All articles tagged with #florida
Updated as of March 1, the latest men’s college basketball rankings place Duke No. 1, with Michigan No. 2, Arizona No. 3, UConn No. 4, and Florida breaking into the top five. Michigan State at No. 7 and Nebraska at No. 8 push into the top 10, while Miami (Ohio) remains undefeated at 29-0 but is not ranked due to a weak schedule.
Florida-based dissident Maritza Lugo Fernández is accused by Havana of masterminding a ten-person speedboat raid intended to topple the Cuban regime; four participants were killed and six detained after a clash with border guards, with Lugo Fernández, who spent decades jailed in Cuba, gaining attention amid ongoing U.S.-Cuba diplomacy.
As March Madness nears, the latest NCAA Top 25 power rankings have been updated, with Florida, UConn, and Alabama rising in the rankings as teams jockey for seedings and a path to the tournament.
Shane Lowry humorously referenced Scottie Scheffler while explaining his strong Florida PGA Tour record, crediting time spent in Florida for improving his game on Bermuda greens as he eyes a late push in the Cognizant Classic.
Keith Wallis, 39, is accused of an organized retail theft scheme at Target stores from Miami to Orlando, stealing 75 trading-card boxes paired with 99-cent taco seasoning packets and paying only for the seasonings at self-checkout. He allegedly sold the stolen cards on eBay, resulting in more than $10,000 in losses to Target and about $40,000 in revenue for Wallis. He faces multiple felonies—organized retail theft (two counts), dealing in stolen property (three counts), and money laundering—with a potential up to 90 years in prison. The investigation involves multiple Florida law-enforcement agencies and prosecutors in the 19th Judicial Circuit.
Florida's Department of Health issued emergency rules to cut AIDS Drug Assistance Program subsidies, restricting eligibility to 130% of the federal poverty line (down from 400%) and limiting Biktarvy coverage, potentially affecting about 16,000 residents, with a 90-day rule and a pending lawsuit from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
The Florida House voted 83-31 to move forward a sweeping voting bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register and would verify the citizenship status of all existing registered voters not yet verified, potentially disenfranchising tens of thousands. The measure would take effect in January 2027 (a Senate version would take effect in July), mirrors a pending federal proposal, and would remove several commonly used IDs at the polls, drawing criticism as disenfranchisement and support as security.
Florida’s Department of Health issued an emergency rule narrowing the AIDS Drug Assistance Program eligibility from 400% to 130% of the federal poverty level, cutting about 12,000 low-income HIV/AIDS patients off affordable medications starting March 1 as a lawsuit over the changes proceeds. The move bypasses standard rulemaking, drawing criticism that it’s budget-driven and could worsen transmission and drug resistance; some Medicare-insured patients remain eligible up to 400% FPL, and the program’s health-insurance component is being eliminated.
Duke rises to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for a record 148th time after a 68-63 win over Michigan, pushing Arizona to No. 2 and Michigan to No. 3, with Florida jumping to No. 7 and Alabama up to No. 17 as 11 teams shift in the rankings.
Duke returns to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll for a record 148th time, with Florida and Alabama making notable jumps in the rankings.
A federal judge in Florida, Aileen Cannon, blocked public release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's extensive report on Trump's classified-documents case, keeping potentially damaging details under seal as the case moves forward.
An armed man breached the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago, carrying a shotgun and fuel can, and was shot and killed by Secret Service agents with help from a Palm Beach County deputy after refusing commands; the suspect, Austin T Martin of North Carolina, had been reported missing earlier that morning. No officers were injured, and the FBI is assisting with the investigation as security at the president's Florida residence remains tight.
A federal judge in Miami refused to overturn a $243 million jury verdict against Tesla over a 2019 Autopilot crash in Key Largo, upholding partial fault for Tesla (the jury assigned 33% responsibility) and the awarded compensatory damages of $19.5 million to Benavides’ estate and $23.1 million to Angulo, plus $200 million in punitive damages to be split between them; Tesla plans to appeal.
A juvenile green sea turtle nicknamed Bob Moss was rescued in Vero Beach, Florida, arriving at Coastal Connections covered in red algae. Although initially thought to be cold-stunned, rescuers later found he sustained a fatal boat-strike injury and he died at the center. The case highlights the deadly impact of boat strikes on sea turtles (thousands die yearly) and reflects how more than half of Coastal Connections’ rescues involve strikes, underscoring the need for slower speeds in turtle zones and safer boating practices.
A Florida federal judge upheld a jury verdict finding Tesla 33% responsible for a 2019 fatal Autopilot crash in Key Largo, ordering $243 million in damages—including $42.6 million in compensatories to the victims’ families and $200 million in punitive damages—with Tesla planning an appeal.