The Point

The Point, April 15, 2020: The Drone Company That Now Makes Masks

WUFT | By Jasmine Dahlby

Published April 15, 2020 at 11:21 AM EDT

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The top stories near you

• WUFT News: From The Front Lines Podcast. "Thomas Rambo, chief executive of Altavian, a Gainesville-based drone manufacturer, discusses how his company has turned its production from drones to reusable masks to help answer the ongoing national supply shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

• WMFE: Diane Gullett, former Orange County schools official, gets top job in Marion. "In 2018, Marion County voted to switch from an elected superintendent to one appointed by the School Board. Now the board has chosen Diane Gullett for the job."

• Gainesville Sun ($): County Commission approves $200K for PPE. "The Alachua County Commission approved allocating $200,000 to purchase PPE, discussed coronavirus updates and voted to move forward on ballot proposals."

• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Major crime drops 5.7% in Marion County. "The number of murders, robberies, aggravated assaults and motor vehicle thefts increased year over year. But that was offset by a decline in rape, burglary and larceny."

• Gainesville Sun ($): Group: Ocklawaha River is among nation’s most endangered. "American Rivers ranked the Ocklawaha as the ninth most endangered on its 2020 rankings, citing the Rodman Dam as a threat to clean water, wildlife habitat and recreation."

• Citrus County Chronicle: Food giveaway slated Thursday. "The event starts at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 16, at the Citrus County Fairgrounds, 3600 S. Florida Ave., Inverness. This is a drive-through only event, while supplies last."

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Around the state today

• Florida Phoenix: The truth about K-12 remote learning at home: Kids may fall behind academically by next school year. "In some cases, parents have been struggling to help their students with difficult assignments. And educators are still tackling remote-learning technology and trying to teach a full slate of classes that may not be doable."

• WMFE: Florida Airports will Get More than $896 Million Dollars from CARES Act. "One third of the money will go to the state’s busiest airports: Orlando International, Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airports. But smaller airports like Ocala International Airport will also receive grants through the CARES Act."

• Florida Today ($): Coronavirus: Stimulus checks start to hit bank accounts — tips to track progress on yours. "The first batch of stimulus checks for eligible U.S. taxpayers went out over Easter weekend. Here's how to track the progress on yours, and more."

• New York Times: Everyone Wants an Antibody Test. Everyone on This Private Island Can Get One. "Things are different in Fisher Island, the exclusive enclave off Miami Beach that is one of the wealthiest places in America. No uninvited outsiders are allowed in. Entrance is permitted only by boat. And everyone who lives or works there can now get tested to see if they have developed protective antibodies to the coronavirus."

• WLRN: Army Corps Reverses Decision Finding Oil Exploration Damaged Big Cypress. "A month after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said a Texas company searching for oil damaged wetlands in the Big Cypress National Preserve, the agency reversed the decision Friday."

• News Service of Florida: FSU fraternity death dispute goes to state Supreme Court. "A former Florida State University fraternity president and two other men have gone to the state Supreme Court in a dispute about whether they should face felony hazing charges in the 2017 death of a pledge who drank heavily at an off-campus party."

• WTSP: In historic move, Florida Supreme Court to hear arguments on Zoom calls. "Oral arguments for May will be heard virtually as the state Supreme Court practices social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic."

• Florida Phoenix: Amid COVID-19 fears, long-imprisoned man likely to be exonerated is set free. "Leonard Cure, sentenced to life in prison for a robbery he probably did not commit, will go free after being imprisoned for 16 years because a state attorney’s conviction review unit believes further investigation will fully exonerate him."