Tallahassee Reports

New Requirement for Schools: Artificial Intelligence Safety Policy

2026-06-08T19:45:51Z

By The News Service of Florida

The Florida Department of Education is directing school districts to add artificial intelligence use to their internet safety policies.

All districts already have an “Internet Safety” policy in place, and now the DOE is requiring districts to amend the policy to include AI.

The rule development workshop will be held June 22.

The Legislature failed to pass a measure imposing restrictions and requirements on AI companies this year, even though it was one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ priorities.

The measure included a parents’ rights provision to control children’s interactions with AI chatbots; prohibited Florida government agencies from contracting with AI firms tied to a “foreign country of concern”; and set rules about the unauthorized use of people’s names, images or likenesses. But it didn’t address how AI could or couldn’t be used in schools, colleges or universities.

Florida Gas Prices Continue Slide

2026-06-08T19:41:42Z

By The News Service of Florida

As the U.S. continues to lower is petroleum stockpile, gas prices continued to fall in Florida.

The auto club AAA put the average gallon of gas in Florida at $3.78 on Monday, 26 cents less than a week earlier and 73 cents lower than on May 21, before U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “significant progress” had been made on a potential ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The national average of $4.16 a gallon on Monday has declined 16 cents over the week and 40 cents since May 21.

To contain the surge in pump prices since the start of the war with Iran on Feb. 28, the U.S. has continued to draw down its strategic reserves stored across Texas and Louisiana.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told CBN News the reserves are close to the lowest levels since the early 1980s.

“There’s just no telling what the next crisis could be beyond this, but the U.S. is going to have a significantly curtailed ability to insulate itself from any future supply shocks with a strategic reserve that is approaching the lowest level since it was filled up,” De Haan told CBN News on Thursday.

Diesel in Florida declined 23 cents the past week to $4.90 a gallon. The national average went down 13 cents to $5.32 a gallon in the same time.

For electric vehicles, the cost per kilowatt-hour at Florida charging stations stood unchanged over the week at 41 cents.

The TR Daily Briefs: Monday, June 8, 2026

2026-06-08T13:08:41Z

Tallahassee Reports

Monday, June 8, 2026

Weather: Today, a 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm with a high near 93. Tonight, a 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm with a low around 75. Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a high near 90. Tuesday night, partly cloudy, with a low around 72. NWS

US stock markets drop sharply Friday (S&P 500 -2.6%, Dow -1.4%, Nasdaq -4.2%) as investors get anxious over AI chip companies; tech-heavy Nasdaq sees worst day since last April (More).

Local & State News

Leon County commissioners will receive a detailed report on June 9 outlining the circumstances surrounding five inmate deaths that occurred at the Leon County Detention Facility during 2025, with county staff concluding that all investigations have been completed and found no evidence of foul play. Details.

ICYM: LCS students decline as tax increase is approved. Details.

Orange County Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Demings announced Friday he is suspending his 2026 campaign after being diagnosed with a treatable form of prostate cancer. Details

National News

Los Angeles councilwoman Nithya Raman (D) overtakes Spencer Pratt (R) as vote counting continues; Mayor Karen Bass (D) refers to Raman as her “general election opponent” (More).

Pharma giant Eli Lilly says its “triple agonist” drug—a GLP-1 drug with added appetite-suppression mechanisms—showed weight reductions of 25%-30%, with reductions in sleep apnea, knee osteoarthritis, and more (More).

Leon County Review Finds No Foul Play in Five Inmate Deaths at Detention Facility

2026-06-08T13:04:46Z

Leon County commissioners will receive a detailed report on June 9 outlining the circumstances surrounding five inmate deaths that occurred at the Leon County Detention Facility during 2025, with county staff concluding that all investigations have been completed and found no evidence of foul play.

The report was prepared at the request of the County Commission following public interest in inmate deaths and the procedures used to investigate them. According to the review, the five deaths represented less than 0.07% of the approximately 7,255 individuals who were incarcerated at least once in the detention facility during 2025.

County staff noted that inmate mortality rates at the Leon County facility remain below national averages. The U.S. Department of Justice reports a mortality rate of approximately 0.17% in local jails nationwide, compared with Leon County’s rate of less than half that figure.

The report explains that every in-custody death triggers both criminal and administrative investigations by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, along with an independent review by the Medical Examiner. Investigators examine evidence, interview witnesses, review medical records and determine whether any criminal conduct or policy violations occurred. The Sheriff’s Office is also required to report all inmate deaths to state and federal authorities under the federal Death in Custody Reporting Act.

The five inmate deaths reviewed included two overdose deaths, two deaths from natural medical causes and one death involving self-inflicted head trauma.

According to the report, a 46-year-old male inmate died in October after suffering an overdose. Another inmate, a 36-year-old man, died in January from an overdose after being found unresponsive in his cell.

Two deaths were attributed to natural causes. A 72-year-old inmate receiving hospice care through the Sheriff’s Office Inmate Comfort Care Program died from stage 4 throat cancer in September. A 36-year-old inmate died in June from a pulmonary embolism while housed in the medical unit.

The fifth death involved a 26-year-old female inmate who was being treated in the medical unit after engaging in self-injurious behavior. The Medical Examiner ruled her death accidental, citing severe cerebral edema caused by self-inflicted head trauma.

The report also highlights ongoing efforts to improve inmate safety, including increased staffing, enhanced behavioral health services, suicide-prevention measures, and facility upgrades such as suicide-resistant furnishings. The detention facility maintains accreditation through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and conducts medical screenings for inmates shortly after intake.

Jerry Demings Suspends Democratic Gubernatorial Bid Following Cancer Diagnosis

2026-06-08T11:57:28Z

By Mitch Perry, The Florida Phoenix

Orange County Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Demings announced Friday he is suspending his 2026 campaign after being diagnosed with a treatable form of prostate cancer.

In a prepared release, Demings said that “continuing to run for governor would have likely led to injurious effects on my prognosis. I am a fighter through and through, and now is the time to fight cancer and be there for my loved ones.”

He will finish out his mayoral term, which expires in November.

The mayor broke the news while speaking to reporters after completing his final “State of the County” address at the Orange County Convention Center. He said he intends to serve the remainder of his term in office.

“Running for governor has been one of the biggest honors of my life. Up until my diagnosis, our campaign was continuing to add staff and grow our reach throughout the state. Our polling showed a strong chance of victory, and I had been looking forward to articulating my vision for our state on the (campaign)trail through the primary and into November,” the statement reads.

Demings, 66, had a lengthy career in law enforcement before being elected Orange County Mayor in 2018. He had joined the Orlando Police Department in 1981. In 1998, he became Orlando police chief and was elected Orange County sheriff in 2008, serving until 2018. In all three positions, he became the first Black person to win the.

He entered the race for governor in November and has been competing for the Democratic nomination with former Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly, who became a Democrat only a year ago.

Polls have shown the race to be competitive, with a majority of Democratic voters in some of those surveys saying they were undecided.

Jolly quickly issued a release wishing Demings well.

“Jerry has dedicated his life to public service, fighting with passion, mettle, and faith,” Jolly said in a statement. “I know he’ll bring that same spirit to this new chapter. Laura and I wish him a full recovery as we personally pray for Jerry and his family.”

Republican gubernatorial candidates such as Byron Donalds and James Fishback also released statements wishing Demings well.

Demings’ candidacy for governor came four years after his wife, former U.S. Rep. Val Demings, was the Florida Democratic Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate. She failed to oust Marco Rubio. The couple are the parents of three sons and have five grandchildren.

The TR Daily Briefs: Friday, June 5, 2026

2026-06-05T12:45:46Z

Tallahassee Reports

Friday, June 5, 2026

Weather: Today, mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Tonight, mostly clear, with a low around 67. Saturday, sunny, with a high near 91. Saturday night, partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Sunday, mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Sunday night, mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. NWS

US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 +0.4%, Dow +1.7%, Nasdaq -0.1%) (More).

Local & State News

TPD crime incident numbers for May 2026 are in. The numbers show that year-to-date (YTD) property crime and violent crime incidents are up 15.9% when compared to YTD numbers in May 2025. Details.

The Leon County Commission recently voted to postpone a decision on a proposed overhaul of the county’s cultural grant administration system, directing staff to bring the issue back for discussion during the June 16 budget workshop. Details.

First-time jobless claims declined in Florida for a third consecutive week, following a spike last month when nearly 5,000 Spirit Airlines workers were laid off in the state when the carrier shut down operations. Details.

National News

The Senate began voting yesterday on a $70B Republican-backed bill that funds both Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection through 2029. Passage is expected as soon as today, before the bill heads to the House.

Former national security adviser John Bolton will plead guilty later this month to one count of retaining classified national security information, pay $2.3M fine; Bolton criticized President Donald Trump in his 2020 memoir (More).

May Crime Numbers Show 2026 Increases

2026-06-05T12:34:49Z

TPD crime incident numbers for May 2026 are in. The numbers show that year-to-date (YTD) property crime and violent crime incidents are up 15.9% when compared to YTD numbers in May 2025. The broader 12-month trends show that violent crime incidents are trending up while property crimes remain steady after a major decline in 2025.

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 11.5% and YTD violent crime incidents are up 23.8% through May when compared to one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the increase in property crime was driven by increases in residential (13.6%) and commercial burglaries (76.9%) when compared to 2025. The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – is down 1.4%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 21.5% while assault & battery incidents were up 24.4%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from January 2023 through May 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. For a brief period, the change in property crime has remained flat. However, over the last five months these crimes have started to increase.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

Florida Jobless Claims Continue Downward Trend

2026-06-05T12:30:21Z

First-time jobless claims declined in Florida for a third consecutive week, following a spike last month when nearly 5,000 Spirit Airlines workers were laid off in the state when the carrier shut down operations.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday estimated 5,167 initial unemployment applications were filed in Florida last week, down from a revised count of 5,970 the week ending May 23. The numbers fell from 8,164 the week ending May 9, when the layoffs by the Dania Beach-based passenger air carrier were announced, to 6,224 the week ending May 16.

Spirit’s downfall affected 4,853 employees in Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange counties.

The numbers for the past three weeks are more in line with the average weekly claims for the state since the beginning of the year, which is now 5,875 a week. Yet despite the mostly steady pace of claims, Florida has seen its unemployment rate grow in eight consecutive monthly jobs reports.

The state jobless rate stands at 4.8 percent, reflecting mid-April conditions, with 532,000 unemployed Floridians from a labor force of 11.15 million.

Nationally, 225,000 claims were filed last week, up from 212,000 the week ending May 23.

Leon County High School Baseball Leading Hitters

2026-06-04T14:35:31Z

Listed below are the top 10 hitters in Leon County based on batting average. To qualify for the rankings, players were required to have at least 3.1 plate appearances per team games played. All stats were provided by MaxPreps.

Nicky Fiore – Maclay

Nicky Fiore finished the 2026 season as a highly productive hitter, posting 26 hits in 55 at-bats for a .473 batting average across the full schedule.

He got off to a slow start, going hitless in three of his first four games, but quickly broke out with a 2-for-2 performance against Godby that included a double and 3 RBIs. From there, Fiore settled into a consistent offensive rhythm, stacking multiple multi-hit games through February and March while driving in runs throughout the lineup.

His strongest stretch came in mid-to-late March, when he regularly produced extra-base hits and key run support in wins over teams like Rickards, JCHS, FSUHS, and Rockledge. He also contributed in several high-scoring games, helping power blowout wins where the offense exploded.

While he had occasional quiet outings, Fiore consistently responded quickly after hitless games and avoided extended slumps.

Tucker Poppell – Maclay

Tucker Poppell finished the 2026 season as one of the most productive and consistent hitters in the lineup, posting a .446 batting average (37 hits in 83 at-bats) across 99 plate appearances.

He started the season with steady, modest production before breaking out in mid-March with a dominant stretch of multi-hit games. His biggest offensive surge came in games like TCHS (3/11), Munroe (3/21), and JCHS (3/24), where he combined for a large share of his season production and drove in key runs during lopsided wins.

Poppell showed strong extra-base ability throughout the year, finishing with 7 doubles and 1 triple, while also consistently driving in runs with 27 RBIs total. He had several standout performances in blowout wins, including a 6-RBI game against TCHS and a 4-RBI effort against Munroe.

While he had a few quieter stretches, Poppell regularly responded after hitless games and maintained a strong overall rhythm at the plate.

Saunder Dinkelman – Chiles

He showed immediate impact early in the season, collecting hits in several of the team’s first games, including a key performance against Buchholz (1-for-3 with a double). After a couple of early quiet games, he settled in and became a steady run producer, highlighted by a breakout 4-RBI, 3-hit performance against Choctawhatchee that included a home run and a triple.

Dinkelman’s production stayed strong throughout March, where he regularly delivered multi-hit games and extra-base power, including home runs against Choctawhatchee, Suwannee, Lakeside School, Wakulla, and Ponte Vedra. He also had multiple three-hit games and several multi-RBI performances in wins over top regional opponents.

One of his most dominant stretches came in mid-March through early April, where he consistently drove in runs and provided power in big wins like 15–0 against Lakeside School and 17–2 against North Florida Christian.

While he had a few hitless games scattered throughout the season, he repeatedly bounced back quickly and remained a reliable offensive threat.

Rank	School	Player	Hitting %
1	Maclay	Nicky Fiore	.489
2	Maclay	Tucker Poppell	.446
3	Chiles	Saunder Dinkelman	.412
4	JPII	Jason Cantella	.402
5	Leon	Evans Franco	.390
6	Chiles	Preston Ritchie	.388
7	Maclay	Landon Barineau	.386
8	JPII	Wyatt Cantella	.379
9	Maclay	Beau Beshears	.372
10	JPII	Wyatt Visnovske	.364

The TR Daily Briefs: Wednesday, June 3, 2026

2026-06-03T12:55:17Z

Tallahassee Reports

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Weather: Today, mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Tonight, partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Thursday, mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Thursday night, partly cloudy, with a low around 64. NWS

US stock markets close up (S&P 500 +0.1%, Dow +0.5%, Nasdaq +0.0%) (More).

Local & State News

The latest information from the Tallahassee International Airport shows the April 2026 passenger traffic decreased 8.5% when compared to traffic one year ago. Details.

A federal grant program intended to protect children and families from the dangers of lead-based paint has become the focus of growing controversy in Tallahassee. Details.

State general revenue collections for April exceeded expectations by $158.9 million, even with sales tax coming in under the forecast, according to a report released Monday by the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research. Details

Lawmakers on Tuesday approved a sweeping tax cut for homestead property owners pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, sending it to the November ballot. Details

National News

Steve Hilton (R, 26%) and Xavier Becerra (D, 25%) lead in tight primary race for California governor as of this writing; see results (More)

Incumbent Karen Bass (D, 36%) leads Los Angeles mayoral race, with Spencer Pratt (R, 29%) in second place as of this writing; see results (More)