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The top stories near you
• Providing private school vouchers to students who have been a victim of bullying might be beneficial to those students, but some Alachua County education officials have concerns about the Hope Scholarship program that took effect last summer. So far, nine such scholarships have been awarded in Marion County and four in Alachua. (WUFT News)
• The Gainesville Sun this weekend detailed the possible future locations of more medical marijuana dispensaries. There are currently only two in Gainesville.
• The future of Williston's only hospital appears bleak, with tens of thousands of dollars in debt payments stacking up. (WUFT News)
• Here's more detail about the possible extension of the Suncoast Parkway through this area and up to the Georgia state line. (GateHouse)
• The Alligator details the low representation of African Americans in math departments at the University of Florida and across the country.
• Meshon Rawls, who along with Gloria Walker made history in November as the only two African American women to win area judge positions in the same election, had her formal investiture ceremony on Friday afternoon. “All rise, all rise,” she announced to a crowd of 200. “The honorable Judge Meshon Rawls is here.” (WUFT News)
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Around the state today
• Some of the counties most damaged from Hurricane Michael won't have representation in the Florida House during the 2019 session. The politicians who do currently hold office there aren't happy with the aid the region has received. (WUFT News, Tallahassee Democrat)
• One of the biggest statewide and national stories to break Friday originated in Martin County, where police have been targeting sex spas and say they have evidence of the New England Patriots owner soliciting prostitution at one. (USA Today, Palm Beach Post)
• If you were worrying about the financial future of the University of Central Florida president who resigned last week, you shouldn't. A state House committee on Friday also released documents showing Dale Whittaker may have known more than he's said about the school's construction spending scandal. (Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Weekly)
• This era is a big gray area in Florida with medical marijuana legal but police still allowed to search vehicles when they smell pot. (Miami Herald)
• Congressman Greg Steube is sleeping in his office and showering in the U.S. House gym. He's on a tight budget because of the pricey Washington D.C. real estate market. (Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
News from NPR
• National: All-Male Military Draft Is Unconstitutional, Judge Rules
• World: Vatican's Summit On Clergy Sex Abuse Left Many Survivors Disappointed
• Politics: Va. Lt. Gov. Fairfax Speaks Out Against Allegations Against Him
• Business: Trump Suspends China Tariff Hike, Citing Progress In Trade Talks
• Science: Saving The Gulf Of Mexico's Oysters
About today's curator
I'm Ethan Magoc, a news editor at WUFT. Originally from Pennsylvania, I've found a home telling Florida stories. I’m part of a team searching each morning for local and state stories that are important to you; please send feedback about today's edition or ideas for stories we may have missed to emagoc@wuft.org.