Florida Supreme Court strikes charter school amendment from November ballot: In a 4-3 ruling, Florida Supreme Court justices struck an education amendment off the November ballot that would have essentially allowed the state to bypass local school boards and set up charter schools on its own. Despite its profound potential impact on the state's charter school system, the proposed Amendment 8 – placed on the ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission – didn't even use the words "charter school" in the ballot language. The language would have imposed eight-year term limits on school board members, required the promotion of "civic literacy" in public schools and allowed the state to run and control public schools "not established by the school board."
UCF concert featuring rapper and convicted child pornographer Tekashi 6ix9ine cancelled: Tekashi 6ix9ine, who pleaded guilty to featuring a 13-year-old girl in a sexual performance in 2015, was supposed to perform at CFE Arena at the University of Central Florida on Sept. 22. However, the show was nixed following public outrage and a petition that garnered more than 6,000 signatures. CFE Arena sent out a tweet last week afternoon announcing the cancellation, stating that the show was pulled by the promoter and that refunds are available at point of purchase.
Federal judge orders Spanish-language sample ballots: Last week, a federal judge ordered officials in 32 counties to provide Spanish-language sample ballots for the November general election – but said there wasn't enough time to order more far-reaching steps to help Puerto Ricans eligible to vote in Florida. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, in a 27-page ruling, partially sided with plaintiffs who sought an injunction to require Spanish-language ballots and other assistance for what are believed to be more than 30,000 Puerto Ricans in the counties. "Voting in a language you do not understand is like asking this court [to] decide the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry – ineffective, in other words," Walker wrote.
Former UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin starts in week one for the Seattle Seahawks: Griffin, the one-handed wunderkind who captured the hearts and imaginations of sports fans everywhere, earned his first NFL start over the weekend, alongside twin brother and fellow UCF alum Shaquill Griffin. Shaquem started in place of linebacker K.J. Wright, who sat out following minor knee surgery. However, neither the Griffin twins nor Seattle's defense were enough to stop the Denver Broncos, who walked away that night with a 27-24 win.
Candidates for Florida governor pop the running mate question: State Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, a Miami Republican who publicly criticized President Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign, was formally announced Thursday as the running mate for Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis. Meanwhile, just a day prior, Democratic gubernatorial nominee and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum selected Chris King, a Winter Park businessman and fourth place runner-up in the primaries, as his lieutenant governor pick.