Amid influx of new residents to Central Florida, urgent action needed …

Metro Orlando was ranked as one of the nation's hardest places to find affordable housing before Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico three months ago, and tens of thousands of residents started leaving the island for Central Florida. Many are now living temporarily with family or friends, but are understandably impatient to move into their own homes.

LA Shelter System Animals Get Christmas Treat

Los Angeles shelter system animals got Christmas treats early last week with the help of some volunteers as part of the Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation third annual Hope for the Holidays shelter feeding, People magazine reported . More than 1,000 dogs and cats in the L.A. Animal Services Shelter system received the freshly cooked meal of organic rice, beef and peas, turkey and lentils, and turkey and peas from Dec. 12-17, People noted.

Lawyers want to exclude statement by Orlando shooter’s widow

Lawyers for the widow of the man who killed dozens of people at a Florida nightclub say her statement to the FBI after the attack shouldn't be shown to jurors during her upcoming trial. Testimony continued Friday in a two-day hearing in an Orlando federal courtroom to determine which evidence can be presented at the trial scheduled to begin March 1. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Judge Paul Byron said he would announce his decision in a written order but didn't say when he expects to release that order.

Gov. Rick Scott should abandon his selfish plan to pack courts on his way out the door

Gov. Rick Scott talks about his decision to file a public records request with the Florida Supreme Court over a case with big implications for the court's future. Gov. Rick Scott talks about his decision to file a public records request with the Florida Supreme Court over a case with big implications for the court's future.

Surprisingly, Republicans and Conservatives shouldna t fear a national popular vote

Republicans are hesitant to switch from our winner-take-all state laws allocating electors to the electoral college to using the National Popular Vote. The National Popular Vote Plan would award all of a state's electors to the candidate who wins the most popular votes in all fifty states.

For GOP, tax bill’s most visible win may be averting failure

Despite the sheer size and society-spanning impact of the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, the quickest and most potent political victory that Republicans would savor by pushing the bill through Congress next week may be what it averts: another big GOP legislative crash in the age of Trump. Even if Republicans are correct that tax cuts for business and the wealthy bolster the economy, it can take time for obvious results to show.

Low tomato volume sees high prices

With tomato prices soaring above $35 per carton in mid-December, some customers are cutting back, and shippers expect market conditions will be tight into the new year. Set back by Hurricane Irma in September, season-to-date shipments of Florida tomatoes this fall have totaled 3.44 million cartons through Dec. 9, down 54% from 7.4 million cartons the same time a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In Florida, all eyes on Puerto Rican voters after Maria

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Associated Press MIAMI - Javier Gonzalez has joined a human tide of more than 130,000 U.S. citizens arriving in Florida since Hurricane Maria wrecked Puerto Rico, grateful for a place to start over but resenting how their island has been treated since the disaster.

A year after defeating Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump’s approval at 41% in Florida

A new Florida Atlantic University poll has some good numbers for Gov. Rick Scott and better approval ratings for President Donald Trump than he gets nationally. A year after Florida flipped from blue to red and helped Republican Donald Trump to his stunning presidential victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton , President Trump has a 41 percent approval rating in a new poll of Sunshine State voters.

Hurricane Maria evacuees start over in the Tampa Bay area

Times Puerto Rican evacuee Shamira Melendez, 4, watches "Finding Dory" on a tablet while her mom Ivana Reyes, 22, talks to representatives from local agencies while her son Jezel Garcia, 1, snoozes in his stroller at the Hispanic Outreach Center Thursday 11/2/2017. - Pinellas County government hosted a bilingual panel Thursday featuring community organizations providing help for local Hurricane Maria evacuees from Puerto Rico.

Drill, baby, drill in the eastern Gulf? Don’t even think about it

Sun Sentinel Editorial Board members talk about a ruling to revisit the idea of drilling for oil in the Everglades. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board members talk about a ruling to revisit the idea of drilling for oil in the Everglades.

More than 1 Billion in Federal Food Disaster Food Assistance Distributed

The Florida Department of Children and Families today released updates on the federal Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program operations in Florida. To date, in response to Hurricane Irma, DCF has distributed more than $1 billion in federal disaster food assistance through DSNAP, supplemental benefits, and replacements for regular SNAP customers.

Gov. Scott Applauds Work of Joint Terrorism Task Force in Arrest of Alleged Terrorist

Governor Rick Scott today applauded the hard work of a Federal Bureau of Investigation led Joint Terrorism Task Force which resulted in the arrest of an alleged terrorist in Miami. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has counterterrorism agents on the Joint Terrorism Task Force because of the positions and funding proposed by Governor Scott and approved by the Governor and Legislature this year.