July 2020 – Page 5 – Capital Outlook

Leon County not a hotspot despite recent spike in coronavirus cases

July 7, 2020

By St. Clair Murraine Outlook staff writer Compared to the large number of cases in some counties in Florida, Leon County is not close to being considered a hotspot for a coronavirus outbreak. However, no one is writing off the chances of seeing a continued jump in the spread. In

Voting by mail isn’t an unfamiliar process

July 7, 2020

By St. Clair Murraine Outlook staff writer Anyone wavering with a decision whether to vote by mail in the upcoming election should do so with the same confidence they display in paying bills by mail. That approach, according to the League of Women Voters of Florida, should reduce concerns about

Teach your children to avoid the mistakes you made with money

July 7, 2020

Special to the Outlook Numerous surveys show that many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, have little saved for retirement, and lack fundamental financial knowledge. They often face threats of debt and poor credit scores. This further increases the chances of them living below-standard life. Part of the problem, experts say,

Pennsylvania supreme Court agrees to hear Cosby appeal

July 7, 2020

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia In a significant legal victory for Bill Cosby, the state Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of his 2018 conviction on charges of indecent aggravated assault. In a stunning ruling handed down last Tuesday, the court noted it’s allowing

Black workers more likely to face retaliation for raising coronavirus concerns

July 7, 2020

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia As more corporations jump into the fray, offering statements of support for African Americans in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, a new study reveals that many companies’ actual policies and practices contradict their

Coronavirus continues to ravage state revenue

July 7, 2020

By Jim Turner News Service of Florida State tax revenues showed little improvement in May as the economy continued to suffer heavy damage from the coronavirus pandemic, a new report shows. The monthly revenue report from the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research said the state’s net tax revenue

DeSantis says Florida isn’t ready for third phase

July 7, 2020

News Service of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida isn’t ready for the next phase of his effort to reinvigorate the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. “We never anticipated necessarily doing anything different in terms of the next phase at this point anyways,” DeSantis said last Thursday during a bill-signing

SPLC announces $30 million investment to increase voter registration

July 7, 2020

NNPA Newswire Staff Report The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) recently announced it is investing up to $30 million from its endowment in voter outreach organizations in the Deep South to increase voter registration and participation among people of color with a lower propensity to vote. The initiative, called Vote

Serendipity, 1,921 days and gray hair along the way to judgeship

July 7, 2020

Judge Layne Smith When I ran for circuit judge in 2010, I lost the election. As disappointing as losing was, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it sent me in unexpected and rewarding directions. It was also humbling. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I wouldn’t

During the COVID-19 pandemic, is prison ‘A death sentence’ for correctional staff and our communities?

July 7, 2020

Dr. Valda Crowder, M.D. What happens in prison does not stay in prison. The cell blocks and bars give us a false sense of containment. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to the Justice Department, “The average time served by state prisoners released in 2016, from initial admission