//Here are the basics you should know about voting in next month's primary.Focus among political pundits and others may be on November’s upcoming presidential election, but Florida’s August primary ballots will feature significant state and local races that could shape the direction of education, criminal justice and more in our communities.Here’s what you need to know about voting in the Aug. 18 primary:If you’re not already registered to vote, you can do so online at . The deadline to register in order to be able to vote in the primary is July 20.You can also register to vote by mail or...…//Here are the basics you should know about voting in next month's primary.Focus among political pundits and others may be on November’s upcoming presidential election, but Florida’s August primary ballots will feature significant state and local races that could shape the direction of education, criminal justice and more in our communities.Here’s what you need to know about voting in the Aug. 18 primary:If you’re not already registered to vote, you can do so online at . The deadline to register in order to be able to vote in the primary is July 20.You can also register to vote by mail or...WW…

//“None of these cases I reviewed were properly or thoroughly investigated,” said a retired criminal investigator, who reviewed 11 of the cleared cases for the Times.It took three months for Alicia to feel ready to tell sheriff’s deputies that she had been raped by an acquaintance.It took eight days for Pinellas investigators to close her case.They didn’t interview the suspect. They didn’t arrest him.Instead, they put Alicia’s case in an obscure statistical category that made it appear to have been solved.The designation, called “exceptionally cleared,” is supposed to be used sparingly in...…//“None of these cases I reviewed were properly or thoroughly investigated,” said a retired criminal investigator, who reviewed 11 of the cleared cases for the Times.It took three months for Alicia to feel ready to tell sheriff’s deputies that she had been raped by an acquaintance.It took eight days for Pinellas investigators to close her case.They didn’t interview the suspect. They didn’t arrest him.Instead, they put Alicia’s case in an obscure statistical category that made it appear to have been solved.The designation, called “exceptionally cleared,” is supposed to be used sparingly in...WW…

/The report from the national Healthy Elections project said the uncounted ballots came in late or had "defects" that prevented them being counted.More than 18,000 Floridians who voted by mail in March’s presidential primary did not have their votes counted, according to an analysis done by a group of national elections experts and academics.The numbers of uncounted mail ballots, while relatively small, could prove crucial come November in a state known for razor-thin margins and at a time when voters are migrating in greater numbers to mail ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic.Elections...…/The report from the national Healthy Elections project said the uncounted ballots came in late or had "defects" that prevented them being counted.More than 18,000 Floridians who voted by mail in March’s presidential primary did not have their votes counted, according to an analysis done by a group of national elections experts and academics.The numbers of uncounted mail ballots, while relatively small, could prove crucial come November in a state known for razor-thin margins and at a time when voters are migrating in greater numbers to mail ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic.Elections...WW…

/Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.Voting by mail is no new phenomenon in Florida. But it’s getting renewed attention amid the coronavirus pandemic.In recent months, local elections supervisors across the state have been promoting this option as a safe alternative to in-person voting, with some counties even sending mail ballot request forms to all registered voters who haven’t already requested mail ballots. That includes Pinellas County, which sent forms earlier this year to about 390,000 active...…/Some elections officials say some of the political rhetoric has caused confusion about Florida’s longstanding mail voting system.Voting by mail is no new phenomenon in Florida. But it’s getting renewed attention amid the coronavirus pandemic.In recent months, local elections supervisors across the state have been promoting this option as a safe alternative to in-person voting, with some counties even sending mail ballot request forms to all registered voters who haven’t already requested mail ballots. That includes Pinellas County, which sent forms earlier this year to about 390,000 active...WW…

/The Sunshine State’s death toll grows to 1,536 as it begins to reopen.One day after reopening, Florida posted a record number of new deaths Tuesday from the novel coronavirus — 113, including 11 in the Tampa Bay region.Part of the surge appears to be from the state adding the deaths of 41 people who aren’t considered Florida residents, a Tampa Bay Times analysis shows. Some of the deaths appear to have occurred several weeks ago but didn’t show up in the state’s count until Tuesday.The new cases bring the state’s death count to 1,536.Tuesday was the first time since the epidemic took hold...…/The Sunshine State’s death toll grows to 1,536 as it begins to reopen.One day after reopening, Florida posted a record number of new deaths Tuesday from the novel coronavirus — 113, including 11 in the Tampa Bay region.Part of the surge appears to be from the state adding the deaths of 41 people who aren’t considered Florida residents, a Tampa Bay Times analysis shows. Some of the deaths appear to have occurred several weeks ago but didn’t show up in the state’s count until Tuesday.The new cases bring the state’s death count to 1,536.Tuesday was the first time since the epidemic took hold...WW…

/“Our policies apply to everyone,” a YouTube spokeswoman said in an email. It removed the video because it said the content violated its standards about “COVID-19 medical misinformation.” DeSantis’ office blasted the decision.TALLAHASSEE — YouTube has removed a recording of a roundtable discussion on public health that was held by Gov. Ron DeSantis last month after the video-sharing platform said it included information on mask-wearing that “contradicts the consensus of local and global health authorities.”The March 18 roundtable discussion featured a panel of physicians who appeared to be...…/“Our policies apply to everyone,” a YouTube spokeswoman said in an email. It removed the video because it said the content violated its standards about “COVID-19 medical misinformation.” DeSantis’ office blasted the decision.TALLAHASSEE — YouTube has removed a recording of a roundtable discussion on public health that was held by Gov. Ron DeSantis last month after the video-sharing platform said it included information on mask-wearing that “contradicts the consensus of local and global health authorities.”The March 18 roundtable discussion featured a panel of physicians who appeared to be...WW…

/President Joe Biden’s administration is considering domestic travel restrictions as it eyes variant strains of the coronavirus that could be more contagious. Not so fast, Gov. Ron DeSantis says.Gov. Ron DeSantis railed against possible travel restrictions imposed by the federal government amid concerns about coronavirus mutations, saying during a Thursday news conference that such a move would be “unconstitutional” and “unwise.”President Joe Biden’s administration is considering domestic travel restrictions as it eyes variant strains of the coronavirus that could be more contagious or more...…/President Joe Biden’s administration is considering domestic travel restrictions as it eyes variant strains of the coronavirus that could be more contagious. Not so fast, Gov. Ron DeSantis says.Gov. Ron DeSantis railed against possible travel restrictions imposed by the federal government amid concerns about coronavirus mutations, saying during a Thursday news conference that such a move would be “unconstitutional” and “unwise.”President Joe Biden’s administration is considering domestic travel restrictions as it eyes variant strains of the coronavirus that could be more contagious or more...WW…

//Florida Department of Health said the state does not know who sent the message urging people to “speak up before another 17,000 people are dead.”The Florida Department of Health says someone hacked into a system used to send emergency communications earlier this month and sent an unauthorized message to members of the State Emergency Response Team responsible for coordinating public health and medical response.The Nov. 10 message, obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, urged recipients to “speak up before another 17,000 people are dead. You know this is wrong. You don’t have to be a part of...…//Florida Department of Health said the state does not know who sent the message urging people to “speak up before another 17,000 people are dead.”The Florida Department of Health says someone hacked into a system used to send emergency communications earlier this month and sent an unauthorized message to members of the State Emergency Response Team responsible for coordinating public health and medical response.The Nov. 10 message, obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, urged recipients to “speak up before another 17,000 people are dead. You know this is wrong. You don’t have to be a part of...WW…

/The president’s last gasps include conspiracies about Dominion voting machines, used without a problem in Florida, a state he won. President Donald Trump, his progressively desperate legal challenges floundering from a lack of proof, welcomed two high-ranking Michigan Republicans to the White House on Friday as he zeroed in on a new strategy to subvert the election.The latest maneuver would have Republican legislatures in critical states overrule the will of their voters and certify a different slate of electors than the ones chosen by the popular vote.If the move sounds familiar to...…/The president’s last gasps include conspiracies about Dominion voting machines, used without a problem in Florida, a state he won. President Donald Trump, his progressively desperate legal challenges floundering from a lack of proof, welcomed two high-ranking Michigan Republicans to the White House on Friday as he zeroed in on a new strategy to subvert the election.The latest maneuver would have Republican legislatures in critical states overrule the will of their voters and certify a different slate of electors than the ones chosen by the popular vote.If the move sounds familiar to...WW…

//The modern record for Florida turnout is the 1992 presidential election, when 83 percent of the electorate voted. To match that, 5.9 million more Floridians would still have to vote. Read this story in .About 42 percent of Florida’s registered voters have already cast ballots in the 2020 general election following the first weekend of early in-person voting.With eight days to go until Nov. 3, more ballots have already been cast — 6,018,430 — than the total number of mail and early in-person ballots cast in the 2018 general election. The total so far includes Florida’s most high-profile...…//The modern record for Florida turnout is the 1992 presidential election, when 83 percent of the electorate voted. To match that, 5.9 million more Floridians would still have to vote. Read this story in .About 42 percent of Florida’s registered voters have already cast ballots in the 2020 general election following the first weekend of early in-person voting.With eight days to go until Nov. 3, more ballots have already been cast — 6,018,430 — than the total number of mail and early in-person ballots cast in the 2018 general election. The total so far includes Florida’s most high-profile...WW…