Regional

Biden nudges Senate over ‘historic’ $1T infrastructure bill

WASHINGTON — Despite a rocky week of fits and starts, President Joe Biden on Friday praised the Senate for edging the bipartisan infrastructure  plan closer to passage, ahead of a key vote on the $1 trillion package.

Vouchers, lawsuit ratchet up school mask debate

TALLAHASSEE — The State Board of Education approved an emergency rule Friday that will allow students who experience what officials labeled covid-19 “harassment” to use state-backed vouchers to transfer to private schools or to move to different public schools or districts.

Students who oppose masks could get vouchers

TALLAHASSEE — Florida students could soon use state-backed vouchers to transfer to private schools if they object to wearing masks in classrooms, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and state education officials argue that decisions about masks should be left up to parents during the covid-19 pandemic.

Hurricane season forecast ratcheted up

With Florida and other states entering the thick of the annual hurricane season, a federal forecast released Wednesday ratcheted up expectations of an above-average year for storms.

Head-on collision kills one

WELLBORN — One person was killed in a head-on collision Wednesday afternoon on U.S. Highway 90. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a Davenport man was headed west on U.S. 90 when his SUV crossed the center line near 134th Place right after the Suwannee and Columbia County line.

Some school districts defy DeSantis, require masks

MIAMI — Despite a ban by Gov. Ron DeSantis, two Florida school districts have decided to require masks when children return to classrooms because of dramatic rises in coronavirus infections, with the state leading the country in hospitalizations.

Jennings teen killed in rollover

JENNINGS — Driving through a field in northern Hamilton County Friday evening, a Jennings teen lost control and was killed when his pickup overturned.

Hospitals continue seeing covid-19 surge

TALLAHASSEE — The number of people hospitalized in Florida because of covid-19 continued at a record pace Monday, according to the Florida Hospital Association.

Logging some extra miles

An overturned log truck closed a section of County Road 137 for more than two hours Friday morning when its logs fell off the overturned trailer and blocked both lanes of travel.

DeSantis says order will block mask requirements in schools

TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday he will issue an executive order to prohibit school districts from imposing mask-wearing requirements as students return to classes in August.