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The top stories near you
• Lincoln Park in East Gainesville had fallen into disrepair during the past few years, but as much as $50,000 in Wild Spaces, Public Places sales tax revenue will improve its appearance in the coming months. (WUFT News)
• Alachua County deputies received a call that a man was found dead and underneath some brush near County Road 234 in Micanopy. The Alachua County Sheriff's Office said the body had been there for days or weeks. (The Alligator)
• A Gainesville couple completed a 6,000-mile "America's Great Loop," where they traveled by boat around the U.S. (The Gainesville Sun)
• WFTS in Tampa is questioning the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) about why it's selling plant patents to the foreign competitors of Florida blueberry farmers. The head of IFAS explained, "You can’t stop any country from using it, so we’re trying to control it and make money to put back into the industry."
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Around the state today
• Florida lawmakers are hoping to honor medical marijuana identification cards from other states. A new bill would allow qualified patients and caregiver identification cards issued by other states or U.S. territories to receive medical marijuana in Florida. (Orlando Weekly)
• United Way of Broward County is honoring veterans by wrapping a homemade quilt around them, symbolizing the memory of coming home from war. Veterans are encouraged to submit applications. (Sun Sentinel)
• Nicholas Duran hopes to decrease the stigma of HIV by creating a bill that will reclassify failure to notify a sexual partner of HIV-positive status from a misdemeanor to just a felony. (Florida Politics)
• United Methodist Churches are waiting to hear whether they will allow pastors who are LGBTQ or whether they want to allow same-sex marriage. (Tallahassee Democrat)
• A Florida police officer has been suspended for allowing two arrestees to smoke cigarettes and make out in the back of his cop car. The Fort Pierce officer will face a 20-day suspension.(Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
• A bypass cap which kept the water from going into the retention pond failed and 150,000 gallons of wastewater filled a Boca Raton retention pond. Officials warned residents about the bacteria in the water and have been working to clean it up. (Palm Beach Post)
• "This deal's huge for the Tampa Bay area." Tampa is expected to create 300 new local jobs after a private equity firm from Silicon Valley decided to buy ConnectWise, a software company based out of Tampa. This move is not beneficial for everyone, however, it has left 110 employees without jobs after the company-wide realignment. (Tampa Bay Times)
• City officials of Sarasota hope Warm Mineral Springs Park will be added to the National Historic Register after it receives its $18.9 million facelift. It will cover 61.4 acres with the development of amenities which currently surround the 21.6-acre "springs activity center." (Sarasota Herald-Tribune)
News from NPR
• Business: Walmart Is Eliminating Greeters. Workers With Disabilities Feel Targeted
• World: Univision Journalist Jorge Ramos Free After Being Reported Detained In Venezuela
• World: Snake On A Plane: Unsuspecting Woman Traveling From Australia Brings A Passenger
• World: Iran's Foreign Minister Announces Sudden Resignation
• Business: SEC Says Tesla Chief Elon Musk's Tweets Violated Court Settlement
• Race: Alabama Publisher Who Called For KKK To 'Ride Again' Is Replaced By Black Woman