Florida Senate committee approves campus gun bill
Florida’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved the guns-on-campus bill on Feb. 16. The bill allows people with concealed-firearms licenses to carry guns at state colleges and universities in Florida. Those without licenses are permitted to carry weapons during emergency evacuation orders. The bill must be approved by three additional committees before it reaches the Senate floor for state approval.
100 applicants to compete for chance to live on Mars
Mars One, a Dutch nonprofit foundation seeking to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars, has selected a list of 50 men and 50 women to compete for a chance to settle on Mars. Mars One will host a reality-TV competition to select 24 crew members to set up a permanent colony, starting as early as 2024. For more information on Mars One, visit mars-one.com.
U.S. swears in 25th Secretary of Defense
Vice President Joe Biden swore in Ashton Carter as the 25th U.S. Secretary of Defense on Feb. 17. Carter replaced former secretary Chuck Hagel, making him President Obama’s fourth defense chief in the past six years. Carter is a 60-year old Yale graduate, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and has helped write 11 books. His priorities are to continue efforts against ISIS, monitor Ukrainian and Iranian developments, prevent the Taliban from retaking territory in Afghanistan and recoup budget cuts in the Pentagon.
Dr. Seuss stories live on
Dr. Seuss’ “What Pet Should I Get?” will be released in July, more than 20 years after Seuss’ death in 1991. Dr. Seuss, or Theodor Seuss Geisel, had a box filled with manuscripts and illustrations he kept in his office, and they were found by his widow, Audrey Geisel, in 2013 while she was cleaning out his office. The publisher announced they expect to release two additional books based on the material they found.
Japan hit by earthquake
A 6.7 earthquake struck Japan’s coast at approximately 6 a.m. on Feb. 17. The epicenter of the earthquake was roughly 52 miles northeast of Miyako, Japan, and the total depth of the quake was 6.2 miles. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami.
