DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s cybersecurity agency has launched a program aimed at boosting election security in the states, shoring up support for local offices and hoping to provide reassurance to voters that this year's presidential elections will be safe and accurate. Officials with the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency planned to introduce its new election security adviser program Thursday to the National Association of State Election Directors and on Friday to the National Association of Secretaries of State. For state and local election officials, the list of security challenges keeps growing. The CISA program includes 10 new hires, all of whom join the federal agency with extensive election experience. CISA Director Jen Easterly announced plans for the program at a July meeting of the state election directors in South Carolina.

Persons: Jen, Cait Conley, ” Conley, Keith Ingram, Spencer Wood, David Stafford, “, ”, Lori Augino, CISA, Al Schmidt, Karen Brinson Bell, Brinson Bell Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, National Association of State, National Association of, State, Ohio, State’s, North Carolina State Board Locations: New Hampshire, Fulton County , Georgia, Russia, South Carolina, Texas, Escambia County , Florida, Washington, ”, “

☆ Bill O'Reilly, who supports Florida book ban laws, is outraged after his own books come under review
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bill O'Reilly is furious that two of his books were removed from a Florida school district. O'Reilly has been supportive of book ban laws in Florida. AdvertisementFormer longtime Fox News host Bill O'Reilly is outraged after Florida's book ban laws — which he has vehemently supported —have now called his own books into question for review. "When DeSantis signed the book law, I supported the theme because there was abuse going on in Florida," he told Newsweek. O'Reilly went on to say that he now thinks the wording in the book ban laws is "far too nebulous" and that Florida Gov.

Persons: Bill O'Reilly, O'Reilly, —, Reagan, DeSantis, there's, Ron DeSantis, John Grisham Organizations: Service, longtime Fox News, Newsweek, Florida Gov, Fox News Locations: Florida, Escambia County

☆ US South blanketed with oppressive heat ahead of holiday weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A combination of high humidity and temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius)could push heat index values above 115 in some parts of the South this weekend, contributing to atmospheric instability and creating conditions ripe for more harsh storms, weather service meteorologist Matt Mosier said. The agency issued excessive heat warnings affecting millions of people in parts of southern Louisiana and Texas, saying the heat index could reach 110 degrees. South Florida and Mississippi were under heat advisories for Friday. While Southern states are accustomed to high heat, extreme weather conditions have become more frequent across the country and with more intensity, driven by climate change, scientists say. At least three people were killed and dozens injured by tornadoes in Perryton, Texas, on Thursday.

Persons: Matt Mosier, It's, Power, Poweroutage.us, Davis Wood, Tyler Clifford, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, National Weather Service, Thomson Locations: Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Perryton , Texas, Pensacola , Florida, Escambia County, Warrington, New York

☆ This PTA Mom From Escambia County Is Suing Her School District For Banning Books - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Michelle Goldberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

in bright-red Escambia County, Fla., knows that coming out as a public face in the fight against book banning could make her life difficult, but she’s made peace with it. “I don’t want my business to suffer,” the optometrist and mother of elementary school-age girls told me. I’m not one to keep my mouth shut.”Durtschi is part of a groundbreaking lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, against the Escambia County School District and Escambia County School Board for their sweeping school library censorship. In addition to Durtschi and another Escambia County parent, the plaintiffs include the free expression organization PEN America, Penguin Random House and a group of authors of children’s and young adult books. The suit seeks to have Escambia’s book restrictions declared unconstitutional for targeting specific viewpoints and for infringing on the rights of students to receive information.

“The attack on books, the attack on teaching, the attack on libraries, in – how can I put this – Florida, has never been more dangerous, never been more important to fight,” he said. Rushdie spoke at the PEN America Gala in New York City, praising the literary and free speech advocacy group for its latest efforts to block politicians and local officials seeking to ban literature concerning race and gender identity. PEN America, along with book publisher Penguin Random House and several parents and authors, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging Florida’s Escambia County school district’s removal of certain books on race and LGBTQ issues from school libraries. “I was really proud to hear yesterday that PEN America, together with my publisher Penguin Random House, has taken this step of bringing a lawsuit in Florida,” Rushdie said. “Tonight, we recognize the courage of an Iranian writer, and we’ve done so over and over (with) writers from all over the world.

☆ The world's biggest publisher is suing a Florida school district for banning books by writers including Toni Morrison and Khaled Hosseini
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Penguin Random House is suing a Florida school district and board after it banned certain books. Penguin Random House has joined forces with an authors' group to sue a Florida school district after it banned a number of books. Books removed or restricted by Escambia include "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut, and "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. All have had books removed from libraries or had student access restricted by the district, PEN America said in a press release. "The book removals and restrictions enacted by the School District and School Board are denying students access to books they would like to read, or chilling such access."

☆ Penguin Random House and Florida parents sue school district over book bans
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A selection of books including "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison, that have been the subject of complaints from parentsPenguin Random House, authors, parents and an advocacy group filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a Florida school district for removing 10 books related to race and the LGBTQ community after a high school teacher complained. In addition to the publishing house, PEN America, a nonprofit group that advocates for free expression in literature, five authors whose books have been removed from the district, and two parents whose children go to school in the district filed the suit against the Escambia County School District and the Escambia County School Board in Pensacola, Florida. "The clear agenda behind the campaign to remove the books is to categorically remove all discussion of racial discrimination or LGBTQ issues from public school libraries. Neither the district nor the school board immediately returned requests for comment. More than 100 other titles are restricted and require parental approval for access.

☆ Biden came to Florida to help Democratic underdogs, but barely mentioned DeSantis, one of his most vocal critics
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Ron DeSantis, who frequently criticizes him. Ron DeSantis while campaigning in Florida on Tuesday evening, one week out from Election Day. Earlier in the day, however, Biden called DeSantis "Donald Trump incarnate" during a fundraiser in Golden Beach, Florida. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, in November. Taking the stage on Tuesday, Crist said "Ron DeSantis wants to do to America what he has done to Florida."

Search resuls for: "Escambia County"

8 mentions found