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. Florida Blue Alert issued for sex offender accused of shooting deputy
Florida law enforcement officials are searching for Gregory Ryan Miedema, a registered sex offender accused of shooting a deputy in Taylor County.
Officials say the deputy, who has not been identified, suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.
Officials say Miedema may be traveling in a 2000 gold Chrysler Sebring with a Florida License plate tag Y78TKU. The vehicle has a dark colored convertible top.
If you see him, authorities say to not approach him, but instead call 911.
2. Florida 15-week abortion ban within one vote of the Governor's desk
The Florida House of Representatives gave the final approval for a ban on abortion at 15 weeks. Now, if the bill is passed by the Senate, it would be sent to the governor's desk. Governor DeSantis has already expressed his support to tighten abortion laws.
Democrats tried to amend the bill before allowing it to leave the house. They pushed several changes, including much-desired exceptions for rape, incest, or human trafficking. None of the exemptions were approved, with most votes falling along party lines.
The current exceptions to HB 5 include fatal fetal abnormalities and situations when the mother's life is at risk.
3. Palm Beach County school board may denounce 'Don't Say Gay' bill
The Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday will vote to send a letter to state legislators, voicing their "displeasure" with HB 1557 and SB 1834, both officially called the "Parental Rights In Education" measure.
In the proposed letter to state lawmakers, Palm Beach County Superintendent Mike Burke and all seven school board members said they "stand firmly against any legislation that would compromise acceptance and respect for our students based on race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other demographic targeted for discriminatory exclusion."
Calling the bills "worrisome," the letter said the measures "threaten the ideals of inclusion" and "undermine existing protections for LGBTQ students by standing as a barrier to teachers who are currently providing a safe, inclusive classroom."
4. CDC changes developmental milestone guidelines for children
Infants and toddlers should be screened more for developmental delays, according to updated U.S. guidelines released last week.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics updated the checklists of developmental milestones used to monitor infant and young children's development in an effort to give parents and pediatricians clearer benchmarks that will make it easier to identify developmental delays early.
The checklists, familiar to many parents as part of regular checkups at the pediatrician's office, previously used 50th percentile milestones, meaning only half of children were expected to achieve the milestone at a given age. The revised checklists will now inquire about milestones 75% or more of children can be expected to achieve at a given age, eliminating unnecessary confusion and alarm while ensuring children who need additional evaluation and resources are properly identified.
5. Cash sales for single-family homes jump in Palm Beach County
The latest figures released by the Florida Realtors association show that there was a 22.2% increase in single-family homes that were paid in cash in Palm Beach County in the last year.
To support this metric, the median number of days between the listing date and contract date decreased significantly, -44.4%, since January 2021. This shows that cash sales increased substantially in the last 12 months with shorter closing times.
Other notable numbers from Florida Realtors show that the median sale price increased 24.8% in Palm Beach County since last year. The figure was $422,000 in January 2021 and increased to $526,500 last month.
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On This Day In History
February 23, 1945: During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island’s highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery was with them and recorded the event.
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