Florida
Gov. DeSantis: Florida ranks No. 1 in nation for vocational education
Gov. DeSantis in Titusville: Florida is No. 1 in workforce education
Gov. DeSantis, along with the state education commissioner, was at Titusville High Feb. 17 to highlight the success of Florida’s workforce education program
For students at Titusville High, the Space Mechatronics Lab gives them the chance to develop workforce skills before they even receive their diploma.
“You are seeing more than a lab,” said Titusville High’s Principal Jennifer Gonzalez, flanked by Gov. Ron DeSantis during a Feb.17 press conference at the school.
“You are seeing Florida’s workforce in the making.”
Speaking from a podium at the school’s lab, one with a sign on the front that read “THE WORKFORCE EDUCATION STATE,” DeSantis and other state officials announced that Florida has become the No. 1 state in the country for workforce education.
“When I became governor, I made the point very strongly that there’s more than one way you can succeed as a young person,” DeSantis said.
Vocational work education, he said, can be both an opportunity for young people to fill a niche in Brevard with the space industry and to enter the workforce without debt.
“I know there have been people from Brevard Public Schools who have been hired by Elon Musk at SpaceX right when they graduate,” DeSantis said. “That’s a pretty good opportunity to have.”
Factors that made Florida No. 1 in workforce education included the state’s top ranking in talent attraction for three years, a No. 1 ranking for college graduation rates for two years and No. 1 spot for education freedom for four years, DeSantis said.
In addition to Gonzalez, DeSantis was joined at the podium by Florida’s Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas and Congressman Mike Haridopolis. Also in attendance were Brevard Public Schools Superintendent Mark Rendell; School Board Chair Matt Susin; School Board Vice Chair Megan Wright; school board members Gene Trent and Katye Campbell; and Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
Vocational education makes school ‘relevant, engaging’
Over the course of the 40-minute meeting, officials praised the opportunities workforce education can provide students, highlighting Brevard Public Schools’ offerings.
“For our students, the (career and technical education) pathway has made education relevant, engaging and purposeful,” Gonzalez said, adding that Brevard has everything from training in the way of cyber security to culinary arts in the way of vocational education. “They graduate with not only a high school diploma, but with credentials, confidence and direction.”
Kamoutsas praised DeSantis for building up vocational education, crediting him for the increase in career and technical education participation.
“We heard the governor say we have more than 818,000 K12 CTE students who are not participating in our state, and almost 512 (thousand) CTE post-secondary students,” Kamoutsas said. “That’s an increase of 30% in post-secondary CTE enrollment since the beginning of this administration.”
Florida, he said, has “the most aligned, impactful and industry-driven workforce education system in the nation.”
“Thanks to Gov. DeSantis, we will continue to strengthen these pathways so that every student has access to programs that prepare them for in-demand careers with wages to support their families because of our governor’s leadership,” Kamoutsas said.
Commissioner condemns walkouts, union
Student walkouts were also briefly addressed during the meeting, with Kamoutsas thanking Rendell, Susin, Wright and Trent for taking a “strong stance” on the walkouts students organized on Feb. 6 protesting recent Immigration and Customs Enforcements actions.
“I am seeing across the nation, these walkouts that are being huge disruptions related to student safety concerns,” Kamoutsas said.
He also called out the Florida Education Association for calling the walkouts “reasonable.”
“There was no condemnation from the union,” he said. “There was no calling out the statement. In fact, they stayed silent, and it wasn’t until this weekend, where they received national backlash that now they’re having to change the narrative.”
On the Space Coast, Brevard Federation of Teachers has not made any statements related to the walkouts. Brevard students held a second protest against ICE actions on Presidents Day, a holiday.
Finch Walker is the education reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at fwalker@floridatoday.com. X: @_finchwalker. Instagram: @finchwalker_.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
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