Florida bill would ban dogs from sticking their heads out car windows

A new proposal in Florida is set to impact the goodest of good boys in Florida and their beloved car rides.

A bill filed on Friday by Broward County Democratic state Sen. Lauren Book would prohibit dogs from putting their heads out of car windows.

The measure includes various animal-welfare regulations: penalizing cat declawing, banning certain animal testing, prohibiting rabbit sales before Easter and requiring the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to post an online registry of convicted animal abuses.

According to the bill, drivers wouldn't be allowed to hold a dog in their lap, and dogs wouldn't be allowed to put their head or any other body part outside a car window.

The bill calls for pets to be restrained with a harness, seat belt, or if possible, to be held by a passenger.

If a dog is being transported in the bed of a truck, they must be restrained by using a crate that is safely secured and large enough to allow the dog to turn around normally.

Those who violate the new provisions would receive a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation.

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Florida state GOP lawmakers advance bill prohibiting schools from ...

Washington CNN —

Florida state lawmakers advanced a bill last week that would prohibit some schools from “encouraging” conversations about sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms with young students.

HB 1557, titled the Parental Rights in Education bill, was passed by the state House’s GOP-controlled Education and Employment Committee on Thursday by a vote of 15-5.

Though the bill’s sponsor says the legislation aims to provide parents with greater oversight over what their students learn and discuss at school, opponents have said it will have a harmful impact on LGBTQ youth, whom they say are at an increased risk for suicide when they are not able to learn about LGBTQ-related topics while in school.

The proposed legislation comes as policymakers around the country are engaged in spirited debates over parental rights and which social issues are taught in the classroom, with LGBTQ-related topics a major target for conservatives who say conversations around those subjects should be left for families to discuss at home.

The legislation would make it illegal for districts to “adopt procedures or student support forms that prohibit school district personnel from notifying a parent about his or her student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being,” something LGBTQ advocates argue could lead to some students being unintentionally outed to their parents.

In addition, “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students,” according to the proposal, which would also allow parents to bring civil suits against a school district for any potential violation of its rules.

While the bill doesn’t define “primary grade levels,” its sponsor, Republican state Rep. Joe Harding, told CNN on Monday that it would apply to students in kindergarten through third grade.

“At that age they need to be worried about reading and worrying about their math,” he said. “For me, it’s why are we sensationalizing this age to have all these questions and to force so many questions on gender on these children at that age?”

“We’re talking specifically about young, elementary-age children that just don’t need that stress in general,” Harding added. “Allow things to come up organically, but don’t force conversations on them.”

The bill now heads to another House committee, which could also approve it and then send it to the floor for a full House vote. A Senate companion bill is also making its way through that chamber, which is controlled by Republicans.

HB 1557 is being strongly opposed by Democrats in the state and a number of LGBTQ advocacy groups, including the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that works on suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth. The group said last week that if passed, the bill would “ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, erasing LGBTQ identity, history, and culture – as well as LGBTQ students themselves.”

“The Trevor Project’s research has found that LGBTQ youth who learned about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year,” said Sam Ames, the group’s director of advocacy and government affairs, in a statement. “This bill will erase young LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet by policing their identity and silencing important discussions about the issues they face.”

Florida state Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat who is among the bill’s opponents, told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Monday that it’s “offensive for the state of Florida to consider such legislation.”

“You know, I represent Pulse Nightclub in my district. Every day we have young people who ask questions about what happened at Pulse, who was impacted by Pulse. It’s so important that we can have these conversations and talk about every type of family within our schools,” she said on “Newsroom.”

HB 1557 is also taking heat from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, who said last week in a tweet directed at Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that the bill “will kill kids.”

Chasten Buttigieg wrote that the governor is “purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in,” and cited data from the Trevor Project about queer youth who have seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year.

CNN has reached out to DeSantis’ office for comment on Buttigieg’s tweet.

13 states have passed so-called 'trigger laws,' bans designed to go ...

CNN —

Many Americans anxiously anticipating the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade may have been offered a glimpse of what’s to come when Politico revealed a draft Supreme Court opinion Monday night that would upend the landmark abortion rights case.

Though the unearthing of the draft has no immediate effect on abortion access, the preliminary opinion, which was confirmed to be authentic by the court, would overturn Roe v. Wade if a majority of justices decided to join, leaving state legislators to weigh their own abortion policies.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision affirmed the right to receive an abortion under the 14th Amendment, ruling that abortions were constitutionally protected up until about 23 weeks when a fetus could be able to live outside the womb.

Last year, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, setting the court up to examine decades of precedent set by Roe. Some state legislatures have enacted policies to increase abortion access, including in California, which passed a law in March to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for abortion services covered by health plans, and in Colorado, where Democratic lawmakers codified the right to receive an abortion in the state.

But many Republican-led state legislatures have already moved to limit abortion access and others are poised to enforce restrictive laws that have remained unenforced since Roe was passed. In total, an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute finds that 23 states have laws aiming to limit abortion access, including some states that have multiple provisions in place.

States including Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia had abortion restrictions before the Roe ruling that have never been removed. Others have approved near-total bans or laws prohibiting abortion after a certain number of weeks – but many of them have been blocked by courts, including those in Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and South Carolina.

Legislators in 13 states have passed so-called “trigger laws,” which are bans designed to go into effect if Roe is overturned. In some cases, the law requires an official such as an attorney general to certify that Roe has been struck down before the law can take effect.

These are the states with “trigger laws” poised to go into effect almost immediately if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Arkansas

Arkansas has a law on the books that would ban nearly all abortions in the event that Roe is overturned, except for in the case of a life-threatening medical emergency. A medical provider who violates the law could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000 or both.

Last year, a federal judge blocked another bill passed by state legislators which aimed to block nearly all abortions and made no exceptions for rape or incest.

Idaho

Idaho’s trigger ban would make providing abortions a felony punishable by up to five years in prison if Roe is struck down. Exceptions are provided to prevent the death of the pregnant person or in the case of rape or incest.

In March, Idaho legislators passed a separate bill modeled after Texas’ restrictive law, which prohibits abortion once fetal cardiac activity can be detected, which can happen as early as six weeks. The law also allows family members of the fetus to sue the medical provider who performed the procedure.

The ban was temporarily blocked by the state Supreme Court last month after abortion providers challenged it in a lawsuit.

Kentucky

Kentucky’s legislature passed a bill in 2019 which would ban abortions and make performing them a felony offense if the Supreme Court overturns Roe. Very limited exceptions would be provided to prevent the death or serious injury of the person giving birth.

Louisiana

Louisiana has a law in place that would ban a medical provider from performing an abortion procedure or providing drugs intended to induce an abortion in the case that Roe is overturned. The ban would not apply to life-threatening or serious medical emergencies, but requires the physician makes “reasonable medical efforts” to preserve the life of the adult and the fetus.

Mississippi

Mississippi law states that within 10 days of the state attorney general confirming Roe has been overturned, abortions are prohibited in the state. Limited exceptions are provided in cases of rape or when the procedure would preserve the mother’s life.

Mississippi passed a separate 15-week abortion ban in 2018, which is the source of the case currently in front of the Supreme Court. The court is expected to announce its decision in June, but a draft opinion revealed by Politico suggests a majority of the justices may be poised to strike down Roe.

Missouri

Missouri approved a law in 2019 that would make it a felony for medical providers to perform or induce an abortion except in cases of medical emergencies if Roe is struck down.

North Dakota

A law approved by the North Dakota legislature in 2007 would ban abortion and make it a felony to perform the procedure except in cases when it would save the life of the mother. The law would go into effect “as a result of new decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States” that would make the provision constitutional.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill last month that would make performing abortions illegal in the state, only allowing exceptions to save the life of the pregnant person. The measure makes performing an abortion or attempting to perform one a felony punishable by a maximum fine of $100,000 or a maximum of 10 years in state prison, or both.

A second bill signed into law last week sets a timeline for provisions to go into effect, depending on how the Supreme Court rules.

South Dakota

South Dakota has had a trigger ban on the books since 2005, when a law was passed to set up an almost outright ban on abortions in the event that Roe is overturned. The law would make it illegal to perform an abortion except in life-threatening medical emergencies and would become effective “on the date states are recognized by the United States Supreme Court to have the authority to prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy.”

Tennessee

Tennessee law contains a provision that would prohibit all abortions except those that would prevent the death of the mother and would go into effect 30 days after Roe is struck down. Medical providers could be charged with a felony for violating the law.

Texas

Texas’ so-called trigger ban was signed into law in June 2021 and would make abortions illegal unless the pregnant person’s life is threatened or they are at risk of serious injury. The law would go into effect 30 days after the Supreme Court issues a judgment overruling Roe.

Utah

Utah passed a law in May 2020 banning almost all abortions if Roe is overturned. Exceptions include cases of rape or incest, detection of severe birth defects, or prevention of the death or serious injury of the person giving birth. Performing an abortion in violation of the law is a second-degree felony.

Wyoming

Signed into law last month, Wyoming’s bill added a provision that would make it illegal to perform an abortion if Roe is overturned, with extremely limited exceptions for cases of sexual assault, incest, or the risk of death or severe injury to the person giving birth.

Texas, lawmakers seek to ban Chinese citizens from buying US land

Lawmakers in Texas, Florida, Arkansas and in Congress have proposed laws banning citizens of China from buying land, homes and other buildings in the United States.

It's a move they say will help protect the United States from interference by adversaries like China's government, which they accuse of spying, theft and risking the American food supply. Former president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump has backed the efforts.

A federal proposal filed by a bipartisan group of members of Congress has been dubbed the "Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act." Eleven states are considering versions of the same measure, and Iowa already has a ban in place.

The downing of what U.S. officials say was a Chinese surveillance balloon on Saturday has brought fresh attention to the growing tensions between the U.S. and China in several areas, from trade and tariff disputes to military maneuvers.

But critics say the laws – which sometimes also include bans on land purchases by North Koreans, Russians and Iranians – hark back to racist laws from the early 1900s preventing Asian Americans from becoming property owners.

"It is scapegoating, it's stigmatizing, and it plays into the view of Chinese Americans and Asian Americans as the perpetual foreigner: They can never be American enough," said Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of AAPI Equity Alliance and founder of Stop AAPI Hate. "And when you put these policies into place, you perpetuate that stigma and the attacks on Asian Americans."

LATEST:Chinese spy balloon flew over other US missile and nuclear weapons sites, lawmaker says

Texas proposal seeks to ban Chinese and other foreign nationals from owning land

Although similar bills have been filed in several states, a Texas proposal got new attention earlier this year after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he would sign it.

In 2021, Abbott signed a different Texas law forbidding citizens or the governments of North Korea, Russia, Iran and China from having ownership or contracts connected to critical infrastructure. The federal government has already hit Russia with sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, as well as on North Korea and Iran over their nuclear programs.

The proposed Texas property ownership law bars purchases by people from those four countries, including Green Card and visa holders, and asylum seekers. The laws would not apply to people who are already U.S. citizens.

"The growing ownership of Texas land by some foreign entities is highly disturbing and raises red flags for many Texans," Republican state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst said in a statement announcing her proposed law. "By comparison, as an American, go try to buy land near a Chinese military base and see how it works out for you. It would never happen there, and it shouldn't happen here."

Kolkhorst said she's open to amending the bill to allow permanent U.S. residents born in those countries to buy land.

Where else is this an issue?

Kolkhorst cited several examples of what she called alarming land purchases in North Dakota, Florida and Texas, including the 2021 purchase of more than 130,000 acres by a Chinese-controlled company that planned to build a small wind farm near Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas.

Texas lawmakers, including both of its U.S. senators, opposed the project on the grounds that China could use the property to interfere with the base or the already unreliable Texas electrical grid.

Nationally, the U.S. Air Force said last month that a proposed Chinese-owned corn mill near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota "presents a significant threat to national security," but it did not elaborate. Federal law requires a Defense Department risk analysis whenever a foreign person or country buys property close to sensitive military sites.

“As a third-generation Montana farmer, I’m not going to sit back and let our foreign adversaries weaken our national security by buying up American farmland," said Sen. Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, in a statement when he helped introduce the PASS Act in Congress.

Measure 'targets immigrant communities'

Opponents of the proposals say supporters are using familiar rhetoric to advance a racist agenda exploiting fear to attack outsiders.

"It's a resurrection of the 'Yellow Peril': We are outsiders who are threats," said Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American studies at San Francisco State University. "They are creating policies that aren't grounded in evidence or sound economic analysis, but are really based on stereotypes and outsized fears. And it works."

Kulkarni, of Stop AAPI Hate, said there's little evidence the Chinese government is backing a widespread campaign of land purchases for nefarious purposes.

She supports efforts to protect the United States from foreign adversaries, but she believes the PASS Act and other proposals are written too broadly.

"For a nation that sees itself as a country made up of immigrants, this is a measure that targets immigrant communities seeking to develop roots in the United States and to become part of the fabric of America," she said.

More: Japanese American detainees at Camp Amache recall 1942 incarceration

Anti-Asian American violence: How teachers are trying to stop it.

What are the concerns with foreign ownership?

Some U.S. security experts worry Chinese ownership of companies like Smithfield Foods threatens the U.S. food supply. Smithfield owns brands from Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs to Cook's Ham and Kretschmar deli meats and cheese.

As of 2019, 76% of U.S. agricultural land owned by Chinese entities belonged to Smithfield, which exports pork products to China, according to federal statistics.

A report in May 2022 by the congressionally chartered U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission warned that China's need for food is driving its efforts to buy farmland abroad, along with buying or stealing the technology behind genetically modified crops, sophisticated livestock management systems and advanced farming equipment.

"The United States is a global leader in all of these fields, making it a prime trading partner and often a target of China’s efforts to strengthen its agriculture sector and food security, sometimes through illicit means," the report said. "These efforts present several risks to U.S. economic and national security."

More:Video shows moment US shot down suspected Chinese spy balloon

How much of American land is owned by foreigners?

The federal government already requires foreign buyers to report when they buy agricultural land.

As of 2020, about 3% of the nation's total farm, ranch and forest land was owned by foreign investors, according to the federal government. Of that, Chinese-backed owners represented less than 1% of the total of foreign-owned land, according to the USDA's Farm Service Agency, or about 550 square miles. For comparison, Rhode Island is about 1,000 square miles.

Why would foreign investors buy US land?

Experts say foreigners would want to buy U.S. land and property for the same reason the rest of us do: Land and property are typically solid, safe investments that can appreciate well above a savings account.

Additionally, the transition to clean energy gives investors opportunities in a new arena, in the same way international companies own coal and other mines in the United States.

But some lawmakers fear the Chinese government is exploiting the openness of U.S. society to spy, steal trade secrets and otherwise undercut the United States but controlling critical supply chains.

One analysis noted that Smithfield, the pork producer, uses hog farming techniques in the United States that are banned in China for being too polluting.

"Chinese companies’ acquisition of hog herds in the United States may save China money and enhance its domestic capacity; however, this could also reduce China’s need for U.S.-sourced production and redistributes the environmental effects of hog waste to U.S. communities," the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said last year.

Can red states regulate abortions performed outside their borders ...

CNN —

If the Supreme Court reverses its long-standing abortion precedent later this year and lets states ban abortions within their borders, it will unleash a new legal and legislative fight over how far anti-abortion lawmakers can reach to target conduct that happens outside their state lines.

A draft majority opinion published by Politico on Monday suggested the court’s majority was on the cusp of overturning 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The opinion is not final, and it is possible the vote count will change before a formal opinion is later rolled out, likely by the end of June. In it, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the “authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”

At the case’s December hearing, the conservative justices who appeared inclined to join Alito framed a post-Roe landscape as one where states can choose the contours of their abortion policies for themselves.

But legal experts say the reality, if Roe is reversed, will not be that simple.

Already, lawmakers in both red and blue states are beginning to draw new battles lines in expectation of a patchwork system where abortion rights are no longer protected nationwide.

Legislation introduced this year in Missouri is an extreme example of how anti-abortion lawmakers are looking to crack down on abortions that happen beyond their states’ borders.

One measure sought to allow private citizens to sue anyone who helps a Missouri resident obtain an abortion out of state, while also targeting efforts to provide medication abortion to residents. Another bill would apply Missouri’s abortion laws to abortions obtained out of state by Missouri residents and in other circumstances, including in cases where “sexual intercourse occurred within this state and the child may have been conceived by that act of intercourse.”

That bill has seen no movement in the legislature, while lawmakers did an end run around the other legislation when it was brought up on the state House floor last month.

Mary Ziegler, a Florida State University College of Law professor who’s the author of “Abortion and the Law in America: A Legal History, Roe v. Wade to the Present,” said the Missouri bill is a sign of things to come.

“This won’t be the last state that tries to regulate conduct outside of its borders,” Ziegler told CNN.

‘The portability of medication abortion changes the access landscape’

What has complicated the picture since the last time the Supreme Court seemed to be poised to overturn Roe is the development of medication abortion, in which pregnancies are ended with a two-pill regime. It is now the method used in more than half of all abortions in the country. A recent loosening of the regulations around abortion pills, which the Food and Drug Administration has now cleared to be dispersed by mail, has prompted anti-abortion states to think of new ways to regulate its availability. How the pandemic expanded the use of telemedicine has also changed the abortion landscape, as – coupled with the loosened FDA regulations – some abortion patients can undergo the medication abortion procedures without being inside a clinic.

“In the last three years education about abortion pills has been a huge part of my job,” said Katie Glenn, the government affairs counsel for the anti-abortion group Americans United for Life.

Several states have outlawed telemedicine abortions and sending the pills by mail.

But some, like Texas, have gone further by contemplating how they’ll prosecute providers who seek to send in abortion pills from out of state. Texas last year expanded upon its existing prohibitions on mailing medication abortion pills by classifying the offense as the type of crime that would warrant extradition.

“As you start to think about all the ways that the portability of medication abortion changes the access landscape, I think you see a lot of laws targeting that,” said Rachel Rebouché, who is a co-author of a coming law review article exploring the interstate legal questions raised by a Roe reversal.

On the flip side – and in anticipation that their states will become so-called “safe havens” for abortion seekers and clinics – Democratic lawmakers are pushing proposals that would limit the ability of out-of-state authorities to investigate providers within blue states.

New York lawmakers have introduced several bills that would protect abortion providers from extradition to other states. California is considering legislation aimed at the civil enforcement mechanism – i.e. lawsuits filed by private citizens against those who facilitate outlawed abortions – that was championed by Texas’ six-week ban and is being considered by other states.

A bill in Connecticut would bar state agencies from assisting investigations or prosecutions launched by out-of-state authorities and restrict the disclosure of reproductive health records sought by out-of-state subpoenas, among other provisions.

Glenn argued that these bills may have unintended effects on patients. She posited, for instance, that the Connecticut bill would prevent an out-of-state resident from pursuing a lawsuit for a botched delivery performed in the state.

Connecticut state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, dismissed the criticism, telling CNN that “those on the anti-choice side would say anything to try and prevent individuals from being able to access legal safe abortion care.”

She said Connecticut lawmakers were prompted to push the bill, which passed the legislature last week, by the novel Texas law. The Texas law provided a model for one of the Missouri proposals targeting out-of-state abortions.

“By being able to go after individuals that assist someone with an abortion, we recognized that a Texas-like law, in other states – they could reach to Connecticut,” Gilchrest said.

‘Swift and decisive action’ against companies that aid employees in obtaining abortions out of state

Texas legislators have previewed how they may seek to hinder access to the procedure even beyond their state.

One statehouse Republican sent Citigroup a letter earlier this year demanding that the company end its policy – adopted in reaction to the six-week ban – of covering travel costs for employees seeking abortions out of state.

Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain promised “swift and decisive action” if the company did not rescind the policy.

“I intend to introduce legislation next session that bars local governments in Texas from doing business with any company that pays the abortion-related expenses of its employees or that provides abortion coverage as an employee benefit — regardless of where the employee is located or where the abortion is performed,” Cain wrote, adding that his proposal would apply “even if the employee is located out of state and even if the abortion is performed out of state.”

Citigroup declined to comment on the Cain letter.

The tactic threatened by Cain echos a bill Texas enacted last year aimed at banks that decided to no longer finance certain gun manufacturing companies. But, more broadly, key legal questions remain untested about how lawmakers can regulate abortion-related conduct that happens outside their states.

The topic was debated among legal academics ahead the 1992 Supreme Court ruling in Planned Parenthood v Casey, a case that many believed would lead to the end of Roe. (The court instead upheld its protections.) It was also the subject of a law review article in 2007, when the departure from the court of Justice Sandra Day O’ Connor, the swing vote in the Casey case, revived the belief that Roe’s days are numbered.

“Basically every time there’s this inflection point, with the court changing, you see kind of these issues come up again,” said Greer Donley, who is one of the co-authors of the new article, which will be published in the Columbia Law Review, about the topic.

But, she said, this is the first time “we’re really starting to see legislators playing with the text and language of these bills coming out.”

“And certainly you have an anti-abortion movement that is extremely emboldened right now with its own belief that the court is going to support a lot of its more creative measures,” Donley told CNN.

This story has been updated following the publication of a draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Dogs would join pigs in Florida's ark of a constitution

Dog advocates could have a chance to ban greyhound racing in Florida when they go to the polls next November.

Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, a member of the Constitution Revision Commission, Wednesday filed a proposal to ban dog racing.

Forty states prohibit the sport. Florida law mandates it if tracks want to offer cardrooms and slots. The industry has been racked with allegations of animal abuse – at least 22 greyhounds have tested positive for cocaine this year.

Proposed regulations to rein in the industry have stalled in the Legislature for at least the past six years. Lee said committee testimony provided ample anecdotal evidence of abuse. State figures indicate that nearly 400 dogs have died at Florida tracks since 2013.

“Special interests derail the issue every year,” said Lee. “I just happen to be in a position to give it the profile it needs.”

Lee has to guide the proposal through the Constitution Revision Commission hearings to get it before the voters. If 60 percent of voters approved, then the sport would cease to exist in the Sunshine State.

The industry has been in decline for years. A record $3.5 billion was bet on dog racing nationwide in 1991. That total fell to $500 million in 2014, according to the Association of Racing Commissioners International. The number of tracks has fallen from 50 operating in 15 states to 19 in 10 with most of them in Florida.

There are 12 tracks scattered from the panhandle to Miami-Dade County. They have been plagued with allegations of inhumane treatment. Their opponents described the dogs’ lives as being plagued by exploitation and abuse – cramped kennels, frequent injuries and doses of cocaine and steroids.

State records indicated there are 8,000 dogs racing in Florida. The industry generates as much as $80 million annually, $11 million in tax revenue and 3,000 jobs, according to Jack Cory, the industry’s long-time lobbyist at the state Capitol. Also active among Tallahassee’s animal rescue groups, Cory vehemently defends greyhound racing.

“Those allegations (of abuse) come from radical out-of-state animal rights groups that take care of no animals in the state of Florida,” said Cory, who dismissed Lee’s proposal as dumb.

Lee has until May to convince a majority of the 36 CRC commissioners to place the proposal on the 2018 ballot. Cory vows to fight him each step of the way – for 12 months if necessary.

“If a ban on greyhound racing were to come, it would be over my cold dead bloody body,” Cory said. “I’m not going to let 3,000 Floridians lose their jobs without representing them as strongly as possible."

Lee said it is time to put the issue before the voters. He brushed aside his opponent’s line of attack that the proposal was more about Lee’s future after the Senate then it is about the welfare of the dogs.

“This has been around for a long time,” said Lee. He noted he routinely scheduled bills increasing regulations on greyhound racing when he was Senate President 13 years ago.

“They are acknowledging how popular this will be with the voters,” he said about the criticism.

Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com.

Florida Legislature reviewing water quality bills; will they help ...

How you evaluate the environmental agenda of the Florida Legislature this year depends on whether you see the glass as half empty or half full.

There are several pieces of proposed legislation that, combined with a significant chunk of money in Gov. Ron DeSantis' proposed budget, should go a long way to pleasing the half-full types.

Bills would regulate Lake Okeechobee discharges, keep toxic algae ...

STUART — As hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day continued to pour through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam and into the St. Lucie River Monday, the Treasure Coast's congressman took to a podium at Flagler Park downtown.

On World Water Day, an international event to advocate for the sustainable use of freshwater, U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm City, announced three water bills he said he will file to mitigate public health risks from toxic Lake Okeechobee discharges.

The bills aim to keep toxic algae out of the St. Lucie River, prioritize public health and alert people to the hazards of Lake Okeechobee discharges.

"Water supply doesn't matter if it's crap water that you can't touch, drink, or if it poisons the things that it gets on top of," Mast said, standing by the St. Lucie River in Stuart.

More: What are Lake O discharges?

Toxic Health Threat Warning Act

If passed, one of the three bills would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to notify at-risk coastal communities of potential incoming health hazards before releasing Lake O water containing toxic cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae.

The bill, called the Toxic Health Threat Warning Act would require tests to determine whether the lake water is contaminated. If it is, the Corps would have to notify the public about the human health risks, Mast said.

"What happens to your health if you come in contact with the toxic discharges we get sent out here into our waterways? (The Corps) has to tell you what's going to happen to you if you touch that. That's the simple point," Mast said.

More:Is Lost Summer 2021 on the horizon?

Stop Poisoning Florida Act

A second bill, called the Stop Poisoning Florida Act, would prohibit discharging lake water into the St. Lucie River if it contains a toxicity level the Environmental Protection Agency deems unsafe for human contact.

The EPA says 8 parts per billion of microcystin makes the water hazardous to touch, ingest or inhale for people, pets and wildlife. Water measured at this toxicity level would prevent the Corps from discharging water into the St. Lucie River.

"There were people who denied that the toxic algae was coming from Lake Okeechobee," South Florida Water Management District board member Jacqui-Thurlow-Lippisch said Monday, referring to a 10-month discharge event in 2016 that dumped nearly 219 billion gallons of water. "It was not our local estuary that was causing those toxic discharges. They were coming straight out of Lake Okeechobee."

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Protect Florida Act

A third bill, called the Protect Florida Act, would require the Corps to prioritize public health when making decisions about lake management. The Corps is currently rewriting its lake management rules for the first time since 2008.

In rewriting the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual, the Corps must consider broad factors such as flood control, water supply, navigation and recreation across the entire Lake O system, Eva Vélez, the Corps' strategic program manager, said during a presentation in February.

Public health was missing from her list, but Mast's bill would add it, he said.

"How important is recreation on the water if you can't get into it because your liver is going to fail after getting in the water?" Mast asked Monday. "I mean, this is pretty common sense stuff.

More:TCPalm's complete coverage of water issues

Lake Okeechobee discharges

The Corps has been releasing a seven-day average of 323 million gallons a day through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam into the St. Lucie River since March 6, with no end in sight.

The Corps said it hopes releasing lake water into the brackish estuary now reduces the risk of toxic algae flowing into the river this summer, since blooms are more common during the warmer, wetter months. But it all depends on the weather.

Tropical Storm Eta dumped rainfall throughout South Florida, raising the lake's elevation to a peak 16.45 feet Nov. 13. The Corps wants it no higher than 12.5 feet by June 1, to make room for summer rains.

"I look out here and I imagine how it used to be when I was growing up here as a kid," said Mark Perry, executive director of the nonprofit Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. "We don't need the nutrient loading, toxic algae and other things that come from these discharges from Lake Okeechobee."

How's the Water?Real-time bacteria counts at Florida beaches, rivers

For more news, follow Max Chesnes on Twitter.

Max Chesnes is a TCPalm environment reporter covering issues facing the Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie River and Lake Okeechobee. You can keep up with Max on Twitter @MaxChesnes, email him at max.chesnes@tcpalm.com and give him a call at 772-978-2224.

Read more of Max's stories.

Fact check: Fake list of banned Florida books circulates widely online

The claim: Image shows a list of books that are banned from schools and libraries in Florida

In July, a new Florida law went into effect that allows parents to register concerns about books taught in schools and petition local districts to ban them.

Nevertheless, many prominent people on social media have been claiming that a slew of books were immediately banned in schools and libraries statewide by the law. They have circulated an image of 25 book titles listed on a piece of paper.

The book list includes novels that have been taught in schools for generations, including "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Catcher in the Rye" and "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." It also includes the Harry Potter series and the biblical Song of Solomon.

The image of the banned book list has been shared by American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and Star Wars actor Mark Hamill on Aug. 21 and 22. Hamill's tweet has racked up more than 30,000 retweets and 150,000 likes.

An Aug. 21 Facebook post featuring the image of the book list has been shared 80 times. The post reads, “Florida's Current Banned Book List. Tragic How Many Totalitarian Third World States Exist in the USA in 2022.”

But the list is a fiction.

While school districts can ban books through a process created by the new law, Florida has not banned any books at the state level, a spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis told USA TODAY.

In fact, several works on the list have been recommended to school districts by the state Department of Education.

Weingarten corrected and deleted her tweet within several hours of posting it. Numerous other posts featuring the list, such as Hamill's, have remained online.

USA TODAY also reached out to Hamill and another user who shared the post for comment.

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No state-level book bans in Florida

HB1467, an education bill, passed the state legislature earlier this year and was signed into law by DeSantis. It allows parents to review and contest all instructional materials, including books. The law also sets term limits for school board members, creates selection requirements for school materials and compels districts to hold meetings related to instructional materials in public.

Florida does not issue statewide bans on specific books, Bryan Griffin, DeSantis' press secretary, told USA TODAY in an email. Instead, under the new law, "the state sets guidelines regarding content, and the local school districts are responsible for enforcing them," he said

These content guidelines require specialists to review reading materials and prohibit reading materials that are "inappropriate for the grade level and age group for which the material is used" or contain "pornographic content."

Claims that the books shown in the image are banned in Florida are false, Griffin said.

"The image is fake – as far as I see it, this is just a completely fictitious list," he said.

USA TODAY also found no credible source for the list.

In addition, at least five of books on the list are endorsed as exemplary of a "rich literary tradition" in a guide to the state's current educational standards for English Language Arts, including "To Kill a Mockingbird," "1984," "Of Mice and Men," "The Call of the Wild" and "Lord of the Flies," as Griffin noted.

Fact check:State civics teacher training seminar in Florida was voluntary

Our rating: False

Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that an image shows a list of books that are banned from schools and libraries in Florida. Florida has not issued any statewide book bans, a DeSantis spokesperson told USA TODAY. Further, several works on the list have been recommended by the Florida Department of Education in a guide for educators.

Our fact-check sources:

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Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

Florida House approves bill prohibiting schools from discussing ...

Washington CNN —

Florida moved one step closer on Thursday to banning teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms for young students, with the state’s GOP-led House of Representatives approving a controversial bill that’s facing intense opposition from LGBTQ advocates and the White House.

HB 1557, titled the Parental Rights in Education bill, was passed by Florida’s House by a vote of 69-47. The legislation now heads to the state’s Republican-controlled Senate, where a similar bill is already under consideration. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has signaled his support for the legislation.

The bills have become a major flash point in conservatives’ nationwide push to give parents greater oversight over what students learn and discuss at school, but opponents have strongly denounced the legislation, saying they would have a harmful impact on LGBTQ youth. President Joe Biden has called the proposed ban “hateful.”

“Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” according to the proposal, which would also allow parents to bring civil suits against a school district for any potential violation of its rules.

In addition, the House bill would require districts to “adopt procedures for notifying a student’s parent if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being,” something LGBTQ advocates argue could lead to some students being outed to their parents without the student’s knowledge or consent. Advocates also fear the bill would restrict students’ ability to speak confidentially with school counselors – some of whom are a student’s sole resource for mental health services.

The bill’s co-sponsor, Republican state Rep. Joe Harding, stressed Thursday that the bill was about giving parents a greater say in the education of their children.

“We have a choice to empower parents in Florida or we have a choice to empower school districts. I’m asking you to side with the side of parents in Florida,” he said on the House floor just before lawmakers approved the bill.

Harding previously told CNN that the bill is meant to deter school staff from inquiring about a student’s gender identity or pronouns without including their parents in the conversation. He said the experience could be confusing for young children.

Harding said that he’d heard a few instances of parents complaining that school staff were discussing gender identity with their children without their input, though he didn’t get into specifics of where in the state these instances occurred. As to whether the bill would stop a teacher from answering students’ questions about gender identity or sexuality, Harding said the legislation is “not discouraging that,” adding that instructors “know when it’s time to engage the parent.”

LGBTQ advocates, however, warn the measure would lead to further stigmatization of gay, lesbian and transgender children, causing more bullying and suicides within an already marginalized community. They say the bill would eliminate LGBTQ history from the curriculum and prevent teachers from having discussions in their classrooms if questions about sexual orientation and gender identity came up.

“I haven’t heard the bill sponsor or anybody else give me examples as to what classroom instruction is and as to why … this bill has been brought up,” Democratic state Rep. Michele Rayner said Thursday as the bill was debated in the House. “I have not heard the bill sponsor tell me what example has happened in recent history that we have to have this bill.”

Another one of the bill’s opponents, Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, said Thursday that the bill is “homophobic and transphobic, bigoted and discriminatory,” adding that “it feeds into a lie that kids become gay or trans from inclusive schools and that being LBGTQ+ is dangerous and or perverted.”

“This bill is dangerous. This bill tells kids and educators that if they are gay or come out or come from an LGBTQ+ family that they better not saying anything about it. They better not let anyone find out or we’ll out you and put you in harm’s way,” she said.

Opponents have pointed to research from the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that works on suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth. Amit Paley, the group’s CEO & executive director, said last week that their “research has consistently found a strong link between access to LGBTQ-affirming schools and lower suicide risk.”

“LGBTQ youth who learned about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year,” Paley said in a statement.

In a rare move earlier this month, Biden weighed in on the legislation via Twitter, writing: “I want every member of the LGBTQI+ community – especially the kids who will be impacted by this hateful bill – to know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. I have your back, and my Administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve.”

DeSantis said earlier this month that it was “entirely inappropriate” for teachers and school administrators to have conversations with students about their gender identity, though he also acknowledged, “I don’t think it’s happening here in large numbers.”

If approved by the Florida Senate and signed by DeSantis, HB 1557 would go into effect in July.


5 things to know on October 30, 2022: Start your week smart: South ...

CNN —

Many loyal readers of 5 Things Sunday look forward to the weekly news quiz, so we have prepared a special Halloween quiz for you while you await the roaming hordes of witches, zombies, princesses and superheroes that will arrive at your door tomorrow night. And no tricks here … you’ll find the weekly news quiz lurking in the shadows below. Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

The weekend that was

• At least 151 people were killed and dozens more hurt in an apparent crowd surge at packed Halloween festivities in the South Korean capital of Seoul, local officials say.

• At least 100 people were killed after two car bombs exploded near Somalia’s education ministry in the capital Mogadishu on Saturday.

• The man who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in the couple’s San Francisco home on Friday is expected to be charged with multiple felonies Monday, according to San Francisco law enforcement officials.

• Russia will suspend its participation in the United Nations-brokered grain export deal with Ukraine after drone attacks on the Crimean city of Sevastopol, the country’s defense ministry announced Saturday.

• One lucky lotto player could be in for a very big treat on Halloween night as the Powerball jackpot grows to an estimated $1 billion, with the next drawing on Monday.

The week ahead

Monday

The Supreme Court is set to hear two major cases concerning race-based affirmative action at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, setting the stage for a landmark opinion that could gut the precedent that allows colleges to consider a student’s race when deciding which students should be admitted.

Tuesday

The now 24-year-old who admitted to killing 17 people in Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018 is scheduled to be formally sentenced. Earlier this month, the jury in the gunman’s death penalty trial recommended that he be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole – a decision that enraged many of the victims’ families. Under Florida law, the judge cannot depart from the jury’s recommendation.

Thursday

CNN will hold the second annual Call to Earth Day – an initiative dedicated to conservation, environmentalism and sustainability. CNN is partnering with schools, organizations and individuals across the world to raise awareness of environmental issues and to engage with conservation education. Help celebrate a planet worth protecting and join us here.

Friday

November 4 is the deadline for former President Donald Trump and his lawyers to submit documents subpoenaed by the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The committee announced earlier this month that it had officially sent a subpoena to Trump ordering him to turn over the documents by Friday and either appear in person or virtually for “one or more days of deposition testimony beginning on or about November 14.”

Saturday

If you still own an alarm clock or a not-so-smart watch, remember to turn it back one hour before you go to bed. Daylight Saving Time comes to an end at 2 a.m. next Sunday (November 6).

Is a (tweet) storm brewing at Twitter?

In this week’s One Thing podcast, CNN Business Writer Clare Duffy unpacks what happens now that Elon Musk has finally closed on his deal to buy Twitter. Will former President Donald Trump be allowed back on the platform? Will hate speech run amok? Why should non-Twitter users care? Listen here for answers.

Photos of the week

Check out more moving, fascinating and thought-provoking images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

TV and streaming

Season 2 of HBO’s Emmy-winning show “The White Lotus” premieres tonight at 9 p.m. ET. CNN’s Brian Lowry says the second season delivers “another five-star TV experience” as it shifts its mix of rich-people problems and staff struggles to a new island: Sicily. (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery.)

And Netflix launches its new ad-supported subscription plan on Thursday. The new tier will cost $6.99 a month in the US.

In theaters

Academy Award-winners Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins – along with Emmy-winner Jeremy Strong – star in “Armageddon Time,” a coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream from writer/director James Gray.

What’s happening in sports

Baseball

Following a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series Friday, the Houston Astros bounced back to win 5-2 to even up the series in Game 2 on Saturday. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday in Philadelphia.

A note to our readers seeking a deep dive into the world of sports: while we can’t possibly feature everyone’s favorite sport in this space, Bleacher Report has got you covered. Check it out!

Quiz time!

Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 29% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

Play me off

Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters (Official Video)

Who you gonna call?

If you see any ghosts or a giant marshmallow man tomorrow night, you know who to call! Bonus points for every ’80s-era celebrity cameo you can identify. (Click here to view)


Roald Dahl books to be sold in in 2 versions after censorship backlash

Jill Lawless

Associated Press

LONDON — Publisher Penguin Random House announced Friday it will publish "classic" unexpurgated versions of Roald Dahl's children's novels after it received criticism for cuts and rewrites that were intended to make the books suitable for modern readers.

Along with the new editions, the company said 17 of Dahl's books would be published in their original form later this year as "The Roald Dahl Classic Collection" so "readers will be free to choose which version of Dahl's stories they prefer."

The move comes after criticism of changes made to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and other much-loved classics for recent editions published under the company's Puffin children's label, in which passages relating to weight, mental health, gender and race were altered.

The backlash:Salman Rushdie, more slam changes to Roald Dahl's books: 'This is absurd censorship'

Augustus Gloop, Charlie's gluttonous antagonist in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" — originally published in 1964 — became "enormous" rather than "enormously fat." In "Witches," a supernatural female posing as an ordinary woman may be a "top scientist or running a business" instead of a "cashier in a supermarket or typing letters for a businessman."

The Roald Dahl Story Company, which controls the rights to the books, said it had worked with Puffin to review and revise the texts because it wanted to ensure that "Dahl's wonderful stories and characters continue to be enjoyed by all children today."

While tweaking old books for modern sensibilities is not a new phenomenon in publishing, the scale of the edits drew strong criticism from free-speech groups such as writers' organization PEN America, and from authors including Salman Rushdie.

Camilla, the queen consort, appeared to offer her view at a literary reception on Thursday. She urged writers to "remain true to your calling, unimpeded by those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination."

Dahl's books, with their mischievous children, strange beasts and often beastly adults, have sold more than 300 million copies and continue to be read by children around the world. Their multiple stage and screen adaptations include "Matilda the Musical" and two "Willy Wonka" films based on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," with a third in the works.

'Matilda the Musical':How Darth Vader inspired Emma Thompson's 'shocking' Trunchbull

But Dahl, who died in 1990, is also a controversial figure because of antisemitic comments made throughout his life. His family apologized in 2020.

In 2021, Dahl's estate sold the rights to the books to Netflix, which plans to produce a new generation of films based on the stories.

Francesca Dow, managing director of Penguin Random House Children's, said the publisher had "listened to the debate over the past week which has reaffirmed the extraordinary power of Roald Dahl's books and the very real questions around how stories from another era can be kept relevant for each new generation."

"Roald Dahl's fantastic books are often the first stories young children will read independently, and taking care for the imaginations and fast-developing minds of young readers is both a privilege and a responsibility," she said.

"We also recognize the importance of keeping Dahl's classic texts in print," Dow said.

"By making both Puffin and Penguin versions available, we are offering readers the choice to decide how they experience Roald Dahl's magical, marvelous stories."

Classic children's books:Dr. Seuss' 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!' gets a book sequel, and Cindy-Lou is involved

Dr. Seuss: Bet you didn't know these 30 things about the famous ...

Colman Andrews

24/7 Wall Street

Theodor Seuss Geisel, who was called Ted as a boy but would one day be known to the world as Dr. Seuss, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1904. His father, Theodor Robert Geisel, who co-owned a brewery, often took young Ted to the city zoo. Perhaps inspired by these visits, Ted – with the encouragement of his mother, Henrietta – drew animal caricatures on his bedroom walls.

Dr. Seuss produced some 66 books in all, counting those he wrote but didn’t illustrate, those he co-authored or wrote under a pseudonym, and those that were published posthumously. He is the world’s best-selling children’s author, and according to some sources either the ninth or 11th most popular fiction writer of any kind in history. His books, which have been translated into 30 languages, have sold somewhere between 500 million and 650 million copies.

Variously hailed as the American Poet Laureate of Nonsense and the Modern Mother Goose, Dr. Seuss has brought pleasure to (and encouraged reading comprehension in) four generations of children around the world. But not everything about him was family-friendly. Here are some surprising facts about this prolific author and illustrator.

Controversy:The debate over Dr. Seuss: When racist themes collides with childhood nostalgia

Travel:Oh the Places You'll Go! Dr. Seuss museum opens its doors

1.

His grandfather was a partner in the Kalmbach & Geisel brewery, known familiarly as "Come Back and Guzzle," which later morphed into the Springfield Brewing Co., one of the largest such operations in New England.

2.

Former President Theodore Roosevelt once humiliated him on stage, exclaiming "What's this boy doing here?" instead of giving him the award for selling war bonds that he was expecting.

3.

His first published work was a parody of Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!," composed as a plaint about the difficulty of Latin class for his high school newspaper.

4.

He wrote a minstrel show called "Chicopee Surprised" as a fundraiser for a school trip, and he performed in it in blackface.

5.

He was fired from the college humor magazine at Dartmouth College for drinking gin with friends in his dorm room – during Prohibition!

Life prescriptions from the Doctor:Dr. Seuss quotes for every college moment

6.

"Seuss" is pronounced "zoice" in German, but Geisel preferred to rhyme it with "Goose," as in Mother Goose.

7.

He wasn't really a doctor. He began using the honorific in an attempt to mollify his father, who had wanted him to study medicine.

8.

"Oh, the places you'll go!", which became the title of his last book (published in 1990), was a Dartmouth catchphrase in the 1920s.

9.

He was voted "Least Likely to Succeed" by Casque & Gauntlet, the senior society to which he belonged at Dartmouth.

10.

He attended Oxford University in 1926, pursuing a master's degree in English, but he left after less than a year.

11.

Helen Palmer, a fellow student at Oxford who was to become his first wife, encouraged him to give up the academic world to concentrate on his art.

12.

He and Helen were unable to have children, but he sometimes pretended humorously to have offspring, with names like Chrysanthemum-Pearl, Wickersham, Miggles and Boo-boo.

13.

His first published cartoon appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in 1927.

14.

In 1929, he drew a four-panel cartoon for the satirical weekly Judge that included a blatantly racist image, complete with the N-word.

15.

When it ran into financial difficulties, Judge began paying him in merchandise, including 100 cartons of shaving cream on one occasion and 13 gross of nail clippers on another.

16.

He was subsequently hired to create ads by the makers of Flit, a DDT-laced bug spray produced by a subsidiary of Standard Oil of New Jersey.

17.

He created a slogan for the bug spray – "Quick, Henry, the Flit!" – that became an oft-quoted slogan of the day a la "Where's the Beef?"

18.

Some of his Flit ads featured more racist imagery, of both blacks and Middle Easterners.

More:Dr. Seuss's political cartoons re-emerge amid criticism of Donald Trump

19.

He later rejected racism, drawing cartoons such as one featuring Uncle Sam wielding a Flit-like spray to blow the "Racial Prejudice Bug" out of the heads of white citizens.

20.

Working for another Standard Oil subsidiary, which produced Essomarine boat fuel, he became "Admiral-in-Chief" of the so-called Seuss Navy, an outfit made up for promotional purposes.

21.

He began writing and drawing children's books because it was one of the few genres not forbidden by his ad contracts.

22.

His first published children's book, "And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street," was rejected by publishers 27 times before it went to press in 1937.

23.

In 1939, he published a book for adults called "The Seven Lady Godivas," full of cartoon nudes. It didn't sell well, and he went back to children's books.

24.

During World War II, he enlisted in the Army and co-wrote some 27 humorous instructional cartoons featuring a hapless Army recruit called Private Snafu.

25.

He might have invented the word "nerd," which appears in his 1950 book "If I Ran the Zoo" – though the derivation is disputed.

26.

He wrote a fantasy movie about an evil piano teacher, "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.," released in 1953.

Debate:Are Dr. Seuss' books racist? Experts weigh in on controversy

27.

Helen, who was in frail health, committed suicide after Geisel had an affair with a friend's wife, Audrey Dimond – who was to become the second Mrs. Geisel.

28.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of the fact that his stories have inspired feature films and TV specials.

More Seuss:'The Grinch' Benedict Cumberbatch gets cranky about Christmas sweaters, standards on repeat

29.

His license plate read "GRINCH," a reference to one of his most famous books, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

30.

He was a heavy smoker until the early 1980s and died of oral cancer – though not until 1991, when he was 87.

Methodology

To unearth little-known facts about Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, 24/7 Wall St. consulted the Springfield Museums’ Seuss in Springfield website, Penguin Random House’s Seussville website, the website of the New England Historical Society, an article reproducing early Seuss cartoons on Buzzfeed, and the following books: “Dr. Seuss: The Cat Behind the Hat” by Caroline M. Smith; “Of Sneetches and Whos and the Good Dr. Seuss,” edited by Thomas Fensch; “Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography” by Judith & Neil Morgan; “Theodor Geisel: A Portrait of the Man Who Became Dr. Seuss” by Donald E. Pease; “Who Was Dr. Seuss?” by Janet B. Pascal; and “The Beginnings of Dr. Seuss: An Informal Reminiscence,” edited by Edward Connery Lathem.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Censorship in America: Book bans, free speech rules not new

This cat Benjamin Franklin was a bad mother —

Shut your mouth.

Just talkin' about Franklin.

Americans have always been shushing each other. Long before 1971's "Theme from Shaft" (shut your mouth) hit No. 1 — and long before the recent uptick in raucous school board meetings nationwide, where parents have demanded the suppression of everything from "Beloved" and "The Handmaid's Tale" to "Huckleberry Finn."