No one tells a better Florida story than the people who know this state intimately — either from living here or from engaging with Florida issues in a thoughtful way. As an annual tradition, our has team has compiled a list of stories for you, in no particular order, that highlights the most reflective and important reporting from Florida this year. We salute these hard-working journalists who endeavor to tell the critical stories of our beloved state.
2025
Posted inFlorida Features
A Godmother to the Mangroves
Candy Feller is a decades-long teacher, student, and illustrator of these coastal keystones, and their increasing need for protection keeps her marching.
Posted inFlorida Development
Where Darkness Turns Primordial
For centuries, stars, planets, and distant moons have propelled us to explore daunting questions about our place in the universe. But all over the state, and country, visible stars are winking out. Light pollution, the hazy skyglow caused by human light sources that hangs like an artificial aura over most urban areas, is increasing by nearly 10% each year.
Posted inFlorida Features
The Florida Sportsman
Longtime outdoor writer, photographer, and fishing guide Tommy Thompson reflects on a life spent fostering love for Florida’s wild side.
Posted inWater Quality
Waterlogged and Contaminated
In rural Florida, locals suspect a mining company is to blame for their flooding troubles. Residents are trying to connect the dots between hurricanes, high radium levels, and a mineral mining giant next door.
Posted inDispatches from a Sinking State
Dispatches from a Sinking Science
As the federal government quietly dismantles key scientific institutions, Holden Harris writes from the front lines of a vanishing public service. His essay highlights the human cost of defunding science and the quiet unraveling of the systems that help us understand, protect, and live with the ocean.
Posted inLessons from the Marjories
Buddy MacKay: A True Florida Marjorie
From the Ocklawaha River to the halls of Congress, Buddy MacKay defended wild places and the people who loved them. He carried forward the legacy of the Marjories through bold action and unrelenting advocacy.
Posted inChronicles of Wild Florida
A Second Chance for O’Henry, a Florida Opossum
CD Davidson-Hiers connects with an injured opossum in her northwest Florida yard as she acts quickly to save it.
Posted inSharks on the Line
Sharing the Oceans
Sharks are more sought-after than ever. Yet, recreational anglers have become increasingly irate toward these species, complaining that too many of them are eating their hooked catch. Meanwhile, the diving industry says they are more valuable alive than dead. In Part III of this three-part series, The Marjorie journeys across the state of Florida exploring a crucial question: Where do sharks fit into Florida’s future?
Posted inSharks on the Line
Tight Lines
As the recreational fishery chips away at shark populations outside the boundaries of scientists’ data books — and as a new constitutional amendment loosens restrictions on anglers across the state — Florida faces an uncertain future for sustainable shark management. In Part II of this three-part series, The Marjorie embeds with recreational and commercial fishermen to parse through the industries’ varied interactions with and attitudes toward sharks.