Florida

Study identifies potentially invasive species for Florida

Published

2 years ago

January 2, 2024

Press Room

Study identifies potentially invasive species for Florida

Study reveals next invasive species threat in FL

A Florida study revealed the next invasive species threats in the sunshine state.

TAMPA, Fla. – University of Florida scientists led a study aimed at identifying potentially invasive species for the state.

The team of experts, which included researchers, agencies, and nonprofit organizations, studied 460 species. Creatures were given a score based on their likelihood of establishment and spread in the state. The experts also factored in the species’ potential to negatively affect the ecosystem and economy.

READ: Tampa, Hillsborough County law enforcement agencies release New Year’s Eve DUI numbers

“If we could stop them before they got established, we could save a lot of money and protect the habitats,” lead scientist Dr. Deah Lieurance, who is now an assistant professor of invasive species, biology, and management at Penn State University, said. “We have pretty unique ecosystems in Florida we’d like to try to keep as pristine as possible.”

The following are species the study targeted as being potentially invasive in Florida:

ALEWIFE FISH

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the alewife is a small herring that can restructure a lake’s food web, leaving less food for native species.

“It can have some big-picture effects on the ecosystem,” Lieurance said.

ZEBRA MUSSELS

Zebra mussels are one of the most troublesome invasive species in North America, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC); The agency describes them as “common hitchhikers on boats, fishing equipment and aquarium plants.”

READ: Wildlife officials warn of ‘moss ball’ dangers to ecosystem

In addition, zebra mussels can be found in moss balls, which are a rare form of algae that some people use to filter water in aquariums.

The FWC issued a warning about moss balls and their danger to the ecosystem in 2021.

RED SWAMP CRAYFISH

According to USGS, “the red swamp crayfish is readily available through the biological supply trade and may be released following classroom or laboratory use.”

“We had quite a few crayfish that made the top 40 list,” Lieurance said.

CRAB-EATING MACAQUE MONKEYS

“This was my surprise species,” Lieurance said. “They do eat crabs, as their name implies, but they’re also a very close relative to the macaques that we already have here in Florida.”

It’s one reason why these monkeys got the highest possible ranking for the likelihood of invasion and threat to human health.

READ: Population of Florida monkeys — that carry herpes — is growing, study says

Crab-eating macaque monkeys are related to the rhesus macaque monkeys. Some rhesus macaque monkeys found in Silver Springs State Park in Marion County were found to carry the herpes virus.

“I think the biggest value in this study is to bring awareness to invasive species and the potential to have even more,” Lieurance said.

She suggests conducting a study like this one every five years.

“Big picture globally, we’re losing about $419 billion per year to invasive species,” Lieurance, who is currently working on projects in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, said. “Repeating this process on a regular basis can keep us ahead of the game when it comes to managing invasive species.”

Source link

Related Topics:Featured Fl Hillsborough news Tampa us

Click to comment

Florida

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Published

4 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays

Medical marijuana is legal for Florida residents with a state-issued card and a qualifying condition.
Possession of marijuana without a medical card can lead to penalties ranging from fines to felony charges.

Can Floridians or those traveling to Florida for the holidays light one up while taking part in festive activities? Doing so will result in your name being added to the state’s naughty list.

While it’s legal in about half the country, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida.

An amendment last year to make recreational marijuana legal in the Sunshine State came close and got a majority of the vote, but it failed to hit Florida’s required 60% threshold. The group behind it is trying again in 2026.

Here’s what you need to know about marijuana laws in Florida before the holiday.

Is marijuana legal in Florida?

Yes, but only for some people.

Medical marijuana is legal in Florida for residents diagnosed with a specific set of conditions who have applied for and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card or caregivers who have received a Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. During the 2024 General Election, an amendment that called for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass.

Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?

Medical marijuana is legal here, but only for Florida residents with the following conditions who apply for and receive a Medical Marijuana Card:

Cancer
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
Crohn’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Comparable medical conditions or status to the above
A terminal condition
Chronic nonmalignant pain

Note that under a new Florida law as of July 1, medical marijuana registration will be revoked if a patient or caregiver is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to drug trafficking, sale or manufacture.

Can I bring weed if I have a medical marijuana card from another state?

No. The state of Florida does not offer reciprocity. A bill in this year’s legislative session that would have changed that died in committee.

Can I get busted for possessing weed in Florida?

Without a Medical Marijuana Card (or Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card, for people assisting medical marijuana patients who are minors or who need help), if you are caught with pot, you will be penalized. Marijuana advocacy group NORML lists the following penalties under Florida Statutes:

Possessing 20 grams or less: First-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possession of paraphernalia: Misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
Possessing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park or other specified areas: Felony, mandatory three-year sentence and maximum $10,000 fine.
Possessing from 20 grams: to 25 pounds: Felony, up to five years in jail and maximum $5,000 fine.
Possessing from 25 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from three to 15 years in jail and $25,000 fine.
Possessing from 2,000 to 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from seven to 30 years and $50,000 fine.
Possessing more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from 15 to 30 years and $200,000 fine.

However, many communities and municipalities have decriminalized possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana, meaning if you’re busted, you’ll get a fine (which will go up each time). You may be required to attend a drug education program or do community service.

Areas that have decriminalized pot include Alachua County, Broward County, Cocoa Beach, Hallandale Beach, Key West, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Orlando, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Port Richey, Sarasota, Tampa and Volusia County.

Is it legal to sell weed in Florida?

Only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries may sell marijuana in the state of Florida. Even with a medical marijuana card, you may not buy your pot anywhere but at a licensed dispensary.

People charged with selling marijuana can face the following:

25 grams or less, without renumeration: Misdemeanor, maximum 1 year in jail, $1,000 fine.
20 grams to 25 pounds: Felony, maximum 5 years in jail, $5,000 fine.
25 to less than 2,000 pounds or 300-2,000 plants: Felony, three to 15 years, maximum $25,000 fine.
2,000 to less than 10,000 pounds or 2,000-10,000 plants: Felony, seven to 30 years, maximum $50,000 fine.
10,000 pounds or more: Felony, 15 to 30 years, maximum $200,000 fine.
If within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park, or other specified areas: An additional 3-15 years, $10,000 fine.

Are low-THC products like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 or THC-O legal in Florida?

Assorted different types of so-called “diet weed” cannabinoids, such as delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 and THC-O, which are derived from hemp and not marijuana and contain lower levels of THC, are legal here under the 2018 federal Farm Bill that allows farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Last year, the Florida Legislature passed SB 1698, a bill that effectively banned delta-8 and delta-10 products and set a 5-milligram-per-serving limit for delta-9 THC, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it, reportedly to protect small businesses.

However, they remain federally illegal.

Can you get a DUI in Florida on marijuana?

Yes. Drivers under the influence of drugs, including marijuana, face the same penalties as drunk drivers in Florida.

That ranges from up to six months of jail time, a fine between $500 and $1,000, a license suspension, 50 hours of community service and a 10-day vehicle impoundment (for the first offense) to up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines, lifetime license revocation and more for the fourth offense.

Penalties go up fast if there is a minor in the vehicle or you cause property damage, injury or death.

Source link

Florida

Rabbi Eli Schlangar among 15 dead in Sydney attack; South Florida increases security at Jewish sites

Published

16 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Rabbi Eli Schlangar among 15 dead in Sydney attack; South Florida increases security at Jewish sites

AVENTURA, Fla. — A devastating terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has left 15 dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlangar, a beloved figure in the Jewish community.

The attack unfolded during the annual Chanukah by the Sea event, a celebration where Rabbi Schlangar had served as one of the organizers and the emcee.

South Florida Rabbi Tzvi Dechter, who had known Schlangar for decades, spoke tearfully about the profound loss.

The two first met when they were teenagers, and their friendship grew over the years. Dechter recalled the personal qualities of his dear friend, not just his leadership in the Jewish community, but the kind and caring person he was.

“I loved him very much, obviously. A lot of people can describe his community leadership, but you forget about the person himself,” Dechter shared. “He was a husband, a father, and he was a friend to so many. He genuinely cared.”

Schlangar was deeply rooted in the Sydney Jewish community, particularly among the 5,000-member Russian-speaking Jewish population.

His impact reached far beyond his role as a religious leader, and he leaves behind several children, including a two-month-old baby.

Dechter revealed that the two had become “cousins” after marrying cousins, a bond that strengthened their connection.

The tragedy took an even more personal turn for Dechter, as he confirmed that Eli’s wife was among the dozens of people injured in the attack. The death toll is expected to rise, with as many as 40 people still hospitalized in critical condition.

The impact of the attack has rippled across the globe, with authorities increasing security measures in Jewish communities, particularly in South Florida.

Local officials have heightened patrols around synagogues and Jewish schools, with a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy assigned for security.

Authorities in Sydney continue to investigate the details of the attack, while local communities, both in Australia and abroad, mourn the loss of Schlangar and all the victims.

Source link

Florida

Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A Florida high school state football championship finished with a phenomenal ending for one team and absolute heartbreak for the other on Saturday night.

Lake Mary High School was down six points with seven seconds left in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A title game against Vero Beach. Noah Grubbs dropped back to pass and rolled to his right. He gained momentum and fired the ball, which was tipped and caught short of the goal line.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

A Lake Mary quarterback looks to throw in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

As Vero Beach defenders tried to keep receiver Barrett Schultz out of the end zone, Schultz’s teammate Tavarius Brundidge Jr. came around and took the ball out of Schultz’s hands. Brundidge ran the ball into the end zone to complete the wild and chaotic play.

The touchdown tied the game, and Lake Mary would kick the extra point to win, 28-27.

INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY

A Lake Mary player in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, makes a catch at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“I was just hoping and praying like everyone else that he was going to come down with the football and Barrett did,” Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry said, via TC Palm. “… We were just going to keep fighting and fighting until the final whistle.”

Vero Beach tried to run out the clock the best they could. The team decided to take a safety with 12 seconds left, and gave the ball back to Lake Mary.

A Vero Beach player is stunned after the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It was the first state championship for Lake Mary in its history.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Source link