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. Controversial 'Don't Say Gay' education bill passed
A controversial education bill that bans the instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity for certain students in Florida schools was passed by the state Senate on Tuesday and will now head to Gov. Ron DeSantis to become law.
HB 1557/SB 1834 — formally called the "Parental Rights In Education" measure, but more commonly known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill — was passed mostly along party lines, 22 to 17.
Once the "Parental Rights In Education" bill is signed into law by DeSantis, the curriculum changes will go into effect on July 1.
2. South Floridians went to the polls
Tuesday was Election Day for several municipalities in Palm Beach County. Florida House District 88 and four mayor's races were among the dozens of races.
Democrat Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds defeated Republican Guarina Torres on Tuesday night in a special state legislative race to replace Omari Hardy in District 88.
City Commissioner Ty Penserga won the Boynton Beach mayoral race, the Pahokee mayor won reelection and a runoff will determine the next mayor of Riviera Beach.
3. Congress passes postal service reform after years of debate
On Tuesday, Congress officially passed The Postal Service Reform Act. The final Senate vote was 79-19. The House passed the same version earlier this year.
The legislation requires mail carriers to enroll in Medicare when they become eligible. Currently, they receive costly health plans when they retire.
The legislation also eliminates a mandate that forced the agency to pre-fund retiree health benefits, which postal service leaders told Congress was unfair and costly since most government agencies don't have to do that. Those changes are expected to save around $50 billion.
The bill also requires that deliveries keep running on a 6-day a week schedule after the possibility of cuts emerged.
4. Starbucks, McDonald's, Coca-Cola join growing list of companies pausing operations in Russia
McDonald's owns 84% of its Russian restaurants and will be closing it's doors to customers, but continue to pay their employees in Russia.
According to the Yale School of Management, nearly 300 companies have stopped doing business in Russia. However, there are still some holdouts. Fortune reports Nestle and Pepsi are still doing business in Russia.
President Joe Biden has banned Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports.
5. Man in Florida helps nearly 100 orphans escape Ukraine
Marvin Lane spends part of the year in Romania at the orphanage he founded more than 25 years ago called Village of Hope.
Lane learned 94 orphaned Ukrainian orphans ranging from three months old to teenagers needed help. So he used networking through his Christian nonprofit called 'Generation Hope International' to get them to Romania, a days-long journey that wasn’t easy.
"Sometimes they had to walk because they ran out of gas. When they got to the border, it was freezing cold with no shelter for over 24 hours," said Lane.
Now they are all safe and sound at Village of Hope.
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On This Day In History
On March 9, 1959, the first Barbie doll goes on display at the American Toy Fair in New York City.
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