Tag Archives: Florida

NBC News reports: Billboards popping up in some of Florida’s largest cities are encouraging passersby to “say gay.” The massive roadside messages are a response to the state’s controversial Parental Rights in Education bill, dubbed by critics the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Monday. The billboards — now on display in Orlando, Tallahassee …

CBS News reports: Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday night vetoed the proposed Congressional maps sent by the GOP-led legislature, as part of his push for a more aggressive Republican gerrymander and challenge to a predominantly Black district that covers Jacksonville and Tallahassee, Florida. Legislators will return to the state capital, Tallahassee, from April 19 to April 22 in …

From the Orlando Sentinel editorial board: The scene said it all. Surrounded by students in blue uniform shirts and plaid ties, some of whom had been given “Protect Children” signs to hold, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557 — the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” legislation that’s been nationally castigated as cruel, divisive and potentially hazardous to the mental and physical …

Via press release from the Walt Disney Company: Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national …

NPR reports: Public school teachers in Florida are now banned from holding classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity after Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed the controversial “Parental Rights in Education” bill. The bill, which some opponents have called “Don’t Say Gay,” was signed by DeSantis on Monday. It reads, “A school district may not encourage classroom …

The Associated Press reports: At the Oscars, they said gay. The first political salvo of Sunday night’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles came in the opening monologue, when Wanda Sykes — one of the trio of hosts for the show — took a thinly veiled jab at Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “We’re going to have a great night …

From the Palm Beach Post editorial board: Gov. Ron DeSantis to Florida: If your skin is dark, don’t vote. DeSantis has stepped in with a proposed map of Florida Congressional districts even more partisan than the ones the Republican-dominated state Legislature proposed. He would redraw the map to diminish the ability of Black voters in northern and central Florida to …

Florida Politics reports: On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law legislation (CS/HB 1467) that would impose School Board term limit requirements statewide and also offer parents and others a mechanism to purge texts they don’t like from the classroom. The legislation also stoked controversy during the Legislative Session for enhancing the ability of community members to cull potentially objectionable …

Florida Politics reports: The Florida Democratic Party late Tuesday announced it has postponed the annual Leadership Blue conference after numerous members threatened to boycott the weekend-long event. The party received fierce pushback from its LGBTQ+ Caucus in light of The Walt Disney Company’s prior financial contributions to lawmakers who sponsored a controversial bill, HB 1557, which critics have dubbed the …

NBC News reports: Florida’s Democratic Party is under fire from its LGBTQ caucus and a top gubernatorial candidate who want it to cancel its annual fundraiser at Disney World because they believe the company did too little to stop legislation to prohibit schools from teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity. Adding to the conflict: The party sent out an …

The Associated Press reports: With some workers across the U.S. threatening a walkout Tuesday, The Walt Disney Co. finds itself in a balancing act between the expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from an increasingly polarized, politicized marketplace. One of the organizers of the walkout, a New York-based employee, said they were expecting participation by workers with the “privilege” …

Florida Politics reports: Now even Mickey Mouse might be rooting for Charlie Crist to get to the Governor’s Mansion. Crist’s campaign announced Tuesday that the former Governor had received the endorsement of the Lakeland-based United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1625. UFCW 1625 represents 15,000 workers, including 6,000 health care workers and 5,000 local Disney employees. In its endorsement, union …

The Associated Press reports: City of Miami Beach officials declared a state of emergency on Monday and an upcoming curfew, bidding to curb violent incidents at spring break that saw five people wounded in two separate shootings. Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber and City Manager Alina Hudak announced the emergency order at an afternoon news conference. It includes a curfew …

The Northwest Florida News reports: Rep. Matt Gaetz announced Saturday that he will be running for re-election this year. Gaetz confirmed that he will be fighting to keep his seat in the U.S. House as he met with a crowd of supporters during the grand opening of his campaign office at 24 Hollywood Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach. “It’s choose …

Florida Politics reports: Hackers on Saturday hijacked the campaign Twitter account of Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. The verified account, seized in a phishing attack, is now on the fritz. Hackers are posting a string of tweets promoting the sale of non-fungible tokens — or NFTs. They’ve also rebranded the profile, leaving no trace of Fried other than the original …

The Miami Herald reports: When Alin Oteanu was told by Spirit workers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport that he would have to pay a fee for an extra bag on his flight, he had another idea, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. “I will leave it right there, and by the way, it has a bomb in it,” Oteanu said, …

The Christian Post reports: Founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, have filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction that would force the megachurch to recognize Weems as their chief executive officer and settle dueling claims of financial fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss Weems’ …

Florida Politics reports: Republican Sen. Ileana Garcia resurfaced on Twitter Thursday, offering an apology to those she offended by suggesting earlier this month that being “gay is not a permanent thing.” Garcia’s remark came during Senate debate over a bill (HB 1557) that would implement classroom restrictions on instruction about sexuality and gender. The assertion drew immediate backlash, and even …

From his obituary: Dr. Arthur Neal Mack loved the Lord and was a servant for Jesus. He served his community as an Emergency Room doctor for over 30 years. He used his God given gift of healing to help those who came into his ER and would witness to his patients the care and love that he felt from Jesus. …

Florida Politics reports: The woman nominated Friday to Florida’s Board of Education once petitioned deceased talk show host Rush Limbaugh for books for her local elementary school to be used by students as props for her husband’s state House campaign. The move offers a glimpse into what her approach to curriculum might be like for some and potentially will bring …