>>THIS WEEK ON NEWS NIGHT, LGBTQ COMMUNITY LEADERS JOINED HEALTH OFFICIALS IN URGING VACCINATION AGAINST MONKEYPOX, WITH AROUND 2000 CASES NOW REPORTED IN FLORIDA.

THE STATE RELEASES ITS ANALYSIS OF THE CURRENT TEACHER SHORTAGE AMID EFFORTS TO ATTRACT MORE STAFF.

AND RELIEF FOR TOLL ROAD USERS KICKED IN THIS WEEK, WILL DISCUSS WHO'LL BENEFIT.

NEWS NIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, TWO EARLY RISES.

GOOD MORNING HOST AT WFTV CHANNEL 9, ALEXA LORENZO.

THANKS FOR COMING IN, ALEXA.

AND MORNING EDITION HOST AT WMFE 90.7 TALIA BLAKE.

YOU'RE ALSO NOW ON THE ECONOMICS BEAT, I UNDERSTAND, TALIA.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

THANKS FOR COMING IN GUYS.

WELL, FIRST TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS.

AS WE MENTIONED ON THE SHOW RECENTLY, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF WHAT THE STATE CALLS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS IN FLORIDA, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS ARE NEEDED TO FILL ROLES MOSTLY IN ENGLISH AND SCIENCE.

WELL, ALEXA RECENTLY PUT TOGETHER A REPORT FOR WFTV CHANNEL 9 ON ONE PROGRAM TO TRY TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE STAFFING CRUNCH.

>>SO MY STUDENTS ALWAYS LOVE BEING IN MY CLASS.

>>FROM 6,000 MILES AWAY, CHRISTIAN MABEL SHARED HIS EXCITEMENT.

>>I WILL BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE MY OWN CULTURE.

>>HE'S A CERTIFIED SCIENCE TEACHER IN CAMEROON, WEST AFRICA, AND SOON HE'LL BE COMING TO CENTRAL FLORIDA TO FILL ONE OF MANY OPEN CLASSROOM POSITIONS.

>>I'VE BEEN HIRED TO TEACH PHYSICS IN LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL IN OSCEOLA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>>CHRISTIAN IS ONE OF NEARLY 400 TEACHERS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHER ALLIANCE GROUP.

A J-1 VISA INTERCULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS.

>>THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES IN BEHIND THE SCENES AND A LOT OF LOGISTICS TO GET THOSE TEACHERS HERE SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY SET UP FOR THEIR TIME IN THE US.

>>JASON HAMMOND IS THE GROUP'S PRESIDENT AND SAYS 100 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS 22 STATES ARE WORKING WITH THIS TEAM TO HELP SOLVE THE SHORTAGES THEY'RE FACED WITH THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

>>STAFFING CHALLENGES REMAIN OUR BIGGEST OBSTACLE.

>>OSCEOLA COUNTY HAS SIGNED UP ROUGHLY A DOZEN TEACHERS FROM THE GROUP FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

PAPERWORK IS STILL BEING PROCESSED AND TEACHERS LIKE CHRISTIAN ARE READY.

>>MAYBE BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MAYBE IN TWO WEEKS TIME, I MIGHT BE THERE, I THINK.

MAYBE, HOPEFULLY.

>>THE TEACHERS COMING IN ARE EXPERIENCED AND VETTED RECEIVING BACKGROUND CHECKS AND SCREENINGS FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRY, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND THEN LOCALLY.

>>THEY MEET THE SAME CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND BACKGROUND CHECKS OF OUR OTHER PROFESSIONAL STAFF.

>>EVERYONE IS EAGER.

>>I AM READY TO GIVING MY BEST TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>>AND ONCE THEY'RE HERE, IT WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL ENRICH EVERYONE.

>>WHEN THE TEACHER IS SHARING THEIR CULTURE AND THAT STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPOSURE TO NOT ONLY THE CULTURE, BUT THE LANGUAGE, IT REALLY IGNITES A PASSION FOR LEARNING.

>>ALEXA REPORTING FOR WFTV CHANNEL 9 THERE, NICE PIECE, ALEXA.

TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF BUREAUCRACY TO GET THESE TEACHERS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES TO COME HERE.

>>WITHOUT A DOUBT.

ALL THESE GROUPS ARE UNDER A J-1 VISA PROGRAM.

SO THESE ARE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE WORLD FROM AFRICA TO ASIA, LATIN AMERICA, TO COME HERE AND TEACH.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF BOXES TO CHECK.

THEY GET INVESTIGATED BY THEIR HOME COUNTRY, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OUR LOCAL AGENCIES.

SO THEY MEET A LOT OF STANDARDS AND THE TEACHING CERTIFICATION AS WELL BEFORE THEY COME HERE.

BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS A BANDAID.

IT'S NOT A PERMANENT FIX.

THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE HERE FOR A CERTAIN TIME AND TEACH HERE, AND THEN HAVE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY.

>>I GUESS IT'S A WIN-WIN.

THEY GET EXPERIENCE TEACHING HERE THAT THEN THEY CAN TAKE TO THEIR COUNTRIES AS WELL.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

>>YEAH.

IT'S INTERESTING.

TALIA, WE TALKED ON THIS PROGRAM BEFORE ABOUT WHY THIS SHORTAGE IS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA AND WHAT THE STATE IS TRYING TO DO ABOUT IT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE SOLUTIONS.

BUT AS ALEXA ALLUDED TO THEN IN HER PIECE, THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT'S JUST LIMITED TO FLORIDA.

TALK ABOUT THE SCALE OF THIS NATIONWIDE.

>>AT THIS POINT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CALLING IT A CRISIS.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY THERE ARE HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS OF TEACHER VACANCIES IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NO NATIONAL DATABASE COUNTING EXACTLY HOW MANY TEACHERS HAVE LEFT IN HOW MANY COUNTIES.

SO THERE'S REALLY NO NUMBER TO REALLY PUT AT IT, BUT IT'S A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

>>A SPECIFIC NUMBER.

WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN THOUSANDS HERE IN OUR STATE ALONE.

ALEXA, THIS SHORTAGE IS SO ACUTE, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO SPEND THEIR WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TELLING THEM THEY SHOULD DO WITH STIMULUS MONIES.

>>THEY'RE SAYING, "BOOST PAY, YOU HAVE FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY STILL IN YOUR POCKET.

GIVE THESE TEACHERS BONUSES.

INCREASE THEIR HOURLY WAGE."

AND WE'VE SEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE IN FLORIDA THAT HAVE DONE THAT AND HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SUCCESS, BECAUSE THE APPLICANT POOL IS THE PROBLEM.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SPENT $26 MILLION TO GIVE TEACHERS ABOUT $2,000 BONUSES.

AND THEY STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR WITH MORE THAN 600 TEACHER VACANCIES, COMPARE THAT TO LAST YEAR WHERE IT WAS ABOUT 180.

SO THE MONEY ISN'T HELPING THE ISSUE.

>>AND WE TALKED RECENTLY ON THE SHOW WITH ERIC SANDOVAL FROM CHANNEL 6 ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE PAY RAISERS THAT WERE GIVEN TO TEACHERS BY THE STATE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE PROBLEM, THE CRITICISM THERE WAS THAT DIDN'T BENEFIT VETERAN TEACHERS.

IT WAS JUST THE SORT OF STARTING SALARIES.

AND THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR A LOT OF TEACHERS.

>>AND THAT WILL LEAD TO UPSET TEACHERS, BURNOUT THAT SAY, "I CAN GET MORE ELSEWHERE."

AND THEN WE'RE IN THIS KIND OF MOUNTING ISSUE.

>>WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE TEACHERS UNIONS, OF COURSE, IS SOME OF THE TEACHERS ARE FACING PRESSURES WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEW LEGISLATION THAT THEY NOW HAVE TO NAVIGATE.

TALIA, LET ME TURN TO SOME REPORTING THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS.

YOU'VE REPORTED ON HOW THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE IS PLAYING INTO THIS TEACHER SHORTAGE.

WHAT KIND OF THINGS DID YOU FIND AS PART OF YOUR REPORTING?

>>YEAH, SO I TALKED WITH THE CURRENT INTERIM PRESIDENT AT BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY AND HE SAID HE'S SEEN A DECLINE IN PEOPLE EVEN PURSUING A TEACHING DEGREE.

HE SAID, HE'S NOT SEEING AS MANY PEOPLE TAKE THAT EDUCATION TRACK JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IN THE LANDSCAPE.

AND THAT HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS.

SO IT PUTS MORE BURDEN ON THE TEACHERS THAT ARE ALREADY TEACHING IN THE PROFESSION.

AND WHEN TEACHERS GET BURNT OUT, ESPECIALLY IN A CLASSROOM, IT HAS AN EFFECT ON A STUDENT THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY PUT A NUMBER OF VALUE ON.

LIKE SAY, THAT TEACHER JUST GETS FRUSTRATED IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS AND STORMS OUT, THAT PUTS AN EFFECT ON THE STUDENT THAT YOU REALLY CAN'T PUT INTO WORDS.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE SCHOOL'S THEN GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MORE RESOURCES INTO FINDING MORE TEACHERS, MAYBE TRAINING THEM ON WHATEVER SYSTEMS THEY'VE GOT GOING ON.

AND IT'S JUST A CYCLE THAT KIND OF JUST KEEPS BARRELING DOWN THE HILL.

>>THERE'S A LOT OF STRESSES.

I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT BEFORE ABOUT WHAT THE SCALE WAS HERE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS, ALEXA.

WHAT DOES THE STATE SAY IN ITS MOST RECENT ANALYSIS ABOUT THE CURRENT AREAS OF SHORTAGE?

>>WHEN IT COMES TO SUBJECTS, WE'RE SEEING IT, LIKE YOU SAID, IN ENGLISH AND SCIENCE, WE'RE SEEING IT FROM GENERAL SCIENCE TO PHYSICAL SCIENCE, ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF ANOTHER LANGUAGE, MATH, READING.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COLLECT THIS DATA BY OF COURSE SAYING WE ARE MISSING PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO, PEOPLE NOT GRADUATING WITH THOSE DEGREES FROM COLLEGES ACROSS THE NATION, AS WELL AS CERTIFICATIONS.

THEY SAY, "OKAY, WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF TEACHERS TEACHING THIS, BUT ONLY Y ARE CERTIFIED."

SO THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE HOW MANY POSITIONS ARE OPEN.

>>SO IT REALLY RUNS ACROSS THE TEACHING DISCIPLINES.

YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE STATE'S REPORT ON THE TEACHER SHORTAGE FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT'S AT WUCF.

ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT, MONKEYPOX IN FLORIDA.

CASES ARE CONTINUING TO CLIMB AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION STEPS UP DISTRIBUTION OF 1.8 MILLION MONKEYPOX VACCINE DOSES NATIONWIDE.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, FLORIDA RATIONED THE SUPPLY OF VACCINES, AMID CRITICISM OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER ITS TESTING AND VACCINE RESPONSE.

WHILE ORANGE COUNTY HAS THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF CASES IN OUR STATE BEHIND MIAMI DADE AND BROWARD, THE LGBTQ CENTER IN ORLANDO HAS BEEN HOSTING VACCINATION EVENTS.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GEORGE WALLACE SAYS AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BOOSTS THE VACCINE SUPPLY, LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

>>AS THEY PUT THE VACCINATION OUT AND THEY WILL BE OPENING IT TO MORE PEOPLE, VERY KIND OF LIKE THEY DID WITH COVID.

SO IT WAS LIKE OLDER ADULTS AND THEN PEOPLE WITH DIABETES, THERE WERE CERTAIN CRITERIA.

AND RIGHT NOW THE CRITERIA IS MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, HEALTHCARE WORKERS THAT TREAT MONKEYPOX.

SO THOSE ARE THE POPULATIONS THAT ARE SEEING A HIGHER LEVEL OF MONKEYPOX.

THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON THAT WAS NOT IMPACTED BY COVID, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH HAVING TO HAVE KIDS AT HOME, OR DOING ONLINE LEARNING, OR GETTING SICK YOURSELF, OR LOSING A LOVED ONE OR FAMILY MEMBER, OR HAVING YOUR JOB CLOSED.

IT IMPACTED EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

AND WE JUST HOPE TO GET AHEAD OF ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF TRICKLING DOWN LIKE MONKEYPOX, AND GET AHEAD OF IT SO THAT IT DOESN'T BECOME PREVALENT.

THE VACCINE IS AVAILABLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TELLING PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE, PLEASE GET VACCINATED AND PROTECT YOURSELF.

AND ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU'RE UNSURE.

SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE FROM A PHYSICIAN.

>>THE LGBTQ CENTER IN ORLANDO, WHICH HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THESE VACCINATION EFFORTS.

ALEXA, FLORIDA HAS THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF MONKEYPOX CASES IN THE NATION, AS WE MIGHT EXPECT FOR OUR STATE'S SIZE.

HOW IS THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ADVISING VULNERABLE GROUPS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES?

>>SO ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEY HAVE A VERY DETAILED KIND OF BULLET POINT LIST PARAGRAPH FORMAT.

SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET THESE VACCINATIONS AND WHETHER YOU'RE ELIGIBLE OR NOT.

SO THE VACCINES FOR SMALLPOX HAVE PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING MONKEYPOX.

SO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HERE IN FLORIDA IS SAYING, "IF YOU'RE WITHIN 14 DAYS OF YOUR EXPOSURE WINDOW, GO GET THAT VACCINATION.

IF YOU'RE EXPOSED BECAUSE OF YOUR JOB, YOU TREAT MONKEYPOX PATIENTS AT A HOSPITAL OR A FACILITY, GO GET THAT VACCINE.

OR IF YOU ARE IN A VULNERABLE GROUP, SIGN UP TO GET THAT VACCINATION."

>>YES.

MONKEYPOX, OF COURSE, IS PART OF THAT FAMILY OF VIRUSES, THE SMALLPOX FAMILY.

TALIA, WE KNOW THAT MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF INFECTION, BUT THE DATA SHOW STARK RACIAL DISPARITIES HERE AS WELL, MUCH AS WE SEE WITH COVID.

WHAT DOES THE CDC FIND ON THAT ISSUE?

HOW DO WE EXPLAIN IT?

>>SO LIKE YOU SAID, THE MAJORITY OF CASES ARE MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN AND A MAJORITY OF THOSE MEN ARE BLACK AND HISPANIC.

AND JUST LIKE WITH COVID NOT A LOT OF THEM ARE GETTING THE VACCINE, BUT UNLIKE COVID THE VACCINE FOR MONKEYPOX HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

THERE'S A LOT OF DATA ON THAT.

SO IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE.

THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT AS MUCH.

IT IS AVAILABLE.

APPOINTMENTS IN ORANGE COUNTY THOUGH, ARE GOING FAST.

I THINK JUST THE OTHER DAY APPOINTMENTS WERE DONE WITHIN A FEW HOURS OR SO.

SO APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING FAST.

BUT THE VACCINE IS AVAILABLE AND IT IS OUT THERE.

>>I WONDER IF THERE'S A KIND OF TRUST ISSUE AGAIN, LIKE WE SAW WITH THE VACCINE WHEN IT COMES TO COVID.

>>I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY A FACTOR.

THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THIS DISTRUST BETWEEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE HEALTH SYSTEM.

>>ALEXA, THE VACCINE UPTICK, AS TALIA JUST REFERRED TO THERE, HAS BEEN LOW AMONGST MINORITY GROUPS.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT OVERALL UPTICK IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING TO TRY TO BOOST VACCINATION?

IT WAS CRITICIZED INITIALLY FOR ACTING TOO SLOWLY.

>>SO THE WHITE HOUSE IS PUTTING MORE THAN $11 MILLION TOWARD THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THIS VACCINE.

AND THEY DID LAUNCH A PILOT PROGRAM, AN EQUITY INTERVENTION PROGRAM.

WE HAVE SEEN PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST LIKE WE DID FOR THE COVID VACCINATION, WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO TARGET AND GET INTO GROUPS THAT HAVE LOW UPTAKE, LIKE OUR MINORITY POPULATIONS.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING TO SEND THESE VACCINATIONS DIRECTLY TO THE STATES AND THEN THE STATES GIVE THESE TO THESE COMMUNITIES AND THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FACED BARRIERS TO ACCESS, DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO, THEIR LANGUAGE BARRIER, THEY'VE LACKED ACCESS TO THESE SHOTS.

BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN WITH THE CRITICISM BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SENT THEM AND THEY KIND OF PING PONG ACROSS STATES FOR WEEKS BEFORE THEY REACH THE STATE THEY'RE HEADING TO.

SO IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS WITH SUCH A BIG UNDERTAKING.

>>IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, ISN'T IT?

THAT THE CHANCES OF CONTRACTING MONKEYPOX ARE A VERY LOW FOR MOST PEOPLE, MUCH LOWER THAN FOR COVID, FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY THAT'S VULNERABLE THERE, ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE, ANYBODY CAN GET IT.

>>ANYBODY CAN GET IT.

IT IS PASSED BY CLOSE SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT WITH A PERSON WHO HAS MONKEYPOX, WHO HAS THOSE RASHES, THOSE WELTS ON THEIR SKIN.

AND IT CAN ALSO COME FROM A SURFACE.

IF SOMEONE TOUCHED THAT SURFACE WITH THE RASH PART OF THEIR BODY, AND THEN YOU MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH, YOU CAN ALSO GET INFECTED.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS.

YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF INFECTED WITH THIS.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

>>THE METHOD OF TRANSMISSION IS DIFFERENT AND MAKES IT SOMEWHAT MORE DIFFICULT.

TALIA, WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBER OF CASES RISING, PARTICULARLY IN OUR STATE, AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, TEENS AND CHILDREN AS WELL.

LARGE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES LIKE UCF, AS WE KNOW, ARE NOW BACK.

ARE THESE INSTITUTIONS READY FOR A MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK?

>>I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD SAY THEY'RE 100% READY.

NOBODY HAS AN OFFICIAL ACTION PLAN STATED LIKE, "THIS IS STEP ONE, STEP TWO.

THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE AT THIS LEVEL OR THAT LEVEL."

THEY ARE POSTING INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITES AND POSTING FLYERS AROUND CAMPUS, LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, "HEY, HERE ARE THE SYMPTOMS.

LOOK OUT FOR THIS."

SO THEY ARE GIVING STUDENTS INFORMATION, BUT THERE'S NOT AN ACTION PLAN OF LIKE, "OKAY, IF YOU GET IT, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO."

THEY'RE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH, ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET VACCINES ON CAMPUS, SPECIFIC UNIVERSITIES ARE TRYING TO GET VACCINES, SO THAT WAY, IF THEY DO GET SOMEONE WHO CONTRACTS MONKEYPOX, THEY CAN ACTUALLY HELP THEM.

BUT THERE'S NOT AN OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY STATEWIDE PLAN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

>>WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO IF THEY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, ALEXA.

IF THEY WANT TO GET THE VACCINE, IF THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT MONKEYPOX, WHAT ARE THEIR AVENUES?

>>AT THIS POINT, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, SOME OF THE APPOINTMENTS ARE GOING QUICKLY.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE ON TOP OF WHEN THE AGENCIES, WHO ARE OFFERING THE VACCINE, HAVE A NEW SHIPMENT AND WILL PUT THEM OUT THERE.

SO ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OSCEOLA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF OUR LOCAL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, ARE OPENING UP THESE APPOINTMENTS, THE CENTER, AS WE SAW IN THAT INTERVIEW THAT YOU CONDUCTED, THEY'RE OFFERING THE VACCINE AT THEIR LOCATION IN ORLANDO, AT THEIR LOCATION IN KISSIMMEE.

AND WE'RE ALSO STARTING TO SEE THESE VACCINES POP UP IN LOCAL HEALTH PROVIDERS OFFICES, NOT ALL OF THEM.

SO IT MAY NOT BE THE ONE THAT YOU'RE REGISTERED AT, BUT IT'S CALLING AROUND AND IT'S TAKING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, AND FINDING WHATEVER THE BEST AVENUE IS FOR YOU.

>>A BIT OF INITIATIVE, FOR SURE, NEEDED ON THIS ONE.

WE'LL BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION WE'RE AT WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND ALSO ON INSTAGRAM.

WELL, WE'VE GOT ALEXA WITH US THIS WEEK, SO WE'VE WANTED TO TOUCH ON SOME TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

THE GOVERNOR LAST WEEK ANNOUNCED DISCOUNTS ON SUN PASS TOLL ROADS FOR SOME MOTORISTS.

HERE'S PART OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.

>>THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT IS ABOUT 400,000 SUNPASS CUSTOMERS WHO ARE USING FDOT AND TURNPIKE OPERATED TOLL ROADS TO GET TO WORK EVERY DAY.

THIS WILL END UP RETURNING NEARLY $40 MILLION TO SUNPASS CUSTOMERS OVER THIS SIX MONTH PERIOD.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO USE THESE EVERY DAY, IT ADDS UP VERY QUICKLY.

>>GOVERNOR DESANTIS THERE.

OKAY, ALEXA.

SO THE GOVERNOR'S KIND OF MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WOULD BE FOR TRANSPONDER USERS ONLY, TO BENEFIT COMMUTERS AND NOT TOURISTS.

WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF HOW THIS TOLL DISCOUNT PROGRAM'S GOING TO WORK?

>>YEAH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE.

THEY ARE FEELING PINCHES IN THEIR POCKETS.

ON AVERAGE WITH THE BREAKDOWN ON THIS, IF YOU HAVE 40 PAID TRANSACTIONS PER MONTH, THOSE FDOT SYSTEMS, THOSE TURNPIKE SYSTEMS, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A 20% CREDIT TO YOUR SUNPASS AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

IF IT'S UP TO 80 OR MORE, IT'LL GIVE YOU A 25% CREDIT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

SO THAT'S ABOUT $60 FOR THE AVERAGE USER EVERY MONTH.

AND THIS IS AGAIN ON FDOT AND TURNPIKE SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THE TURNPIKE, THE I-4 EXPRESS LANES, SECTIONS OF THE 429, THE 417.

SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO START SEEING THOSE BENEFITS.

IT STARTED THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, AND WILL RUN THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

>>THE ORLANDO SENTINEL RAISED AN INTERESTING QUESTION IN ONE OF ITS PIECES OVER THE LAST WEEK ABOUT EQUITY.

NOT EVERYONE HAS A TRANSPONDER, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT OR MAYBE IF THEY'RE LOW INCOME.

SO THIS WON'T BENEFIT THEM.

WILL IT?

>>THIS WILL NOT BECAUSE IT'S A CREDIT.

IT'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE DISCOUNT WHEN YOU DRIVE ON THROUGH.

IT'S A CREDIT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THERE'S NO WAY TO PROVIDE THAT CREDIT TO PEOPLE WHO PAY BY PLATE OR PAY WITH CASH.

SO UNFORTUNATELY FOR THOSE USERS, THEY WON'T BENEFIT.

IT'S ONLY IF YOU HAVE A TRANSPONDER SIGNED UP LINKED WITH YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.

>>TALIA, THE CENTRAL FLORIDA EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY THERE, AS ALEXA MENTIONED, ISN'T INCLUDED.

BUT THAT AGENCY DOES HAVE ITS OWN DISCOUNT PROGRAM.

AND THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY MIGHT EXPAND THAT.

>>SO THEY'LL BE MEETING SOON AND THEY, JUST LIKE ALEXA WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SUNPASS PROGRAM, WITH THE EXPRESSWAYS PROGRAM, IF YOU HAVE 40 OR MORE TOLLS, YOU SAVE FIVE TO 10% ON YOUR CREDIT.

80 OR MORE, IT'S 10 TO 15.

SO NOT AS GREAT AS THE SUNPASS PROGRAM IS OFFERING RIGHT NOW.

BUT THEY'RE LIKELY TO EXPAND THAT.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>>AND ON THE ECONOMICS, WHY DOES THE DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION SAY THIS IS NEEDED NOW?

AND COULD IT SORT OF BE A PRELUDE TO MORE TAX CUTS AHEAD THAT THE GOVERNOR IS KIND OF TOUTED?

>>INFLATION IS HITTING THE POCKETS OF EVERYBODY.

WE'RE ALL FEELING THAT.

AND HE SAYS, THIS IS GOING TO PUT MORE MONEY BACK INTO DRIVER'S POCKETS HERE IN FLORIDA.

AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO RIGHT NOW.

GAS PRICES ARE GOING DOWN, BUT AT ONE POINT THEY WERE ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH.

THEY WERE WAY TOO HIGH.

SO THIS IS GOING TO HELP PEOPLE SAVE.

I KNOW PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT DRIVE 40 MINUTES GOING OUT TO DISNEY OR KISSIMMEE ELSEWHERE TO WORK, BUT THAT LIVE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

SO THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY COMMUTE TO WORK.

>>AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

THIS IS WHAT HE COULD DO NOW.

BUT HE HAS SAID, THE GOVERNOR, THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION WITH THIS AND BRING IT UP IN THE NEXT SESSION, WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD INCLUDE THE OTHER EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITIES LIKE CENTRAL FLORIDA EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY OR MIAMI EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY DOWN SOUTH.

>>WELL, CERTAINLY A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO BALANCE THE BOOKS AT THE MOMENT.

SO I'M SURE MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL TAKE WHAT THEY CAN GET.

WELL, FINALLY, WE WANTED TO TELL YOU ABOUT A SPECIAL EDITION OF NEWS NIGHT COMING UP NEXT WEEK.

WITH ALL EYES ON THE SPACE COAST AND THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM, WE'LL BE BRINGING YOU A RECENT DISCUSSION THAT WE HELD AT THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER HOSTED BY MYSELF AND BRENDAN BYRNE FROM 90.7 WMFE NEWS, YOUR COLLEAGUE, TALIA.

WE TALKED WITH DALE KETCHAM FROM SPACE FLORIDA, UCF PLANETARY SCIENTIST, ADDIE DOVE, AND NASA DIRECTOR, DAN FLORES ABOUT THE ARTEMIS 1 MISSION.

>>IT TAKES A MASSIVE DEDICATED TEAM.

AND THIS IS A TEAM THAT'S UNDERGOING SEVERAL CHALLENGES LIKE YOU ALL KNOW.

THE PAST COUPLE YEARS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A PANDEMIC AND THAT'S A CHALLENGE ON ITS OWN, TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK AND MAKE PROGRESS DURING THIS TIMEFRAME.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE HAD OTHER CHALLENGES WITH RESOURCES.

WE HAVE A SMALL TEAM THAT HAS EXPERIENCE FROM SHUTTLE.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNGER FOLKS THAT HAVE COME IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THAT ARE GAINING THAT EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING FROM THE MORE SENIOR FOLKS TO BE READY TO LAUNCH THIS VEHICLE.

BUT IT TAKES A DEDICATED TEAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE READY, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PROCEDURES, THE SCHEDULES ARE RIGHT.

AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HARDWARE IS BUILT AND TESTED PROPERLY AHEAD OF LAUNCH.

>>DAN, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MISSION IN ITSELF, BUT IT'S ALSO PAVING THE WAY FOR ARTEMIS 2 AND ARTEMIS 3, WHICH WE'LL HAVE CREW ON BOARD.

>>SO ORION IS RIGHT NOW IS THE ONLY MANNED SPACECRAFT THAT'S CAPABLE OF SENDING ASTRONAUTS TO THE MOON OR THE DEEP SPACE FOR THAT MATTER, DUE TO THE RADIATION SHIELDING THAT IT HAS AS PART OF ITS DESIGN PROCESS.

AND ALSO THE RADIATION HARDENING AS PART OF ALL THE ELECTRONICS ONBOARD THE SPACECRAFT.

SO WE'LL BE MEASURING THE DOSAGE THAT THE CREW MAY BE EXPOSED TO IN DEEP SPACE.

AND WE'LL INCORPORATE THOSE LESSONS INTO THE ARTEMIS 2 DESIGN.

AND ALSO TO THE MISSION PLANNING.

>>THIS MISSION IS REALLY PUSHING ORION TO THE LIMIT.

THIS IS A SIX WEEK LONG MISSION, WHICH IS MUCH LONGER THAN A HUMAN MISSION WOULD BE.

THIS IS TO GET SOME REALLY GOOD DATA FROM THIS.

>>OH YEAH.

WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING SOME GREAT DATA.

IT'S A SIX WEEK MISSION, LIKE YOU SAID.

SO IT'S GOING TO TEST OUR CAPABILITY TO HAVE THE SPACECRAFT ORION IN ORBIT, ALL THE CONSUMABLES THAT GO ALONG WITH IT, THE FUEL, THE POWER CONSUMPTION.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GET GREAT DATA TO SUPPORT FUTURE ARTEMIS MISSIONS.

AND ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS IS GOING TO BE THE REENTRY.

THIS ORION IS GOING TO REENTER EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE FASTER THAN ANY OTHER SPACECRAFT HAS EVER ENTERED.

SO THAT STRESSES THE HEAT SHIELD IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SPACECRAFT SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME DATA AFTER WE SPLASH DOWN THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER DESIGN TO SUPPORT CREWED FLIGHTS IN THE FUTURE.

>>NASA'S DAN FLORES THERE.

IT WAS A FASCINATING DISCUSSION.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN US FOR THE FULL DISCUSSION AND AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT ARTEMIS, THE FUTURE OF DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION.

AND THE SPACE COAST ECONOMY NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30, HERE ON WUCF.

OKAY, ALEXA, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR REPORTING ON NASA'S GOALS FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

HOW IS THE AGENCY HOPING ARTEMIS IS GOING TO HELP WITH THAT?

>>THEY WANT TO LAND THE FIRST PERSON OF COLOR AND THE FIRST WOMAN ON THE MOON.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS GOING TO PLANT THEIR FEET ON THE MOON JUST YET.

RIGHT NOW THEY DO HAVE 42 ACTIVE ASTRONAUTS AND 10 CANDIDATES.

AND THERE IS DIVERSITY IN THAT POOL AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

AND THEY WANT CHILDREN TO SEE THEMSELVES IN ARTEMIS.

THEY WANT THERE TO BE THAT REPRESENTATION, AND THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT WHOEVER THAT IS, WHOEVER THAT FIRST WOMAN, WHOEVER THAT PERSON OF COLOR IS, THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THE HOPES, DREAMS, WISHES, BRIGHTNESS OF THE FUTURE GENERATION WITH THEM WHEN THEY GO TO THE MOON.

>>WE WERE TALKING, TALIA, JUST BEFORE WE CAME ON THE AIR ABOUT THIS SORT OF ROLE MODEL ISSUE IN SERENA WILLIAMS, AS SHE MAKES HER FINAL RUN AT THE US OPEN.

AND I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK IT'LL MEAN TO FINALLY HAVE A WOMAN, AND A PERSON OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR, SETTING FOOT ON THE MOON.

WHAT'S THAT GOING TO MEAN?

>>WELL, FOR ONE, IF IT'S A BLACK WOMAN, BLACK GIRL MAGIC IS REAL.

LET'S BE HONEST.

BLACK GIRL MAGIC IS 100% REAL.

AND HONESTLY IT'S LONG OVERDUE, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND BLACK WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, HAVE BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF NASA SINCE THE 60S,- >>FOR SURE.

>>SO YEAH.

IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

IT'S ABOUT TIME, IN LIZO'S WORDS, THAT THEY GET UP THERE.

YEAH.

>>ALEXA, THESE LAUNCHES CREATE SO MUCH TRAFFIC ON A SORT OF A PRACTICAL LEVEL.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF ARTEMIS MISSIONS COMING UP IN THE FUTURE WITH A BIT OF LUCK.

ARE THERE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO THE SPACE COAST IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO SEE THESE LAUNCHES, THAT ARE NOT GOING TO RESULT IN THEM SITTING IN MASSIVE TRAFFIC JAMS.

>>OFFICIALLY AT THIS POINT, NO.

AND THERE ARE MASSIVE HUMONGOUS, UNBELIEVABLE TRAFFIC JAMS THAT COME WITH THIS.

AND IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.

FOR THE FIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT, THEY EXPECTED 200,000 PEOPLE.

FOR THE SECOND ONE, THEY HAVE PROJECTED ONCE ALL THOSE NUMBERS ARE CALCULATED, IT'S GOING TO BE 400,000.

ALL THOSE PEOPLE WILL FLY THERE AND RENT A CAR.

GET IN AN UBER.

WILL DRIVE THERE.

AND IT BE BECOMES THIS GRIDLOCK.

AND AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF A TRAIN COMES ON THROUGH, IF YOU COULD LAND YOUR SMALL PLANES SOMEWHERE.

BUT AT THIS POINT, NO.

>>AT THIS POINT YOU CAN'T.

YOU AND I HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BRIGHTLINE THAT LINE'S GOING TO OPEN UP NEXT YEAR TO MCO.

IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH BREVARD BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP.

COULD THAT OFFER AN OPTION IN THE FUTURE MAYBE?

>>IT'S LOOKING LIKE, YES.

AGAIN, UNOFFICIALLY.

SO AT THE START, WHEN EVERYTHING GETS UP AND GOING, LIKE YOU STRESSED, IT'LL RUN THROUGH, BUT AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO STOPPING POINT PER SE.

BUT WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH RECORDS AND RECORDS SHOW FROM THE BREVARD COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER THAT BRIGHTLINE PURCHASED 33 ACRES OF LAND IN COCOA WAS A VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT, $12.5 MILLION FOR THAT LAND.

AND EVERYONE'S SAYING, "HMM, COULD THIS BE A STATION?

COULD THIS BE?"

EVERYONE SAYING, "WE CAN STOP IN BREVARD."

BRIGHTLINE HASN'T ANNOUNCED THAT YET.

BUT THEY'VE TAKEN TRIPS WITH BIG PLAYERS FROM COCOA, CAPE CANAVERAL, THE SPACE COAST TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO SHOW THEM THE TRAIN.

THEY'VE TAKEN THEM DOWN TO MIAMI AND THE WEST PALM STATIONS.

SO SPECULATION IS SWIRLING AND FINGERS ARE CROSSED FOR A LOT OF BREVARD COUNTY RESIDENTS, CENTRAL FLORIDA RESIDENTS.

THAT MEANS THE STATION'S COMING.

>>AND IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE A BOOST FOR THE PORT THERE AS WELL.

ONE OF THE STATE'S BIGGEST PORTS.

WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO ALEXA LORENZO WFTV CHANNEL 9.

TALIA BLAKE 90.7 WMFE NEWS.

THANKS FOR COMING IN GUYS.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30, HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWS NIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.