pandemic

Legislative leaders are monitoring the spike in COVID-19 infections across Florida but haven’t made plans to reimpose restrictions on public access that were used during the last legislative session. With the 2022 session starting January 11, people will be allowed to roam most of the Capitol complex and address lawmakers in person.

A federal judge has quickly rejected Florida’s request to block a Biden administration requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes and other health-care providers be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Florida lawmakers voted this week to clamp down on COVID-19 mandates from businesses and the federal government. They added a string of opt out provisions, and that is creating confusion for healthcare facilities that must abide by federal rules.

Physicians and other health professionals issued a call Monday - hours before a special session in Tallahassee - for Florida lawmakers to reject any bans on COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.

A federal judge will hear arguments Dec. 7 in Florida’s request for a preliminary injunction to block Biden administration efforts to require employees of federal contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

It’s a new era at Young Actors Theatre (YAT). The big pink building in midtown Tallahassee is welcoming back a full roster of performers and audiences for the next two weekends in The Wizard of Oz.

The State Board of Education has scheduled a meeting next week to consider a U.S. Department of Education complaint seeking to prevent Florida from withholding funds from school districts that received federal money to cover school board members’ salaries.

Theatre Tallahassee opens a show next week with its interpretation of the Tony-award winning musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. The show has been more than a year and a half in the making.

Federal unemployment compensation ended in Florida in late June. Those checks were on top of state unemployment checks. The theory was that less money in accounts would spur workers back into the labor market. That hasn’t happened.

Pointing to a “hierarchy” that requires school districts to follow state laws and rules, the Florida Department of Health is asking a judge to toss out a challenge by six school boards to a rule that seeks to prevent student mask mandates during the pandemic.