Valerie Crowder
Valerie Crowder is a freelance reporter based in Panama City, Florida. Before moving to Florida, she covered politics and education for Public Radio East in New Bern, North Carolina. While at PRE, she was also a fill-in host during All Things Considered. She got her start in public radio at WAER-FM in Syracuse, New York, where she was a part-time reporter, assistant producer and host. She has a B.A. in newspaper online journalism and political science from Syracuse University. When she’s not reporting the news, she enjoys reading classic fiction and thrillers, hiking with members of the Florida Trail Association and doing yoga.
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A ban on the sale of flavored nicotine vaping devices in Florida is heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis. Protesters say it will hurt businesses and their employees. -
Florida lawmakers are gearing up to pass a new proposed ban on social media accounts for many children. Opponents say the proposal’s age-verification requirement is unconstitutional. -
As Miami-Dade considers new standards for outdoor workers, Florida lawmakers look set to pass legislation which would make local heat protections "void and prohibited." -
The Legislature is close to passing a measure restricting social media accounts for children under 16, and some of them say they aren’t willing to lose access. -
Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a bipartisan plan to regulate the use of kratom, an herbal supplement that causes opioid- and stimulant-like effects. -
During his State of the State address, Gov. Ron DeSantis recognized a woman who had a double mastectomy when she was 16 and started taking puberty blockers at 13: "She's now an advocate against these kinds of procedures for children." -
Republican state Sen. Corey Simon and Democrat Rep. Allison Tant, both of Tallahassee filed identical bills to allow parents to stay involved in their child’s IEP until age 22. -
As Florida dedicates more money to transport migrants from other states, advocates say there isn't enough oversight to make sure transport is done legally and that migrants are relocated voluntarily. -
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for reelection, said the flights from Texas were voluntary. But if migrants were lured, some argue they could now be victims of a crime. -
After Gov. Ron DeSantis' controversial Florida redistricting map eliminated Rep. Al Lawson's Black voting district, he will face off against Rep. Neal Dunn, a Republican, in November.
