State | South Central Florida Life

FILE - Walt Nauta, center, valet to former president Donald Trump, his attorney Stanley Woodward, rear, and Carlos De Oliveira, foreground, the property manager of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, leave the Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse, Aug. 10, 2023, in Fort Pierce, Fla. Lawyers for Nauta and De Oliveira are set to ask U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon during a Friday, April 12, 2024, hearing to throw out charges of conspiring with Trump to obstruct an FBI investigation into the hoarding of classified documents at the former president's Palm Beach estate. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Trump's co-defendants in classified documents case are asking judge to dismiss charges against them

Lawyers for two co-defendants of former President Donald Trump in the Florida classified documents case are asking a judge to dismiss charges against them. Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago … more

By STEPHANY MATAT and ERIC TUCKER | 4/12/24

FILE - In this May 27, 2020, photo, missionaries with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from left to right, Andrew Zitting, Seth Rather, and Guenter Castrillo pray during a Zoom meeting with a local family while on a smartphone at their apartment, in Brigham City, Utah. In Utah and possibly Idaho, too — the return of Latter-day Saints missionaries from abroad who would be counted as international migrants even if they’re U.S. citizens. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file)

International migrants were attracted to large urban counties last year, Census Bureau data shows

Population estimates show international migrants were attracted to some of the largest, most urban counties in the U.S. last year. This migration often blunted population losses caused by locals … more

By MIKE SCHNEIDER | 4/12/24

Jenni Tilton-Flood poses for a photograph in a dairy barn at Flood Brothers Farm, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Clinton, Maine. Foreign-born workers make up fully half the farm's staff of nearly 50, feeding the cows, tending crops and helping collect the milk — 18,000 gallons every day. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A healthy US economy's secret ingredient: Immigrant workers, eager to fill jobs

Millions of jobs that new immigrants have been filling in the United States appear to solve a riddle that has confounded economists for at least a year: How has the U.S. economy managed to prosper, … more

By PAUL WISEMAN, GISELA SALOMON and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER | 4/12/24

A healthy US economy's secret ingredient: Immigrant workers, eager to fill jobs

Millions of jobs that new immigrants have been filling in the United States appear to solve a riddle that has confounded economists for at least a year: How has the U.S. economy managed to prosper, … more

By PAUL WISEMAN, GISELA SALOMON and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER | 4/12/24

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks Wednesday, April 10, 2024, after arriving in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Trump to host embattled Speaker Mike Johnson as House swirls in turmoil

House Speaker Mike Johnson is making a campaign pilgrimage to visit Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. It's a rite of passage as the embattled Republican leader positions himself, and his GOP majority, … more

By LISA MASCARO and JILL COLVIN | 4/12/24

FILE - Students from Thomas Leadership Academy play on the school's playground in Eatonville, Fla., Aug. 23, 2023. Children age 4 and under in Florida were undercounted by almost 10% during the last once-a-decade census in what was the largest undercount of young children of any U.S. state, according to estimates released Thursday, April 11, 2024 by the U.S. Census Bureau. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Almost 10% of Florida's youngest children were missed during the 2020 census

Children age 4 and under in Florida were undercounted by almost 10% during the 2020 census. The estimated error was the largest undercount of young children by any U.S. state. That's according to … more

By MIKE SCHNEIDER | 4/11/24

Scientists are grasping at straws while trying to protect infant corals from hungry fish

South Florida researchers are using biodegradable drinking straws to prevent laboratory-grown coral from becoming really expensive fish food. Scientists around the world have been working for years … more

By DAVID FISCHER | 4/11/24

Florida GOP leader apologizes for trashing hotel room and says he'll seek help for alcoholism

A leader of the Republican Party of Florida has apologized for being excessively drunk and urinating and vomiting all over his room at a hotel last week, saying he has been dealing with alcoholism … more

4/10/24

FILE - Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 14, 2024. Florida voters are going to decide on abortion rights this November. For the Senate race, this could mean a mixed impact dependent on turnout. Sen. Scott is planning a no-vote in November for the abortion rights amendment, which would protect abortion in the state's Constitution if approved by voters. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)

Republican Sen. Rick Scott softens his abortion position after Florida Supreme Court ruling

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida is joining other Republican incumbents scrambling to strike a balance in their abortion rights messaging. He says he opposes his state's ballot initiative that would … more

By STEPHANY MATAT | 4/10/24

FILE - Women representing more than 20 countries take part in a Naturalization Ceremony, March 8, 2024, in San Antonio. More than half of the foreign-born population in the United States lives in just four states — California, Texas, Florida and New York — and their numbers grew older and more educated over the past dozen years, according to a new report released Tuesday, April 9, 2024, by the U.S. Census Bureau. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

More than half of foreign-born people in US live in just 4 states and half are naturalized citizens

More than half of the foreign-born population in the United States lives in just four states — California, Texas, Florida and New York. That's according to a new report released Tuesday by the U.S. … more

By MIKE SCHNEIDER | 4/9/24

Florida Supreme Court rules on abortion case

On Monday, April 1, the Florida Supreme Court presented two rulings on abortion upholding a ban that protects the lives of... more

Special to Lake Okeechobee News | 4/9/24

Pre-med student stabbed mother on visit home from college, charged with murder, sheriff says

A sheriff says the University of Florida pre-med student charged in the weekend stabbing death of his mother had no history of mental illness or substance abuse. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd … more

4/8/24

Woman shoots interstate drivers, says God told her to because of the eclipse, Florida police say

The Florida Highway Patrol says a woman who said she was going on a God-directed shooting spree because of the solar eclipse shot two drivers. The department said the 22-year-old Georgia woman … more

4/8/24

FILE - The Cinderella Castle is seen at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, July 14, 2023, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney reached a settlement agreement Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in a lawsuit over who controls Walt Disney World’s governing district.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Disney allowed to pause its federal lawsuit against Florida governor as part of settlement deal

An appellate court has granted Disney’s request for a two-month pause in its federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees to Walt Disney World’s governing district. The … more

By MIKE SCHNEIDER | 4/8/24

Sheriff: Florida college student stabs mom to death because 'she got on my nerves'

A 21-year-old college student is charged with first-degree murder after Florida authorities say he drove to his mother’s home and stabbed her multiple times because she got on his nerves. Emmanuel … more

4/7/24

In call with Blinken, father of killed aid worker urges tougher U.S. stance on Israel in Gaza

A grieving father who lost his son, Jacob Flickinger, after Israeli airstrikes killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken with a clear message. … more

By STEPHANY MATAT | 4/7/24

Miami-area shootout leaves security guard and suspect dead, police officer and 6 others injured

A security guard was killed and a police officer shot before other officers killed a gunman in a shootout at a Miami-area shopping center. Doral police say the gunfire began early Saturday at … more

4/7/24

Florida Panhandle wildfire destroys 1 home and damages 15 others

A wildfire in the Florida Panhandle has destroyed one home and damaged at least 15 others. The Florida Forest Service says the fire near Pensacola was more than 60% contained as of Friday. It broke … more

4/6/24

Suspended Orlando commissioner ordered to stay away from woman she's accused of defrauding

A judge has permanently ordered an Orlando city commissioner to stop interacting with a 96-year-old constituent that she is legally accused of defrauding. Circuit Judge Heather Higbee ordered the … more

4/6/24

Gunfight at south Florida bar leaves 2 dead and 7 injured

A gunfight at a suburban Miami bar has left two people dead and seven injured. Investigators say a fight broke out around 3:30 a.m. Saturday at a bar in Doral, Florida. Miami-Dade Police Detective … more

4/6/24