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TALLAHASSEE — A top supplier of digital devices in U.S. prisons is launching a new program to help incarcerated individuals earn a high school diploma by using the company’s tablets.

Advocates say the expansion in virtual education is promising, especially since many inmates lack basic literacy skills. But some advocates have said there are limits to what that prison technology can accomplish.

The company ViaPath, which sells secure devices and telecommunications services for use in the criminal justice system, has announced that inmates across the country will soon be able to enroll in virtual classes through a partnership with Promising People, an education technology company, and American High School, a private online school based in South Florida that will grant the diplomas.

The asynchronous classes will be available for free on ViaPath’s tablets, 700,000 of which the company says are already in use in nearly 2,000 prisons and jails.

“If you get a high school diploma, you get a secondary education along with some trades and skills. The likelihood of you recidivating back into our prisons are very small,” said Tony Lowden, Chief Social Impact Officer for ViaPath. “We believe there’s an opportunity to help men and women come home differently.” read more

By DAVID KOENIG

Boeing’s CEO said Wednesday that the company will begin furloughing “a large number” of employees to conserve cash during the strike by union machinists that began last week.

Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg said the people who would be required to take time off without pay starting in the coming days include executives, managers and other employees based in the U.S.

“While this is a tough decision that impacts everybody, it is in an effort to preserve our long-term future and help us navigate through this very difficult time,” Ortberg said in a company-wide message to staff.

Boeing didn’t say how many people will face rolling furloughs, but the number is expected to run into the tens of thousands. The aerospace giant had 171,000 employees at the start of the year.

About 33,000 Boeing factory workers in the Pacific Northwest began a strike Friday after rejecting a proposal to raise pay by 25% over four years. They want raises of at least 40%, the return of a traditional pension plan and other improvements in the contract offer they voted down. read more

Two Central Florida restaurants shut down following health inspections the week of Sept. 8-14, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

McDonald’s 5323 at 5218 Silver Star Road in Orlando shut down on Sept. 10. Inspectors found four violations, one of which was a high priority for roach activity. A second inspection the same day found two violations, but none was a high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards.

Brevard

Sunrise Family Restaurant at 365 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway in Cocoa Beach shut down on Sept. 12. Inspectors found 16 violations, three of which were a high priority for roach activity, a missing vacuum breaker and a dish machine chlorine sanitizer not being at the proper minimum strength. There were three more inspections on Sept. 13.

On the first inspection, there were two high-priority violations for serving a family member after the emergency order and removing a sign the restaurant was closed. A follow-up inspection was required. On the second inspection, there was one violation for roach activity. A third and final inspection that day found zero violations. The restaurant complied with the emergency order. read more