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The top stories near you
• The National Hurricane Center's updated forecast last night has Tropical Storm Dorian becoming a hurricane before landfall in Florida during the Labor Day weekend. For review — or if you're new to Florida — here are guides from Florida Storms and our WLRN partner in Miami on how to be prepared in case the storm intensifies.
• With the release of an autopsy report and 911 calls, more details have emerged in the April cassowary attack on an Alachua man at his farm. Marvin Hajos kept the bird there and suffered more than a dozen lacerations across his body during its deadly attack. The bird has since been auctioned off. (WUFT News)
• A lobbying campaign from local residents put another twist into Alachua County's saga that is the Camp McConnell negotiation. (Gainesville Sun)
• Marion County native Debra Velez will be the new chief operating officer of the Marion County Hospital District. (Ocala Star-Banner)
• Another Netflix production will feature Alachua County, as Eastside High School quarterback Anthony Richardson is being filmed for the upcoming "QB1." Earlier this year, Netflix also released "The Legend of Cocaine Island" about an Archer man's bizarre drug case. (Gainesville Sun)
• For the second time in as many years, a skink has gone missing at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. Police again suspect it may have been a theft. (The Alligator)
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Around the state today
• "A defining moment for our state," in the words of the secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, transpired yesterday in Tampa with the start of meetings to plan new toll roads. Former Gainesville mayor Pegeen Hanrahan is on one of the task forces. (Tampa Bay Times, GateHouse)
• It's been nearly two years since a dozen patients died at a Broward County nursing home, but yesterday Hollywood police announced charges against four former employees in connection with those deaths. (NPR News)
• A possible hurricane is heading toward the state, and the Army Corps of Engineers is trying to manage water levels between Lake Okeechobee and St. Lucie River. The odds of an algae bloom also increased. (TCPalm)
• "In choosing death, (Jeffrey) Epstein denied everyone justice." But the deceased South Florida financier's accusers still had a chance to speak in court yesterday, and an investigation is continuing. (NPR News)
• Tiny homes have frequently been part of the conversation around affordable housing solutions, and a new state bill seeks to provide clarity around their building codes. (Florida Politics)
• Here's what a Jacksonville task force has recommended the city do to combat sea-level rise. (WJCT)
• The outlook for improving Florida's recycling rate remains grim due, in part, to China's decision to stop buying this country's recyclable material and Americans' failure to know what exactly can be recycled. (Florida Phoenix)
From NPR News
• National: Still Recovering From Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico Braces For Dorian
• National: As Puerto Rico Braces For Storm, DHS, FEMA To Move $271 Million To Border Operations
• World: Is America Near The End Of Its Longest War?
• Education: New Generation Of Mortuary Students Represent Industry Changes
• Health: Share The Road: How Cities Can Keep Cyclists Safe
• Business: Former Uber Engineer Charged With 33 Counts Of Trade-Secret Theft
• Politics: The DNC Is About To Cut The 2020 Field In Half, And Spark Plenty Of Controversy
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.