Fort Myers Beach town councilors Monday approved a contract with Will McKannay to become the new Town Manager.

A non-profit organization tied to the Florida Chamber of Commerce now at the center of the governor’s Hope Florida controversy involving the diversion of millions of dollars in state Medicaid settlement funds for political purposes, has a history of funneling money to political operatives attempting to sway election outcomes in Florida.

Florida lawmakers late Friday approved barring students in elementary and middle schools from using cell phones during the school day — and testing the idea in high schools.Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that prohibition to throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools. Rep. Demi Busatta, a Coral Gables Republican who spearheaded the proposal, described it as “bell to bell.”

With Democrats calling the changes an “assault on the very spirit of Florida’s democracy,” the Republican-controlled Legislature on Friday finalized a plan that will impose additional hurdles on the ballot-initiative process and heighten penalties for wrongdoing.Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed lawmakers to crack down on the process after highly contentious and expensive battles over proposals last year that sought to place abortion rights in the state Constitution and allow recreational marijuana for adults.

The Federal Housing Administration has announced changes to its mortgage eligibility rules that will affect thousands of non-citizens nationwide.

By a narrow margin Tuesday night, a majority of the DeSoto County Commission voted to deny allowing biosolids sludge — the remains of human waste — to be brought into the county so it can be composted as fertilizer.The vote was 3 to 2 to deny a special exception for the sludge plan.

Immigrants living in Florida are in threat of being deported, due to protective status being removed. One family risks being sent back to Venezuela, despite a decade building a life here in America.

Looking to prepare for an international trip or just thinking that having a U.S. passport may be a good idea?Lee County Clerk & Comptroller Kevin Karnes is hosting Passport Saturday, an event designed to help those who responded "yes" to the previous question.

Amid ongoing scrutiny of First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature welfare-assistance program and an affiliated foundation, the executive director of the Hope Florida program is poised to step down from the job.Erik Dellenback, who also serves as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “liaison for faith and community,” is leaving to pursue a post as CEO of Florida Family Voice, a Christian nonprofit affiliated with national groups such as the Family Policy Alliance, Focus on the Family and the Alliance Defending Freedom.