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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ‘Optimistic’ South Florida Is Near Next Phase Of Reopening

South Florida is on the verge of joining the second phase of the state’s economic recovery efforts, as Gov. Ron DeSantis pointed to downward trends in the rates of positive tests for the coronavirus.

DeSantis said he isn’t ready to make an announcement, but he’s optimistic the heavily populated region is close to being included in the expansion of reopening efforts that went into place June 8 in all but Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

“I’m in conversations with them about what they feel about the next step,” DeSantis said during an appearance Wednesday at AdventHealth in Altamonte Springs to discuss mental-health issues. “I think that that’s really where we’re going to be looking at. I’m not saying I’m going to do it today or we’re going to do it tomorrow.”

Florida teachers make their case in court: Keep schools closed for now

Florida schools are not yet safe for students or teachers, and local officials should have the right to make that call as the pandemic continues.

Those were the key points that lawyers for the Florida Education Association and other plaintiffs aimed to make Wednesday, as they tried to convince a Leon County judge to stop the state’s order forcing school districts to open classrooms for in-person learning by the end of August.

“We believe we laid out a convincing case to protect students and the people who work in our schools,” FEA vice president Andrew Spar said in a statement released after the eight-hour virtual hearing, made necessary after the sides failed to reach a settlement the day before.

‘People are tired of it’: Homophobia is a big loser in Florida primary

This week’s primary was a historic day for equal rights in Florida.

Michele Rayner, who won Tuesday’s Democratic primary that clinched the race for House District 70, is believed to be the first out queer Black woman elected to the Florida Legislature. And Shevrin Jones, a gay state representative, notched a convincing victory in the Democratic primary for Senate District 35. With only a write-in candidate opposing him in the November general election, he’ll become the first openly gay state senator in Florida’s history.

Jasmen Rogers-Shaw, another queer candidate, narrowly lost to an incumbent in a Democratic primary for a House district in Broward.

DeSantis on mail ballots: ‘It’s a safe way to do it’

Gov. Ron DeSantis said state and county elections officials did a “really good job” in Tuesday’s primaries, as more than half of the voters mailed in ballots.

After praising the work of Secretary of State Laurel Lee and county elections supervisors, DeSantis said some improvements might still need to be made to the election system.

“We’ll learn if there was anything to do, offer additional support, before the general election,” DeSantis said Wednesday during an appearance at AdventHealth Altamonte Springs to discuss mental-health issues.