Regional

Florida Forests Week celebrates importance of state’s forest land

TALLAHASEE — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Forest Service, in partnership with the Florida Forestry Association, are highlighting Florida Forests Week this week to recognize the importance and benefits of Florida’s 17.2 million acres of forest land, which covers...

State gets another bump in tax revenues

TALLAHASSEE — Florida budget writers got some good news Wednesday, as general-revenue tax collections topped expectations for September by 15.7%, due in part to people continuing to spend down savings amassed during the covid-19 pandemic.

SCI guard arrested for sexual battery

A former Suwannee corrections guard was arrested November on charges of sexual battery with an inmate.

DeSantis calls for election police

TALLAHASSEE — Citing unspecified examples of election fraud, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday pledged to create a law enforcement agency to investigate election crimes as part of a new package of voting laws.

FGC to compete for $1M Aspen Prize

WASHINGTON — Florida Gateway College is in the running for a lucrative prize in recognition of its achievement and performance.

Democrats criticize special session on vaccine mandates

TALLAHASSEE —Democrats expressed opposition Tuesday to a special session ordered by Gov. Ron DeSantis to push back against requirements that workers be vaccinated against covid-19.

Seminoles Tribe quietly kicks off sports betting in Florida

TALLAHASSEE — The Seminole Tribe on Monday quietly launched online sports betting in Florida, amid continuing legal challenges to a gambling deal approved by state lawmakers in May.

Siegmeister license suspended 91 days

TALLAHASSEE — In custody facing bribery and extortion charges, the Third Judicial Circuit’s former state attorney is no longer able to practice law. The Florida Bar announced Friday that Jeff Siegmeister’s license was suspended for 91 days.

Mother, son captured after escape

LIVE OAK — Two weeks after helping her son escape from the Suwannee County Jail, a Troy woman now finds herself behind bars along with him. Suwannee County officers flew to California on Friday night to take Dian Canady, a 64-year-old from Troy, Ala., as well as Antonio Alvarez Martez Canady, 35.

Murder suspect caught running along I-10

A man wanted for murder in Miami-Dade County was captured on the run — literally — Friday morning along Interstate 10 in Columbia County.