Florida to hold hearing about eliminating school vaccine requirements.
The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis announced this week it will hold a meeting for the public to weigh in on a move to eliminate school vaccination requirements. The requirements would be lifted for public and private school students from preschool through grade 12, as well as adult education classes. The public meeting will be held on Friday, Dec. 12 in Panama City Beach. It comes two months after DeSantis called for the elimination of vaccine mandates from Florida statutes. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has likened vaccines mandates to slavery.
Will Brevard public schools share space with charter schools?
With a new expansion of a state program allowing some state-approved charter schools to co-locate in public school spaces, Brevard Public Schools is facing the possibility of having to share classrooms with schools that won't have to follow district policies. Brevard Public Schools has received multiple requests for co-location, and the school board has expressed concerns over safety, resources, and logistics. At a recent school board meeting, chairman Gene Trent called it “a parasite coming into our schools.” In order to qualify, the charter schools must exceed district achievement averages, have a college attendance rate of more than 80%, and have at least 70% of its students qualify for free lunch.
Homeowner insurance premiums plateau.
After years of skyrocketing premiums, homeowner insurance plans in Florida slowed their rise. Statewide average costs increased by only $1 between August and September. That’s for all-peril coverage of owner-occupied homes. It’s the lowest increase since the state began releasing its data on a monthly basis earlier this year. Since January premium costs have risen 1.5%. Whether the overall slowing in price increases will bec reduced prices won’t be known for a few months more.
Florida lawmakers want to reduce child drownings.
Two Florida lawmakers have proposed legislation designed to reduce child drownings. One bill would provide drowning prevention education to new parents. Another piece of proposed legislation would establish new rules for swimming pools in older homes, some of which are exempt from regulations requiring fences or alarms. Florida leads the nation in children losing their lives in the water.
Best place to live in Brevard.
Is Brevard County among the best places to live in Florida? Not according to US News & World Report. No Brevard cities were ranked in the top 10. Palm Bay was the highest-ranking Brevard city at No. 42, followed by Melbourne as the 45th best place to live in Florida. According to the report, Parkland in Northern Broward County is the top place to live in Florida.
Florida vs. Campbells Soups.
Florida’s Attorney General has vowed to investigate Campbell’s soups, after claims of lab-grown meat. The investigation comes after a TV station in Detroit reported this week on an audio recording of a Campbell’s vice president criticizing the company for using “bioengineered meat.” <play clip>
Florida law bans lab-grown meat, so James Uthmeier is having the Florida Consumer Protection Division launch an investigation. Campbell’s meanwhile has denied the claim, saying their soups are made with real meat. Campbell’s does use “bioengineered food ingredients,” but that refers to genetically modified crops, such as corn, soybean and sugar beets, not chicken.
The senior executive at Campbell’s was also allegedly recorded saying the company’s food is for poor people, and he wouldn’t eat it. He has been placed on temporary leave.
