Jacksonville, Fla

Batson, Aleizha

[Feb. 9, 2026] – Florida Blue, the state’s leading health insurer, has named Tony Jenkins as market president for Northeast Florida, effective Mar. 1, 2026. Jenkins, a native of Jacksonville, will succeed Darnell Smith, who recently announced his retirement after 35 years of dedicated service to Florida Blue.

Jenkins joined the organization in 2001, serving the last 20 years as market president for Central Florida. A seasoned health care executive with a track record of leadership and community engagement, Jenkins also brings a deep understanding of Northeast Florida’s unique needs and opportunities.

“Tony’s extensive experience in health care, strong local connections, and exceptional community leadership make him ideal to take this role,” said Kari Regar, senior vice president, Florida Market Leader at Florida Blue. “We are excited about his return to Jacksonville, and confident Tony will advance our 80-plus year commitment to our members and partners throughout Northeast Florida.”

Jenkins joined Florida Blue following a distinguished career with CSX Corporation and the Walt Disney World Company. He has distinguished himself for his commitment to improving the health and well-being of communities. Continue reading →

The Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) is an agency within the Executive Office of the President that provides objective economic analysis and advice on both domestic and international policy. The CEA is considered one of the most prestigious appointments an economist can receive and is often viewed as the “pinnacle “ career. Unlike other government agencies that are often led by political operatives, the CEA is almost exclusively staffed by toptier academic economists including several Nobel Prize winners. This is why reports issued by the CEA are taken seriously by both politicians and economists.

The January 2026 report by the CEA is labeled “The Economic Impact of State Income Tax Elimination” and their Executive Summary states:

* Income taxes are more economically damaging than sales or property taxes;

* The harmful economic effects of state income taxes include outmigration, brain drain, stifled innovation and entrepreneurship, and reduced GDP;

* The harmful fiscal effects of state income taxes include revenue volatility with “feast and famine “ cycles, with states often gaining little or no new revenue from income tax hikes because of the negative economic effects they unleash. Key findings from CEA’s analysis of state income tax phase-out include: Continue reading →

It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, John E. Sununu, who is running to represent the beautiful State of New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate.

John is strongly supported by the most Highly Respected Leaders in New Hampshire, and many Republicans in the U.S. Senate and, as your next Senator, he will work tirelessly to advance our America First Agenda. John will fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Provide Access to Affordable and High Quality Health Care, Champion School Choice, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Support our Brave Military, Veterans, and Law Enforcement, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.

John E. Sununu has my Complete and Total

Endorsement – HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN — ELECT JOHN E. SUNUNU!Trump Endorses Sununu

Seminole County, FL (February 3, 2026) — Seminole County’s Office of Emergency Management invited community members to practice their tornado action plan during ‘The Great Tornado Drill’ on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

Some community members participated as a business, school, faith-based organization, or family unit. Participants should discuss how they would receive a tornado warning alert and practice taking shelter in the most secure interior room at work or home.

The Seminole County Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service in Melbourne partnered to develop The Great Tornado Drill in 2015. Since then, the State of Florida adopted the event, with all 67 counties participating annually during Florida Severe Weather Awareness Week.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Governor Ron DeSantis announced preliminary estimates from VISIT FLORIDA indicating that Florida welcomed 143.3 million visitors in calendar year 2025: another record-setting performance for the Sunshine State. In the fourth quarter of 2025, an estimated 33.5 million visitors traveled to the state, making it the highest fourth quarter visitation on record.

Preliminary estimates show that domestic travelers accounted for 91.5 percent of all visitors in 2025, with 131.1 million Americans traveling to Florida. Overseas visitation reached 9.3 million, while Canadian visitation totaled 2.9 million, consistent with historical trends where Canadian travel represents approximately two percent of total visitation. Florida also experienced continued growth from key international markets, with strong increases from Latin American countries such as Brazil and Argentina, as well as European markets including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Brazil is now the second-largest international source of visitors to the state. VISIT FLORIDA remains focused on expanding international visitation through strategic marketing efforts.

Florida continues to be the #1 domestic travel destination in the United States and a top choice for international visitors. Continue reading →

The Honorable Brooke Rollins, Secretary U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250

Dear Secretary Rollins:

We write in support of Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson’s request for a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Disaster Declaration for counties in the State of Florida impacted by the freezing temperatures that occurred at the end of January and the beginning of February. This declaration will make it clear that the federal government’s resources will be available to Florida’s farmers and ranchers.

Agriculture is the second-largest economic sector in Florida’s economy, and this weather disaster struck during the production seasons for many of our state’s 300 commodities. These plummeting temperatures broke city and county records not seen in decades across the state.1 Already, the USDA has reported in its National Free On Board Review that central Florida will see a shortage of strawberry supply due to the extreme cold weather on February 2-3, 2026.2 More commodities, including avocados, bell peppers, sugar cane, broccoli, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, radishes, cabbage, citrus, eggplant, green beans, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, apiaries, nurseries, and aquaculture, face threats of production loss that will last for months and in some cases even into future years.

We appreciate your dedication to American agriculture and hope that you will call on Congress and those in the Administration who oversee and operate disaster programs to quickly provide the necessary funds to help our state recover from this tragic event.

Thank you for your consideration and for your continued leadership in supporting American agriculture.

Sincerely,

Kat Cammack

Member of Congress

Scott Franklin

Member of Congress

Washington, D.C. —  Congresswoman Kat Cammack and all 29 members of Florida’s bipartisan congressional delegation are urging U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to immediately approve a USDA Disaster Declaration for Florida counties devastated by historic freezing temperatures in late January and early February.

The freeze struck during peak production for many of Florida’s major commodities, causing widespread and catastrophic losses across the state’s agricultural sector. A disaster declaration would unlock critical federal assistance for farmers and ranchers facing severe and ongoing recovery challenges.

“Florida supplies fresh produce to nearly 150 million Americans during the winter months, and when Florida agriculture is hit, the entire country feels it,” Cammack said. “This is a national security issue. A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot secure itself. This freeze caused widespread, historic, and devastating damage. Farmers are facing wiped-out crops, lost income, and months or even years of recovery through no fault of their own. A USDA Disaster Declaration is essential to get relief on the ground now and protect Florida agriculture and America’s food supply from collapsing under this blow,” said Congresswoman Cammack. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a letter of notice to the nearly 80 corporations that are associated with the U.S. Plastics Pact, the Consumer Goods Forum, or the Sustainable Packaging Coalition for their involvement in practices that potentially violate antitrust and consumer protection laws.

“Multiple advocacy organizations have pressured companies into artificially changing the output and quality of their goods and services in way that normal market forces would not otherwise bring about,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “These groups were warned that their activity presents serious conflicts with antitrust and consumer protection laws, and advocacy for a particular agenda is not a basis to mislead consumers.”

These notices follow letters sent on October 29, 2025, led by Attorney General Uthmeier and joined by a multistate coalition of attorneys general to the U.S. Plastics Pact, the Consumer Goods Forum, and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, raising grave concerns that the policies, targets, and compliance frameworks promoted by these organizations may violate the Sherman Act, state antitrust laws, and applicable consumer protection laws.

The new letters were sent directly to the companies identified as current members of one of these major environmental groups, notifying them that continued participation in or coordination with the initiatives may expose them to antitrust liability. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a 120-year prison sentence for Marquett James, 50, of Hillsborough County; the incarceration will be served over 90 years, with some terms running concurrently.

“In a case that the Biden DOJ refused to prosecute, our Office of Statewide Prosecution worked with HSI under the Trump administration to deliver a sentence that ensures this offender will never have the opportunity to exploit another victim,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Crimes of this nature cause life-long harm and must be met with punishments that reflect their severity. In Florida, there will be no leniency for sexual predators and human traffickers.”

James was convicted in November 2025 on felony charges of Human Trafficking (2 counts), Racketeering, and Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering. He will serve his sentence in the Florida Department of Corrections.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that a multi-circuit drug trafficking investigation targeting affiliates of the Valentine Bloods gang resulted in 51 arrests, as well as the seizure of over 70 pounds of meth and 10 pounds of fentanyl.“This was a highly organized, fentanyl-pushing enterprise operating in Central Florida that had ties all the way to California,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “We will continue dismantling these organizations form the top down. Anyone who traffics these poisons in Florida will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent.”

“Traffickers of methamphetamine and fentanyl are literally murdering people and tearing apart families,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “The men and women who go after these drug dealers are doing a noble, but dangerous job—putting their own lives on the line, to protect their communities from the drug traffickers who are profiting from this destruction.”

“This investigation is a masterclass on how to effectively identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that are wreaking havoc across Florida,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell. “Thanks to our investigative teams, prosecutors and the benefit of the S.A.F.E. program, we can continue to ensure the safety of the state of Florida.”

This was a joint investigation between the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The investigation began in August 2025. Investigators uncovered a highly organized drug trafficking operation spanning Polk, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Orange counties, with additional connections to California. Continue reading →