Florida News That Impacts You – August 4th, 2023
Bottom Line: Your daily recap of the biggest news from around the state that impacts you in South Florida.
- An estimated 350,000 students are taking part in Florida’s expanded school voucher program for the upcoming school year. That’s according to estimates by Step Up for Kids, which works with the state of Florida on the voucher program. The total represents approximately 250,000 additional students participating under the state’s first universal school choice program compared to the prior school year.
- The College Board is at odds with the Florida Board of Education over another AP course. The AP Psychology course includes material specific to gender identity and sexual orientation that runs counter to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law. The College Board has rejected Florida’s proposed amendment to the course which would omit the section on gender identity and sexual orientation. As a result, the course appears unlikely to be offered for the upcoming school year.
- Today’s the day a reenactment of the February 14th 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School will take place. The reenactment stems from a civil lawsuit filed by Tony Montalto who lost his daughter Gina that day. Tony seeks to prove that former Deputy Scot Peterson, who was recently acquitted on criminal charges, was negligent in his duties serving as a school resource officer that day. The building where the attack took place will soon be demolished.
- Florida’s annual Python Challenge kicks off today. The event which invites qualified participants to hunt pythons in the Everglades for prizes of up to $10,000 runs today through August 13th.
- Gas prices were flat Thursday. Statewide the average price for regular unleaded is currently $3.84 per gallon – 17 cents higher than a week ago. In Palm Beach County the average price is $3.96 per gallon, which is the highest price in the state.