Florida’s latest $115 billion budget reveals how the state plans to spend money on schools and healthcare, after months of arguments between lawmakers. The final deal was struck late on a May evening, wrapping up weeks of back-and-forth negotiations. The budget sits between two earlier proposals—one
School districts in Maine are facing a sharp rise in health insurance expenses. In one district with more than 600 staff members, premiums have climbed by over $1 million, pushing the total employer outlay to nearly $10 million. These figures only represent the portion paid by schools; employees the
High gas prices are hitting rural Colorado hard. Amy Van Duyn, who works at Stubs liquor store in Wiggins, now pays 50% more to fill up than she did when Trump returned to office. She used to spend $36 for a full tank. Now, that money buys barely half. Her coworker Tonyah Bruyette feels the pinch to
Florida roads are notorious for being risky for people walking or biking. Lee County, with its beautiful beaches and sunny weather, is no exception. Every year, families in the area face preventable tragedies when pedestrians and cyclists are hit by cars. Advocates say painted bike lanes on fast roa
Florida’s natural world is a mix of rivers, beaches and forests that many people love. Those habitats are home to animals like manatees, sea turtles and panthers that have lived here for centuries. When these creatures are safe, the places they live stay healthy and people can enjoy them in their fr
Florida has put a temporary hold on bringing sloths into the state after many of the wild‑caught animals died at a now‑closed attraction in Orlando. The two‑month pause was ordered by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to stop new imports while it reviews rules for keeping these a
High school athletes across Southwest Michigan are putting up numbers that turn heads this spring. From softball sluggers to track stars, the latest Athlete of the Week poll highlights athletes who are pushing their teams forward with performances that stand out. Baseball diamonds are seeing some s
Florida lawmakers recently approved a plan to redraw voting districts, shifting the balance to give Republicans an even stronger grip on the state’s 28 U. S. House seats. The new setup would turn a 20-8 Republican majority into a lopsided 24-4 split. That’s a big change from just a few years ago, wh
Highlands High School’s assistant principal, Kaitlyn Selfridge, stepped down in April after a year of growing frustration. She wrote that the district’s leadership had turned her job into a hostile environment, citing repeated principal changes and what she described as demeaning remarks about appea
Schools often focus on structured lessons, but a new study suggests something simple might help kids more: free play. Researchers looked at 125 elementary students in a high-poverty area. The kids were split into groups that got 12 weeks of 45-minute free play sessions either in fall or spring. The
