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Your Florida Daily: 1st GOP debate, invasive monkey spotted in Orange City

Plus: How ‘Alligator Alley’ got its name

Republican presidential candidates, from left, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum stand on stage before a Republican presidential primary debate hosted by FOX News Channel Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) (Morry Gash, Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

In the first GOP presidential debate Wednesday, candidates — including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — explained why they should be the Republican nominee.

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DeSantis, who is number two in the polls after Donald Trump, tried to keep the focus on issues like immigration.

Vivek Ramaswamy appeared to be the main target of the candidates and not DeSantis, who is seen as Trump’s main GOP rival.

The next Republican presidential debate is set to happen in September.

Read more about the debate here.

The University of Florida in Gainesville (Copyright 2023 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

Staff at state colleges and universities who violate Florida’s bathroom law could now lose their jobs.

The state board of education has approved a rule requiring colleges to have separate restrooms and changing rooms based on biological sex at birth.

The measure also calls for colleges to establish punishment for staff including verbal warnings, written reprimands and suspensions without pay.

The rule requires that a second violation results in termination.

The approval carries out a law approved by the legislature and the governor in May prohibiting transgender people from using a bathroom or changing room that matches their gender identity in government buildings.

Orange City police release a photo taken by a citizen showing a monkey on the loose. (Orange City Police Department)

Police in Orange City are pushing to find at least one wild monkey they said is roaming the area.

The department posted a photo to Facebook taken by someone who spotted a Rhesus Macaque — which is not native to Florida.

Police urge everyone to avoid trying to capture or feed the monkey and report all sightings to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Random Florida Fact

Interstate 75, also known as Alligator Alley, used to be named the Everglades Parkway.

The construction of the road was a source of major controversy back in the early 1960s.

Dade County hated the idea of losing traffic to the west coast and AAA believed it would be useless to cars and merely an alley for alligators.

Some also called it the ‘Highway of Death’ until it was converted into four lanes with bridges for wildlife to pass under.

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