Florida

Florida Sen. Rick Scott says he'll vote against recreational pot after brother's death

Published

2 years ago

June 8, 2024

Florida Sen. Rick Scott says he'll vote against recreational pot after brother's death

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida says he’ll be voting in November against a ballot amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in his state, a deeply personal decision based on his brother’s long history of addiction.

The senator and former Florida governor said he watched his brother Roger Scott begin smoking marijuana as a teenager and then struggle with substance use for the rest of life.

“People end up with addictive personalities, and so he did,” Scott said in an interview. “It messes up your life, and so that’s why I’ve never supported legalization of drugs.”

When Roger Scott died in April at 67, the cause wasn’t substance abuse, but rather “a life of drugs and alcohol” catching up with him, the senator said. He had lived in an apartment in Dallas, Texas, where he served jail time in 1990 on a misdemeanor conviction of possessing dangerous drugs, court records show.

Rick Scott became wealthy as a lawyer and health care industry executive before entering politics. Now running for reelection, he lamented that his brother had a “tough life” and says it all began with marijuana.

Scott’s no-vote on marijuana falls in line with other state and national Republicans who question whether marijuana leads to using other riskier substances.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse included in a 2019 webpage that most cannabis users don’t go on to use “harder substances,” but a statement from the agency also said using THC, marijuana’s psychoactive compound, may cause brain changes that could make a person more likely to develop an addiction to other drugs.

Amie Goodin, who researches marijuana safety at the University of Florida, said studies have found those who use riskier drugs often previously used marijuana, but that research hasn’t established whether marijuana “is actually the cause” for someone to seek more powerful substances.

Florida’s voter initiative would legalize recreational marijuana use if the amendment receives 60% or more yes votes this November. That would also obligate the Florida Legislature to establish regulations and a framework for production and sales. Florida is among 38 states that have legalized medical marijuana, and would join 24 others that have legalized recreational use.

Scott opposes this change alongside Florida’s Republican Party, which formally announced its opposition in early May. They contend the amendment would “benefit powerful marijuana special interests, while putting children at risk and endangering Florida’s family-friendly business and tourism climates.”

The amendment’s sponsor, Smart & Safe Florida, said on its website that approval would enable Floridians to have “accountability, transparency, and regulations” in place. Among other benefits, this could ensure legal cannabis won’t be laced with unknown and potentially dangerous chemicals, it said.

Voters approved medical marijuana when Scott was governor, but Scott and the Legislature placed tight restrictions on its use, including banning smokable marijuana. Cannabis advocates then sued and a court agreed to allow smokable medical marijuana just before Scott left office. His successor, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, chose not to appeal.

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Brendan Farrington contributed to this report from Tallahassee, Florida.

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Florida

Florida governor candidate Fishback talks housing, abortion, Israel

Published

5 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Florida governor candidate Fishback talks housing, abortion, Israel

Fishback is among 42 candidates running to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis.

VERO BEACH — Over 100 people, mostly young men, packed a conference room the evening of April 11 at the Ocean Breeze Inn on Ocean Drive to hear James Fishback speak.

The 31-year-old who has never held political office is one of 42 candidates running to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cannot seek reelection because of term limits.

As soon as he took the podium, the Republican gubernatorial hopeful took jabs at the leading Republican candidate, Byron Donalds, who has the support of President Donald Trump.

He rattled off nicknames for Donalds, who is Black, including “By’rone Donalds” and “AIPAC Shakur” — a play on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and rapper Tupac Shakur.

Many in the mostly White crowd responded in laughter.

“If you want a data center in Vero Beach, Byron Donalds is your guy. If you want to stand up for cattle ranchers and citrus growers, I’d like to think I’m your man,” he said.

Emerson College polling shows Fishback is trailing with 5% support among Florida Republicans. He is getting national attention from young conservatives and far-right groups, including his January appearance on conservative political activist and commentator Tucker Carlson’s podcast. Carlson endorsed him.

Candidate qualifying in Florida begins June 8. The primary election is Aug. 18.

Florida’s affordability crisis

Audience members most frequently asked Fishback about the state’s affordability crisis, given Florida’s rising cost of living and some of the lowest wages in the country.

Fishback said his primary strategy would be to ban private equity firms from buying single-family homes.

If elected governor, he said he would not prioritize growth over quality of life, harkening back to the 1980s, when Florida was less developed.

“I will never worship GDP (gross domestic product),” he said. “But as a Christian, I will worship G-O-D.”

Education, abortion and guns

As for teachers, Fishback proposed an increase in pay but wanted to limit classroom discussions of race and gender identity.

Fishback said abortion laws in Florida were too lax, and he pledged to provide paid maternity leave for every woman in Florida as a way to reduce the procedure.

On firearms, he said he would lower the minimum purchasing age from 21 to 18.

“The tragedy of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, and the killing of 17 souls by a sick, depraved man should have never been used as a pretext to disarm millions of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds.”

The crowd erupted in its loudest applause of the evening.

Fishback’s thoughts on Israel

When an audience member asked about his thoughts on Israel, some members of the audience chuckled.

He said he does not “hate Israel or any country in the world.”

“Right now, our cup is not full, and we should not be in the business of filling up the cup for anyone else,” he said.

Who is James Fishback?

Fishback was born in Davie, a town in western Broward County.

His mother immigrated from Colombia, and his father owned a landscaping business and later became a bus driver. Fishback attended Georgetown University to study international economics, but dropped out sophomore year.

Before entering politics, Fishback worked at the hedge fund Greenlight Capital from 2021 to 2023. He said he had been the “head of macro,” but the firm said the highest role he obtained was a research analyst.

After Greenlight disputed Fishback’s title and accused him of sharing confidential portfolio information, the hedge fund sought to fire Fishback for low productivity, but he abruptly resigned, court records show.

He founded an investment management firm called Azoria Partners in 2023, which ran into legal trouble last year when a judge ordered him to turn over company stock and a list of luxury purchases.

Fishback also claimed to be an advisor for the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but its officials denied he had any role, Katie Miller, a spokesperson for DOGE head Elon Musk told ABC News.

Most recently, a viral video shows Fishback telling a Black man he “should be lynched” during an argument at the University of North Florida.

Jack Lemnus is a TCPalm enterprise reporter. Contact him at jack.lemnus@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1345, or follow him on X @JackLemnus.

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Florida

Florida Lottery Powerball, Lotto, Fantasy 5 results for April 11, 2026

Published

17 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Florida Lottery Powerball, Lotto, Fantasy 5 results for April 11, 2026

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.

Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Winning Powerball numbers from April 11 drawing

06-47-49-53-60, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 11 drawing

01-04-22-36-48, Powerball: 17

Winning Florida Lotto numbers from April 11 drawing

03-06-09-20-29-35

Check Florida Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto Double Play numbers from April 11 drawing

07-29-36-39-42-50

Check Lotto Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from April 11 drawing

Midday: 22-25-27-31-34

Evening: 10-12-16-17-26

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 11 drawing

Morning: 02

Matinee: 04

Afternoon: 01

Evening: 08

Late Night: 14

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

Winning Pick 2 numbers from April 11 drawing

Midday: 1-4, FB: 9

Evening: 6-2, FB: 1

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 11 drawing

Midday: 9-3-6, FB: 9

Evening: 0-5-3, FB: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 11 drawing

Midday: 2-6-8-9, FB: 9

Evening: 3-0-2-7, FB: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 11 drawing

Midday: 2-5-4-2-9, FB: 9

Evening: 2-3-5-3-4, FB: 1

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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Florida

Florida Lottery Mega Millions, Jackpot Triple Play results for April 10, 2026

Published

2 days ago

April 11, 2026

Press Room

The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.

Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Friday, April 10, 2026.

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 10 drawing

03-18-36-42-49, Mega Ball: 06

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Jackpot Triple Play numbers from April 10 drawing

13-18-21-28-35-38

Check Jackpot Triple Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 11-16-27-31-35

Evening: 12-13-14-19-24

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 10 drawing

Morning: 12

Matinee: 04

Afternoon: 02

Evening: 03

Late Night: 05

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win

Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

Winning Pick 2 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 7-8, FB: 0

Evening: 1-6, FB: 7

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 8-0-6, FB: 0

Evening: 5-1-8, FB: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 6-7-1-2, FB: 0

Evening: 4-3-9-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 10 drawing

Midday: 7-5-1-2-1, FB: 0

Evening: 1-7-9-4-3, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.

You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.

Florida law requires public disclosure of winners

If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:

Full name
City of residence
Game won
Date won
Amount won
Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.

When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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