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The top stories near you
• WUFT News: Alachua County To Host Truth And Reconciliation Events Remembering Lynching Victims. "In January 2018, the Alachua County Historical Commission reported more than 40 known lynching cases between 1867 and 1926, more than doubling the previous count of 21. At a joint meeting of the Alachua County and Gainesville City Commission this week, Kathleen Pagan, a liaison for the historical commission, said the known number is now 46."
• WUFT News: Newberry Becomes First Alachua County High School To Reach 100% Graduation Rate. "Newberry’s 2019 class of 154 had a 100% graduation rate – the first for one of the county’s seven public high schools and higher than the statewide rate of 87%."
• WUFT News: Multiple Alachua County Charter Schools Struggle Financially To Comply With A New Florida Safety Law. "The Alachua County School Board opted out of the guardian program for public schools in March 2018 in favor of using law enforcement officers instead. But a charter school’s governing board has the authority to implement the program on its own. Many charter schools in Alachua County have opted to use the guardian program, as it’s the most affordable option."
• WUFT News: Alachua County Committee Hosts Discussion About Local Water Concerns. "'The springs are kind of like the canary in a coal mine for us,' said Stephen Hofstetter, the staff liaison for the county's Environmental Protection Advisory Committee. 'Not only are they important economically and for tourism, but they’re a vital historical aspect for this community as well.'"
• WUFT News: Students Celebrate The Conclusion of Howard Bishop Middle School’s ExploraVision Program. "Students in the ExploraVision Program at Howard Bishop Middle School celebrated their finished projects with an awards ceremony Tuesday night. ExploraVision is a national program requiring students to brainstorm innovations that may be able to fix issues within science."
• WCJB: Owner of dogs who attacked neighbor and their dog in 2018 to avoid prosecution. "The owner of three dogs that attacked another dog and injured its owner in 2018 is avoiding prosecution, but someone else will face consequences."
• The Alligator: County Commission discusses voting rights. "The Alachua County Commission discussed the restoration of voting rights Tuesday... It unanimously passed a motion that will address concerns about restoration."
• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Three seek Ocala city manager post. "The search for a new Ocala city manager drew three candidates from within the city’s ranks. Interviews begin this week, and a decision could come as early as Feb. 18."
• Gainesville Sun ($): Gainesville Lucky’s Market in talks with Winn-Dixie. "Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie and other grocery store chains, is in talks with Lucky’s Market to buy Gainesville’s location and open a Winn-Dixie in its place."
• Orlando Sentinel ($): Dan Mullen uses helicopters, rattled by Kobe Bryant death. "Dating to his tenure at Mississippi State, Mullen has used the mode of transportation to save time and hassle on the recruiting trail... But Mullen said the sudden death of Bryant, who was with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, at the time of the helicopter crash, 'does give you pause.'"
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Around the state today
• Florida Politics: Florida lawmakers react to the Senate’s acquittal of Donald Trump. "President Donald Trump won impeachment acquittal Wednesday in the U.S. Senate, bringing to a close only the third presidential trial in American history with votes that split the country, tested civic norms and fed the tumultuous 2020 race for the White House... Here is a compilation of responses from Florida lawmakers to Trump’s acquittal."
• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida felons still can’t vote as 2020 election looms. Here’s why. "The (legislators') inaction dashes the hopes of felons looking for relief so they can vote in this fall’s presidential election and leaves felons with federal and out-of-state convictions without any means to vote if they can’t immediately pay off any court fees, fines and restitution that they owe."
• WFSU: Florida Grandparent Visitation Rights Bill Targets Dan Markel Murder Case. "Under a new bill being considered by Florida lawmakers, courts could grant grandparents visitation rights under certain conditions. Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) is pushing the measure after Dan Markel's murder."
• NPR News: Who Owns Florida's Wisteria Island, A Developer Or The Government? Judge To Decide. "Key West also has a lot riding on the case. For Cliff Hartman and many others, the ragtag community on Wisteria Island is a last vestige of the way Key West used to be — unconventional but self-reliant."
• Miami Herald ($): Publix is giving away free reusable bags in its Miami Beach stores. Is this the future? "The environmentally friendly bags look almost like a regular brown paper grocery bag with the green Publix logo, but the design is a bit different. The special bags are not quite as deep and are a bit more rectangular than the chain’s regular green reusable, non-woven polypropylene bags that sell for 99 cents."
• Florida Politics: Teacher bonus repeal headed to Senate floor. "Repeal of a controversial teacher bonus program cleared its final Senate committee of reference Monday, queuing it for a full vote on the Senate floor."
• Tallahassee Democrat ($): 1,540 pounds of chicken, 280 pounds of shrimp: Inside the world's largest paella at Florida Capitol. "One thousand pounds of the Spanish rice dish was served to a line that wrapped around the Capitol courtyard. Hauled in on a trailer behind a Budget rental box truck, the giant skillet was cooked by Bijan's catering."
• The New York Times ($): The Joy of Cooking Naked. “Embracing the nudist lifestyle has given me permission to feel my feelings,” she said one morning as she sautéed bell peppers while wearing nothing but a glittery manicure in her home kitchen at the Lake Como Family Nudist Resort in Lutz, about 20 miles north of Tampa. She lives here with her husband, Jayson McMullen."
From NPR News
• Politics: 'Not Guilty': Trump Acquitted On 2 Articles Of Impeachment As Historic Trial Closes
• Politics: How The Impeachment Vote Affects The Balance Of Power In The Federal Government
• National: Caucuses Or Primaries? Why States Might Pick One Or The Other
• National: Who Owns Florida's Wisteria Island, A Developer Or The Government? Judge To Decide
• Business: Macy's Closing 125 Stores, Cutting 2,000 Jobs As Mall Stores Struggle
• World: Finland's Women-Led Government Has Equalized Family Leave: 7 Months For Each Parent
• Health: New Coronavirus 'Won't Be The Last' Outbreak To Move From Animal To Human