DeSantis announces discounts for state park passes, FWC hunting, fishing licenses

Discounts available for three months, from Oct. 14, 2023, through Jan. 13, 2024 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Great Outdoors Initiative to encourage Floridians to go outdoors and explore Florida’s natural resources, including our award-winning state parks, vast recreation areas, and world-renowned waterways.

See big bass catches at the TrophyCatch Hall of Fame Ceremony

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Bass Pro Shops invite you to the TrophyCatch program’s annual Hall of Fame Ceremony. This event recognizes anglers who documented and submitted catches of bass 13 pounds or heavier that were approved during the popular citizen-science program’s 11th season, which ran from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023.

Florida lawmakers seek new election security measure for ballot boxes

(The Center Square) — A Florida lawmaker has filed a new bill intended to protect election ballots from tampering.

Senate Bill 190 is sponsored by Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, and it would require a law enforcement officer to transport ballot boxes or transfer containers from an election supervisor to a precinct. This includes all ballots, ballot stubs, memoranda and papers.

Special Tue, 10/17/2023 - 08:56

FWC issues executive order to close recreational harvest of gag grouper in Gulf state waters starting Oct. 19

At its October meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) issued an executive order to close recreational harvest of gag grouper in Gulf state waters. The 2023 recreational season for gag grouper in Gulf state waters, excluding state waters of Monroe County, will close at 12:01 a.m., local time, on Oct. 19, consistent with the closure in adjacent federal waters. The Gulf gag grouper recreational season will reopen on Sept. 1, 2024. 

Florida moves to fly stranded Americans out of Israel

(The Center Square) – After Hamas attacked Israel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state would be advancing greater sanctions against Iran. He also declared a state of emergency and issued an executive order to activate the national and state guard and other agencies to help bring Americans home who are stranded in Israel.