Explosives ‘For A Reason’: Bomb Threat Shuts Down Parts Of D.C.

Good morning! It’s Friday, Aug. 20, and here are a few things we’ll be telling you about as we head into another weekend: Two Florida school districts have passed mask mandates despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban; a teacher is raising money for much-needed classroom supplies; and “The Blind Side” actor Quinton Aaron was spotted in downtown Round Rock, Texas.

School Boards Defy GOP Governors

More U.S. school districts are pushing back against GOP governors who have prohibited boards from issuing districtwide mask mandates as kids head back to class.

• Miami Schools Mask Mandate Approved, Medical Waiver Needed To Opt Out
• Hillsborough Board Defies Florida Governor's Order Against Mask Mandate
• Another Texas School District Adds Masks To Dress Code, via The Hill

Capitol Hill Bomb Threat Ends; Man Surrenders

A North Carolina man surrendered Thursday after police said he threatened to bomb the area around the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Police said 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry told them he had a bomb in his truck parked on a sidewalk outside the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill. The threat led to the evacuation of two Library of Congress buildings, the Supreme Court, a House office building, and the offices of the Republican National Committee, police said.

As he was threatening to blow up the area, Roseberry used Facebook to conduct a livestream while sitting in his truck, police said. At one point, he launched into a rant against President Joe Biden and said he came to D.C. with explosives "for a reason."

"I'm here for the American people," Roseberry said in the livestream. "When the patriots come, your ass in trouble." Read the full story on Washington, D.C., Patch.

California District Requires Students Get Vaccine

Culver City Unified School District on Thursday became the first school district in California to require students, teachers and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The district is also one of the first in the nation to require students to get the vaccine.

In addition to requiring vaccines, the school district will also offer weekly testing for students and staff regardless of vaccination status. Read the full story on Culver City Patch.

Teacher Would ‘Take A Penny’ For Classroom Library

Destinee Freemen graduated from Howard University in May with a degree in elementary education. She's just about as new a teacher as you can get.

As Freeman began making plans for her first classroom, she’s also raising money for a classroom library and supplies such as pencils, notebooks and crayons.

"I work in a predominantly Black and brown community where a lot of the families in that community are near or below the poverty line," she said. "The schools can only provide so much. Unfortunately, this isn't one of the things that's heavily funded by the government." Read the full story on Arlington Patch.

Afghanistan Latest

An increasing number of Afghans are staging protests in Kabul and other cities while challenging Taliban fighters in scattered demonstrations. Meanwhile, the U.S. is reportedly evacuating from the country more than 2,000 people per day. Read the latest via The Washington Post.

Around ‘The Patch’

‘Blind Side’ Actor Makes Cameo: "The Blind Side" actor Quinton Aaron was spotted Thursday in downtown Round Rock, Texas. Aaron played famous football player Michael Oher in the 2009 film, via Round Rock Patch.

Virus Inspires Creative Business: After a New Jersey mom was laid off during the first month of the pandemic, she and her 6-year-old daughter turned their Crayon project into a business, via Hoboken Patch.

Maryland Mandates Vaccines: Workers in hospitals and nursing homes in Maryland will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing and screening for the virus, via Annapolis Patch.

Candidate’s Husband Dies From Virus: Steve Walsh, the husband of Missouri Republican state legislator and U.S. congressional candidate Sara Walsh, has died after being diagnosed with COVID-19, via St. Louis Patch.

Mourners Overcome By Heat: Several police officers and one teenager were taken to the hospital after they were overcome by the heat while standing outside for the funeral of a Chicago police officer, via Chicago Patch.

NJ Requires Teacher Vaccinations: Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to announce in the coming days a mandate requiring all New Jersey teachers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, via Point Pleasant Patch.

Find Your Local Patch

Patch is in more than 1,000 communities across America. Find your community and see what's happening outside your front door.