WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service is proposing a rule to increase the assessment rate for oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and pummelos grown in Florida. The proposed change would raise the rate from $0.02 to $0.025 per 0.8-bushel carton or equivalent for the 2024-2025 and subsequent fiscal periods. This action implements a recommendation from the Citrus Administrative Committee. The committee recommended the increase after experienci  more

ORLANDO, Florida, Oct. 1 -- The African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs issued the following news release: * * * Black-led CDFIs Gain Targeted Support through the CDFI Certification Readiness Accelerator In December 2023, the CDFI Fund introduced a new certification process, requiring all CDFIs to undergo recertification. The revision sparked urgency among certified Alliance members to safeguard their status to prevent disruptions in funding and resources, while members pursuing certification  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Oct. 1 -- Florida State University issued the following news: * * * Dancing for a cause: Dance Marathon at Florida State University tops $10 million in total support for FSU College of Medicine since 2003 By Audrey Post Every year, Dance Marathon at Florida State University supports health care programs in Florida, including at UF Health's Shands Children's Hospital and closer to home in Leon County. This year, that support reached a milestone: more than $10 million i  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 -- Sen. Ashley Brooke Moody, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * During Peak Hurricane Season, Senator Moody Honors Life-Saving Efforts of the Creator of Mike's Weather Page and Presents Florida's Finest Award OLDSMAR, Fla.--Senator Ashley Moody is honoring Mike Boylan, creator of Mike's Weather Page, with a Florida's Finest Award for his life-saving efforts during hurricane season. Mike's Weather Page aggregates data from computer model runs, real-time sate  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release: * * * Elon Property Management to Pay $200,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit * Property management company settles federal suit charging it retaliated against an employee with a disability and screened out disabled workers TAMPA - Elon Property Management LLC, a residential property management company operating in several states, including Florida, agreed to pay $200,000 to se  more

BOCA RATON, Florida, Oct. 1 (TNSjou) -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news: * * * Study First to Show if Nesting Heat Affects Sea Turtle Hatchling 'IQ' By Gisele Galoustian, ggaloust@fau.edu As sand temperatures continue to rise, concerns about the future of sea turtles are growing. Hotter nests not only skew sex ratios - producing more females - but also reduce hatchling survival, slow growth, and increase the likeli  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Frankel, Magaziner, Ciscomani File Bipartisan Plan to Stop Deadly Senior Falls * September is National Falls Prevention Awareness Month, and Reps. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) are marking it by introducing the bipartisan FASTER Act --a bill to keep older adults safe at home by funding fire department safety visits, simple upgrades like grab bars, an  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Oct. 1 -- Florida State University issued the following news: * * * FSU experts analyze the role of AI chatbots on mental health By Stephen Stone and Olivia Sanchez Growing use of AI chatbots has prompted parents to seek regulations to safeguard children's mental health. In a recent Senate hearing, two parents testified against AI companies, reporting that their teenage children developed extended relationships with their chatbots that led to suicide. Analysis by digit  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Oct. 1 -- Florida State University issued the following news: * * * FSU's Hate Crime Research and Policy Institute receives national award for leadership in combating hate By Logan Lowery A team of researchers in the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice has received an award for their study exploring impacts of hate crimes and their work to develop strategies that support victims and strengthen community responses through translational research and data analysi  more

MIAMI, Florida, Sept. 30 [Category: BizLaw/Legal] -- Greenberg Traurig, a law firm, issued the following news release: * * * Greenberg Traurig's Government Law & Policy Practice Named Among Top 5 on City & State's 2025 'Top 50 New York Lobbyists' List * NEW YORK - S ept. 30, 2025 - Greenberg Traurig, LLP 's New York Government Law & Policy Practice is named among the top five on City & State 's 2025 "Top 50 New York Lobbyists" list. According to the publication, the annual list ranks the f  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: * * * ICE Miami, 287(g) partners arrest 400 criminal aliens during Central Florida operations * MIAMI -- ICE Miami partnered with the Florida Highway Patrol, Polk County Sheriff's Office, Brevard County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida National Guard, and other 287(g) partners to arrest more than 400 illegal aliens who were  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Donalds Named To TIME's Annual TIME100 Next List Of The 100 Leaders Shaping The Future * WASHINGTON - This morning, TIME Magazine named Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) to the 2025 "TIME100 Next" list. An expansion of the TIME100 list of most influential people in the world, "TIME100 Next" highlights the 100 emerging leaders from around the world, who are shaping the the next generation o  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * ICYMI: Rep. Wilson's Video Statement on Potential Government Shutdown * Today, September 30, 2025, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson issued the following video statement on a potential government shutdown. Click here for Video Link (link is external) Transcript: "Hello, everybody. This is Congresswoman Frederica Wilson here in the nation's Capitol, trying to avert a shutdown. Republicans contr  more

TAMPA, Florida, Sept. 30 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida posted the following news release: * * * Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Convicted Gun Trafficker * Today, the United States filed a denaturalization action in the Middle District of Florida against Vladimir Volgaev, a native of Ukraine, who, according to the Department of Justice's Complaint, concealed and misrepresented his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle over a thousand firearms   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release: * * * Lawsuit Challenges Federal Failure to Protect Rare South Florida Crayfish * ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Center for Biological Diversity and Miami Waterkeeper sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today for failing to finalize Endangered Species Act protections for the Miami cave crayfish. Miami cave crayfish live exclusively in southern and central Miami-Dade County an  more

ENCINO, California, Oct. 1 -- Marcus and Millichap issued the following news release: * * * Marcus & Millichap Brokers Broward County Retail Center Sale PEMBROKE PINES, Fla., Sept. 30, 2025 - Marcus & Millichap (NYSE: MMI), a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, announced today the sale of Palm Square, a 77,621-square-foot retail center in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The asset traded for $25 million. "The sale  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 30 [Category: Business] -- The National Marine Manufacturers Association posted the following news release: * * * MRAA's Dealer Week 2025 Early Bird Pricing Ends September 30 * The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) announced that Early Bird pricing for Dealer Week ends today, September 30. The 2025 MRAA Dealer Week Conference & Expo takes place December 7-10, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. Dealer Week brings together hundreds of marine dealers and more   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 30 [Category: Business] -- The National Marine Manufacturers Association posted the following news release: * * * NMMA Participates in Marine Industries Association of Florida's Fall Conference * The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) was proud to participate in the Marine Industries Association of Florida's (MIAF) Fall Conference, held September 10-11. The two-day program brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and regional associations to add  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Oct. 1 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida posted the following news release on Sept. 30, 2025: * * * PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - Shawn Steele, 52, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of bank fraud. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "I am proud of the excellent investigat  more

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida, Sept. 30 [Category: BizFinancial Services] -- Raymond James Financial issued the following news release: * * * Raymond James expands midwest presence hiring four Public Finance professionals * ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Raymond James is expanding the capabilities of its Public Finance division in Illinois and throughout the Midwest with the hiring of four tenured professionals. Dalena Welkomer and Stephan Roberts are joining the firm as managing directors, Amy Young as d  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Diaz-Balart to Attend Ribbon-Cutting for Immokalee Street and Infrastructure Improvements After Securing $13 Million in Federal TIGER Grant Funding * IMMOKALEE, FL - On Tuesday, October 1, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26) will attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of major street and infrastructure improvements in Immokalee. This event marks a meaningful milesto  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Frankel Blasts Republican Government Shutdown * Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement on the looming government shutdown: "It's reckless that Republicans would rather shut down the government than work with Democrats to keep our government open and keep health care affordable. The Republican funding bill would leave more than 4 million Floridians--and millions mo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Rep. Frankel Statement on the White House Proposal to End Hamas-Israel War * Today, Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) released the following statement in response to the proposal the White House released yesterday in an attempt to end the Hamas-Israel war: "On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a war on Israel with a horrific attack. This has resulted in unimaginable violence and suffering for innocent Isr  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Sen. Rick Scott Leads Stop ANTIFA Act to Designate Antifa a Terrorist Organization * WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, Senator Rick Scott introduced the Stop ANTIFA Act to codify President Trump's executive order and national security presidential memorandum designating Antifa a domestic terrorist group and countering domestic terrorism and organized political violence. The bill would direct the National  more

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 -- Sen. Ashley Brooke Moody, R-Florida, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Moody Fights to Make American Flags in America Senator Ashley Moody is supporting a new bill that would ensure more federally-purchased American flags are made domestically. The Make American Flags in America Act builds upon last year's All-American Flag Act, which prohibits federal funds from being used to purchase American flags unless the flags are domestically manufactured, with a f  more

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Sept. 30 [Category: Sports] -- The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics posted the following news release: * * * Six Saves Propel Filip Borka to NAIA Defensive Player of the Week in Team's Ranked Victory * KANSAS CITY, MO.- Filip Borka was honored as the NAIA Defensive Player of the Week after recording six saves in Florida College's win over No. 6-ranked Bellevue (Neb.). Borka made a crucial stop with two minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 victory in the  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: * * * US Labor Department issues more than $900,000 in penalties to 2 companies after worker drowns in Georgia river * SAVANNAH, GA - The U.S. Department of Labor has cited a Florida painting contractor for willfully exposing workers to fall and drowning hazards. Investigators with the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that on April 7, 2025, Seminole Equipment Inc. br  more

PENSACOLA, Florida, Oct. 1 -- The University of West Florida, a component of public state university system in Florida, issued the following news release: * * * UWF Haas Center awarded $400K NSF EPIIC Grant The University of West Florida's Haas Center has been awarded a $400,000 Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity, or EPIIC, grant from the National Science Foundation. The three-year grant will support the creation of a new Office of Industrial Innovation, which will serve as  more

WATERTOWN, Massachusetts, Sept. 30 [Category: BizEngineering] -- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., a provider of transportation planning, engineering, design, land development and environmental services, posted the following news: * * * VHB Projects Using AI Feature * Two VHB transportation projects were recently featured in an Engineering Florida story about how artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) are opening possibilities across the state. The publication spoke to Frank Gros  more