Opponents of Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade rallied Monday at the Capitol amid efforts to prevent bears from being killed next month in four areas of the state.

With the peak of hurricane season approaching, Florida officials are issuing a stark warning to residents across Northeast Florida: prepare now, and evacuate when ordered and no second-guessing.

The National Hurricane Center has highlighted an area in the northern Gulf of Mexico with a 30% chance of development over the next seven days.

Recent activity in Florida is serving as a reminder of the state’s abundant wildlife while also providing an opportunity for residents to be reminded of safety protocols if they were to encounter animals such as black bears or coyotes.

In January, an endangered Florida panther known as UCFP479 became the first to die this year in a vehicle collision along a rural southwestern Florida road.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference on Monday afternoon at SeaPort Manatee to detail the state’s recovery efforts.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to hold a news conference on Monday afternoon at SeaPort Manatee to detail the state’s recovery efforts.

As Central and Southwest Florida evacuees make their way to safer grounds ahead of Hurricane Milton’s devastating landfall, Jacksonville is seeing a spike in traffic and hotel reservations.

Two power poles where knocked down and blocking the roadway Thursday, in Port St. Lucie, leaving residents to evacuate the area.

See ya later, Alligator!

A southwest Florida man who now calls Jacksonville home is working to preserve dozens of houses in the area.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said as of Tuesday morning, there were still 110,000 customers in Florida that were without power after Debby blew through the state.

Hurricane Debby made landfall about 7 a.m. Monday near Steinhatchee as a Category 1 storm, bringing the rural Big Bend region its second hurricane in less than a year.

One of the state’s largest property insurance companies has agreed to pay a $1 million fine after being accused of mistreating its policyholders in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday morning is set to host a news conference in Southwest Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis will hold a news conference at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Marco Island Charter Middle School.

The housing and homelessness crises are connected to affordable housing, which is positioned to help more people make their way under a roof instead of being stranded under open skies.

Thursday marks one year since Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as a category 5 hurricane, and to this day, residents and businesses hit the hardest are still recovering from the deadliest storm to hit the state since 1935.

The system has a high chance of development over the next 7 days.

The grocery store chain received criticism for the cakes last year as Hurricane Ian battered Southwest Florida.

Five cases of malaria have been detected in the U.S. in the last two months.

Some of the biggest employers in St. Johns County, like Northrop Grumman and Flagler Health, say they are struggling to find workers because of the lack of affordable housing.

Tropical Depression Arlene formed Friday afternoon in the Gulf of Mexico.

Many people pay close attention to weather forecasts leading up to a tropical storm or hurricane, but it’s very important to pay close attention to forecasts and alerts during the storm.

Hurricane Ian is in the history books permanently.

Beaches across parts of the west coast of Florida are dealing with a significant issue. It’s called red tide, and it can completely ruin a day of surf and sun.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday morning his administration is moving forward with a proposal to expedite 20 major interstate and roadway projects across the state of Florida in the next four years.

As Florida lawmakers try to stabilize the troubled property-insurance system next month, they could face worsening problems with reinsurance, a critical part of the system.

It’s been an active 2022 hurricane season in Florida, with both Ian and Nicole slamming the state.

Despite pounding parts of the East Coast, Hurricane Nicole will not hit Florida’s insurance market as hard as Hurricane Ian.

Nicole is expected to bring heavy wind, storm surge and flooding.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline a Hurricane Ian Benefit Concert at Hertz Arena next month, according to a release.

We have pushed into November, and we already have a new storm in the Atlantic.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida at the worst possible time for many in the agricultural community, cutting a path through Florida’s citrus belt and hitting tomato fields just before the start of seasonal harvests.

A state economist said Friday that October numbers likely will show an impact from the Category 4 storm, which made landfall Sept. 28 in Southwest Florida, but wouldn’t speculate on potential changes.

A winning lottery ticket worth a share of a $494 million Mega Millions jackpot was purchased in a southwest Florida city hammered by Hurricane Ian late last month.

There are three proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution that the Florida Legislature voted to place on the ballot this November.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday visited Flagler Beach, surveying the damage left in wake of Hurricane Ian.

More than two weeks since Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida, residents are trying to rebuild, but it’s a slow process.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that he was initiating an executive order to help ensure voters in Charlotte, Lee and Sarasota counties have adequate access to voting in the 2022 election after Hurricane Ian ripped caused major devastation in those areas.

As people work to recover from the devastation Hurricane Ian left behind, they have helping hands from Northeast Florida. Several law enforcement and rescue agencies from our area sent teams to help with everything from rescues to clean up.

A convoy of truck drivers left the fairgrounds around 6 a.m. They are heading to areas including Pine Island, Punta Gorda, and Cape Coral.

After Hurricane Ian, residents in the hardest hit areas in Southwest Florida have a long way ahead of them.

After Hurricane Ian tore through Southwest Florida, people are still struggling for basic needs like power, water and a place to stay.

Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida as a major hurricane, producing winds rarely seen anywhere on Earth.

Tropical Depression Thirteen was upgraded to Tropical Storm Julia in the southern Caribbean Friday morning.

So many people responded to Millennium Physician Group’s call for vital supplies for those affected by Hurricane Ian that the group of medical clinics in Northeast Florida had to order a second truck to load with the donations for Southwest Florida.

In Northeast Florida, most school districts reopened Monday, but temporary closures because of Ian have forced the state to make some changes.

Images of storm-ravaged coastlines and ruined buildings have dominated headlines for a week since Hurricane Ian made landfall. It’s not the image the state’s tourism marketing agency wants to project to the rest of the country.

As Millennium Physician Group continues to collect vital supplies to send to Southwest Florida following Hurricane Ian, staff members now say they’ve gotten more goods than they can imagine.

Jacksonville is playing a major role in the Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Southwest Florida.

Supplies are coming in to help the people in Southwest Florida who were impacted by Hurricane Ian.

As the push to survey storm damage in Southwest Florida continues, it is becoming clear what was Ian’s most powerful and deadly characteristic -- storm surge.

After many Florida residents obtained sandbags ahead of Ian, which made landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane in Southwest Florida, several counties are offering some information on what to do with those after the storm.

Throughout a southwest Florida devastated by Hurricane Ian, Jews plan to hold worship services for Yom Kippur starting Tuesday night.

Hurricane Ian could have another impact on Florida.

The Florida Department of Emergency Management held a news conference Monday morning to give an update on recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

In an effort to support Southwest Florida residents affected by Ian’s wrath, the Clay County Fairgrounds opened its RV area to offer a place to stay for those rebuilding who have an RV.

In an effort to support Southwest Florida residents affected by Ian’s wrath, the Clay County Fairgrounds opened its RV area to offer a place to stay for those rebuilding who have an RV.

For many in Florida, Hurricane Andrew is the bar that’s used for devastating damage.

A financial ratings agency said Thursday that an initial analysis indicates insured losses from Hurricane Ian could range from $25 billion to $40 billion, putting additional pressure on Florida’s troubled property-insurance market.

Hurricane Ian’s center made landfall Wednesday near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., packing winds just shy of Category 5 strength.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamping city streets with water and smashing trees along the coast.

Hurricane Ian slammed Southwest Florida on Wednesday, making landfall as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm just after 3 p.m.

Publix is closing stores in 11 Florida counties and modifying store hours as Hurricane Ian approaches, News4JAX sister station WKMG reported.

The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners declared a state of emergency for the county effective at 9 a.m. Tuesday ahead of Hurricane Ian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said residents along the Gulf Coast, especially in Southwest Florida, can expect “catastrophic flooding” and a “life-threatening storm surge” when Hurricane Ian hits.

This house is not quite move-in ready...

At least six tornadoes were reported in Southwest Florida on Sunday as a powerful winter storm system moved through the state.

Dash camera video from a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser reportedly captured a tornado crossing Interstate 75 on Sunday morning.

Gambling on sports is off the table in Florida, at least for now, after the Seminole Tribe suspended its online sports-betting operations Saturday morning.

A female black bear that had a plastic container stuck on her head for 28 days was freed with the help of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Saturday marks 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was a day that saw the State Capitol shut down and tourism come to a screeching halt. Florida played a central role in the ensuing investigation.

Drones could be used to monitor red tide, and money should be set aside to offset local costs of removing fish killed by toxic algae blooms, state wildlife officials said Wednesday as they look to manage future outbreaks.

The beat in Lakeland goes on for the Impact Christian boys basketball team. The Lions shook off a rough third quarter and surged back late to beat Southwest Florida Christian 69-54 in the Class 2A state semifinal at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland on Wednesday morning. The Lions (20-8) are now 3-0 in state final four games. Southwest Florida went ice cold against Impact’s defense, committing five turnovers and missing its first five shot attempts of the final quarter before hitting a basket. Senior Calvin Johnson was stellar in his final state semi, going 10 of 11 from the field to lead the Lions with 21 points.

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)NEW YORK – Major League Baseball revamped its spring training exhibition schedule because of the pandemic, cutting travel for Florida-based teams in an effort to minimize coronavirus risks. College baseball teams, which often play big league clubs but are not subject to major league testing protocols, were dropped from the revised schedules announced Friday. Split-squad games, traditionally used in the first half of the exhibition season to allow evaluation of more players, also were eliminated. Pitchers and catchers open spring training workouts Wednesday, and the exhibition season starts Feb. 28, two days later than initially announced on Sept. 16. The rejected plan would have pushed back the start of spring training until March 22.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Pointing to the “erratic nature” of the storm as it threatened a large part of Florida’s west coast, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday expanded a state of emergency and asked President Donald Trump for a federal emergency declaration as Tropical Storm Eta prepared to make landfall Thursday. In the request to Trump, DeSantis cited risks of flooding and potential complications in sheltering people because of COVID-19. The governor on Saturday declared a state of emergency for counties in the southern part of the state, after Eta last week hit Nicaragua as a hurricane. In the request to Trump, which could bring federal financial assistance to Florida, DeSantis said some counties also had declared local states of emergency.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Eta is bringing heavy squalls with tropical-storm-force winds onshore as it tracks northeast across Northeast Florida. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday expanded a state of emergency and asked President Donald Trump for a federal emergency declaration as Tropical Storm Eta prepared to make landfall Thursday. It will be a weak tropical storm or possibly even a depression as it moves across Northeast Florida. About 5 p.m., Clay County District Schools announced all schools and offices within the district will be closed on Thursday, and all after-school activities will be canceled. The Bradford County School District said it is closing schools Thursday due to Eta.

TALLAHASSEE – A state of emergency was declared Saturday by Gov. Ron DeSantis for eight southern Florida counties because of a growing threat from Tropical Storm Eta, which also could affect northern parts of the state later in the week. DeSantis issued an executive order that declared the state of emergency in Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties, as Eta was moving away from the Cayman Islands and toward central Cuba. DeSantis' order directed Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz to coordinate the state’s emergency plans and to seek federal assistance as needed. Also, to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, the order said the state will activate agreements with hotels for non-congregate sheltering.

In all, he beat Biden by about 375,000 votes statewide, compared to a nearly 113,000-vote Florida margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Though Biden topped Trump by 18,096 votes in Duval County, the rest of Northeast Florida went to Trump by large margins. For example, Trump won by about 130,000 votes in Baker, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties, the four counties that surround Duval. North of Tampa, meanwhile, Trump won by a combined 131,632 votes in Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties. The results were similar in neighboring Marion and Lake counties, where Trump won by a combined total of 95,356 votes.

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) May 16, 2020While the system is likely to become Tropical Storm Arthur while off our coast, we’ll be on the dry side of the storm and will likely only feel its impact along the immediate coastline. MORE ONLINE: Track the Tropics | Why so many May tropical storms east of Jacksonville? Subtropical storms are not as defined as tropical storms, with its strongest winds located some distance from it’s loosely formed center. They are also not a strong as tropical storms. If these trends continues, advisories will likely be initiated on this system as a tropical or subtropical depression later today.

Ron DeSantis banned vacation rentals on March 27 in an executive order aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. On Friday, DeSantis announced that vacation rentals could soon roll out the welcome mats again --- if county and state officials give the go-ahead. My vacation rentals account for half of my income so having that gone for the past two months has been tough," Brezing said. Commissioners in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Franklin counties, where vacation rentals also outstrip hotel accommodations, implored DeSantis to lift the ban. For us to be micromanaging vacation rentals, I am not sure that is the right thing to do, DeSantis said in February.

CNNTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A document discussed Monday by the states Blue-Green Algae Task Force should be viewed, members said, as a broad road map for lawmakers with the 2020 legislative session less than 100 days away. And task force members, meeting in Gainesville to further edit the document, said they will look in future meetings beyond Lake Okeechobee and nearby waterways that have been plagued by toxic algae. Its not just Lake Okeechobee, Sullivan said. DeSantis created the task force through a January executive order after outbreaks of toxic algae and red tide across the state last year. The problems particularly drew attention in Southeast and Southwest Florida, as algae plagued water bodies such as the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and as red tide caused fish kills.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection should be teamed with health officials who permit septic tanks as the state tries to ensure cleaner waterways, members of the Blue-Green Algae Task Force agreed Wednesday. Expanding oversight of the state's millions of septic tanks was among a list of general recommendations that received some support Wednesday from the five-member task force as part of a draft report. "By leaving them out it looks like we aren't considering them," said Valerie Paul, a task force member who is director of the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce. The task force had been meeting monthly since mid-June, until Hurricane Dorian postponed a late August meeting. A long-term goal of many officials and conservationists has been figuring out how to move residents from using septic tanks to sewer systems, which has always been a matter of cost.