Yoselis Ramos

The percentage of young adults who graduate with a college degree is up nationally according to the US Department of Education.

More than half of the states have a reason to celebrate but Florida isn't one of them.

The study looked at state by state numbers of college graduates age 24-35 in 2010, the latest numbers available.

It says the number of those adults with a college degree fell by one tenth of a percentage point in Florida. 

Hillsborough County small businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Debby can get some help from the US Small Business Administration.

Small agriculture and aquaculture businesses, most private non-profit organizations, and landlords who lost revenue on their rental properties can apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

These small interest loans can help with the recovery from financial and working capital losses for businesses whose insurance didn't cover it. 

Last month's Tropical Storm Debbie formed earlier than most big storms, and that had some people worried about this year's hurricane season. But El Niño may be coming to the rescue.

You've probably heard of El Niño. It's that weather phenomenon where parts of the Pacific Ocean warm up...and change the weather all across the United States.

Weather forecasters are saying El Niño may be forming out in the Pacific right now.

If that happens, Bay News 9's meteorologist Juli Marquez said, "it may prevent as many storms or hurricanes from forming or intensifying."

You've been hearing about the record-breaking heat in parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. It's not quite as hot here, but hot enough to cause heat-related illnesses. 

Summer is the time for "fun in the sun." That means more people will be outside in the heat. Health officials are reminding people to be safe about it.

Heat-related illnesses like heat stress, exhaustion, and stoke are more common in these hotter temperatures. 

Tropical Storm Debby caused only about 3 feet of storm surge but that was propelled by high winds for more than 24 hours. That was enough for beach erosion.

And that could be bad for the tourism industry. According to Tampa Bay Times, lost beaches are lost business.

The beaches were part of Tampa's pitch to woo the Republican National Convention to town in August, as well as the longtime basis for the region's tourism industry.

With all the flooding and damage done by Tropical Storm Debby, one consumer lawyer is advising folks to be prepared.... with their insurance policies.

Debby has caused flooding, power outages, and tornadoes that tore the roofs off homes. 

Consumer Lawyer Eric Seidel says a storm like Debby is the time to keep your insurance policies close at hand. If you do experience some damage, he says contact both home owners and flooding insurers if you have them. 

The Tampa Bay Times reports the following road closures:

• Sunshine Skyway Bridge

• Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa.

• Southbound exit at 54th Street from I-275 in St. Petersburg.

• Hillsborough Avenue from Hanley Road to Sawyer Road, Tampa.

• County Road 95 east of U.S. 19, Palm Harbor.

• Memorial Highway from George Road to Dana Shores Drive

• Traffic restricted on Old Coachman Road, Clearwater.

• Traffic is restricted at East Enterprise Road east of Frisco Drive in Clearwater.

After many votes and re-votes, the Board of Governors finally settled on tuition hike percentage rates for Florida's universities.

On Thursday, universities proposed a range of percentage increases for the upcoming school year's tuition. The Board of Governors was having a hard time accepting many of those proposals.

In Florida, 13 percent of eligible voters are Hispanic. But not all Hispanics vote the same way.

This week, both Mitt Romney and President Obama are giving dueling speeches to Latino elected officials meeting in Orlando.

It's a sign of just how important the Hispanic vote is in swing states like Florida. But USF political science professor Susan MacManus says Hispanic voters in Florida are a diverse group.

During its meeting in Orlando this week, the Board of Governors expressed its displeasure with the University of South Florida's graduation rates.

And if USF doesn't get its act together, the group that oversees the state's higher education system might not approve future tuition increases.

The percentage of first-time-in-college students that graduate in four years from USF is 34 percent. About 50 percent graduate in six years.