Florida made certain hurricane‑prep items permanently sales‑tax exempt effective Aug. 1, 2025. Batteries, specified generators, gas cans and safety gear are now tax‑free year‑round.

Sweetgreen has secured a permit for its first Jacksonville restaurant at St. Johns Town Center, with the company listing a "coming soon" site at 4624 Town Crossing Drive.

Camp host couple Christopher and Anissa Osbourne were found dead at Ocean Pond Campground in Olustee; early signs point to a murder‑suicide as investigators work the scene.

National Hurricane Preparedness Week runs May 3–9 as CSU projects 13 named storms for 2026. Tampa Bay officials are pushing residents to check plans, insurance and supplies now.

New studies and local reporting show Florida families facing higher child-care bills; some parents report monthly daycare costs above $1,600. State and national data point to supply and budget gaps.

Sunny and breezy today with highs near 79°F and gusts up to 24 mph. Near‑record heat and elevated fire danger return midweek.

Duval County School Police confirmed the death of Officer Anthony “Junior” Lucano, a Westside school safety officer remembered as a mentor. Services with law enforcement honors were held Saturday.

Morning fog gives way to a sunny 74°F Sunday in Jacksonville. Inland heat climbs into the 90s midweek with a Thursday storm window and elevated fire danger.

Four R&B legends — Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills — will perform at VyStar Arena in Jacksonville on May 31. The show was rescheduled from February and tickets are listed on Ticketmaster.

A federal judge found FLVS pursued a weak trademark case and ordered the state-run school to pay part of rival Stride's legal bills, spotlighting millions in public legal spending.

A man in his early 20s died after his car was rear-ended on Merrill Road; police say the other driver was not injured and the Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating.

The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Duluth will close this year as the family's collection is consolidated in Florida and moved online.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that state‑managed Atlantic red snapper season will expand, saying it will begin May 22 and could boost coastal fishing businesses.