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To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three North Florida men have been indicted on federal charges related to an alleged dog fighting operation, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. A federal grand jury indicted Drew Geer, 42, of Lake Butler. Anthony Crosby, 42, of Keystone Heights. Leroy Hulbert, 53, of Lake Butler, is charged with three counts each of possessing a dog for use in a dog fighting business. In addition to the dog fighting charge, Geer and Crosby were each charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If…

Matthew Tkachuk and the United States failed to advance, losing 4-0 to Canada, while Sandis Vilmanis and Latvia lost 2-0 to Norway. Vilmanis made the breakthrough, leading Latvia in scoring with 11 points (4G, 7A), tying the country’s all-time scoring record at a world championship. After missing the first three games of the tournament, Tkachuk had seven points (4G, 3A) in just five games for the United States. In his NHL debut this season, Marek Alša scored two goals from the blue line for the Czech Republic. Barkov and Lundell are both in top form as they look to help…

The Michelin Guide released its 2026 Florida Recommendations this year in celebration of expanding its coverage to the entire state. Six restaurants in the area have been added to the general recommendation list: 1921 Mount Dora, Smoke & Donuts, June, Kappo Tsan, Osteria Ester, and Sparrow. The majority of Orlando’s constellations remain intact, with Camille, Cadence, Omo by Jont, Soseki, and Victoria & Albert retaining their one-star distinction, and Solekara retaining their two-star distinction. Those losing stars were Capa at Walt Disney World Resort’s Four Seasons Resort Orlando and Papa Rama in Orlando’s Curry Ford West neighborhood. They have been…

It was a serene night in the most picturesque sandy campsite, complete with a crackling campfire and a soundtrack of chirping crickets while stars twinkled overhead. We were reaping nature’s rewards after three exhausting days of biking, with touches of misadventure, and we still had one more long day to go. That’s one of the more idyllic snippets of an adventurous 310-mile bike ride through the heart of Florida while following a bikepacking route called the Huracan. My Pittsburgh-based friend Evan Sanders and I spent four days in mid-April navigating gravel forest roads, paved bike paths and deep sand to…

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Build American AI, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing America’s leadership in innovative technology, released its first state-level economic report during National Small Business Month highlighting how artificial intelligence (AI) is already contributing to the growth of small businesses across Florida. The report positions Florida as a national leader in the AI-driven economy and highlights how entrepreneurs in the state are deploying AI to increase revenue, improve operations, and better serve customers. Key findings include: AI is expected to contribute an estimated $81 billion to $121 billion in economic output to Florida’s fast-growing economy by 2035…

Nearly half of likely U.S. voters say the federal government should take steps to curb “hate speech” on the internet, according to a new Rasmussen Report survey, showing that support for such measures has increased significantly over the past four years. A national telephone and online survey found that 49% of likely voters support federal action to curb online hate speech, up from 41% in 2022. 29% opposed such measures and 22% said they were unsure. Rasmussen cited the Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of hate speech as “speech in public that expresses hatred or encourages violence against individuals or groups on…

Written by John D. Brown No Menthol Sunday is an annual call to action led by the Center for Black Health and Equity to encourage Black communities to reject tobacco use and highlight the negative impact that commercially available menthol tobacco products have on Black communities. This year, the organizing event was held on Sunday, May 17th, and called on the community to face a harsh reality. The argument is that for decades, the tobacco industry has deliberately targeted black Americans, and the results have been devastating. For more than 50 years, Big Tobacco has saturated black neighborhoods by filling…

Written by Sam Elliott, Florida Safe Communities CouncilSummer has arrived. As of June 1st, hurricane season has arrived. Homeowners and small businesses are stocking up on supplies. They also check insurance policies. Over the past two years, Florida’s insurance market has shown significant improvement. The number of new insurance companies entering the Florida market has nearly quadrupled since last year. Your car insurance rates won’t just go down. Hundreds of thousands of customers actually received rebate checks. More importantly, the state’s last insurance company, Citizen Property Insurance, was significantly reduced, and many of the group’s taxpayer-supported policies were taken over…

To text this article to a friend,[SMS]Tap TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida families now have more flexibility to start saving for college thanks to two new initiatives announced today by the Florida Prepaid College Commission in commemoration of National 529 Day. For the first time in its more than 35-year history, Florida’s prepaid 529 plans are now open for year-round enrollment, eliminating the traditional open enrollment period and allowing families to start saving when they’re ready. Prepaid plans are a special type of Florida-backed 529 plan that allow families to avoid inflation by securing future higher education tuition and room coverage…

Continental Strategy today announced the addition of Brandi Gander as a new partner at the firm. Mr. Gander has more than 10 years of experience at the highest levels of Florida government, fiscal policy and executive leadership, including most recently serving Governor Ron DeSantis as Acting Director of Policy and Budget (OPB). Mr. Gander joins Florida TaxWatch after serving as vice president of research. Mr. Gander brings to the company an unparalleled understanding of how state budgets are allocated by the Legislature and the Governor’s Office. During the DeSantis administration, he played a central role in the development and implementation…