Florida students learn Black history lessons their schools don’t teach
Florida students are giving up their Saturday mornings to learn about African American history in programs at community centers across the state. Many are supported by Black churches, which for generations have helped forge the cultural and political identity of their parishioners.
They discuss South Florida’s Caribbean roots, the state’s dark history of lynchings, how segregation still shapes the landscape and how grassroots activists mobilized the Civil Rights Movement to upend generations of oppression.
Last year, DeSantis’ administration blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies from being taught in Florida, saying it violates state law and is historically inaccurate.
In 2023, only 30 of Florida’s 67 traditional school districts offered at least one standalone course on African American history or humanities.
Former Florida Congressman Gaetz voted "no" on bipartisan sex trafficking bill in 2017
Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been accused of discrediting the reputation of the U.S. House with alleged criminal conduct.
A House Ethics Committee report – released this week – accuses Gaetz of using illegal drugs, and paying multiple women for sex, including a 17-old girl from 2017 to 2020.
The ethics report comes a month after President-Elect Donald Trump tapped Gaetz to be his Attorney General. Gaetz resigned from Congress and bowed out of the Trump Cabinet pick when rumors circulated about the report coming out.
During that same period, Gaetz was the sole “no” vote on a bipartisan human trafficking bill that passed in the House and Senate. The bill sought to combat sex trafficking.
Records show, In 2017 he rented a property in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood to engage in drug use and prostitution and withdrew at least twelve hundred dollars from a single ATM.
Gaetz has denied having sex with anyone under the age of 18, though he’s said that he QUOTE: “partied, womanized, drank and smoked” more than he should have in his 30s.
Are Christmas lights on cars legal?
You should know it might be illegal if you’re driving around with holiday lights blinking on your car. Rick Glasby tells why:
There’s no law explicitly banning Christmas lights on cars, but there are several light restrictions most Christmas lights on a car would violate. It’s illegal in Florida to display light that are similar to law enforcement or emergency vehicles. So that blue, red, green, or amber lights. Violations of the state’s car lighting laws count as a non-moving traffic infraction. Unless a $30 ticket in your stocking sounds like a fun Christmas gift, it’s probably best to leave the holiday lights at home.
9 Florida laws start Jan. 1
As of next Wednesday, nine bills will become state law. From Online protection for minors to Impeding, Threatening, or Harassing First Responders, some laws make sweeping and controversial changes and have already been challenged in court.
DAV building refurbished
The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 32 building, originally built in 1947, desperately needed repair.
Veterans come from all over the county use the building for free help with their benefits paperwork. But it is marred by rotted wood, rusted metal and flood damage .
Earlier this month, a beautification effort led by local Home Depot employees transformed the grounds, again making it nice.
Rodney Deflumeri, commander of DAV Chapter 32 said "There’s no words you can put on this — really no words — when you see it come together, there’s no words,”
More: wwwfloridatoday.com
