Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
The top stories near you
• In both algebra and geometry, many Alachua County high school students fell from 2018 to 2019, and school district leaders are trying to figure out why — as well as how to fix these outcomes. (WUFT News)
• Celebration Pointe is the latest proposed site for a new Alachua County sports center. Other sites in East Gainesville and at the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site had been considered over the past few years, but a consultant has suggested to county commissioners that the newer development just west of Interstate 75 is the place. (WUFT News)
• In the same month as our story about the dental services provided at the ACORN Clinic in Brooker, there's a federal report out ranking Florida among the worst states for patients' access to dentists in rural areas. (WUFT News, Florida Phoenix)
• More construction in Gainesville means more rope rescues like the one firefighters had to perform yesterday on University Avenue. (WCJB)
• There are now construction timelines for each of Gainesville's five announced Wawa locations. The first two should open in April. (WUFT News)
Today's sponsored message
There's no denying the importance of a good education.
Millhopper Montessori is one of only two area private schools accredited by FCIS, due in part to our highly-credentialed teachers and STEAM-enhanced curriculum. Millhopper’s unique methods allow each preschool through middle school student to explore and learn, all in a safe and secure environment. Millhopper students develop into poised, compassionate and creative leaders who are prepared for the next level. Call 352-375-6773 or visit <a href="http://millhopper.com" target="_blank" link-data="{"link":{"attributes":[],"linkText":"millhopper.com","target":"NEW","url":"http://millhopper.com","_id":"0000018b-8bbc-d33b-ab8b-fffc9ff80000","_type":"ff658216-e70f-39d0-b660-bdfe57a5599a"},"_id":"0000018b-8bbc-d33b-ab8b-fffc9ff80001","_type":"809caec9-30e2-3666-8b71-b32ddbffc288"}">millhopper.com</a>today to schedule your tour.
Around the state today
• Florida's next generation of Republican leadership isn't "so much in denial" about climate change, a veteran state senator says. Still, Democrats are lamenting a "lost decade" during which the state could have done more to prepare. (News Service of Florida)
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission members want sheriff's offices around the state training armed school employees, instead of private companies. (AP)
• About a third of new HIV diagnoses in Florida are within the Hispanic and Latino communities. State and federal health officials are trying to combat the problem. (WFSU)
• The rising level of THC in marijuana products has some concerned about the possible legalization of its recreational use in Florida. (Florida Politics)
• Different agencies in the same community sometimes take very different approaches to document redactions. (Florida Times-Union)
• It was a popped balloon that caused the panic at a Boca Raton mall over the weekend. (Palm Beach Post)
• The federal prison in Marianna has been closed for repairs since Hurricane Michael, and it doesn't appear likely to reopen until next August. (Northwest Florida Daily News)
• If you've ever wondered about St. Petersburg's green benches, this trip to the Florida Memory Blog explains their history.
From NPR News
• National: Fort Worth Officer-Involved Shooting Puts Strain On Police-Community Relations, Again
• National: Trump Administration Moves To Expand Logging In Nation's Largest National Forest
• World: What Syrian President Bashar Assad Stands To Gain From Conflict In Northeastern Region
• Politics: 6 Takeaways From The 4th Democratic Presidential Primary Debate
• Politics: White House Reportedly Replaced Ukraine Policy Staff With 'Three Amigos'
• Politics: House Committees Subpoena More Career Diplomats In Impeachment Inquiry
• Health: How Non-Profit Hospitals Are Driving Up The Cost Of Health Care
• Health: Your Guide To The Massive (And Massively Complex) Opioid Litigation
• Health: 3 Major Drug Distributors Reportedly Negotiating $18B Opioid Settlement
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.