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• State Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, stirred up controversy with his recent comments about abortion: “When you get a birth rate less than 2 percent, that society is disappearing. And it’s being replaced by folks that come behind them and immigrate, don’t wish to assimilate into that society and they do believe in having children. So you see that there are long-range impacts to your society when the answer is to exterminate.” His bill to outlaw abortions in Florida once a fetal heartbeat is detected failed during this year's legislative session. (Sun Sentinel)
• Gainesville police say 17 guns have been stolen from unlocked cars this year. That, along with an increase in firearm violence compared to this time a year ago, has the police chief speaking out. (WUFT News)
• Dozens of air drops and other firefighting efforts have so far helped to contain about half of a 505-acre wildfire in the Ocala National Forest. (Ocala Star-Banner)
• Becoming a Food Justice-certified farm isn't an option financially for every farm, but it has been worthwhile for one in Gainesville. Jordan Brown's The Family Garden has made a go of it by appealing to consumers who care more about farmworker safety than price. (WUFT News)
• Only Miami-Dade has had more reported mumps cases so far in 2019 than Alachua County. An infectious disease doctor tells the Gainesville Sun that mumps vaccines can help reduce the risk of contracting it.
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Around the state today
• Climate change, a new study says, is going to allow more hurricanes to rapidly intensify near the nation's east coast. (Palm Beach Post)
• Gov. Ron DeSantis is scheduled to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu today, even as the Israeli Prime Minister faces a difficult political period in his own nation with a September election on the horizon. (Florida Politics)
• Two state lawmakers, Lauren Book and Randy Fine, are also on the trip to Israel and met with a security official to learn how the nation handles school safety. (Tallahassee Democrat)
• There could be as many as 20 Democratic presidential candidates on a Miami stage for a debate next month. (Miami Herald)
• Two Clay County pilots were involved in a midair collision yesterday morning. One survived, and one did not. (Florida Times-Union)
• Nearly 40 percent of fatal cyclist accidents happened in 2017 because someone involved failed to yield the right of way, according to National Highway Traffic Administration data. (Orlando Weekly)
• Ouch: "Cuba has better reefs than Florida," says a Yale scientist who's soon going to dive and study the coral reef near The Keys. (FLKeysNews)
• Farmers are worried about Lake Okeechobee's currently very low water level. (TCPalm)
• Another day, another video of a shark swimming just a little too close to a human for comfort along the Florida coast. This time, it's from Panama City Beach. (Panama City News Herald)
From NPR News
• Politics: Analysis Of Robert Mueller's Public Statement
• Health: 10,000 Steps A Day? How Many You Really Need To Boost Longevity
• Health: Saybie, Born At 8.6 Ounces In San Diego, Is Now The World's Tiniest Surviving Baby
• National: Cities Are Making Big Climate Promises. Keeping Them Can Be Tough
• National: With Attendance Down, Rural Churches Pool Resources To Keep Doors Open
• National: How A Radio Frequency Is Delivering High Speed Internet To Small Towns
• Science: Safe Or Scary? The Shifting Reputation Of Glyphosate, AKA Roundup
• Science: 'Gold Rush': Cannabidiol Industry Booms Amid Uncertain Regulation
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.