While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. New Florida law allows smoking bans at public beaches, parks
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill allowing local governments to restrict smoking on public Florida beaches and parks.
The new law gives local leaders full jurisdiction in regulating smoking at beaches. This includes the creation of designated smoking zones and fines, stricter laws on the disposal of cigarette butts and even an outright ban.
The Ocean Conservancy, the nation's oldest conservation nonprofit, also applauded the effort as way to solve the problem of cigarette butts and their microplastics on the beach.
2. Florida doctors can now order under-5 COVID shots
The White House on Friday said Florida is now allowing pediatricians and other health care providers to order doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for kids 6 months to 5 years old.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday officially authorized both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to do the same this week.
While DeSantis is allowing pediatricians to order the vaccine, the Florida Department of Health will continue to hold off on getting doses, meaning state and local health departments will not immediately have access to shots.
3. Uvalde officials reportedly hire law firm to block release of 'highly embarrassing information'
Weeks since a gunman killed 21 people inside a Texas elementary school, Uvalde law enforcement officials have stopped providing updates about what transpired during the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School.
With pressure mounting publically about what happened, the city of Uvalde has hired a private Texas law firm to seek an exemption to block the release of public records pertaining to the school shooting because some of them contain "highly embarrassing information," Vice and NPR reported.
Now, some Texas lawmakers and advocates have voiced their concerns that a legal loophole could be used by Uvalde city officials that would block further information about the deadly school shooting from being released, the Associated Press reported.
4. Bitcoin inches up above psychological threshold of $20,000
The price of a bitcoin has inched above $20,000 after the broader crypto selloff dragged it below the psychological threshold a day earlier. The price of the most popular cryptocurrency was $20,129.70 as of Sunday afternoon.
According to the cryptocurrency news site CoinDesk, bitcoin had plunged Saturday as much as 9.7% to less than $18,600 by late afternoon on the East Coast.
At some points during the day, it was below $18,000.
5. Matt Fitzpatrick hangs on, wins US Open by 1
Englishman and Jupiter, Florida, resident Matt Fitzpatrick won the U.S. Open on Sunday, winning his first major on the same course where he took the U.S. Amateur title nine years earlier.
Fitzpatrick shot a 2-under 68 at the Country Club to finish the tournament at 6-under 274 and beat Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler by one.
He also joins Jack Nicklaus as the only player to win both the U.S. Open and Amateur on the same course.
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On This Day In History
On June 20, 1975, Jaws, a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water, opens in theaters. The film, a breakthrough for then 27 years old Spielberg, spawned several sequels.
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