Families may be putting off eye exams over COVID-19 concerns, but one mom in Florida says keeping an eye out for warning signs is crucial right now as eye doctors adapt to keep kids safe and rebound after extra time at home.

Toddlers tend to fall when they're learning how to walk. Just like Erin Miller's daughter.

"My daughter was 15 months old," said Miller. "She seems to be falling a lot."

So they took her to a free public vision screening put on by For Eye Care Foundation on Florida's east coast.

"She was screened by Dr. Cano and he gave my mom a printout and said that there were some red flags," Miller said.

Turns out, she's nearsighted in one eye but farsighted in the other.

It's called amblyopia, or lazy eye. It's a condition that can lead to permanent damage if not caught early.

"If we can screen these children before their eyes mature they can be treated and prevent visual loss," said Dr. Cano.

That's why Dr. Cano says you shouldn't put off a visit to the eye doctor because of the pandemic. There are tools available to keep kids safe.

"One of the nice devices that we use, which I happen to have with me, is this device," Cano said. "It allows us to be over six feet away from the child."

Keeping social distance while keeping eyes healthy, Florida Society of Ophthalmology also offers resources for quick and easy at-home vision tests to help parents and guardians whose children might be spending more time at home.

Miller's daughter is two now and doing just fine with her glasses, and they're grateful to have caught the issue early.

"Incredibly grateful," said Miller. "I'm a special educator. I understand the importance of early intervention."

It's a good reminder to keep a close eye on your child's vision.

"We feel very blessed that we were in the right place at the right time," said Miller.

Right now, fewer than 20 percent of preschool children are screened for vision problems, according to the Florida Society of Ophthalmology.

To access the American Academy of Ophthalmology's site for at-home eye tests, click here.

For more information and resources for amblyopia, click here.

This story was first reported by Channing Frampton at WTXL in Tallahassee, Florida.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Forbes named geographer and former Florida COVID-19 data curator Rebekah Jones its “Technology Person of the Year.”

Jones, the data curator who was fired for unauthorized public comments about Florida’s coronavirus numbers in May, created her own dashboard to track coronavirus numbers.

She later launched a national dashboard to track school-related cases.

Jones said she was fired for being too transparent regarding COVID-19 numbers and refusing to manipulate data.

On Dec. 7, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) agents served Jones a search warrant on her home. According to the FDLE affidavit, the state’s public health department sent a notice to FDLE as part of an investigation over unauthorized access to a state messaging system.

In a lawsuit against FDLE on Dec. 21, Jones' attorneys claimed FDLE obtained the search warrant "in bad faith and with no legitimate object or purpose."

“Regardless, she is the latest technologist who stepped up to fill the vacuum left by governments during COVID-19,” the article on Forbes’ website reads.

She is the first-ever recipient of the magazine’s "Technology Person of the Year" distinction.

This story was first published by WTXL Staff in Tallahassee, Florida.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- Walmart won't offer its traditional seasonal layaway program this year.

The program, which ran from late August to mid-December, allowed customers to put items on hold with a small deposit and make a series of interest-free, regular payments until the total is paid off. Once paid off, customers could collect purchases from their local Walmart store.

For select products, Walmart will now allow customers to use Affirm, a by-now-pay-later program.

According to Walmart.com, Affirm offers 10% to 30% APR on a wide variety of product categories, including electronics, video games, toys, home, arts & crafts, musical instruments, home improvement, auto, sports & outdoors, tools, baby, jewelry and apparel.

Some promotional items on Walmart.com will also be made available at 0% APR.

Loan repayment options range between three months to a year for purchases between $144-$799.99, and 1 to 2 years for purchases between $800-$2,000. According to Walmart's website, Affirm does not charge any late fees, prepayment fees, annual fees, hidden fees or service fees to open or close accounts.

This story first appeared on WTXL.com.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that he has directed all state agencies under his purview to assist in the search for Gabby Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie.

Police in North Port, Florida, said Tuesday morning that investigators had returned to the Carlton Reserve to look for the 23-year-old man. Investigators also searched the 24,000-acre Florida nature preserve over the weekend.

A body matching Petito’s description was discovered near the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area in Wyoming over the weekend, months after the pair set out on a cross-country road trip.

Tuesday afternoon, the FBI announced that the Teton County Coroner’s Office had confirmed that the remains found were those of Petito. The coroner’s determined the manner of death was a homicide, but the cause of death remains pending.

Anyone with relevant information regarding this case is asked to submit it to the FBI online at tips.FBI.gov, or by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI or 303-629-7171.

This story was originally published by staff at WTXL.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Mitch Tilmon wanted to be a Florida State Seminole cheerleader. That was his goal, and that dream was achieved this summer.

"I really love games," he said of his favorite thing he gets to do as a member of the cheer squad. "Experiencing the crowd and getting everyone hyped up, it's so much fun."

For his teammates, Tilmon was the perfect addition to the sidelines.

"He always has a smile on his face no matter what happened during his day," said senior Katie Barnette.

"He's an amazing tumbler," added Staci Sutton. "He's doing more elite skills than most people on this team."

Tilmon was born with amniotic band syndrome, a genetic condition that results in deformities of the limbs, but he's never let it hold him back.

"When I was growing up, like, I didn't really see anyone like me," said Tilmon. "So, it was never really, like. I never saw someone that I could look up to and be like, 'OK, if they're doing it, then I can do it.' I really had that drive, and I was like, 'Can I do this?' And like, it just, it feels really good to like be in the spot where I am in now."
The rest is history.

"The first time I ever stunted with him, I like kind of felt bad asking," said Barnette. "I was like, 'Do I need to change anything?' And he was like, 'No, just do the same thing.' I was like, 'OK.'"

"And it hit, it was crazy. I don't think about it as like, oh, I have one arm, like I need to like do this a certain way. I'm like, 'OK, how am I going to overcome this and just be like everyone else and just be like a normal athlete,'" said Tilmon.

"He never asks to be switched out of anything. It's just incredible," added Sutton. "He's an inspiration to the coaching staff as well as the entire team,"

Sutton said she didn't initially see Tilmon's audition tape, as she never received it.

Tilmon used his never-quit attitude and called her up, and she said that as soon as she saw him tumbling, it was an easy decision to add him to the squad.

Alison Posey initially published this story at WTXL.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida businesses and governments requiring proof patrons have received a COVID-19 vaccine will soon face $5,000 fines, according to a new Florida Department of Health rule.

The Florida legislature passed Senate Bill 2006 earlier this year, banning businesses, governments, and schools from requiring “vaccine passports,” or proof that people seeking their services received a COVID-19 vaccine.

In May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law. The legislation allowed the state’s Department of Health to issue fines “not to exceed $5,000 per violation.”

On Aug. 27, the department filed a rule that lays out how it will enforce the law. Businesses, governments, and schools will be fined $5,000 “per individual and separate violation,” the rule states.

According to the rule, violators will receive notice of their infraction and have a chance to appeal the fines. Once finalized, violators will have 30 days to pay.

The rule does not apply to a health care provider, a service provider licensed or certified under s. 393.17, part III of chapter 401, or part IV of chapter 468; or a provider with an active health care clinic exemption.

The new rule spurred criticism from Democrats, including one of DeSantis’ challengers in next year’s governor’s race, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried.

“Once again, Governor DeSantis is retaliating against Floridians who are trying to protect themselves and their communities from COVID-19," said Fried. "This time, he’s fining businesses and individuals $5,000 per violation for requiring proof of vaccination. Let me be clear, this not only goes against common sense — it’s also an insult to the free market principles that he claims to champion. He’s made it abundantly clear that he’s more interested in retaliating against Floridians who are trying to do the right thing than he is in stopping the spread of COVID or supporting local businesses.”

The new rule goes into effect on September 16, 2021.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) -- There's something pretty cool happening on Clay Street in the Griffin Heights neighborhood of Tallahassee, Florida. A home is being constructed using 3D printing technology.

Fredrik Wannius with Printed Farms, who is providing the machinery for the 3D printed house, says this may be the future of residential and even commercial construction.

"Each week, each month new improvements are coming," said Wannius.

The machine costs anywhere between $500,000 to $750,000 and can lay down about two feet of wall per day.

And, pending appraisal, this first-of-its-kind house could sell for between $175,000 and $200,000.

A step in the right direction when it comes to building affordable homes around the country.

"It is certified affordable housing, so we will be reaching out with our non-profits in the area that help families locate those homes," said Kyndra Light who operates Precision Building and Renovating LLC with her husband.

Light says they hope this method of building houses will be 25% cheaper than traditional construction.

A goal they plan to meet within one to two years.

"We are extremely confident that with research and development we will get to that point," said Light.

Onlookers like Nicole Everett saying they're excited to see more projects done like this in the future.

"I think it's great," said Everett. "I have worked in the affordable housing arena for many years and the thought that this could potentially be an affordable housing solution is just fantastic."

This story originally reported by Micah Cho on WTXL.com.