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UF/IFAS Extension Orange County’s November schedule features eight programs ranging from financial education for renters and homebuyers to backyard chicken care and wildlife habitat. Events run Nov. 4-19, with registration required and fees ranging from free to $12.51.
UF/IFAS Orange County offers November classes on housing, gardening and backyard chickens
UF/IFAS Extension Orange County’s November schedule features eight programs ranging from financial education for renters and homebuyers to backyard chicken care and wildlife habitat. Events run Nov. 4-19, with registration required and fees ranging from free to $12.51. more
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A typical stormwater retention pond in a Florida community is both a visual amenity and a poorly functioning pollution control device. New standards were supposed to make the stormwater system more effective, but the Florida DEP removed their teeth.
Florida’s stormwater cleanup promises deserve more than paper credits
Florida’s approach to stormwater pollution is drawing criticism over whether credits sold to developers will represent measurable improvements in water quality. For Apopka, the debate raises questions about protecting local waterways and sustaining Lake Apopka’s restoration. more
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Children play at RCMA Bowling Green Daycare Center on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Bowling Green, Florida. Citrus and fruit were the founding industries of Bowling Green and Hardee County.
Amendment 3 could squeeze children’s programs despite school funding exemption
Florida’s public school districts are exempt from Amendment 3’s proposed property tax reduction, but programs supporting their students could still face substantial cuts. Children’s services leaders warn that reduced local revenue could mean fewer after-school opportunities, higher family fees and added pressure on school budgets. more
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Flock cameras have popped up across Florida, especially in metro areas.
Florida’s Flock camera restrictions leave privacy questions for Apopka drivers
Florida’s restrictions on automated license plate readers along state highways have brought new attention to how the technology is used in Apopka. While APD says the cameras help solve crimes and locate missing or wanted people, questions remain about data retention, outside access and oversight. more
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A Florida wetland cypress dome, via Everglades National Park. Developers have tried tor years get DEP put in charge of issuing federal wetlands permits, but judges have ruled that that system violates the Endangered Species Act.
Congressional wetlands bill could affect development review in Apopka
A congressional proposal could return federal wetlands permitting authority to Florida, potentially changing one layer of environmental review for developments in Apopka. The issue has a local connection as city officials recently reviewed wetland mitigation associated with the Bronson Lake Drive extension at The Ridge. more
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Despite the ferocity of storms like Hurricane Milton, which destroyed Florida homes like this one in 2024, 80 percent of Central Floridians believe their homes are at medium to low risk for severe damage in a given year.
Insurance costs eclipse property tax worries for Central Florida homeowners
Property insurance is a bigger worry than property taxes for 62% of Central Florida homeowners, according to a new University of North Florida poll. The survey also found widespread dissatisfaction with insurance reforms and substantial premium increases. more
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Florida is projected to run multibillion-dollar surpluses over the next two fiscal years before expenditures exceed available general revenue by about $1 billion in 2029-30. The state’s long-range outlook says lawmakers will need to adjust revenue or spending to avoid the projected shortfall.
Florida projects $1 billion budget deficit by 2030
Florida is projected to run multibillion-dollar surpluses over the next two fiscal years before expenditures exceed available general revenue by about $1 billion in 2029-30. The state’s long-range outlook says lawmakers will need to adjust revenue or spending to avoid the projected shortfall. more
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A fire truck is parked outside a fire station.
Florida first responders warn Amendment 3 could slow 911 response
Florida public safety leaders are opposing Amendment 3, warning that its reduction of local property tax revenue could mean fewer first responders and slower 911 response times. They say meaningful tax relief should be paired with a clear and sustainable plan for funding police, fire and emergency medical services. more
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The DeSantis administration continues to delay implementing a 2023 law that would make Florida KidCare coverage available to more children.
Florida lawmakers press AHCA for answers as KidCare expansion remains stalled
Florida lawmakers are seeking answers about when—or whether—the state will implement a legislatively approved expansion of Florida KidCare. The expansion would extend subsidized coverage to children in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level, but litigation over continuous eligibility remains unresolved. more
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The coastline in Steinhatchee remains covered in debris on October 3, 2024, following Hurricane Helene.
Sierra Club warns Amendment 3 could weaken Florida’s storm defenses
Sierra Club Florida has announced its opposition to Amendment 3, arguing that the proposed property tax changes could undermine local storm preparations and other public services. If approved by at least 60% of voters, the measure would significantly increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes. more
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More than 4,000 Florida children were hospitalized with firearm injuries from 2018 through 2024, with a small number of ZIP codes accounting for a disproportionate share of the cases. Orange County’s 32805 ZIP code recorded the state’s highest rate.
A child’s ZIP code can shape the risk of being shot in Florida
More than 4,000 Florida children were hospitalized with firearm injuries from 2018 through 2024, with a small number of ZIP codes accounting for a disproportionate share of the cases. Orange County’s 32805 ZIP code recorded the state’s highest rate. more
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Florida regulators are considering Duke Energy Florida’s proposed tariff for large data centers and other high-demand customers under a new state law intended to protect residential ratepayers. Consumer advocates say the proposal falls short of the law, while Duke says its requirements would prevent costs from shifting to existing customers.
Duke tariff tests Florida data center ratepayer protections
Florida regulators are considering Duke Energy Florida’s proposed tariff for large data centers and other high-demand customers under a new state law intended to protect residential ratepayers. Consumer advocates say the proposal falls short of the law, while Duke says its requirements would prevent costs from shifting to existing customers. more
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Florida homeowners paid an average of $8,292 for insurance in 2025, more than twice the national average. Insurify projects the state’s average premium will increase another 2% to $8,458 by the end of this year.
Florida homeowners insurance costs remain highest in the nation
Florida remains the country’s most expensive state for homeowners insurance after average premiums increased 18% in 2025. Orange County and Apopka homeowners may pay less than the statewide average, but local costs vary considerably depending on the house, coverage level, insurer and method used to calculate the rate. more
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Students returned to class last week, greeted by teachers and a few new laws.
New Florida education laws bring cursive testing, autism training and GPA changes
Florida students and teachers are returning to classrooms with a series of new education laws affecting everything from cursive writing and autism training to grading and student safety. The changes also cover disciplinary records, services for students with disabilities, high school athletics and Florida Virtual School enrollment. more
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In 2025, Democrats in the U.S. Senate argued for extending COVID-era subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans into 2026.
Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows
Florida’s Affordable Care Act enrollment fell by 450,000 people in 2026 after enhanced federal subsidies expired and premiums rose an average of 37% nationally. Although Florida’s 10% decline was proportionally smaller than losses in several other states, it represented the largest numerical decrease in the nation. more
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Florida’s growing network of Flock license plate readers has intensified concerns about government surveillance and potential misuse. Yet smartphones collect a deeper trail of location and behavioral data, often with far less public debate.
Flock cameras fuel privacy debate across Florida
Florida’s growing network of Flock license plate readers has intensified concerns about government surveillance and potential misuse. Yet smartphones collect a deeper trail of location and behavioral data, often with far less public debate. more
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Florida Medicaid enrollment fell from 3.53 million in June 2025 to 3.4 million in April 2026, a decline of 129,348 people, according to KFF’s analysis of federal data. The decrease comes as Florida prepares for Medicaid provisions in the Republican-backed H.R. 1, which state officials project will reduce federal hospital funding by approximately $3.8 billion through 2035.
Florida Medicaid enrollment drops by nearly 130,000 since budget law was enacted
Florida Medicaid enrollment fell from 3.53 million in June 2025 to 3.4 million in April 2026, a decline of 129,348 people, according to KFF’s analysis of federal data. The decrease comes as Florida prepares for Medicaid provisions in the Republican-backed H.R. 1, which state officials project will reduce federal hospital funding by approximately $3.8 billion through 2035. more
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A woman walks along a street in the rural agriculture community of Immokalee on September 9, 2018 in Immokalee, Florida.
Weakened federal heat protection rules leave Florida workers sweating
About 2 million Floridians work outdoors without a government standard guaranteeing water, shade, and rest during dangerous heat. With Florida preventing cities and counties from adopting local requirements and a federal heat rule still unfinished, workers are pressing employers and retailers to join voluntary protection programs. more
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A taxpayer advocacy organization is recommending sweeping restrictions on a popular retirement option used by nearly 31,000 Florida public employees. The proposal could set up a contentious 2027 legislative debate over pension costs, workforce retention, and benefits for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other government workers.
Popular DROP program could be dropped for new public employees
A taxpayer advocacy organization is recommending sweeping restrictions on a popular retirement option used by nearly 31,000 Florida public employees. The proposal could set up a contentious 2027 legislative debate over pension costs, workforce retention and benefits for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other government workers. more
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The Skytrax facility in Auburndale is where the Florida DOT plans to test its “flying car” technology — if it ever gets any.
Instead of installing more EV chargers, Florida DOT dreams of flying cars
Florida transportation officials reportedly want to use $197 million in federal electric-vehicle charging funds to develop an “Aerial Highway Network” with 32 aircraft landing and charging sites. The columnist argues that the proposal would divert money from urgently needed EV infrastructure to a technology that is not commercially available and would primarily benefit affluent travelers. more
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A state Auditor General report found the Florida Department of Children and Families significantly delayed and hindered an audit of the state's Medicaid eligibility determinations following the COVID-19 public health emergency. DCF disputes the findings, saying it fully cooperated with auditors and calling the report's conclusions misleading.
Report: DeSantis administration delayed Medicaid review, hindered state auditors
A state Auditor General report found the Florida Department of Children and Families significantly delayed and hindered an audit of the state's Medicaid eligibility determinations following the COVID-19 public health emergency. DCF disputes the findings, saying it fully cooperated with auditors and calling the report's conclusions misleading. more
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A Florida circuit court judge has ordered Attorney General James Uthmeier to rewrite significant portions of Amendment 3’s ballot title and summary. Judge David Frank ruled that the property-tax measure’s title improperly promotes the amendment and that its summary makes misleading claims about taxpayer benefits and funding for public services.
Judge orders Florida attorney general to rewrite Amendment 3 ballot language
A Florida circuit court judge has ordered Attorney General James Uthmeier to rewrite significant portions of Amendment 3’s ballot title and summary. Judge David Frank ruled that the property-tax measure’s title improperly promotes the amendment and that its summary makes misleading claims about taxpayer benefits and funding for public services. more
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The Florida Sheriffs Association is raising concerns about Amendment 3, warning that the proposed property tax reduction could lead to longer law enforcement response times and fewer resources for local services. Legislative analysts estimate the measure could eventually reduce local property tax revenue by as much as $12 billion annually.
Florida Sheriffs Association is ‘significantly concerned’ about Amendment 3
The Florida Sheriffs Association is raising concerns about Amendment 3, warning that the proposed property tax reduction could lead to longer law enforcement response times and fewer resources for local services. Legislative analysts estimate the measure could eventually reduce local property tax revenue by as much as $12 billion annually. more
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Florida voters will decide on a major property tax amendment this November.
Florida’s proposed property tax amendment will require trade‑offs – and some residents could end up with higher costs
Amendment 3 would substantially expand Florida’s homestead exemption and limit annual assessment increases on non-homestead properties. While homeowners could pay less, the projected $11.8 billion annual revenue loss could lead to higher taxes and fees elsewhere or cuts to local services. more
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Measles cases reported this year have already surpassed the total for all of last year, reaching their highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Federal data show 93% of cases occurred among unvaccinated people, with most patients younger than 20.
Measles cases have reached a 35-year high
Measles cases reported this year have already surpassed the total for all of last year, reaching their highest level since the disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. Federal data show 93% of cases occurred among unvaccinated people, with most patients younger than 20. more
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