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. Masks ordered for most Florida students despite DeSantis order
Just over half of Florida's 2.8 million public school students now face mandates to wear masks in classrooms as a courtroom battle continues over efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis to leave such decisions up to parents.
The Palm Beach County School Board voted Wednesday night to explore legal action against the highly controversial executive order from DeSantis.
In the lawsuit filed by pro-mask parents, a Leon County Circuit Judge said Wednesday he'll determine the fate of the governor’s mask mandate ban for Florida’s public schools by the end of the week.
2. Schools across the country struggle to hire bus drivers amid COVID-19 concerns:
A nationwide bus driver shortage is causing delays and adding to families' stress as students across the country return to school amid the coronavirus pandemic including Palm Beach County.
Some Palm Beach County students have said they take a sometime hour-plus walk home because it's faster than waiting for the bus.
50,000 Palm Beach County students are registered to ride on school buses, and to meet that demand, any school district employees that have commercial driver's licenses are filling in.
A spokeswoman said the school district is 146 bus drivers short of its goal of having 646 drivers.
3. The latest on American evacuations from Afghanistan:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that over the last 10 days, roughly 4,500 of those Americans have been evacuated and about 1,500 American citizens remain in Afghanistan.
Over the past 24 hours, Blinken said the U.S. has been in direct contact with about 500 additional Americans and has provided specific instructions on how they can get to the Kabul airport safely, so they can evacuate.
Western nations are warning of a possible attack on Kabul’s airport. Britain said Thursday that an attack could come within hours, and Belgium said there was a threat of a suicide bombing.
4. Man protecting his baby fatally shot in Miami Beach restaurant
A gunman fatally shot a tourist eating dinner with his family at a Miami Beach restaurant as the man protected his 1-year-old son, Mike Wakefield, the victim's uncle, said.
"This guy came in with a gun waving it, saying it's time to die. He pointed the gun at his son and Dustin said, `He's only a boy," said Wakefield, who was not in South Beach, but heard the account from his family. "Dustin stood up between the gunman and the baby and he shot him. He shot him multiple times on the ground."
Tamarius Blair Davis, 22, of Norcross, Georgia, told investigators he shot Dustin Wakefield, 21, on Tuesday night because he "was high on mushrooms, which made him feel empowered," according to his arrest report.
5. It's National Dog Day and this German Shepard has been waiting over a year for a furever home:
Lexi is a 3 to 4-year-old German Shepard and the longest resident at the Treasure Coast Humane Society. She has been there for over a year
She has an issue keeping food down and she needs a special chair to eat. Three times a day, Lexi gets up in her special chair so that she can eat while sitting up.
The Humane Society staff said Lexi doesn't need to be on a set eating schedule, but whoever adopts Lexi needs to be patient when feeding her.
Outside her chair, Lexi is as lovable as any dog and all she needs now is a forever home.
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On This Day In History
On August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote, is formally adopted into the U.S. Constitution.
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