Cold snap impacts agriculture and wildlife.
The recent cold weather in Central Florida had a negative impact on agriculture and wildlife. The Brevard Zoo’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center teams are racing to save hundreds of "cold-stunned" turtles following a rapid drop in water temperatures. The zoo is treating approximately 45 cold-stunned green sea turtles rescued from the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon. Sea turtles in inland waterways are especially susceptible to cold stunning because water temperatures fluctuate more quickly in shallow areas. These cold-blooded turtles became lethargic and unable to swim properly when water temperatures fall below 50°F.
The big freeze over the weekend also took a toll on blueberry crops in Central Florida. One farmer said his whole crop of blueberries was wiped out. And because the berries died, the 2,000 workers who pick them and the hundreds of people needed to pack them are without a job.
Vouchers for Islamic schools in Florida could be denied.
Private school vouchers in Florida have grown dramatically, but a Florida Senate bill could block vouchers for Islamic schools. WFIT’s Terri Wright has more.
About half of the 3,605 private schools receiving vouchers are religion-based. Florida’s program costs roughly $4 billion — the largest in the nation. While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that vouchers are constitutional, they cannot be used to discriminate against religious schools. Free speech experts warn the bill could violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.
Opponents say the auditor general’s recommendations could end universal school choice. Andrew Spar of the Florida Education Association said lawmakers should stop “draining” billions from public schools and instead require equal accountability for all schools.
Another death-by-train in Brevard.
Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a freight train in downtown Melbourne yesterday. It was the first reported train-related death of the year. Police are reviewing the case as a possible suicide.
English-only driver’s exams coming to Florida.
Florida will no longer offer driver’s exams in any language other than English starting this Friday. The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Florida will not provide translation services or any other assistance to those who struggle with the English language. The new policy applies to all driver license classifications, including oral exams. The president of the Florida Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce said “It’s a way of saying ‘you don’t belong here.’”
FAA approves SpaceX Starship plans.
The FAA has signed off on SpaceX’s Starship plans for Kennedy Space Center. The FAA released results of its environmental review and recommended that SpaceX could launch the massive Starship rocket up to 44 times a year from the Cape. Residents had complained about the expected sonic booms, and airlines claim over 8,000 commercial flights would need to be altered to accommodate Starship.
Memorial to the enslaved dedicated in Tallahassee.
Nearly eight years after the Florida Legislature approved a memorial recognizing the inhumanity of slavery, a dedication ceremony for a sculpture organized by the Florida Legislative Black Caucus took place Tuesday in Tallahassee. Located across the street from the Capitol, it depicts six enslaved people held in chains. A confederate memorial is still in place on the front lawn of the Capitol.
