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Palms West Monthly • July 2020 • Page 1
Palms West
Monthly
WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • WEST PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE GROVES • THE ACREAGE Volume 10, Number 6
PalmsWestMonthly.com
THE SHOW MUST GO ON July 4th fireworks displays are still happening locally, just with a twist. PAGE 6
FREE • July 2020
STATE GOVERNMENT
TEACHERS’ AID Despite state revenue plummeting because of the coronavirus, Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill for $500 million in teacher raises.
Office Depot donates $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity PBC The gift comes at a time when homes cost more to build as volunteer opportunities come to a standstill. Habitat’s staff is working hard to keep home production on schedule.
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE — Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Wednesday, June 24 to raise the minimum
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Downtown WPB restaurants takin’ it to the streets
Restaurants in downtown West Palm Beach are now permitted to extend café seating into streets, parking lots and alleyways, thanks to a downtown initiative called “Dining on the Spot.”
teacher salary to $47,500 and provide other raises at a cost of $500 million despite state revenue plummeting because of the coronavirus. Raising teacher salaries was a top priority for DeSantis during the legislative session that ended with a budget being approved in mid-March – just as the state was shutting down because of the pandemic. Florida has no income tax and relies heavily on tourism and its sales tax for revenue, and has been hit hard by a drop in visitors. “We’ve had a little bit of changes in everything happening in our world since then, so it was quite a challenge to make sure that even though we fought for it, that we’d be able to actually do it in the budget,” DeSantis said at a bill signing ceremony in a Miami-Dade County school. “(It’s) a different fiscal picture than what we were dealing with in January, February and early March.” Lawmakers approved $500 million toward teacher pay raises – $400 million to boost the minimum teacher salary and $100 million for other pay raises. The money was less than the $900 million that
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DeSantis requested when he proclaimed last fall that it would be the “Year of the Teacher.” DeSantis said other budget items he supports will be chopped when he finally signs the budget that goes into effect on July 1. The governor is able to veto specific line items in the $92 billion spending plan approved by lawmakers. “Although we have not made every decision about the budget, this will be there 100 percent. We’re going to have to make tough choices, but this is important,” DeSantis said. The signing elicited praise from the Florida Education Association – the teachers union that more often clashes with Republican leadership. “This $500 million investment in Florida’s teachers is especially meaningful given the current circumstances. It speaks to the deep value of public education to our state’s future,” said union President Fedrick Ingram in a news release. “The decision to leave this investment for Florida’s schools intact is an acknowledgement of the hard work our members do each and every day for Florida’s students.” DeSantis was surrounded by Democratic and Republican lawmakers when he signed the bill. He said his hope is that it will help the state recruit teachers. “Obviously, you’re not going to get rich doing it, just like police officers don’t get rich,” DeSantis said. “You do it because you have a servant’s heart, but it sure makes it easier if you have a good minimum salary and are able to make ends meet.” Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, the budget chief for his chamber, said people questioned whether DeSantis would be able to keep his promise. “People said, after Covid, this shouldn’t happen. Should we even do this anymore? But today, it’s happening. Promise made, promise kept. The year of the teacher is a reality,” he said at the DeSantis bill signing.
State enacts heat stroke protections for student athletes By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN The Associated Press
Lindy still looking for fur-ever home
It’s kitten season. That means hundreds of adorable kittens are up for adoption at Peggy Adams Rescue League. Sadly, adult cats like Lindy patiently wait to be adopted.
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TALLAHASSEE — A grieving mother’s plea to Florida lawmakers was fulfilled when Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure requiring schools to do more to protect student athletes from heat strokes, including having water-filled tubs at games and practices to rapidly cool the body. Laurie Giordano had lobbied the Florida Legislature to approve legislation that would require high schools to act more quickly when student athletes show signs of heat stroke and other heat-related stresses. The new law, known as the Zachary Martin Act, was among 23 bills signed by
the governor June 23. The legislation is named after Giordano’s 16-year-old son, a strapping 300-pound, 6-foot-4 offensive gridiron lineman who collapsed during practice three years ago. He had just finished running sprints with his teammates in the sweltering South Florida heat. After some confusion on the sidelines, he was rushed to the hospital, where he died 11 days later. After her son’s death, Giordano created a foundation in his name that has donated dozens of cooling tubs to schools across Florida. With the governor’s signature, public
schools will be required to have a tub or other large container filled with cold water at the sidelines during all games and practices. Schools also will be required to have defibrillators to resuscitate stricken athletes. The new law also requires schools to train personnel on how to recognize signs of heat-related ailments, including potentially deadly heat strokes, and to take life-saving actions. The law will go into effect July 1, but because of the coronavirus pandemic it is still uncertain whether some sports programs will resume when Florida’s public HEAT STROKE / PAGE 6