/tags/news-service-of-florida News Service of Florida en-US WLRN Fri, 28 Aug 2020 21:02:28 GMT /2020-08-28/state-seeks-to-fast-track-florida-school-reopening-case The state is appealing decisions by Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson, who twice this week sided with the Florida Education Association and the Orange County teachers union in lawsuits challenging Corcoran’s July 6 emergency order requiring schools to reopen brick-and-mortar classrooms in August or risk losing state funding. Fri, 28 Aug 2020 21:02:28 GMT /2020-08-28/state-seeks-to-fast-track-florida-school-reopening-case Dara Kam / News Service of Florida /2020-08-20/judge-orders-new-cost-estimate-for-florida-elections-proposal The proposed constitutional amendment, backed by the political committee All Voters Vote, would allow registered voters to cast ballots in primary elections regardless of party affiliation — a major change from the state’s longstanding system of generally limiting primaries to voters registered with parties. Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:03:30 GMT /2020-08-20/judge-orders-new-cost-estimate-for-florida-elections-proposal Jim Saunders / News Service of Florida /2020-08-18/party-backed-candidates-win-florida-senate-primaries Party-backed Senate candidates in a Republican primary in Southwest Florida and two Democratic primaries in Southeast Florida scored sweeping victories on Tuesday night, a relief for party leaders heading into the November election. Wed, 19 Aug 2020 02:51:42 GMT /2020-08-18/party-backed-candidates-win-florida-senate-primaries Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida /2020-08-17/corcoran-use-surgical-response-to-virus-in-florida-schools Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran is urging local school officials to be “very surgical, not sweeping” when responding to coronavirus cases, which he acknowledged are likely to occur as classes resume this month. Mon, 17 Aug 2020 22:21:13 GMT /2020-08-17/corcoran-use-surgical-response-to-virus-in-florida-schools Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida /2020-08-17/law-grads-left-hanging-after-florida-bar-exam-called-off After moving the test online because of COVID-19, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners has called off a plan to hold the Bar exam on Wednesday because it was not “technically feasible.” Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:41:00 GMT /2020-08-17/law-grads-left-hanging-after-florida-bar-exam-called-off Dara Kam / News Service of Florida /2020-08-17/tourism-numbers-plummet-in-second-quarter Florida’s vital tourism industry suffered an estimated 60.5 percent drop in visitors as the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard during the year’s second quarter, with international travel off more than 90 percent. Mon, 17 Aug 2020 15:38:55 GMT /2020-08-17/tourism-numbers-plummet-in-second-quarter Jim Turner / News Service of Florida /2020-08-12/teachers-ponder-early-retirement-as-schools-reopen Many teachers feel that the reopening of schools amid the pandemic is forcing them to choose between their livelihood and their health, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran push school districts to offer in-person instruction to students in August. Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:39:20 GMT /2020-08-12/teachers-ponder-early-retirement-as-schools-reopen Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida /2020-08-11/court-rules-against-nra-lobbyist-in-email-case A federal appeals court Tuesday rejected arguments by prominent National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer in a lawsuit centered on graphic emails she received from a California attorney after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County. Tue, 11 Aug 2020 19:26:04 GMT /2020-08-11/court-rules-against-nra-lobbyist-in-email-case By Jim Saunders / News Service of Florida /2020-08-11/agencies-told-to-look-at-ways-to-cut-budgets Getting ready for the possibility of a special legislative session to balance Florida’s budget, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and top House and Senate appropriations staff have called on state agencies to draw up ways to slice 8.5 percent from their current budgets to address “the expected shortfall” as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tue, 11 Aug 2020 19:19:34 GMT /2020-08-11/agencies-told-to-look-at-ways-to-cut-budgets By Christine Sexton / News Service of Florida /2020-08-10/superintendents-ask-state-to-address-covid-19-testing-issues As Florida schools reopen this month, district superintendents are calling on state officials to address two major challenges: the need for rapid testing for COVID-19 and a statewide plan to handle students and staff members who test positive. Mon, 10 Aug 2020 22:52:40 GMT /2020-08-10/superintendents-ask-state-to-address-covid-19-testing-issues Ana Ceballos / News Service of Florida