Regional

Death penalty OK in Mayo CI murder

TALLAHASSEE — A former Mayo Correctional Institution inmate will face the death penalty for killing a fellow inmate. The Florida Supreme Court denied Jesse Bell’s appeal of his sentencing from the June 2019 attack and murder of a fellow inmate and attempted murder of a corrections officer.

Florida Senate passes bills on addiction, child hearing loss

TALLAHASSEE — While Democratic and Republican Florida lawmakers have had contentious debate on issues like abortion and immigration this year, the two sides came together to quickly pass 20 bills Thursday, almost all unanimously.

Florida man gets 16 years for spreading terrorist propaganda

MIAMI — A Florida man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for distributing Islamic terrorist propaganda videos online. Jonathan Guerra Blanco, a Cuban-born naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced last Friday in Miami federal court, according to court records.

Tax revenues beat projections in December

News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — With inflation helping boost sales tax collections, money continues to amass for state lawmakers as they patch together a budget for next fiscal year. State economists reported Thursday that general-revenue tax collections in December were $610.

Brannan puzzled over bill, votes in favor

TALLAHASSEE — Where did the latest attack on the public’s right to know come from? That’s what Rep. Chuck Brannan (R-Macclenny) wants to know. “Where did that come from?

Church school theft leads to jail

LIVE OAK — A devilish act at a christian school has landed a Lake City man in jail. A Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office report states 35-year-old Justin Welch and another suspect — who has not yet been arrested — twice visited Melody Christian Academy in the early morning hours of Nov.

Roberts joins water management staff

LIVE OAK — The Suwannee River Water Management District has a new communications and outreach manager.

Florida House passes redrawn maps

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House on Wednesday approved new legislative districts over the objections of Democrats, who anticipate legal challenges about minority representation and how the lines were drawn.

Visit Florida, manatees could get funding

News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — Visit Florida would get $50 million it’s seeking for tourism marketing next year, but Gov.

Punxsutawney Phil: 6 more weeks of winter

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — There will be six more weeks of winter, Punxsutawney Phil predicted as he emerged from his burrow Wednesday to perform his Groundhog Day duties.