then,  Sen. Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton) was nominated unopposed to be the 88th Florida Senate President. Galvano was elected to the chamber in 2012 and previously served in the Florida House. 

Weeks after Category 4 Hurricane Michael made landfall in the Panhandle, some displaced residents say FEMA has been slow to respond.

So, we asked former Florida Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon to explain the process of local, state, and government response.

Koon was a Governor Rick Scott appointee who may be best known for the controversy surrounding the Scott administration’s unofficial edict banning the term “climate change” from official communications.

Fundraising began this week for a state-sanctioned scholarship program that helps victims of bullying and other mistreatment at school.

The Hope Scholarship program for K – 12 students is part of a sweeping education law passed by the Florida Legislature last March and signed by Governor Rick Scott.

When the legislative session opened in January, House Speaker Richard Corcoran gave an impassioned speech about education.

A minimum wage case before the Florida Supreme Court will determine whether Miami Beach can move ahead with an ordinance passed by the city commission in 2016.

The issue is whether a 2003 state law stopping local governments from setting their own minimum wage supersedes a 2004 voter-approved constitutional amendment.

Miami Beach city commissioners voted to phase in a higher minimum wage that would reach $13.31 an hour by 2021. That would be about $5 more an hour than the state’s minimum wage.

The City of Miami Beach is in a battle with the state that could impact hundreds of Florida municipalities. It’s about home rule and the city’s ability to set its own policy when it comes to wages.

Florida’s minimum wage is $8.25 an hour. The amount may go up each year based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Miami Beach leaders voted two years ago to approve a higher minimum wage than the state.

Florida voters have clear choices among the major party candidates for governor.

Conservative Republican Ron DeSantis and progressive Democrat Andrew Gillum couldn’t be more different in their ideologies, and that could leave a large swath of voters scratching their heads in November.

Florida is $21 billion in debt.

State leaders were actually happy to hear that number at the most recent Florida Cabinet meeting.

The amount of money owed on initiatives like transportation and environmental projects has fallen in recent years, bolstered in part by low interest rates and the economy.

The Consolidated Dispatch Agency (CDA) is on an uphill climb as it works to overcome a series of tragic errors and fill vacant positions.

The agency ran into trouble soon after it was created in 2013. It endured some high profile technical problems that were blamed, in part, for the shooting death of Leon County deputy Chris Smith as he responded to a house fire.

The CDA was also blamed for bumbled responses in the Betton Hills murder of a Florida State University law professor and a shooting at FSU’s Strozier Library.

Now, a new interim director is at the helm. Steve Harrelson has soent nearly 30 years with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. He’s also the CDA’s fourth director in five years. He says his priorities include fully staffing the dispatch floor – where 500,000 calls are answered annually - and boosting morale.

Several legal actions happened this week involving medical marijuana in Florida.

One ruling found that the state can’t limit the number of medical marijuana treatment centers, known as MMTC’s. In other words, that means no caps on the number of dispensaries.

Millions of dollars in renovations are underway at the Tallahassee International Airport as more travelers are staying in town to catch their flights.

June’s passenger count was more than 12 percent higher than traffic a year ago. Airport leaders credit the city’s non-stop service to Washington, DC and the economy for the increase.

Business owners in Florida are worried about the quality of the state’s workforce.

A survey by the Florida Chamber’s Small Business Council shows an ongoing trend of employers being concerned about finding enough skilled and educated workers.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) began upgrading its Sunpass toll system on June 1st. Since then, Sunpass users have been racking up charges but not getting the bill.

The Maryland-based company Conduent State & Local Solutions was scheduled to finish work on the system by June 11th. Yet more than a month later, it still isn’t fully operational.

Former Tallahassee City Manager Rick Fernandez was forced to resign in January, and the fallout from the ethics case against him is spreading.

Fernandez is accused of ethical violations involving the acceptance of free FSU football tickets and a big catering discount from the city-backed Edison restaurant.

News is available at our fingertips. What constitutes news, and when should it be designated as “fake?”

The Capital Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association is hosting a luncheon on Thursday, June 21, to discuss how news consumers can discern what’s truthful and what’s less-than-factual.

Sachs Media Group Founder and CEO Ron Sachs will present tips on how to help stop the spread of misinformation – like keeping our own biases and emotions in check.

Denise Williams will finally get her bond hearing this Monday.

A judge postponed the hearing until June 18th to determine whether Williams should be released on bond as she awaits trial for an accused murder plot and cover up in her husband’s death.