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The Point, June 8, 2020: Marches Continue, Cristobal Soaks Florida And States New Coronavirus Cases Again Number Over 1,000

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Today's top Florida stories

• Tampa Bay Times: Florida reports more than 1,000 coronavirus cases for the fifth day in a row. "State health officials attributed the rising numbers to increased testing throughout the state. Most of the state is now entering Phase 2 of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ step-by-step plan for restarting Florida’s stalled economy. But officials and business owners fear the surging numbers, coming as thousands of people take to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, could discourage the public from venturing out yet."

• AP: Thousands march through Florida’s soaked cities, demanding change. "The protests took place as much of Florida was drenched by rain bands from Tropical Storm Cristobal in the Gulf of Mexico, and included Orlando protests underway even as a tornado reportedly passed over them in the downtown area and may have touched down in a neighborhood just east of downtown."

• WMFE: Orlando Families Picking Up The Pieces After F1 Tornado Destroys Multiple Homes. "The twister with 100 mile-per-hour winds displaced an estimated 30 to 50 residents. The National Weather Service reports that the tornado started as a water spout on Lake Conway and lifted near Lake Lawsona around 7:30 Saturday night."

• Orlando Sentinel ($): George Floyd’s death prompts calls to ban neck restraint tactics. Many Florida police agencies have not. "Despite a broad consensus about the danger of using a 'neck restraint' maneuver to detain suspects, major police agencies in Central Florida and across the state have yet to explicitly ban the technique or even address the controversial practice in their policies."

• Florida Phoenix: FL’s top education official — Richard Corcoran — has yet to announce plans for the 2020-21 school year. "That leaves school districts, teachers, parents, and students in the dark for what fall semester will entail at a time when the coronavirus pandemic continues."

• Miami Herald ($): Judge in Jeffrey Epstein grand jury case has ties to those with a stake in outcome. "The Palm Beach judge who has thus far refused to release grand jury records in the Jeffrey Epstein case has both professional and family ties to three of the politicians who have a stake in keeping those records secret, the Miami Herald has learned."

• Gainesville Sun ($): Plane crash kills 4 from Gainesville, 1 from Morriston in rural Georgia town. "Jody Rae Lamont, 43, a senior drug counselor with Alachua County Court Services, her husband, Shawn Charles Lamont, 41, their two children, Jayce and Alice, both 6, all of Gainesville, and Larry Ray Pruitt, 67, of Morriston, Jody Lamont’s father, were killed in the crash, according to an Alachua County Communications Office press release."

• WTSP: Former Florida Gator, NFL wide receiver Reche Caldwell shot and killed in Tampa. "CBS Sports said Caldwell played for the University of Florida Gators for three seasons and won an SEC title in 2000 and the Orange Bowl in 2001 with the team. He was a second-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers."

• Gainesville Sun ($): When the 1918-19 influenza pandemic came to Gainesville. "When the pandemic reached Gainesville, no hospitals existed in the county. Alachua County Hospital — later renamed Alachua General Hospital — opened in 1928, a full decade after the arrival of the influenza pandemic. Even in large urban centers, however, few medical options were available for influenza patients."

• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Outdoors-loving cop finds new beat in Marion County. "(Roger Fulton) has divided his time between the Empire State and Florida for the past 20 years, exploring, mapping, and collecting information on the parks, trails, and outdoor recreation spots in Central and North Florida."


From NPR News

• National: NFL On Kneeling Players' Protests: 'We Were Wrong,' Commissioner Says

• Politics: Colin Powell Says He's Voting For Biden

• Books: Your Bookshelf May Be Part Of The Problem

• Health: California Was Set To Spend Over $1 Billion to Prevent Wildfires. Then Came COVID-19

• Health: Doctors Race For Answers As Kids Fight Rare Inflammatory Syndrome Tied To Coronavirus

• Business: U.S. Airlines Add Flights As Demand Increases, But Recovery Will Take Years

• Business: Facebook Becomes Key Place For Extremist Boogaloo Movement Organizers

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.

Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org