Florida Times-Union

Updated Aug. 13, 2026, 6:18 p.m. ET Florida has settled a short-lived free speech lawsuit for $65,000, marking the second loss for the state's wildlife agency after firing a state worker over a social media post criticizing Charlie Kirk, the conservative commentator who was killed in September. Marion County resident and former dispatcher Haley Massung filed a lawsuit in June against Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for firing her last Sept.

Aug. 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m. ET It's the first week of Friday night action, sort of, for the 2026 Florida high school football regular season. While most area teams are still in preseason, follow Week 0 scores from Sunshine State Athletic Association programs as well as FHSAA kickoff classics across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida as the area's high school football teams get set for the FHSAA regular season.

The Perseid meteor shower is still visible even though its peak has passed. Favorable viewing conditions continue with a moon that is less than 1% illuminated tonight. For the best viewing experience, find a location away from city lights, such as one of Florida's three Dark Sky locations. Although the Perseid meteor shower's peak has passed, the annual celestial event is not over. Yesterday, Wednesday, Aug.

A Colombian citizen will serve a three-year prison sentence and be deported for illegally voting in the 2020 election. Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, Social Security fraud and falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. For decades, he used another person's identity to obtain a driver's license and a U.S. passport. He registered and voted in multiple Jacksonville elections, including the 2020 presidential election.

Shake Shack is opening 11 new locations across the United States in August. Two new Florida locations are opening in Orlando and Doral this month. The company denied a viral claim that it charges customers more for not tipping at self-pay kiosks. Shake Shack is having a busy August with 11 new locations opening across the country, including two in Florida. Four locations opened the same day, Aug. 12, in California, Colorado, Texas, and Virginia.

Graham voted at Florida A&M University to honor its civil rights history and encourage student participation in the election. Donalds campaigned in nearby Crawfordville, focusing on affordability issues like housing, insurance, and healthcare costs. The two campaigns are presenting competing visions, with Democrats seeking a broad coalition and Republicans aiming to continue current conservative policies. Florida's campaign for chief executive arrived in the Big Bend on Aug.

A1A Asian Kitchen opens with a menu of Thai, Japanese & Vietnamese dishes like Lobster Kao Soi Ramen.

Ballot wording for the Florida governor's race has caused some confusion among voters. Voters are reminded to select only one candidate per race to ensure their vote is counted. Some voters have mistakenly selected two candidates, possibly thinking one was for lieutenant governor. Voters who make a mistake can receive up to two replacement ballots to correct their vote.

An anonymous text message to voters in Florida Congressional District 24 falsely claimed Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones was HIV-positive. The text also falsely claimed it was paid for by the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida. Jones and other political leaders condemned the message as a homophobic smear. Equality Florida is investigating the text and considering legal action against the perpetrators. Smear ads, deep AI fakes and ghost candidates.

Updated Aug. 13, 2026, 3:17 p.m. ET Florida had more than 3,000 vacant positions for educators, according to a recent report, with hundreds open in South Florida alone. There were 3,157 "advertised instructional vacancies" as of Aug. 4 this year throughout the state of Florida, according to an Aug. 10 press release by the Florida Education Association. Florida had more than 3,000 vacant positions for educators, according to a recent report, with hundreds open in South Florida alone.