Millions attend No Kings protests. Trump, White House post AI videos of him wearing a crown
President Donald Trump and the White House responded to the millions of protesters who took to the streets at "No Kings" rallies by jabbing them with a series of apparently AI generated videos and a photo of Trump wearing a crown.
Saturday, Oct. 18, marked another round of the "No Kings" protests, the latest in a series of mass demonstrations since Trump took office. More than 80 were scheduled in Florida, and at least four took place in Palm Beach County.
Organizers estimate 7 million people attended, potentially making it the largest single-day civil action in decades.
The demonstrations, which celebrated First Amendment rights, were largely peaceful with no major incidents reported.
Federal government shutdown hitting Brevard County tourism industry
The federal government shutdown has already made itself felt across Brevard County's tourism sector, and the situation could get worse as the shutdown drags on into its third week, making it the third-longest in history, a potential blow to a Space Coast economy that relies on government-related travel.
The federal government shut down Oct. 1. But tourism officials say the bookings began drying up even earlier in anticipation of the shutdown. The American Hotel and Lodging Association estimates that the federal government spends close to $2.5 billion annually on hotel rooms.
Florida bill would let some workers waive minimum wage
A state lawmaker is trying again to allow some Florida workers to opt out of the minimum wage.
Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, filed his bill (HB 221) on Oct. 17.
The legislation would let some workers in internship or apprenticeship programs sign waivers allowing employers to pay them less than the $14 per hour required under Florida law.
The bill is similar to a measure he sponsored during the prior regular legislative session earlier this year (HB 541), which advanced in both chambers but never received a floor vote.
Critics concerned about law allowing charters to move into public schools
Since the state approved new rules allowing charter schools to share space in public schools, several districts have spoken out.
Critics say the law could allow charters to take over space in public schools.
That could disrupt classes and shift costs to traditional public schools, they say.
A charter school operator recently notified hundreds of schools, including three in Sarasota, that it wants to move in.
Terry Conner is superintendent of Sarasota County Schools. Speaking Friday on the Florida Roundup, he says this is a "major concern" for high-performing districts like his, which already have a lot of options.
Are Florida schools open for Veterans Day? The answer may surprise you. See list by county
The end of 2025 is coming fast, bringing with it a slew of holidays.
Looking beyond Halloween, Veterans Day will be observed on Nov. 11. It won't be a three-day holiday since it's always held on Nov. 11, no matter what day of the week it is.
This year, the day will be on Tuesday.
While Veterans Day is both a federal and Florida holiday, school districts in the state can decide what days to close schools.
Most, but not all schools in Florida's 67 counties, will be closed for Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Here's a county-by-county list showing which schools are closed and which are open for Veterans Day, as well as an early look ahead for when schools will be closed for Thanksgiving.
Hurricane center in Florida tracks Invest 98L. See spaghetti models. Next storm is Melissa
Invest 98L. A system is brewing in the tropics that may or may not become the next named storm this hurricane season.
On Sunday, Oct. 19, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, was tracking a tropical wave, referred to as "AL98" on the organization's site and also known as "Invest 98L," near the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea. The tropical wave continues to produce a large area of showers and thunderstorms.
Though no storms have made landfall this hurricane season, it's been an active one.
More than four months after the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, there have been several hurricanes and tropical storms churning in the tropics, but none have hit land.
The 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, tropical weather advisory from the National Hurricane Center shows the tropical wave, currently in the Caribbean Sea, has a low chance of formation within 48 hours and a medium chance of formation within the next seven days.