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The top stories near you
• WUFT News: ‘We Need to Include the Disability Community’: On The Sidelines Of The Coronavirus Conversation. "It’s a community that is largely overlooked even in the best circumstances, said Olivia Babbis, a public policy analyst at Disability Rights Florida, a Tallahassee-based advocacy group for Floridians with disabilities."
• WUFT News: From The Front Lines Podcast. "Florida teachers Emma Light, Diana Parfait, and Emil Kadhum spoke about how they adapted, improvised, and ultimately overcame obstacles quickly to keep their students on track during the COVID-19 pandemic."
• WCJB: Farm Share to hold another food giveaway in Newberry. "Farm Share is holding another food giveaway this week in Newberry. Wednesday morning from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., residents can go to the Easton Sports Complex for the giveaway."
• Citrus County Chronicle: Citrus adds two COVID-19 deaths Sunday. "The county now has 11 deaths recorded from the virus, and edges closer to triple digits with 97 positive cases."
• WGFL: Second Alachua County resident dies from COVID-19, according to family members. "Ella Mae Gordon was 78 years old and from Hawthorne, Florida."
• Florida Politics: Elizabeth Warren gets involved in Florida politics, endorses Kayser Enneking for HD 21. "Gainesville Democrat Kayser Enneking picked up her biggest endorsement yet this week."
• Bay News 9: Brad King Opts Against Re-Election, Backs New Prosecutor-Elect. "King’s district spans Lake, Marion, Sumter, Citrus, and Hernando counties. But his influence extended into metro Orlando after then-Gov. Rick Scott in April 2017 tapped King to prosecute 21 death-penalty cases in Orange and Osceola counties."
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Around the state today
• Florida Politics: Gov. Ron DeSantis: No mass gatherings in May even with Florida’s COVID-19 curve flattening. "DeSantis is taking a more moderate approach than Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who has cleared for opening restaurants, barber shops, and beauty and tattoo parlors, an approach criticized by President Donald Trump this week."
• WFSU: DeSantis 'Not In A Rush' To Open Theaters And Sporting Events, But Elective Surgeries Coming Soon. "DeSantis and his team are now reviewing suggestions from his Re-Open Florida task force, which this weekend opened an online portal for Floridians to submit public comment. As that process goes forward, the Governor says resuming elective surgeries is high on the list."
• Florida Phoenix: A federal trial starts today on a FL law that opponents say unconstitutionally restricts voting rights for ex-felons. "A federal judge will hear arguments today in a challenge by civil rights groups to a 2019 Florida law that requires felons who have served their prison time to pay all their fines and court costs before they have their voting rights restored."
• St. Augustine Record: Weathering the storm: St. Johns County farmers face major crop losses. "Total losses to growers throughout the state have already hit $522 million in 2020, with that figure expected to rise, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services."
• Sun Sentinel: Severe storms damage two coronavirus test sites in Palm Beach County. "Two drive-thru coronavirus test sites in Palm Beach County were impacted by heavy storms Sunday afternoon, causing at least some setbacks for appointments scheduled for Monday, officials said."
• Sarasota Herald-Tribune: With schools closed, child abuse reporting declines. "Teachers, bus drivers, guidance counselors, custodians — they all know that if they suspect a child is being abused, they are required to report it. But with schools closed since March 13 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DCF’s phones are not ringing as frequently as they normally do."
• The Atlantic: Florida: Images of the Sunshine State. "Here are a few glimpses of the landscape of Florida and some of the wildlife and people calling it home."
• New York Times: This Florida Student Was Accepted at All 8 Ivy League Schools. "(Craig) McFarland has not made a decision, but he has narrowed his list to four: Florida State University, Harvard, Stanford University and Yale."
From NPR News
• Health: 'No Evidence' Yet That Recovered COVID-19 Patients Are Immune, WHO Says
• World: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Returns To Work
• Health: Patients Are Being Billed For Some Phone Chats With Doctors That Used To Be Free
• National: When Is It Safe To Ease Social Distancing? Here's What One Model Says For Each State
• National: Savannah Mayor: 'Science Does Not Support' Georgia Lockdown Lift
• National: New York's Daily COVID-19 Deaths Below 400 For First Time In April
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.