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The top stories near you
• WUFT News: Black Lives Matter Marchers Gather In Newberry. "Alena Lawson was a member of law enforcement for more than 25 years before she retired and founded the Concerned Citizens of Newberry, an organization dedicated to social change. Lawson said she organized the protest because she was sick of having to explain to children why black people have to be extra vigilant in life."
• WUFT News: Media Surrounding Pandemic, Protests Poses New Parenting Challenges. "As the COVID-19 pandemic and protests against police violence sweep the nation, news networks and social media are delivering constant, often unfiltered coverage — leaving parents with tough decisions on what to allow their children to watch, and how to explain to them what they’re seeing."
• WUFT News: Deaf Community Faces Access Issues To Vital Government Updates. "For the past three months, local governments in Florida have provided updates about the coronavirus pandemic, hurricane season and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many who are hard of hearing or deaf have received this information days after it was first announced."
• Ocala Star-Banner: Residents, farm groups oppose ATV park in rural Flemington, "The 240-acre project, near the intersection of County Roads 329 and 318, lies on land designated as part of Marion County’s Secondary Springs Protection Zone, and the property includes wetland areas. The proposal to grant a special use permit for the land goes before the Marion County Commission during a special meeting on June 17."
• New York Times ($): Covid-19 Changed How We Vote. It Could Also Change Who Votes. "In Florida, one likely battleground state in November, there were 77,000 new registrations in January; that number fell to 21,000 in April."
• Florida Politics: Gov. DeSantis signs collegiate athlete pay bill. "That bill (SB 646) would allow college athletes to make money — including through endorsement deals — off of their name, image or likeness, which the Governor has called a 'matter of fairness.' It would also allow athletes to hire agents and require mandatory financial literacy courses for student athletes."
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Around the state today
• Orlando Weekly: Amid Florida's biggest coronavirus spike, some Central Florida businesses close their doors after guests and staff test positive. "These last two days have been the biggest single-day increases in new cases yet. As of this writing, Florida's total coronavirus cases stands at 75,568 with 2,931 deaths."
• NPR News: Fired Florida Data Scientist Launches A Coronavirus Dashboard Of Her Own. "Jones' dashboard has a map that shows which Florida counties are ready for the next phase of reopening. By her calculations, only two of the state's 67 counties at the moment meet the state's criteria for further easing restrictions."
• Naples Daily News ($): Florida nearing its goal of testing all nursing home, assisted living residents and staff for COVID-19. "More than 80% of the people who live or work in Florida’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities have now been tested for COVID-19, as the state approaches its goal of getting all of them tested."
• AP: Off-duty Florida wildlife officer found fatally shot. "Florida Wildlife Conservation officer Julian Keen Jr. was found fatally shot early Sunday in rural Hendry County. Authorities say three suspects are in custody."
• Fresh Take Florida: New Florida Law To Bring More Electric Charging Stations To State Highways. "Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis this week signed the Essential State Infrastructure bill, supported by Republicans and Democrats in Tallahassee. It represents a nod by the DeSantis administration to the threat of climate change from vehicles’ carbon dioxide emissions, after Florida’s previous Republican governor, Rick Scott, generally avoided acknowledging causes of climate change."
• WMFE: Weeks Before MLS Opener at ESPN Wide World of Sports, Player Tests Positive for Coronavirus. "The announcement comes as the team, along with 25 others, prepare to participate in a series of 54 matches over three weeks at the Walt Disney World arena. The winning team will compete in the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League."
• NPR News: A $4.6 Billion Plan To Storm-Proof Miami. "The plan for Miami-Dade County, which is open for public comment, is intended to protect the 2.8 million people who live there from coastal flooding and storm surge during tropical storms and hurricanes. Many are concerned that the system of floodwalls, pumps and surge barriers doesn't directly address a threat many in South Florida are already dealing with more frequently than storms: rising sea levels."
• Tallahassee Democrat ($): Andrew Gillum PAC fund keeps getting drained for legal, other expenses. "As Andrew Gillum continues to stay out of the public eye since a police incident in a Miami Beach hotel room was made public three months ago, the remaining funds in the political committee for his failed 2018 run for governor keep getting tapped."
• Miami Herald ($): Fort Lauderdale’s choice after sewage spills: $2.1 million fine or $3.1 million project. "From December to February, Fort Lauderdale has spilled more than 230 million gallons of sewage into rivers and waterways, thanks to a crumbling system of pipes and pumps that have been mismanaged for decades and are unprepared for the increasing effects of sea level rise."
From NPR News
• National: Health Experts Link Rise In Arizona Coronavirus Cases To End Of Stay-At-Home Order
• National: Atlanta Police Release Video Of Minutes Before Rayshard Brooks Shooting
• Politics: What Federal Police Reform Could Include — And What The Sticking Points May Be
• Health: Lockdown Measures Return To Beijing As Testing Reveals Cluster At Major Food Market
• World: In UK, Police Response To Protests For Racial Equality Is Markedly Different
• World: Locusts Are A Plague Of Biblical Scope In 2020. Why? And ... What Are They Exactly?
• World: Poland Accidentally Invades Czech Republic In 'Minor Misunderstanding'
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.