SAVANNAH | Georgia has announced a moratorium on groundwater pumping from the Floridan Aquifer.

The order will prohibit new groundwater withdrawals in the coastal Georgia counties of Chatham, Bryan, Liberty and the part of Effingham County south of Georgia 119.

While emergency workers and volunteers begin to sort through the devastation caused by a tornado that rocked Moore, Okla., other states are preparing to offer assistance to the suburb of Oklahoma City.

President Obama is scheduled to address the nation at around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, after receiving an update from his staff on response efforts.

A monstrous tornado ravaged Oklahoma City on Monday, flattening homes, tossing cars and crushing two elementary schools packed with children during 40 terrifying minutes of destruction. At least 51 people were killed, and officials said the death toll was expected to rise.

If you have suggestions, tips or comments, make sure they find Matt.Dixon@jacksonville.com.

read more

@Mdixon55

State GOP chairman Lenny Curry has left his post as chairman of the Duval GOP so he can focus on state and congressional races.

In a special election Monday night, the county party elected Rick Hartley to serve as the new chairman. Hartley had served as Duval County's state committeeman, a role Curry will now fill.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida shoppers this August will get to buy computers without having to pay sales taxes.

Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed into law a bill reauthorizing the state's popular back-to-school sales tax holiday. This year's sales tax holiday will take place from Aug. 2 to Aug. 4.

The Republican Party of Florida is pouncing on a statement from Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown after Gov. Rick Scott vetoed one of his top priorities.

Brown said Scott failed "to support youths in Jacksonville" when he axed $500,000 for the Learn2Earn from the state budget. Scott Monday signed the state budget after making $368 million in budget vetoes.  

Legislation to limit dog-tethering in Jacksonville took a step forward in a City Council committee Monday, once the city’s animal care chief assured he wouldn’t fine dog owners without some warning.

The council’s Rules Committee approved the bill with the agreement that a provision once marked to take effect in 2015 would instead start Oct. 1, 2014.

A Jacksonville man who almost went free on a Stand Your Ground law claim will spent 10 years in prison for a fatal street fight shooting when he was 16.

On Monday, Circuit Judge Adrian G. Soud sentenced Quintavis Sermond Seay, now 20, for the manslaughter of 20-year-old Jeremy Ervin Godboldt in 2009. Under a plea agreement between Seay’s lawyers and prosecutors, Soud had the discretion of sentencing Seay to anywhere from five to 15 years.

@Mdixon55

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is blasting Gov. Rick Scott's veto of $500,000 for Learn2Earn, one of his priority projects.

"The Governor and his team have once again let down hundreds of Jacksonville children and families," read a statement from Brown's office.