Tragedy struck twice this past week as the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) responded to two separate shooting incidents that were later found to be linked. The first incident occurred on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, in the 6800 block of Sandle Drive. Upon arrival, officers discovered Shane Payne inside his residence,Continue Reading
Last week, 32-year-old John Dylan Gromling of Beverly Hills was sentenced to 20 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for a 2022 first-degree felony murder charge. The charge stemmed from the unlawful distribution of fentanyl, which resulted in the overdose death of 53-year-old Bruce William Payne. In August 2022,Continue Reading
(The Center Square) — Florida regulators denied a request for oral arguments on Tuesday in two petitions by utilities seeking electricity rate hikes. On April 2, Tampa Electric Company and Duke Energy Florida filed petitions to the Public Service Commission requesting rate increases beginning in January 2025 if the commissionContinue Reading
(The Center Square) —The Florida Department of Commerce released a new report on the state’s unemployment rate, showing that while it has risen slightly from a year ago, it continues to outpace the national average. According to the report, Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3% as of April 2024,Continue Reading
In 2013, the lives of Megan Simmons, 14, and Jazmine Shelton, 13, were tragically cut short in a drive-by shooting at Shelton’s mother’s home on Missouri Avenue. The incident, just before the summer break, shattered the hearts of their families who had been eagerly anticipating a sleepover and a beachContinue Reading
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officers responded to a reported shooting on Sunday, October 29, 2023, in the 6300 block of Philips Highway. They found a deceased male, Anthony Ronaldo Parana Camargo, near a private business. Camargo, 26, died from gunfire. In the early stages of the investigation, surveillance footage was obtained showingContinue Reading
(The Center Square) – Lawmakers and consumer advocates are calling for a federal investigation into online Chinese retailers Shein and Temu. The companies have spent billions of dollars in online American advertising with social media companies such as Meta, parent of Facebook and Instagram, and Google. The probe is warranted,Continue Reading
(The Center Square) — A new report shows that the number of “nuclear” verdicts in the Sunshine State has steadily declined since tort reforms were signed into law in 2023. Marathon Strategies released its 2024 report on corporate verdicts throughout the U.S., and data shows a 30% rise in juriesContinue Reading
(The Center Square) — A Florida nonprofit organization released a report on Wednesday identifying individual budget appropriations that did not undergo thorough scrutiny by lawmakers. Florida TaxWatch released its 2024 Budget Turkey Watch Report on Wednesday, which is an independent review of the state’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget. Former FloridaContinue Reading
(The Center Square) — A recent audit of the Florida Department of Revenue showed that improvements were needed to ensure the safety and privacy of data. The Florida Auditor General found a handful of issues with the department’s operations, including not appropriately maintaining public records, a lack of oversight aroundContinue Reading