James Monroe, the Founding Father who had the most impact on Florida, died on July 4, 1831, the 55th anniversary of the country he spent decades service as a young officer in George Washington’s army until his two terms as our fifth president. A strange coincidence but one that was overshadowed by the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence they played a large role in creating. 

Chiding a judge who sided with sick patients and saying plaintiffs likely won’t win on the merits of the case, an appellate court on Tuesday refused to allow smokable medical marijuana while a legal fight continues to play out.

The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal came in a lawsuit initiated by Orlando trial attorney John Morgan and others who maintain that a Florida law barring patients from smoking their treatment runs afoul of a 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.

Former Hillsborough County Circuit Judge Ashley Moody continues to post six-figure contribution totals, while her opponent in the Republican primary for attorney general, state Rep. Frank White, has started to dig into his campaign treasury to pay for ads, new finance reports show.

With the Independence Day holiday right around the corner, fireworks are going off in South Florida in what is expected to be one of the most competitive congressional races in the Sunshine State.