54º
wjxt logo

LIVE

DESANTIS

As DeSantis pressures school districts on COVID-19 policy, Biden administration replaces withheld state funds

In its latest <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/news/politics/2021/09/23/florida-makes-quarantine-optional-for-exposed-students/" target="_blank">emergency rule issued Wednesday</a>, the Florida Department of Education <a href="https://www.news4jax.com/news/florida/2021/09/22/florida-revises-covid-19-rule-for-schools-gives-parents-authority-over-quarantines/" target="_blank">renewed pressure on local school boards</a> to refrain from mandating face masks without a parental option to opt-out, something at least 10 school districts have done anyway.

If DeSantis really cares about Florida’s environment, he’ll veto toxic cruise-ship legislation | Opinion

Gov. DeSantis faces a dilemma with Senate Bill 1194. The controversial effort to overturn voter referendums in Key West that limit the size of cruise ships to protect our coral reef appeared dead after the Miami Herald reported that cruise-pier operator Mark Walsh had contributed nearly $1 million, through 11 different corporate entities, to the governor’s political committee at the beginning of the legislative session in March.

news.yahoo.com

The Latest: Sinovac: CoronaVac vaccine effective in children

(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)BEIJING — Sinovac said on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac is safe and effective in children ages 3-17. State-owned Sinopharm, who has two COVID-19 vaccines, is also investigating the effectiveness of its vaccines in children. The House vote came just before the state health department reported that more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccine shots have been administered within the state. State officials say about 2.9 million vaccine doses have been given to about 1.1 million people so far in Arizona. ___LISBON, Portugal — Portugal resumed administering AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, a week after temporarily halting its use.

Business starts to improve for area restaurant as more seniors get vaccinated

“This year has been a big challenge for everyone in our industry,” said Nammour Nammour, owner of St. Marys Seafood & More. “Sales have plummeted.”A year ago at St. Marys Seafood & More, the mood was one of devastation. “Up where we live up in Brunswick, we’ve noticed more people going to restaurants, not that we go to many restaurants,” Deb Swan said. “We go to two up in Brunswick where we live.”At St. Marys Seafood & More, the hope is more workers will apply. “If anyone needs a job, come see me.”Because when the pandemic ends, the restaurant hopes its business does not.

From shortage to choice: FEMA sites now offering Pfizer or J&J shots

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Starting Saturday morning, both the Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at the Gateway Mall, Normandy Community Center and Hammond Senior Center sites in Jacksonville. The Duval County Alert System sent an alert Saturday morning about who is eligible for coronavirus vaccines. FEMA said approximately 790 people were vaccinated Saturday at Gateway Mall. AdThe Department of Health said that as of Friday, 137,499 people have completed their series of vaccines in Duval County. The site at Gateway Mall is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Gov.

Florida agriculture commissioner won’t lower flags to honor Limbaugh despite DeSantis order

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said she is ordering state offices she controls to ignore an upcoming order to lower flags to half-staff to honor conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh, who died last week. “Lowering to half-staff the flag of the United States of America is a sacred honor that pays respect to fallen heroes and patriots. “Therefore, I will notify all state offices under my direction to disregard the Governor’s forthcoming order to lower flags for Mr. Limbaugh – because we will not celebrate hate speech, bigotry, and division. The statement from the commissioner marks the latest in an ongoing back-and-forth between Fried, the only Democrat elected to a statewide office, and DeSantis, a Republican. It’s expected that Fried will challenge DeSantis for governor when he is up for reelection in 2022.

Gov. DeSantis adamant on not shutting Florida down as COVID-19 variants increase

Ron DeSantis called President Joe Biden a “lockdowner” when he was asked about a domestic travel ban report on Fox News. He said lockdowns won’t help with the increase of COVID-19 cases, and cases of the new variant. DeSantis said he doesn’t agree with the reports that said the Biden administration will place a domestic travel ban on certain states including Florida. This despite a White House spokesperson saying as recently as Thursday that there are currently no bans of domestic travel being considered. Lockdowns don’t work.

With 1 million Floridians vaccinated, where do COVID-19 cases stand?

In the last week, we saw thousands of people in our area get the COVID-19 vaccine, despite a rising number of cases of the virus. Do you remember when the state hit 1 million cases on Dec. 1? Just over 11,000 new cases were reported Sunday, but Florida also surpassed a million people vaccinated on Sunday. With nearly 75,000 cases in Duval, and over 50,000 people vaccinated, the percent positivity for new cases is at 9.3%. Some people asked why you’re doing some of the counties you’re doing; there’s some counties that have really big health infrastructure, Orlando, Jacksonville, has big infrastructure, a lot of hospitals.

First-come, first-served vaccines available Monday for Duval County seniors

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Beginning Monday, Duval County residents 65 years and above can get COVID-19 vaccines at two Jacksonville senior citizen centers not by appointment but based on their birth month. RELATED: Moncrief church to administer 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine | VA to hold drive-thru vaccination clinics for certain veteransAll patients must provide a photo ID that shows their birthdate and proves Duval County residency. The Florida Department of Health in Duval County began giving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine Monday to anyone 65 years of age and older and health care workers who were able to get an appointment. New appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine will be added through the online system every Thursday at 5 p.m., the health department said. Curry said he’s grateful to the scientists, doctors and medical professionals who worked so hard to make a vaccine available to the public so quickly.

Florida House, Senate unveil COVID-19 business protections

The House and Senate on Wednesday released identical bills for consideration during the 2021 legislative session, which will start March 2. Neither the House bill (HB 7) nor the Senate measure (SB 72) contains lawsuit protections for health-care providers, which makes some health-care lobbyists uneasy. But physicians, nursing homes and other facilities aren’t being ignored, said Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who is sponsoring the Senate version. (Ron) DeSantis allowing the Legislature to adjourn without a sufficiently strong health-care liability legislation.”But Jacksonville health care attorney Chris Nuland, a seasoned lobbyist, doesn’t like the bifurcated approach. To place them in legal jeopardy for their sacrifice is inexcusable, and the Legislature should address that injustice immediately.”Attempts to contact the Florida Hospital Association and the Florida Health Care Association, the largest statewide nursing home group, were not immediately successful.

St. Johns County sees biggest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases since pandemic began

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The state Florida Department of Health on Wednesday reported 11,541 additional cases of the coronavirus, including 824 cases in Duval County. That’s the most cases reported in a single day in Jacksonville since July 16, the peak of the pandemic in the city. Also Wednesday, there were seven deaths reported in Duval County, part of 125 deaths that were reported statewide. St. Johns County saw its biggest one-day increase in cases since the start of the pandemic on Wednesday with 155 additional cases. Florida and Duval County daily cases reported since June 1As the number of cases has surged in Florida this fall, more COVID-19 patients also have required hospitalization.

3 Northeast Florida counties see biggest COVID-19 case increases in weeks

Also Tuesday, 94 deaths were reported in Florida, including six deaths in Northeast Florida counties. Clay County, which had the biggest one-day increase in cases on Tuesday since Sept. 12 (115), reported three deaths. Two deaths were reported in Baker County and one death was reported in Union County. According to the health department, 1,143,794 people in Florida have now tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Florida and Duval County daily cases reported since June 1As the number of cases has surged in Florida this fall, more COVID-19 patients also have required hospitalization.

Florida Senate offers double shot of ‘alcohol to go’

Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, separately filed measures that would allow a business holding a state alcohol license to sell or deliver spirited beverages by the package for off-site consumption. The proposals would require the liquid to be in a sealed container and to be part of a food order. We think it is a process that should continue, so we are looking to establish it in state law,” Brandes said on Friday. Brandes isn’t seeking to alter existing law that requires restaurants to reseal partially consumed bottles before patrons leave. In a 74-page report, the RESET task force, co-chaired by executives from Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, the Florida Retail Federation and the National Federation of Independent Business Florida, called existing rules restricting carryout alcohol “antiquated and no longer necessary.”DeSantis in September backed the idea of allowing carryout alcoholic beverages to become permanent.

Florida must increase COVID-19 mitigation efforts as hospitalizations rise: WH task force memo

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida must increase its coronavirus mitigation efforts as “hospitalizations rise and long-term care facilities are again under full threat,” according to the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s weekly memo that was sent to governors last week. Although there is a Nov. 29 report, the Florida section of that has not been posted publicly. You go back six months, some of those task force folks we’re saying, ‘Uh, we don’t know.’ We did know. They say, ‘Well, you look at New York, your positivity is above some arbitrary thing, you have to close the school.’ Really? You’re going to shut kids out of an education for a metric that is literally pulled out of somebody’s hat?

Florida man charged with changing Gov. DeSantis’ voter registration

A Florida man who changed the voter registration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and accessed those belonging to NBA icons Michael Jordan and LeBron James was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Tuesday. Guevara was charged with unauthorized access of a computer and altering a voter registration without consent. FDLE was notified after DeSantis noticed that his address in the voting registration system was changed to a residence in West Palm Beach. Agents said that they were able to confirm Guevara as the suspect and said that DeSantis' voter registration was changed through a web browser, presumably on Guevara’s computer.

Tallahassee police break up big college parties as virus spreads

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As coronavirus cases spike among Florida State University students, local police said Sunday they broke up a party at an off-campus student apartment complex that involved about 700 vehicles and more than 1,000 attendees. Tallahassee police said it was one of a dozen large gatherings they broke up over the weekend, including one Sunday where two people were injured by gunfire. Police said the vehicles at the student apartment complex were blocking travel lanes and a Leon County sheriff’s helicopter was used to help disburse the crowd. Florida State University reported that more than 1,400 students and 26 employees had tested positive for COVID-19 through Sept. 18. The university updates its coronavirus numbers weekly.

Florida Supreme Court orders DeSantis name new justice by noon Monday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Supreme Court on Friday unanimously rejected Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointment of a circuit judge to the panel and ordered him to name a new justice by noon Monday. When DeSantis named Francis to the high court, he had already missed the constitutionally mandated deadline of March 23. Well, that’s what the Florida Supreme Court gave him with this case: Strict constructuralist,” Thompson said. On Friday, Democratic State Sen. Perry Thurston called for the resignation of the nine-member Judicial Nominating Commission that improperly nominated Francis for the high court.

Suspended Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels pleads not guilty

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – An attorney for suspended Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels formally entered not guilty pleas on his behalf Wednesday morning at a scheduled arraignment. DeSantis suspends Clay County Sheriff Darryl DanielsGov. Under his suspension, Daniels is prohibited from performing any official duty or function of public office. He’s also prohibited from receiving any pay or allowance from any privileges of public office. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office told News4Jax, “The video was removed at the discretion of the Sheriff’s Administration.”Several other videos of Daniels have not been removed.

Panel mulls nursing home visits without testing

Ron DeSantiss administration on Friday discussed a limited reopening of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that would not require COVID-19 screening for visitors. Under the proposal floated Friday, people visiting the long-term care facilities would have to wear personal protective equipment, such as face masks. DeSantis stopped visitation at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in March, as the coronavirus pandemic began to sweep the state. The long-term care facilities include nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and intermediate-care facilities for the developmentally disabled. The DeSantis administration contracts with Curative to provide COVID-19 testing to long-term care staff at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.

Union disputes DeSantis claim teachers are chomping at bit to get back to class

Ron laid out why he believes schools need to re-open but also said parents need to have a virtual learning option. No parents should be required to send their child to in-person instruction if they dont want to, DeSantis said. But the idea of reopening schools for in-person learning isnt sitting well with the Florida Education Association, the states largest teachers union, which is actively suing to delay reopening brick-and-mortar classrooms. The union refuted DeSantis claim that educators are chomping at the bit to get back in their classrooms. But some teachers agree the benefits of going back to in-person learning outweigh the risks.

Infectious disease expert pushes back against DeSantis COVID-19 claim about children

I think school districts should do whatever they can to provide that, particularly for our very young students, he said. Yes, theyre at almost zero risk, but even more than that, transmission from an elementary school [student] to an adult is extremely rare, DeSantis said. Theres also a risk students can transmit the disease to parents and grandparents at home, he said. Out of the 4,805 COVID-19-related deaths reported in Florida, 14 were people under the age of 25, according to state data released Friday. Rathore added that he supports the idea of delaying the start of school until after the RNC.

Florida adds 10,109 COVID-19 cases; Clay, St. Johns, Putnam also show daily record increases

Florida added 10,109 cases, well above of a record that was set on Saturday. Clay, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns County all set daily records for new cases and St. Johns reported one additional death, bringing their total to eight. St. Johns added 99 additional cases, bringing its total to 1,088. Putnam County added 52 for a new count of 433. Alachua County added 87, which is not a record for them, but brings its total to 1,332.

Florida passes 152,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. According to data released Tuesday morning by the Florida Department of Health, the state has now reported 152,434 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. But with 6,093 additional cases reported Tuesday morning, the state has seen daily increases of over 5,000 cases for seven straight days. Duval Countys numbers increased by 368 to 6,207 total confirmed cases since the pandemic began. The states surge of new positive cases began in mid-June and continued rising to a peak of 9,585 on Saturday. Florida has doubled its total cases since June 13.

Number of Duval County COVID-19 cases double in 8 days

The Department of Health reported 5,266 additional coronavirus cases statewide Monday, bringing the statewide total to 146,341. Duval County added 260 cases, St. Johns had 57 new cases, Alachua added 40, 27 more in Clay, 14 in Columbia and 10 additional cases in both Flagler and Putnam counties. The total number of Duval County residents diagnosed with COVID-19 has doubled since June 21 and rose faster than the state average. The daily rate of positive tests in Duval County stayed below 5% throughout the month of May but has averaged 10% or above since mid-June and was 13.3% on Sunday. For these younger groups they need to be thinking about who they are coming into contact with who may be in the more vulnerable groups,' DeSantis said.

Florida’s much-touted pay raise leaves experienced teachers feeling ignored

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At least half of the full-time teachers in Florida could get a pay raise under a new funding measure signed Thursday by Gov. The I-TEAM examined the median salary of fulltime teachers reported by the state’s 73 districts or entities. In other words, those 57 districts paid more than half their fulltime teachers less than $47,500 last year. Below is a breakdown of median teacher salaries for the districts in northeast Florida. “It’s a good thing that we’re putting money in teacher salaries,” said Justin Vogel, chief negotiator, St. John’s Education Association.

Duval, St. Johns report record increases in COVID-19 cases

The numbers Thursday also showed record increases in coronavirus cases for both Duval and St. Johns counties. Duval is up to 3,724 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 305 cases in a single day. St. Johns Countys confirmed cases were up by 51 to a total of 599. Across the state, Florida has now reported a total of 114,018 cases, up 5,004 from the previous day. The increase came a day after Florida shattered its previous one-day record, with more than 5,500 new positive cases reported on Wednesday.

State defends ICU capability, reporting changes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida has more intensive-care unit capability than a state website indicates, a top health-care regulator said Tuesday, as the DeSantis administration defended a decision to change how hospitals report available ICU beds to the state. What we are not seeing captured is the ability (for hospitals) to convert beds to ICU to have a level of ICU surge capacity if needed, Mayhew said. She said the state is closely tracking hospital admissions as the number of people with COVID-19 spikes. If hospitals are using ICU beds for patients who arent in critical care, it could at least partly be because of state decisions. According to state data, 2,640 residents have been transferred, which means the majority of them have been transferred to hospitals.

Mayor of Jacksonville hopes the risk of COVID-19 spread wont be as bad in August during GOP convention

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Mayor of Jacksonville Lenny Curry is banking on continued progress in the coronavirus pandemic to help keep residents safe from the spread of COVID-19 during the Republican National Convention in August. During an announcement on the RNC decision Friday morning, the Mayor said COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place. Inside of 10 to 12 weeks that all changed, so if we continue on this trajectory, were going to be ready to go. Florida Governor Ron DeSanits expressed similar views and noted the number of resources that will be made available to the city. As of Friday, the CDC still had an advisory for large events on its website, which was posted in mid-March.

Beaches in Jacksonville, Florida, reopen with restrictions amid coronavirus pandemic

Some beaches in Florida reopened Friday night, after Governor Ron DeSanits gave the green light as long as social distancing is put in place. Beaches in the north Florida counties of Duval, which includes Jacksonville, and St. John's County opened beaches at 5 p.m. Friday, CBS Jacksonville affiliate WJAX reports. Beaches in Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic beach will now be open from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Don't forget the social distancing. Photos and videos were posted to social media showing people flocking to beaches in Florida and ignoring social distancing guidelines.

cbsnews.com