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* Tiger Woods in danger of missing the cut after rough start at British Open
Tiger Woods is at risk of missing the cut at his third straight major this year after a rough first round at The Open Championship on Thursday.

* Russia sentences journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison on espionage charges
A Russian court sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison on Friday on charges of espionage.

* Van Jones says 'Democrats dodged a bullet' after Trump's RNC speech
CNN commentator Van Jones said that Democrats "dodged a bullet" on Thursday, panning former President Trump's acceptance speech as a rambling mess.

* Reddit dog-allergy victim is shamed for leaving family reunion early: 'Couldn't take it anymore'
A woman on Reddit asked for advice after she got grief from family members for leaving a family reunion early due to her allergic reaction to a dog.

* CNN's Jake Tapper calls out MSNBC for skipping RNC: 'We're here live as opposed to some other networks'
CNN host Jake Tapper chastised MSNBC for failing to cover the RNC live in Milwaukee.

* Biden should step aside and resign, undecided voters tells ABC
A panel of five undecided voters on ABC News Thursday night unanimously agreed that President Biden needs to step out of the race because of his age and gaffes.

* Trump assassination attempt shows to Putin and Xi the West on Biden’s watch is vulnerable, unfocused
Russia’s Putin and China’s Xi have noted glaring gaps in America’s security, especially following the attempted assassination against President Trump, which they will likely take advantage of.

* Former Secret Service agent questions why Trump was allowed on stage amid threat concerns: 'Why not delay?'
Retired Secret Service agent Mike Matranga called operations at Trump's Pennsylvania rally a "catastrophic failure" as details emerge on what was known and when.

* Meet the American who cooked up frozen foods, adventurer and innovator Clarence Birdseye
Prolific inventor Clarence Birdseye, a native of Brooklyn, found inspiration to pioneer frozen food for American consumers in the remote icy wilderness of Labrador, Canada.

* Abner Haynes, ex-Chiefs star running back, dead at 86
Former Kansas City Chiefs star running back Abner Haynes, who spent most of his career in the organization, has died, the team said Thursday. He was 86.

Education

DeSantis announces $1.25B teacher pay hike

4 months ago By Special

(The Center Square) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference in Hialeah on Monday to announce $1.25 billion for teacher salary increases.

DeSantis said the funds for teacher salary hikes are earmarked in the budget over the next five years and pointed out that Florida has ranked tops overall in education by U.S. News and World Report for the past two years.

Since 2019, Florida lawmakers have appropriated $4 billion in teacher pay raises, which has increased starting teacher pay by nearly $10,000.

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Report: Florida's K-12 spending grew more slowly than most of U.S.

(The Center Square) — A recent study has found that K-12 spending in Florida had one of the lowest increases nationally between 2002 and 2020.

The Reason Foundation released the Public Education at a Crossroads study that showcases the spending habits of every state in regards to K-12 public education spending, enrollment levels, teacher salaries, and staffing - and data shows that Florida ranks 43rd in the nation.

Special Sun, 03/24/2024 - 16:21

Florida bill that would revise the state's pre-kindergarten program advances

8 months ago By Special

(The Center Square) — Florida lawmakers have advanced a bill this week that would allow young students and those who teach them the tools to be successful.

State Rep. John Snyder, R-Palm City, sponsors House Bill 1353. It would revise Florida's laws on the state's pre-kindergarten programs known as early learning coalitions and other specified early learning programs.

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Florida bills could expand school choice, help students with reading, math

(The Center Square) — Florida school students will have more assistance with subjects such as reading and math after the Florida House passed two new bills this week.

House Bill 1403 is sponsored by state Rep. Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City. It would increase the growth rate of the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities scholarship program from 3% to 5%, then automatically by 1% based on demand.

Special Sat, 02/03/2024 - 19:16

Florida lawmakers aim to cut red tape for public schools with new legislation

11 months ago By Special

(The Center Square) — Florida lawmakers have filed a new bill to cut red tape for certain aspects of public and charter school assessments, accountability, instruction and education choice.

Report gives Florida nation's best overall grade for education freedom

1 year ago By Special

(The Center Square) — After a legislative session where Florida lawmakers passed universal school choice, the state was recognized as the nation's best in a recent report for its policies on education

The nonprofit American Legislative Exchange Council, which previously published the Report Card on American Education over the past 25 years, has a new publication, The Index of State Education Freedom: A 50-State Guide to Parental Empowerment.

Education revenue from the Florida Lottery could be $270M less this year

1 year ago By Special

(The Center Square) — Florida officials predict that contributions to the state’s education system from the state lottery will decrease this fiscal year by $270 million.

Officials at the Florida Legislature's Office of Economic and Demographic Research forecast that Florida Lottery and other sources such as slot machines will transfer $3.12 billion to the various education trust funds, which includes $560 million left over from the previous fiscal year.

Florida schools: Register for FWC’s School Fishing Club Program

1 year ago By Special

With the new school year right around the corner, it is time to register for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) 2023-24 School Fishing Club Program!

This annual educational program focuses on teaching youth anglers about best fishing practices to help ensure the future of fishing in Florida.

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CF Health Sciences ribbon cutting set for March 3

OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 8, 2023) — The College of Central Florida invites the community to a ribbon cutting for the newly remodeled Allied Health Sciences building at the CF Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road. On Friday, March 3, at 10 a.m., the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership will join college officials to cut the ribbon for Building 6, which has been transformed into a hub for Health Sciences programs.

Special Wed, 02/08/2023 - 09:46

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CF invites students to a preview day

OCALA, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2023) — The College of Central Florida invites anyone thinking about college to attend an upcoming Preview Day event: Ocala Campus on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 5-7 p.m.; Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus on Thursday, March 2, 10 a.m-1 p.m.; or Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus on Thursday, March 9, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Special Mon, 01/30/2023 - 08:43

Business notes

* Returning to growth: Tesla returned to profit and revenue growth in the third quarter, riding a rising trend for electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide and a turnaround in its energy business. Its stock closed up nearly 22 percent.

* Manufacturing Down for 4th Straight Month: The U.S. manufacturing industry was stuck in contraction for the fourth consecutive month in October as the goods-producing sector signaled “a deterioration in business conditions,” a new S&P Global report finds. The S&P Global Flash U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)—an indicator of the manufacturing or service sectors’ prevailing direction of economic trends—rose to 47.8 this month, up from 47.3 in September.

* McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak Worsens as Number of Confirmed Infections Rises to 75 Across 13 States

* Global Demand for Nuclear Energy Fuels Rise in Australian Uranium Exports

-- The Epoch Times

World View

* Russia sentences journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison on espionage charges
A Russian court sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison on Friday on charges of espionage.

* Deadly explosion in Tel Aviv leaves one dead, more wounded
A deadly drone attack in Tel Aviv Thursday has left one person dead and four more injured. Military officials are investigating the origin of the drone.

* Large explosion rocks Tel Aviv in middle of the night
A large explosion in Tel Aviv has left builds near the U.S. embassy damaged. It's not yet clear what the cause of the blast was.

* South Korea's top court issues landmark ruling recognizing some rights for same-sex couples
South Korea's Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples are eligible to receive the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples in a landmark verdict.

* Biden's $230 million Gaza pier quietly shuts down, US senator labels project 'national embarrassment'
President Biden promised the Gaza humanitarian pier as a means of increasing assistance into the area, but months later the military has announced that it will cease operation.

* WATCH: Helicopter rescues plane from snowy mountain after emergency landing
A Piper PA-18, a small plane, that had to make an emergency landing on a snowy mountain in Argentina was rescued by specialized personnel and a helicopter.

* ISIS threat rising in Syria, Iraq as US military warns terror attacks could double in 2024
ISIS attacks across Iraq and Syria are ramping up as the terrorist organization looks to boost its capabilities even as the U.S. and its allies continue to employ 'Defeat ISIS Missions'.

* European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen makes final bid for second term before vote
Ursula von der Leyen is running for a second five-year term as president of the European Union's executive commission. She is popular, but her re-election is not a foregone conclusion.

* Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich seen at second Russia hearing on bogus espionage charges
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeared in court on Thursday to resume his trial on espionage charges, charges his employer the U.S. government and his employer say are bogus.

* Bus crash in popular tourist spot kills 25 in mountain region, investigation ongoing
Authorities and officials in Peru have lamented the significant human factor in several bus crashes throughout the Andes, mostly tourism buses that speed along narrow roads.

* Zelenskyy says Ukraine can't win war unless US lifts limits on striking military targets in Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine cannot win the war with Russia unless restrictions are lifted on the use of U.S. weapons to attack targets inside Russia.

* Border fire between Israel, Hezbollah continues as delegates prepare to mediate ceasefire with Hamas
An Israeli soldier was killed in combat with Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah as fighting continues at Israel's northern border, the Israeli military said.