TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier joined the Federal Trade Commission and 21 other states in suing Amazon, alleging the company spent years secretly inflating the prices Florida businesses pay to advertise on its platform—costs that were then passed on to Florida families at checkout.

“Amazon told Florida businesses they were bidding in a fair auction. That was false,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Amazon hid a surcharge, padded its own profits, and those costs landed on Florida families buying groceries, medicine, and everyday essentials. Amazon should expect to be held accountable.”

According to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Amazon represented for years that it ran “second-price” auctions in which the winning advertiser would pay only one cent more than the next-highest bidder. In practice, Amazon added an undisclosed surcharge and used an “invented auction participant” to drive prices higher than genuine competition would have produced. By 2024, Amazon charged Sponsored Products advertisers their own winning bid approximately 80 percent of the time, converting a nominally second-price auction into a first-price auction without telling customers.

The complaint alleges Amazon began testing hidden surcharges in 2019 and 2020. After concluding advertisers could not detect the extra charges, Amazon rolled them out across the platform and ramped them higher on Prime Day and Black Friday. Internal documents quoted in the complaint describe “a surcharge hidden in it” and a “clever non-transparent way to charge first price.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed legislation that gives the Attorney General independent authority to investigate and shut down spam calls and texts and gives prosecutors new tools against impersonation, fake warrants, undisclosed AI voices, and the phone farms that power those campaigns.

“Floridians should not have to fear every unknown call or text,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “What we are talking about is fraud—pure and simple. It just arrives as a phone call, a text, a fake warrant, or an AI voice. This proposal lets our office investigate and act independently, and it gives prosecutors the tools to put the worst offenders in prison.”

Spam floods Florida phones. Scammers spoof government agencies, banks, and utilities. They send fake warrants and official-looking papers by text. Artificial voices make the fraud sound real. Under current law, some of these crimes don’t carry tough penalties, and Florida law does not provide consequences for the phone farms and SIM farms that blast thousands of numbers from one room.

The Florida Anti-Spam Communications Act would:

1. Crack down on phone and text fraud, including AI voices and fake warrants.

Impersonating an official, spoofing a number, using an undisclosed AI voice to obtain money, or sending a fake warrant by text or e-mail is treated as communications fraud and simulated legal process. High-volume or high-loss cases would be an elevated felony and carry mandatory prison time. Possession or importation of a phone farm or SIM farm becomes a felony, and the equipment is designated contraband. Continue reading →

The Marine Toys for Tots Literacy Program’s Operation Turn the Page initiative continues throughout September, putting books in the hands of children living in low-income communities across the country. Rooted in the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and dream, Operation Turn the Page highlights the life-changing impact of reaching children who may otherwise have few or no books to call their own. For many of these children, a single book can spark a love of reading, build confidence, and open the door to opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

Helping turn that mission into reality is Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company. Scholastic has served as a valued partner of the Toys for Tots Literacy Program since 1998 and has helped provide books to millions of students, teachers, and families nationwide.

Together, the organizations are giving children more than stories to read. They are opening doors to imagination, building confidence in young readers, and creating opportunities that can last a lifetime. Continue reading →

Tyson’s beef unit swung to a quarterly operating loss and reported volumes down while prices rose, a classic sign of tight input supply. Executives told investors the beef segment lost $138 million in the quarter, with volume down nearly 16 percent and pricing up about 12 percent, reflecting constrained supply and higher cattle costs.

Management had already warned that full-year beef losses would widen if supplies stayed tight, and later trimmed the company’s profit outlook as the cattle shortage dragged on.

Publishers note: I wonder if the shortage is because China has purchased Tyson’s beef operation?

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with the questions of right and wrong conduct, moral duty, justice, fairness and the principles that should guide human behavior. Ethics asks: What should we do and why is it the right thing to do? It focuses on moral standards, not on government rules. It is the study and application of moral principles that determine what is right, fair, just, honest and responsible in human conduct. So what would an “ethical” tax system look like? It would be a tax system that is more consistent with principles such as fairness, honesty, transparency, equal treatment, respect for privacy, limited coercion and protection of human dignity.

Our current income/payroll tax system requires every American to report details of his or her earnings, deductions, investments, business expenses, family status and financial life to the federal government every year. This is some of the most sensitive and private data we have. Under an ethical tax system, that would be none of the government’s business.

Enforcement requires government inspection, forced disclosure and the assumption that citizens must prove they have paid enough in taxes. A tax system that requires constant surveillance of private income is inherently disrespectful of personal liberty. That’s not ethical. Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis hand delivered a joint statement signed by all public postsecondary presidents to the U.S. Department of Education, becoming the first state in the nation to affirm its commitment to academic and operational excellence in response to the National Call to Action issued to postsecondary institutions nationwide. The joint statement, signed by all 28 Florida College System presidents and 12 State University System presidents, affirms the Florida College System and State University System’s commitment to rigorous teaching, pathbreaking research where applicable, and service to the nation, while outlining the standards and priorities Florida’s institutions are committed to upholding.

“Florida’s colleges and universities offer world-class opportunities for learning, research, and career pathways. We’ve ignored the noise and focused on merit, and the results speak for themselves, said Governor Ron DeSantis.” “Today, we led the way in answering the call from the Department of Education to affirm Florida’s commitment to rigorous instruction, groundbreaking research, and service to our country in higher education.”

“Secretary McMahon’s Call to Action reinforces what matters most: higher education’s mission of educating students and serving the economic and civic needs of our state and nation, said System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues.” “The State University System of Florida is proud to affirm the principles that have made our universities a national model for higher education. Florida remains focused on academic excellence through merit-based admissions, rigorous teaching and scholarship, meaningful public service, and a belief that intellectual diversity is critical to a marketplace of ideas. Our institutions will continue to offer a world-class education at the most affordable price in the nation.”  Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis announced nearly $188 million in awards to strengthen health care in Florida’s rural communities by expanding access to care, supporting rural hospitals and clinics, and growing the state’s rural health care workforce.

The funding will support more than 80 awards serving communities across 31 rural counties, home to nearly 1.2 million Floridians. Awardees include hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health clinics, and other health care providers and community organizations working to meet the unique needs of rural Floridians.

“These investments in rural Florida will strengthen hospitals and clinics, expand the rural health care workforce, and help ensure Floridians can access high-quality care in their own communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

The awards are part of Florida’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), administered by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Florida received $209 million through the federal-state initiative to strengthen rural health care systems, modernize infrastructure, expand access to services, and build the health care workforce. Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis announced $60 million in awards through the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Florida Cancer Innovation Fund and opened the application cycle for Fiscal Year 2026-27, with $70 million available for new awards, a $10 million increase over last year.

“Today, I was proud to announce the winners of this year’s Florida Cancer Innovation Fund awards and the opening of applications for next year’s awards. This promising initiative now has $70 million in funding for groundbreaking cancer research projects, $10 million more than the previous cycle,” said Governor DeSantis. “Congratulations to the awardees, and thank you for all you do to make Florida a beacon of hope in cancer research and treatment.”

Since 2019, Florida has invested more than $1.4 billion in cancer research and treatment, and funding for cancer research programs has increased by more than 175 percent under Governor DeSantis. In Fiscal Year 2026-27 alone, Florida committed nearly $228 million to cancer research and innovation.  Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis awarded nearly $8.8 million to 12 small and rural communities across Northwest Florida to support critical infrastructure investments and community development projects. The funding, awarded through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the Community Planning Technical Assistance (CPTA) Grant Program, will support projects that strengthen local infrastructure, enhance community resiliency and promote long-term economic growth.
“This morning in Bonifay, I was pleased to announce more than $8.8 million in funding for critical infrastructure and community development projects in 12 small and rural Florida communities,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “These Community Development Block Grant awards will help improve water and wastewater systems, stormwater infrastructure, roads, and workforce housing. These investments promote long-term economic growth that will help rural Florida families thrive for many years to come.”
“Strong infrastructure and thoughtful community planning are essential to creating opportunities in Florida’s small and rural communities,” said Secretary of Commerce, J. Alex Kelly. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, these investments will help communities address critical water, wastewater, roadway and infrastructure needs while strengthening economic readiness and long-term resiliency. These projects give local leaders the resources they need to build stronger communities, support businesses and create greater opportunities for Floridians.”
The following communities will receive an award through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program: Continue reading →

Governor Ron DeSantis celebrated the start of the 2026-2027 school year by highlighting Florida’s continued leadership in education. The event showcased Florida’s commitment to putting students first by supporting teachers, empowering parents, and maintaining high academic standards that will continue to produce nation-leading results.

“We’ve led the way to champion policies that expand opportunities for students, strengthen workforce education, support great teachers, and ensure every child has access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in life,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “As students across the state get ready to go back to school, we wish them a successful year ahead. We appreciate the parents, educators, and school leaders whose dedication to students is leaving them better prepared than ever, and we will keep working to ensure that the best days for education in Florida are still ahead.”

“Education changes the trajectory of a child’s life. Every classroom, every lesson, every parent, and every educator help shape opportunities that extend far beyond the next grade level or graduation,” said Commissioner of Education Henry Mack. “As we begin this school year, we remain committed to building on our successes and strengthening Florida’s education system as a national model of excellence—challenging students to reach their highest potential, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their future careers, and preparing them to make meaningful contributions to Florida and the United States as productive citizens.” Continue reading →