Local 

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Hillsborough County schools switch to L.E.D lights 

Seventy schools in Hillsborough County have made the switch and the school district is planning to eventually replace lights in all schools.  

L.E.D lights will reduce the glare in classrooms, creating a softer light. Furthermore, the lights are 80 percent more efficient than the fluorescent lights used in the past and 95 percent of the energy in LEDs is converted into light; only 5 percent is wasted as heat.  

Edison Elementary School is the original model for this program. The school received L.E.D lights, an energy-efficient HVAC system, and will later receive a solar-covered parking structure for teachers and staff by the end of the year. 

According to ABC News, the teachers at Edison love the new lights and say that it creates a much more workable environment for children and teachers. 

70 schools in Hillsborough County have already made the switch and the school district is planning to eventually replace lights in all schools. This program is expected to save Hillsborough county $6 million over time.   

State 

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Red tide affects Florida beaches  

Gov. Rick Scott issued a state of emergency due to the worsening Red Tide epidemic Tuesday morning, Aug. 14. 

Red tide is caused by an excess amount of algae bloom which turns the water toxic, resulting in dead marine life and an odor that has shut down dozens of destination beaches across Florida’s gulf coast. It now stretches over 150 miles from Naples to Anna Maria Island.   

Rick Scott has set aside $100,000 for scientists to help clean-up efforts, $500,000 to help local communities and businesses — who are struggling with lost income due to an absence in tourists — and has also directed another $900,000 in grants to help Lee County’s clean-up efforts. 

National 

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First transgender candidate runs for governor of Vermont  

Voters in Vermont helped make history as they voted in the primary election for governor Tuesday night, Aug. 14. One of the candidates running was Christine Hallquist, who, as of her election, is the first transgender primary candidate for governor. 

Hallquist is a former electric company executive and has said that she is running for governor based on her management experience. Her platform is based on renewable energy, raising the rural economy, raising the minimum wage to $15 and addressing racial inequalities in the state’s criminal justice system. 

Her nomination and subsequent election would be another first for the LGBTQ community. 

She now must take on the current Governor, Phil Scott, in the general election.  

International 

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Bridge collapses in Italy  

A bridge collapse in the port city of Genoa, Italy, has killed at least 39 people and left 15 or more injured.  

Over 1,000 firefighters and paramedics reported to the scene to help with rescue efforts and damage control. Death tolls are expected to rise as rescue workers continue to search through the rubble.  

As a precautionary measure, residents in the local area were forced to evacuate their homes in fear that a further collapse of the bridge could damage property and kill more people.  

Authorities do not think that that this was an act of terror but a structural problem that has been getting worse over the years. Authorities, however, say that a final determination of the cause may take weeks if not months.