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☆ Florida education board to vote on extending ban on gender identity lessons
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Joseph Ax | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Hillsborough High School students protest a Republican-backed bill dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, a measure Democrats denounced as being anti-LGBTQ, in Tampa, Florida, U.S., March 3, 2022. The state board of education, whose members are appointed by the governor, will vote on the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday, according to the agenda. Critics, including LGBTQ advocates and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, have termed it the "Don't Say Gay" law and said it marginalizes LGBTQ students. Brandon Wolf, a spokesperson for Equality Florida, an LGBTQ advocacy group, said DeSantis is targeting LGBTQ students to boost his national political fortunes. A spokesperson for DeSantis referred questions to the state department of education.

☆ Chris Christie joins Trump in bashing DeSantis over Disney clash
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Dan Whitcomb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks at the Institute of Politics at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., March 27, 2023. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File PhotoApril 18 (Reuters) - Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie joined former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday in criticizing a fellow Republican, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, over his feud with the Walt Disney Co. (DIS.N). "I don’t think Ron DeSantis is a conservative based on his actions towards Disney,” added Christie, who is also said to be considering a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Trump, who could be DeSantis' top rival for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, has called the Florida governor's war with Disney a "political stunt" and suggested it could backfire on the party. DeSantis and the Florida legislature have been working to eliminate the virtual autonomy the company has enjoyed over the Disney World resort and amusement parks for more than 50 years, saying that constitutes an "unfair advantage."

☆ As New York Bans Native American Mascots, Some Schools Try to Keep Them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Everywhere you look on the campus of Mohonasen Central School District, there are indications of Indigenous tradition: on street signs, in logos made up of arrows and feathers, and — most centrally — in the profiles of three American Indian men, the emblem of the school’s team name, the Warriors. But under a new policy expected to be approved by the state Board of Regents on Monday, that nickname may soon have to be changed, part of a nationwide effort to eliminate mascots and logos containing racially insensitive images or words. According to the National Congress of American Indians, more than 20 states have taken action to change mascot names, using a variety of means, including legislation and actions by human rights commissions. In New York, the push dates back more than two decades but recently gained strength — and bite — when the State Board of Education sent notice in November to school districts across New York that they had to commit to abandon “Native American mascots” or face “removal of school officers and the withholding of state aid.” The Regents is expected to ratify that policy on Monday.

☆ The parents of an 8-year-old trans girl say they're moving from Florida to Minnesota, fearing an anti-trans law that could threaten the custody of their daughter
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Leo Aquino | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The bill would restrict funding and protections for healthcare providers that offer gender-affirming care to trans patients. "I thought the worst they would do is restrict gender-affirming care," Amanda said. This would prohibit universities or health insurance plans for government workers from using public funds to provide gender-affirming care. In February, the Board of Medicine expanded on the restrictions and banned gender-affirming care for minors, including in clinical trials. In a previous story about SB 254, representatives for DeSantis declined to comment on SB 254 until it makes its way to the Governor's desk.

☆ Toronto home prices rise in March as new listings tumble
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TORONTO, April 5 (Reuters) - Greater Toronto Area (GTA) home prices increased in March from February, with listings falling at a faster rate than did sales in comparison to a year ago, in the first look at the market since the Bank of Canada paused its interest rate hikes. The BoC raised interest rates eight consecutive times before moving to the sidelines last month. Sales tumbled 36.5% from a year ago, while new listings fell at a steeper rate, down 44.3%, indicating a tightening of market conditions. "As we moved through the first quarter, Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) Members were increasingly reporting that competition between buyers was heating up in many GTA neighbourhoods. ($1 = 1.3443 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Chicago mayoral election live results: Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas face off in runoff election
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas are facing off in the Chicago mayoral runoff election. The winning candidate will succeed Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was the third-place finisher in the initial Feb. 28 mayoral election behind Vallas and Johnson, respectively, missing her chance to compete in the runoff. Garcia came in fourth place in the February mayoral election; in 2015, he was also a mayoral candidate, forcing then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel into a runoff election, which he eventually lost. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Vallas raised $6.4 million in the lead-up to the initial February mayoral election and has raked in at least $10.9 million since March 1. Johnson raised nearly $4 million before the February election and has taken in at least $5.8 million since March 1.

☆ Big real estate landlords are finally starting to decarbonize, creating an $18 trillion market that this Blackstone portfolio company plans to profit from at every turn
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Blackstone portfolio company Legence wants to be a one-stop shop for landlords. A Real Estate Board of New York study found that the total penalties could top $213 million. Its ICS became the strategic planner, its CMTA, which designed the first net-zero school in the United States, designed the upgrades, and its Gilbert Mechanical installed the new heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting hardware. How to do itIt may still be a challenge to coordinate decarbonization processes, which don't come naturally to large-scale real-estate operators, Boland said. Legence plans to grow the business's geographic scope and increase its depth in current markets, including Colorado and California, Sprau said.

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☆ Fact Check-Gay dating app Grindr is not revealing Florida legislators ‘who secretly use the app’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Grindr did not announce that the company will reveal the names of Florida legislators who “secretly use” the gay dating app. The claim stems from a satirical Twitter account, although some have taken it seriously online. Examples of the claim shared online can be viewed (here) and (here). The claim stems from a satirical Twitter account, Halfway Post, that routinely shares fabricated satirical content (here), archived (archive.is/wip/8njYP). The claim stems from a satirical Twitter account.

☆ DeSantis-picked education board considers expanding so-called 'Don't Say Gay' law to 12th grade
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Florida's board of education is considering an expansion to a Parental Rights law critics call "Don't Say Gay." It would limit instructions about gender identity and sexual orientation for up to 12th grade. It wasn't immediately clear whether the proposal was aimed at supplanting or clarifying the 2022 law, formally known as the Parental Rights in Education Act. Some Florida school boards have shown they're confused about how to abide by the Parental Rights Act. Some have removed books exploring sexual orientation and gender identity from their libraries, though it's unclear for what grades.

☆ Florida moves to expand teaching ban on sexual orientation, gender identity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Sharon Bernstein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Hillsborough High School students protest a Republican-backed bill dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" that would prohibit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity, a measure Democrats denounced as being anti-LGBTQ, in Tampa, Florida, U.S., March 3, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones/File PhotoMarch 22 (Reuters) - Florida is looking to expand its ban on teaching young children about sexual orientation and gender identity issues to include all students in its public schools under a new rule set for a vote by the state Board of Education next month. Last year, DeSantis signed a Republican-backed measure that banned classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. The Florida Department of Education's new proposal, which would not require legislative approval, would extend the ban through the 12th grade. "There is no reason for instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity to be part of K-12 public education.

☆ South Korea's 'jeonse' rent-free renters hit by property downturn
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Jihoon Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Yoo Ha-jin, 27, looks at a building where she lives in Seoul, South Korea, February 21, 2023. Yoo Ha-jin, 28, regrets not getting insurance for her jeonse deposit when she signed in March 2021. "I thought I would be just fine as long as I could get a jeonse deposit loan from the bank," Yoo told Reuters. Jeonse deposit loans more than quadrupled in less than six years through October to 172 trillion won ($132 billion), according to the central bank. Jeonse deposit loansPROPERTY FALLOUTStill, almost all jeonse loans have guarantees from public enterprises, leaving little credit risk for commercial lenders.

☆ A Shameful Vote in Virginia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Virginia Democrats have hit a new low in their battle to keep Gov. Glenn Youngkin from making good on his promise to give parents more say over their children’s education. Mr. Youngkin’s nominee is Suparna Dutta , an India-born woman who co-founded the parents group at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. That group accused the high school of abandoning its merit-based admissions standards to reduce the number of Asian-Americans admitted. Democrats say she is unqualified to serve on the board because she has no background in education.

☆ All 5 officers charged in Tyre Nichols' death removed or failed to activate their body-worn cameras. They were caught by a 'sky cop' camera installed to monitor crime hotspots.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

All 5 officers charged in Tyre Nichols' death failed to capture the entire incident on body cameras. Three of the five removed their cameras during the still-active scene, according to new police docs. Following Nichols' death, the police department released portions of responding officers' body-worn camera footage, as well as CCTV video of the encounter. But investigators said Martin failed to activate his body-worn camera during the first confrontation with Nichols. Both Haley and Smith also failed to capture the encounter with Nichols in its entirety, according to police records.

☆ Disney's strategy to win its battle with DeSantis is to just wait until he runs for president, says a top Florida Democrat
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Disney will sue Florida for dissolving its self-governing status, predicted Democratic state Sen. Jason Pizzo. Florida lawmakers are deciding Disney's financial fate this week. Ron DeSantis will be to simply run out the clock, a top Florida Democrat predicted Monday. Other areas state lawmakers will consider would allow Florida to transport migrants from other states and to give the state more power to prosecute election fraud. Today, more than 40 lobbyists represent Disney before the Florida legislature, according to an Insider review of lobbying disclosures.

☆ I'm a Florida teacher who's been forced to cover up the books in my classroom. Here's why I'm suing Ron DeSantis.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This year, a new law in Florida requires that all books in public schools be vetted for children. High school social studies teacher Don Falls said he covered up his books to comply with the law. The district recently began implementing a new Florida law requiring all books in a public school to be vetted by a trained media specialist. Many teachers, including Falls, chose to cover un-vetted books in their classrooms rather than remove them. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis openly said in his swearing-in inauguration that this is the state where woke goes to die.

☆ News Corp plans to sell real estate giant Move Inc, valued at $1.4 billion, to CoStar as Rupert Murdoch shelves proposed merger of News Corp and Fox
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Claire Atkinson | Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

News Corp is in talks to sell Move Inc, the operator of listings site Realtor.com, to CoStar. The news comes as executive chairman Rupert Murdoch shelves a News Corp merger with Fox. News Corp is planning to sell Move Inc., the California-based operator of Realtor.com and other real estate listings sites, to CoStar, a commercial real estate data and technology firm. One News Corp shareholder, Irenic Capital, had argued against the merger, suggesting that News Corp could benefit shareholders if it unlocked the value of its holdings including Dow Jones and the real estate assets. The balance is held by News Corp's digital real estate subsidiary REA.

☆ A fire just razed a slum in the heart of one of Korea's ritziest neighborhoods. It highlights the vast wealth gap and tight proximity in which Seoul's richest and poorest live.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Cheryl Teh | Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

On January 20, a fire tore through the shantytown of Guryong village in Seoul. Firefighters and rescue workers clean up the site of a fire at Guryong village in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. ED JONES/Getty ImagesGuryong feels like a world away from Seoul, but it's very close to where the most well-heeled people in South Korea live. Around a fifth of single-person households in Seoul live in spaces under 14 square meters, or 150 square feet. But for now it's still Guryong village — a smoldering scar on the sparkling facade South Korea would rather have you looking at instead.

☆ Wisconsin Republicans block 'conversion therapy' ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Wisconsin Republicans voted Thursday to again allow therapists, social workers and counselors to try to change LGBTQ clients’ gender identities and sexual orientations — a discredited practice known as conversion therapy. A ban on conversion therapy was passed in 2020 by a state board within the Democratic governor’s administration overseeing licensing for mental health professionals. At least 20 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed conversion therapy for minors, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank. He said that’s all that’s at issue, not whether conversion therapy is morally or ethically right or wrong. “(The ban on conversion therapy) is necessary to protect the mental health of children in our state,” Herstand said.

☆ Judicial Thunder Out of Ohio
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Judges across the country are rethinking their deference to regulators who stretch the law, and the latest example is thunder out of the Ohio Supreme Court. TWISM Enterprises v. State Board of Registration is a prosaic licensing case by usual standards. TWISM challenged a decision by Ohio regulators denying its application to provide engineering services in the state. The court ruled 7-0 that the regulatory board had essentially rewritten Ohio law by insisting that anyone providing engineering services must be an employee, and not an independent contractor. The statute says no such thing, and the court ruled for the company.

☆ A band of immigrant tenants went to war with their $31 billion landlord. It's a sneak peek at what's to come across America.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

In Alexandria, Virginia, $31 billion landlord CIM Group bought a massive apartment complex in 2020. The group was organizing against CIM Group, the landlord they said had upended their lives. Insider spoke with 10 Southern Towers tenants. The battle between the Southern Towers tenants and CIM could presage what's to come across America. "We're not going to leave"The Southern Towers tenants aren't the only ones following the money.

LANSING — State officials in Michigan announced changes this week to address administrative failures that have made it difficult for some of the state’s most vulnerable foster youth to earn a high school diploma. The actions came after NBC News reported on foster youth in Michigan who were denied credit for classes they took while living in state-funded, state-licensed residential facilities. He was one of five foster youth who addressed the board or had their statements read into the record on Tuesday. “The first thing we need to do is to get into the Legislature and make certain that there’s no such thing as noncredit-bearing courses in Michigan public education. The foster youth and their advocates said they’re hopeful that real change is coming.

☆ Toronto home prices fall 1% in November; down roughly 19% from peak
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TORONTO, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Home prices in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) fell in November as rapidly rising interest rates weighed on the city's once-red-hot housing market, data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) showed on Tuesday. The average price of a GTA home fell to C$1.08 million ($794,527) in November, down 1% from October and down 7.2% from a year ago. Prices were about 19% below February's peak. "Increased borrowing costs represent a short-term shock to the housing market," TRREB President Kevin Crigger said in a statement. ($1 = 1.3593 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Trinidad Gonzales, a professor of history and Mexican American studies at South Texas College, has been honored with the 2022 John Lewis Award for History and Social Justice. Refusing to Forget's work spurred an award-winning exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin — the first time the state had publicly addressed "La Matanza." He played a role in a five-year battle to help change state standards for high school Mexican American history classes. “We all knew internally that it wasn’t just simply a fight for Mexican American studies,” Gonzales told South Texas College. "We're fearful that they're going to try to eliminate Mexican American studies, African American Studies, Indigenous Studies and Asian American studies," Gonzales said in the interview.

☆ Gregory Conigliaro, co-owner of compounding pharmacy, sentenced over role in 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Samantha Beech | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A former co-owner of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy was sentenced Thursday for what authorities said was his role in a deadly, multistate fungal meningitis outbreak in 2012. Conigliaro was co-owner, vice president and general manager of the now-defunct New England Compounding Center, which authorities said was behind the outbreak. Nearly 800 people in 20 states were diagnosed with fungal meningitis or other fungal infections in 2012 after receiving injections from contaminated vials of medicine manufactured by the NECC, the US Attorney’s Office said. More than 100 patients have died, making it the largest public health crisis caused by a pharmaceutical drug, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Through that deceit, the company was able to “operate in a slipshod, unsafe manner, ultimately leading to a tragic outbreak of fungal meningitis,” the Office said.

Parker Grey stopped going to the LGBTQ nightclub Club Q about a year and half ago “because of the growing hatred for our community that started in” Colorado Springs, Colorado. While no motive in the shooting has been disclosed by authorities, the violence comes amid heightened tensions for the LGBTQ community. The movement that advocated for that amendment started in Colorado Springs, they said. "I don’t know that we ever believe that we’ve fully grown out of that," Smith, 32, a longtime Colorado Springs resident, said. Most recently, in Colorado Springs, a transgender girl was kicked out of the homecoming dance because she wore a dress, Smith added.

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