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August 14, 2020

College students are beginning to move into their dorms or off-campus housing. But some have decided to forego moving due to Florida being dubbed a “hotspot” for the coronavirus. Robbie Gaffney takes us through some of those concerns.

The future of college football this season has been a focus - nay, a near obsession - of the sports world. Florida State University’s program hosted the governor recently for a media event during which the school’s head coach and president were vocal in favor of the season going forward. Ryan Dailey reports the move has led some student athletes to speak out.

A Leon County judge has turned aside the state’s request to throw out a lawsuit over school reopenings. Blaise Gainey reports Judge Charles Dodson is sending the state and Florida’s largest teachers union to mediation. If no deal is reached, the sides are preparing to go to trial. At issue is an order by the Florida Department of Education mandating all public schools offer in-person classes.

Voting rights groups are urging voters to cast their ballots through the mail because of concerns about the coronavirus. But they caution, in order for those votes to count, ballots have to get to the election supervisor’s office by election day. And policy changes at the post office are raising concerns about a mail slow-down. Some groups have recommended sending in ballots 7 to 14 days before the deadline. Leon County’s supervisor of elections says if you haven’t sent your vote-by-mail primary ballot in by now, the best bet if likely dropping it off in one of the county’s ballot drop boxes, or at the elections office. But how late is really too late? Regan McCarthy checks into how long it really takes something to go through the mail.

ICU bed availabiltity in South Florida’s hospitals is increasing. And the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is decreasing. But as we hear from WLRN’s Veronica Zaragovia, experts urge the public to stick with all of the measures to keep these improvements going.

Film and TV productions shut down around the country as COVID-19 spread. The trade association Film Florida has a new president who thinks show biz productions could be a major part of Florida’s economic recovery. We get more on that story from Gina Jordan.

The Florida Department of Education was ready to fight a legal challenge about the legal requirement that the state’s college students achieve civic literacy. But now the state has suddenly withdrawn from the proceedings. Tom Flanigan spoke with the college professor and attorney who mounted the challenge.