Florida news

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A Palm Beach County school principal whose comments about the Holocaust spurred a high-profile controversy is challenging his firing at the Florida Supreme Court. An attorney for William Latson filed a brief Monday asking the Supreme Court to take up a dispute about the Palm Beach County School Board’s decision to fire him. READ MORE: Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease The filing came after the 4th District Court of Appeal upheld the firing in November. The controversy stemmed from an email that Latson, then the principal of Spanish River High School, sent to a parent in 2018. In part, Latson wrote in the email, “I can’t say the Holocaust is a factual, historical event because I am not in a position to do so as a school district employee,” according to documents filed in his case. READ MORE: Free Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Tests Can Be Ordered Online The firing came after a series of events in 2019 after The Palm Beach Post reported on … [Read more...] about South Florida School Principal William Latson, Fired Over Holocaust Comments Goes To State Supreme Court

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – Florida lawmakers moved forward Tuesday with a plan that would connect playing the national anthem at sports events to state and local dollars. The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee backed a proposal (SB 1298) that would require Florida professional sports teams receiving government money to play the national anthem before every home game. READ MORE: Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease When asked by Sen. Victor Torres, D-Kissimmee, if any teams don’t play the anthem, bill sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, acknowledged he didn’t know of cases in Florida where “The Star-Spangled Banner” wasn’t played before games and other events. “This is just to make sure, as a proactive approach, that people continue to play it,” Gruters, who doubles as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, said. In voting against the bill, Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, called the proposal an overreach into private enterprise that appears to have little … [Read more...] about Florida Lawmakers Tie National Anthem to Sports Money

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Florida will open five additional monoclonal antibody treatment sites, three of which will be in South Florida. The new sites will open Tuesday, January 18th. READ MORE: Kendis Gibson Joins CBSMiami As Morning Co-Anchor The South Florida sites will be at Markham Park in Sunrise, Miami Dade College North Campus at 11380 NW 27th Ave, and the West Boynton Recreation Center in Lake Worth. The two other sites will be in Jacksonville and Altamonte Springs. The sites will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. READ MORE: Miami Weather: Really Chilly Morning, Sunny Afternoon At the beginning of the month, Governor Ron DeSantis requested that the federal government increase the supply of monoclonal antibody treatments it sends to the state to at least 30,000 doses per week. On January 7th, the governor announced that 15,000 doses of Regeneron had been secured and would support new monoclonal antibody sites. A full list of state-supported operational … [Read more...] about Three New Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Sites Open Tuesday In South Florida

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – In the latest chapter in years of battles about amending the Florida Constitution, a House panel Tuesday backed a proposal that would limit the subjects that could be included in ballot initiatives. The proposal (HJR 1127) would limit citizens’ initiatives to “matters relating to procedural subjects or to the structure of the government or of this Constitution.” READ MORE: Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease Florida voters in recent years have approved high-profile initiatives about issues such as raising the minimum wage and broadly legalizing medical marijuana. Such initiatives would be barred in the future if the House proposal is ultimately approved. Sponsor Mike Beltran, R-Lithia, said the Florida Constitution is a “revered document” that shouldn’t be used to decide policy issues that can be resolved in the Legislature. “Things that are policy that can be addressed by the Legislature should be addressed by the Legislature,” Beltran … [Read more...] about Florida House Panel Backs Proposal Limiting Ballot Initiatives

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A bill pushed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that would prohibit public schools and private businesses from making white people feel “discomfort” when they teach students or train employees about discrimination in the nation's past received its first approval Tuesday. The Senate Education Committee approved the bill that takes aim at critical race theory — though it doesn't mention it explicitly — on party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. Democrats argued the bill isn't needed, would lead to frivolous lawsuits and said it would amount to censorship in schools. They asked, without success, for real-life examples of teachers or businesses telling students or employees that they are racist because of their race. “This bill's not for Blacks, this bill was not for any other race. This was directed to make whites not feel bad about what happened years ago,” said state Sen. Shevrin Jones, who is Black. “At no point did anyone say … [Read more...] about Florida could shield whites from ‘discomfort’ of racist past

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was sworn in as the newest member of the House on Tuesday, filling the seat last held by Alcee Hastings, who died in April of pancreatic cancer. She'll boost the Democrats’ slender House majority to 222-212, leaving room for no more than four Democratic defections as Speaker Nancy Pelosi tries moving her party’s bills through the House. For much of 2021, that margin was three. Cherfilus-McCormick will represent a firmly Democratic district. She won office calling for a guaranteed income for most adults of $1,000 a month, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $20 an hour and allowing all Americans to participate in Medicare. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., lauded his new colleague shortly after she took the oath of office, telling lawmakers in the House chamber that she'll represent an extremely diverse congressional district. He noted that she began working in 1999 at Trinity Healthcare Services, a … [Read more...] about Florida Democrat sworn in as newest member of House

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man has been sentenced to three years and six months in prison for fraudulently collecting over $800,000 in COVID-19 relief funds. Louis Thornton III, 63, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced Friday in Tampa federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in September to wire fraud. He must also pay back the money he received. According to court documents, Thornton submitted fraudulent applications in 2020 for Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Program loans through the Small Business Administration on behalf of several defunct companies. The documents said Thornton’s applications fraudulently claimed the companies were operational and had suffered economic injury from the pandemic. Thornton obtained a total of $814,632.50 and used the money to invest in stocks, futures and commodities, the documents said. The Paycheck Protection Program represents billions of dollars in forgivable small-business loans for Americans … [Read more...] about Florida man gets 3 years, 6 months for COVID-19 relief fraud

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – If you drove by a gas station on the way to work or school this morning with the price of regular gas cheaper than $3.22, you should have stopped and fueled up. That is because prices at the pump are going up. The American Automobile Association (AAA) said the average price for gasoline rose 3 cents per gallon, last week. READ MORE: Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease Florida’s average is now $3.22 per gallon of regular gas, which remains 14 cents less than the 2021 high of $3.36 per gallon. “The arrow appears to be pointing up for oil prices, which means gas prices are likely to get more expensive,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The oil market is bullish on global supply concerns as various members of OPEC+ have reportedly struggled to meet production goals.” READ MORE: Free Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Tests Can Be Ordered Online “Based on last week’s oil price hikes, drivers could soon see another round of rising … [Read more...] about AAA: Gas Prices Rise Across Florida As Oil Prices Surge; Average Price For Gallon Of Regular At $3.22

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Cleveland Browns’ defensive tackle Malik McDowell is facing several charges after he reportedly exposed himself and assaulted a Broward Sheriff’s deputy. During his bond court appearance on Tuesday, a judge found probable cause to charge him with aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, and exposure of sexual organs in public. READ MORE: Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease The incident happened Monday at a children’s learning center in Deerfield Beach. According to the prosecutor, police said surveillance video showed McDowell, who was naked, go onto the property while children were inside the building. When a deputy arrived, he found McDowell sitting on a curb near 40 Fairway Drive. When the deputy approached him, McDowell charged at him “at full speed with a closed fist,” according to the arrest form. The deputy said McDowell slammed into him and repeatedly punched him. “The punches were swung … [Read more...] about Cleveland Browns Tackle Malik McDowell Arrested In South Florida On Public Exposure Charge

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – The number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 was down slightly Tuesday from a week earlier, according to data posted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The data showed that 10,893 inpatients had COVID-19, down from 11,078 a week earlier. Also, 1,461 COVID-19 patients were in intensive-care units, up from 1,382 a week earlier. COVID-19 hospitalizations increased dramatically over the past month as the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus spread through the state. (©2022 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.) … [Read more...] about Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations Decrease