Tax collector will soon issue driver’s licenses – Beginning in February, The Tax Collector’s Office in Alachua County will provide driver’s licenses, which will increase fees by $6.25. Most other tax collectors in Florida have made the shift already because of a 2011 law. The Gainesville Sun

Florida panther killed by truck in Orange County, tying record – Tampa Bay Times – This year, 25 panthers found dead in 2012, tying record for the most ever. 2007 and 2009 were the other two years with the same amount of deaths. Tampa Bay Times

U.S. Students Still Lag Globally in Math and Science, Tests Show – NYTimes.com – South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan lead the world in math and science among 4th-grade and 8th-grade students, according to two new reports. Averages in the United States were not significantly lower, they were not ranked top-five internationally. The New York Times.

Manuel Pardo, ex-cop, scheduled for Tuesday execution – Even after a judge denied Pardo’s stay request, his lawyers continue to argue he is mentally ill and the execution should be blocked. Sun-Sentinel