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The University of Florida international student arrested near campus and sent to an immigration detention center has returned to Colombia, according to a new statement from his mother there.Felipe Zapata Velásquez, 27, was arrested March 28 for driving with a U.S. driver’s license that had been suspended since January 2024 and with an outdated vehicle registration. He was taken to Jacksonville by federal immigration agents after his arrest and told he could await his case’s resolution in jail in the United States or sign his self-deportation and return to Colombia, according to an interview on April 2 with his mother, Claudia Velásquez, by NTN24. The University of Florida international student arrested near campus and sent to an immigration detention center has returned to Colombia, according to a new statement from his mother there.Felipe Zapata Velásquez, 27, was arrested March 28 for driving with a U.S. driver’s license that had been suspended since January 2024 and with an outdated vehicle registration. He was taken to Jacksonville by federal immigration agents after his arrest and told he could await his case’s resolution in jail in the United States or sign his self-deportation and return to Colombia, according to an interview on April 2 with his mother, Claudia Velásquez, by NTN24. -
File/Lee Ann Anderson/Fresh Take FloridaA new cell phone ban could go into effect at the start of the next school year should the Lee County school board give an expected nod to the proposal when it meets Tuesday evening. -
In this installment from the StoryCorps Mobile Tour visit to Fort Myers in 2024, we hear Finzo Hall and his mother Marcia Robinson talk about immigrating from Jamaica to the U.S, Finzo’s determination to follow his dream of becoming a pilot, and helping other young people achieve their dreams through the powers of faith and resiliency. -
Lee high school graduation rates up, but still lagging; Gov. DeSantis declares school choice successThe School District of Lee County is proud to announce the graduation rate for the class of 2024 rose to 85.8%, setting a record high for the School District since new graduation standards were implemented in 2022. The 2019-2020 graduation rate was artificially inflated by the exemption for seniors from statewide, standardized assessment requirements stipulated in state law due to the COVID pandemic.
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Many teachers feel that the reopening of schools amid the pandemic is forcing them to choose between their livelihood and their health, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran push school districts to offer in-person instruction to students in August. -
A new report says the number of children who tested positive for the coronavirus in the United States increased by 40% in July. The review of state... -
Despite the governor’s urging that schools open in person, the state has approved plans by Broward and Miami-Dade school districts to start... -
With some students set to return to classrooms on Monday, state officials and Florida’s largest teachers union are locked in a legal battle over an... -
Florida residents will get a break on the cost of school supplies this weekend during the state’s back-to-school sales tax holiday. -
Retailers reeling from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic hope Floridians will indulge in a chance to save some money this weekend as students prepare for the new school year, whether it be in traditional classrooms or online. The state will hold a sales-tax “holiday” from Friday through Sunday. -
Physicians, educators and students were among those protesting outside the Florida Governor's Mansion, calling for Governor DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to back off their insistence that schools fully reopen as soon as possible. -
As schools look into potential reopening plans this fall, whether to require masks has become a central part of the discussion. -
The state Department of Education’s emergency order calls for in-person instruction to be made available for the coming school year -
Many local school districts have pushed back their start dates, as talks continue about how to reopen safely in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic....
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Pinellas County’s school superintendent is recommending that the start of school be delayed until Aug. 24. Michael Grego announced Tuesday that he would... -
Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Wednesday the Florida Department of Education should not dictate local school-district decisions, even though the...
