Big Gay Book Party in St. Pete

With anxieties around book bans and classroom instruction at an all-time high, a St. Petersburg book store held a Big Gay Book Party last Saturday to showcase local LGBTQ authors and offer them a safe space to share their works. Andi Pignato, the marketing director for Book and Bottle, said that it’s important to create safe spaces and access to queer literature beyond just Pride Month in June.

Lawsuit filed against restrictive immigration law

Advocacy organizations filed a federal lawsuit last week challenging Florida’s restrictive new immigration law. The law is one of the strongest yet against undocumented immigrants.

Hurricane season heats up

The National Hurricane Center identified two areas of interest in the tropics. The Florida Public Radio Emergency Network says there’s nothing to worry about just yet but reminds us that we should remain vigilant as the peak months of the hurricane season lie ahead of us. The heat will continue, however, as most local areas will experience heat index values near 100 over the next few days.

Broward County judge reprimanded

The Florida Supreme Court reprimanded a former Broward County circuit judge, Elizabeth Scherer, speaking to allegations that she “unduly chastised defense counsel” and “embraced members of the prosecution” after sentencing. Her conduct while presiding over the case of the Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was brought into question.

Information from the Florida Public Media, News Service of Florida, and Associated Press was used in this report.

The Scoop: WMNF’s Daily News Digest

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