Schools masking debate - California governor recall - Greece wildfires

This weekend, some of Florida's largest school districts have moved to require masks for students, the latest in a weeklong saga that began when Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order aimed at preventing districts from mandating face coverings for kids.
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The [mask] mandates -- issued by districts including Hillsborough (Tampa), Orange (Orlando), and Palm Beach -- come with a catch: parents are allowed to opt their children out of them, without providing a reason. Giving the choice to opt out complies with an emergency rule issued Friday by the Florida Department of Health, which told districts they must give parents the option.
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As of Saturday, according to the Florida Hospital Association, there are 13,348 people hospitalized across the state -- the highest figure the state has had during the pandemic. Nearly 30% of inpatients have COVID and 43.3% of adult intensive care unit patients have COVID.