5 Things to Know in Florida for Jan. 22

By The Associated Press - Associated Press - Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

WILDLIFE OFFICIALS ARE MONITORING DOZENS OF PILOT WHALES SWIMMING NEAR SHORE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Eight pilot whales have died in shallow waters off Florida’s southwest coast, and six others remain unaccounted for, authorities said Tuesday. The Coast Guard temporarily closed the area to traffic in the area and ordered boaters to reduce speeds off the shores near Fort Myers as they searched for the other whales. Of the eight deceased whales, veterinarians euthanized four of them.

FLORIDA’S BOARD OF EDUCATION WEIGHS CHANGES TO COMMON CORE ACADEMIC STANDARDS

Education Commissioner Pam Stewart defended proposed changes to the Common Core on Tuesday at the Board of Education’s meeting in Miami. The Department of Education has developed a list of recommendations based on comments from parents and teachers statewide. The benchmarks for learning in language arts and math were adopted by Florida and more than 40 other states.

6 GAY COUPLES SUE TO OVERTURN STATE’S MARRIAGE BAN

Six gay couples have filed a lawsuit in South Florida seeking to overturn the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court on behalf of the couples by Equality Florida Institute Inc. The suit claims Florida’s gay marriage ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantees of equal protection and due process.

BOY FOUND DEAD IN NORTH MIAMI

A 3-year-old North Miami Beach boy is dead and investigators are talking to his mother. The child’s mother told police she found him dead early Tuesday. The mother’s 5-year-old daughter is now in custody of the Department of Children and Families.

STUDENT WHO APPEARED IN PORN CAN RETURN TO SCHOOL

A central Florida high school student who says he was expelled from school after performing in an adult film is being allowed to return to school. Brevard County School District officials said Tuesday they were wrong to punish 18-year-old Robert Marucci and that can resume his senior year at Cocoa High School.