Florida News

Florida to Close Wastewater Reservoir With Leak History

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida is moving to permanently close the leaky Piney Point wastewater reservoir that poured millions of gallons of water into Tampa Bay while threatening to burst open and flood nearby homes and businesses, Gov. Ron …

Officials: 2nd Breach Concern in Florida Phosphate Reservoir

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A drone discovered a possible second breach in a large Florida wastewater reservoir as more pumps were headed to the site to prevent a catastrophic flood, officials said Monday. U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Republican, …

Florida Sends COVID-19 Liability Protection Bill to Governor

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida businesses, governments and healthcare providers will be protected from coronavirus lawsuits if they made a good effort to follow guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 under a bill the House sent to Republican Gov. …

Storms Moving Eastward, Leave Trail of Damage in Deep South

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Storms that left splintered homes and broken trees across Alabama and Mississippi moved into Georgia and Florida on Thursday, rousing residents with early morning warnings as forecasters said the threat of dangerous weather would move up …

Florida GOP Outlines $100 Million+ Plan to Tackle Climate Change

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Low-lying Florida, surrounded by the sea, is one of the most vulnerable U.S. states to ocean level rise driven by climate change. State Republican legislative leaders on Friday announced a $100 million-a-year plan to tackle …

Florida Consumers ‘Flabbergasted’ as Property Insurers Push for Double-Digit Rate Hikes

Florida property insurers are jacking up rates by double-digit percentages, blaming the hikes on lingering damage from past hurricanes, a wave of litigation, and a law that encourages lawyers to sue by allowing courts to award them big fees. The …

Insurance Fraud Focus for Newly Appointed Deputy Financial Officer

Former Secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections Julie Jones has been appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer within the Office of Chief Financial Officer, according to a statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services. As Deputy CFO, Jones will …

Viewpoint: 11th Circuit Ruling Reminds Insurers to Tread Carefully When Settling Multiple Claims

Insurers handling claims in Florida often feel like they are fighting an uphill battle to avoid bad faith lawsuits arising from the alleged failure of an insurer to act in good faith when settling a liability claim against the insured. …

Tropical Storm Eta Makes Landfall on Florida’s West Coast

Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on Florida’s west coast Thursday, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to northern parts of the peninsula. Eta came ashore near Cedar Key at 4 a.m. New York time, with maximum sustained winds of 50 …

Dorian Sets Course Toward Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Florida

Tropical Storm Dorian is expected to strengthen, potentially approaching hurricane status by the time it gets to Puerto Rico Wednesday, but it won’t pack the same punch as other storms in recent years. Dorian was about 15 miles (24 kilometers) …