A man died in a Mississippi ICE facility. Do we know everything we need to know? • Florida Phoenix Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. Mukta Joshi is an investigative reporter at Mississippi Today. She is spending a year as a New York Times Local Inves...

The rate of deaths has continued this year, with ICE reporting 15 more through early April. Several have been ruled suicides. The Associated Press reported that guards in a Texas ICE facility were overheard betting on which detainee would die by suicide next. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/14/r...

When ICE enforcement and the First Amendment collide • Florida Phoenix President Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by aggressive attacks on the press that have led to restrictions in access, the search of a reporter’s home, heated public exchanges and even arres...

Journalist Estefany Rodríguez was arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 4, 2026 in Tennessee. The Nashville Noticias reporter was held in ICE custody for 15 days. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/14/r...

FGCU extends its president's term for one year, boosts salary • Florida Phoenix Florida Gulf Coast University trustees agreed Tuesday to extend President Aysegul Timur’s contract for one year by unanimous vote. The board extended the contract, initially three years long starting ...

The board extended the contract, initially three years long starting in July 2023, and approved a salary increase to $750,000. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/14/f...

Anti-abortion lawmakers seek to redefine 'abortion' to exclude medical treatment • Florida Phoenix Some anti-abortion state lawmakers are pushing to revise the definition of “abortion” so abortion bans don’t apply to cases in which the death of an “unborn child” is the result of medical care provid...

“Let’s say they have a heart condition and their risk of dying in pregnancy is 40%. Is that an elective abortion because their risk is not 100%?” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/14/r...

Trump picks fight with Pope Leo as Iran peace talks dissolve • Florida Phoenix WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV Sunday night following the pontiff’s sharp criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and wider Middle East conflict. In a lengthy post, l...

“Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/13/r...

Bob Buckhorn, running to ‘finish what I started,’ announces run for Tampa mayor • Florida Phoenix TAMPA — Saying he wants to build a city that “is the envy of the nation,” former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn filed paperwork Monday to become a candidate to return to lead City Hall. “This city’s best da...

"I’m running to build a city that is the envy of the nation. To continue down the path that we set out on 10 years ago. We’ve proven we can do it. I’ve already done it. And now it’s time to write our next chapter.” floridaphoenix.com/briefs/bob-b...

Florida Bar passage rate lower than a year ago • Florida Phoenix Aspiring attorneys taking the Florida Bar exam for the first time in February passed at a rate 3% lower than last year’s winter administration of the exam. Of the 537 people who took the exam for the ...

Florida State University saw the highest pass rate, nearly 86%, but also had the fewest test takers, passing six of seven students. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/flori...

Poll: NPAs giving Florida Democrats a legitimate chance in November • Florida Phoenix A month after Florida Democrats scored upset victories in two special legislative elections, a new survey shows their top candidates for statewide offices are either in a statistical tie or leading ag...

“The environment is shifting in real time, and Democrats are clearly energized and galvanized in this moment.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/13/p...

Uthmeier using the Rooney Rule to stir grievance, grease re-election • Florida Phoenix “To the privileged, equality feels like oppression.” — Labor Activist Mark Caddo It is no accident that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is suddenly concerned about the National Football League...

Going after the NFL is curious, because the league has never been a bastion of social justice, racial equality, DEI, or affirmative action even as Black players make up 70% of those taking the field. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/13/u...

“The next administration could come in and investigate our service members for alleged war crimes. And they should, to demonstrate renewed fidelity to U.S. law, to the law of war." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/11/r...

“The next administration could come in and investigate our service members for alleged war crimes. And they should, to demonstrate renewed fidelity to U.S. law, to the law of war." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/11/r...

FSU, Tallahassee finalize hospital transfer • Florida Phoenix Florida State University and the City of Tallahassee jointly announced Friday that the two parties have “completed the legal transfer of city-owned hospital assets.” The university called it a “historic milestone” for its health system, which is also building a hospital in Panama City Beach. The two entities’ governing boards separately approved the transfer last […]

“This is a major step forward for FSU Health and for expanding clinical care, research and medical education in North Florida.” floridaphoenix.com/briefs/fsu-t...

“It took some time, but I built, I’d say, a certain amount of goodwill and respect. Even though these folks disagreed with me, they knew where I stood.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/10/b...

DeSantis administration touts Medicaid, Hope Florida at press conference • Florida Phoenix Representatives of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ health care agencies came together Friday to recognize April as National Child Abuse Awareness Prevention Month. At the same time, they touted the state’s Medicaid and Hope Florida programs as key components in helping keeping parents and Florida children safe. Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris lauded the […]

“Every recipient on our Medicaid program is important. Every day we work tirelessly to make sure they are getting the care that they need." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/10/d...

Gas prices soar by 21% as government inflation figures reflect Trump’s war on Iran • Florida Phoenix WASHINGTON — Spikes in energy prices caused by the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran drove up inflation for Americans in March, according to the latest consumer price index figures released Friday. Costs jumped 0.9% in March compared to the previous month — that’s up from the 0.3% increase in February.  Prices for all items together, including food, […]

Fuel costs drove the spike, with gasoline and fuel oil together rising 10.9% in March compared to the previous month. Singled out, gas prices jumped 21.2% in March. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/10/r...

Retaliation? Provider loses $3.5M in state contracts after fighting HIV cuts • Florida Phoenix The state Department of Health notified the AIDS Healthcare Foundation that it would not renew five of its contracts to test and treat people with HIV and stop the spread of the sexually transmitted infection (STI). The AHF, which filed a number of unsuccessful legal challenges in administrative and circuit court to stop the administration […]

‘Are we trying to kill people? Is that the point?’ floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/10/r...

In its first social media message about the film, March for Our Lives said that “the way that this film has been marketed is deeply misaligned with the reality it engages. We expect better from A24 and the artists behind it.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/10/m...

“A thousand dollars, $1,200 for an HOA for an eight-story building? That’s a lot of revenue that they’re bringing in. Where the hell is all of that going?" floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/09/a...

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The increase in oranges represents 200,000 more boxes, from January’s projected 12 million boxes to April’s 12.2 million. If the forecast comes true, the 2025-'26 harvest will result in 1% less production than the previous season. floridaphoenix.com/briefs/citru...

“AI should exist to supplement, support, and advance mankind, not lead to an existential crisis or our ultimate demise.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/09/u...

Democrats blast coming congressional redistricting session: 'This is illegal' • Florida Phoenix Although GOP legislative leaders say that a special session on the state budget won’t take place next week, they still intend to meet later this month for an unusual mid-decade congressional redistricting session that Democrats say is unconstitutional and could backfire on Republicans. “This is illegal,” said Rep. RaShon Young, D-Orlando, on a Zoom conference […]

“I think everybody right now who thinks that they’re in a plus-10 district should be shaking in their boots right now, because Democrats and Republicans aren’t buying what they’re selling." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/09/d...

U.S. Supreme Court justice warns of majority's misuse of ‘shadow docket’ during Kansas talk • Florida Phoenix LAWRENCE — Justice Sonia Sotomayor said Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court’s “shadow docket” is controversial among her colleagues, and it can consequentially short-circuit lower courts. At a Q&A-style fi...

“We have to hold onto that spirit of permitting our differences to exist while being united in building this more perfect union. There's no other country in the world like us.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/r...

MD Delegates pull record-keeping rule from bill on birth certificate gender changes • Florida Phoenix A House panel removed state record-keeping language Tuesday from a bill to streamline gender changes on Maryland birth certificates, after advocates raised concerns that those records could make it ea...

The legislation would make it easier for adults to request a new birth certificate with a gender designation different from the original document, by removing the current requirement that a physician attests to the gender transition of the individual. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/r...

A day after Iran-US ceasefire declared, doubts linger amid continuing Gulf strikes • Florida Phoenix WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran both claimed victory Wednesday, a day after agreeing to a two-week conditional ceasefire, though doubts loomed following continued strikes across the Gulf natio...

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said during an early-morning briefing the U.S. achieved an “historic and overwhelming victory,” but also troops are “prepared to restart at a moment’s notice.” floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/r...

Florida lawmaker aims for ballot measure ending all property taxes in 2028 • Florida Phoenix Florida Republicans have promised for nearly a year to provide meaningful property tax relief to Floridians in the form of a constitutional amendment they could vote on this November. Despite that hyp...

“There’s still a chance that it could end up on the ballot, but I believe the only way to ensure this is to make sure that we take this to the people, and that’s where this ballot initiative idea was birthed." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/f...

No budget special session next week, Florida legislative leaders affirm • Florida Phoenix There will be no budget negotiations in Tallahassee next week. Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez issued separate statements advising their respective members Wednesday they...

The most recent outlook, issued in September, projected a $3.7 billion surplus for the current fiscal year but deficits of more than $1.5 billion for FY 2026-27 and nearly $6.6 billion in FY 27-28. floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/n...

Uthmeier deploys genetic genealogy to tackle massive cold case backlog • Florida Phoenix Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday a $600K partnership with an anti-crime company specializing in matching cold case DNA to genetic genealogy databases.

“Just because a case is cold, that does not mean it’s forgotten." floridaphoenix.com/2026/04/08/u...

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