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 Republicans send sports transgender bill to governor
Florida Republicans moved to ban transgender girls and women from playing on public school teams intended for student athletes born as girls, sending the proposal to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The measure approved by the GOP-led Legislature Wednesday stripped some of the most contentious elements from a proposal approved by the House two weeks ago.
Provisions removed included a requirement that transgender athletes in high schools and colleges undergo testosterone or genetic testing, as well as submit to having their genitalia examined.
2. Clematis by Night kicking off SunFest countdown
Sunfest 2021 would have kicked-off on Thursday, but the music festival was canceled for the second year in a row due to coronavirus.
Instead, organizers are looking ahead to 2022 and local businesses are looking forward to the return of downtown event like Clematis by Night.
On Thursday, Clematis at Night officially starts the clock with the “Countdown to Sunfest 2022."
3. President Biden pitches jobs and family plans in address to Congress
President Joe Biden used his address to Congress Wednesday to pitch his American Jobs Plan and a new $1.8 trillion American Families Plan that invests in families, children and the education system.
Biden proposed spending billions of dollars on education funding. Some of that will be used to provide free preschool for all three- and four-year-old children. He also wants to make two years of community college free.
Biden is proposing to pay for the plans by hiking taxes on high-income households, those making $400,000 a year or more.
4. Carrot or stick? Officials have different ideas on how to get people vaccinated
Palm Beach County health officials are considering incentives for those debating whether or not to get the shot.
Among the ideas are food trucks to lure younger people to vaccination sites, Publix gift cards and adding to commissary budgets of inmates in the county jail who've been reluctant to get their shots.
Palm Beach County's tax collector has taken a very different approach by telling her employees to get vaccinated or risk losing their jobs.
5. Federal hate crime charges in death of Ahmaud Arbery
On Wednesday, a federal grand jury charged Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan with hate crimes and the attempted kidnapping of Arbery, who was killed while out for a run last year.
All three were each charged with one count of interference with rights and one count of attempted kidnapping.
On Feb. 23, Arbery was shot and killed while out for a run. According to the DOJ, the McMichaels armed themselves with firearms, got into a truck, and chased Arbery down while yelling at him and using their vehicle to cut off his route.
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On This Day In History
On April 29, 2004, the World War II Memorial opens in Washington, D.C. to thousands of visitors, providing overdue recognition for the 16 million U.S. men and women who served in the war.
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