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The top stories near you

• News Service of Florida: Hundreds Of Inmates Test Positive At Columbia Correctional Institution Near Lake City. "On Sunday, 30 inmates at Columbia Correctional Institution had tested positive for the deadly respiratory disease, according to a Florida Department of Corrections report. By Thursday, the number had soared to 442 prisoners, as the virus continued to show that it can move rapidly through Florida’s prison system."

• WUFT News: Season Begins, Florida Scallopers Proceed Amid Pandemic. "This scallop season, Floridians are being advised to practice social distancing by the CDC."

• WUFT News: From The Front Lines Podcast. "Colleges And Universities Plan To Reopen In Fall, But Will Students Come Back?"

• Gainesville Sun ($): $267M in federal COVID-19 loans expected to save 39k local jobs. "The loans are made by various lending institutions and guaranteed by the SBA. The purpose of the PPP loan is to help businesses with fewer than 500 employees affected by COVID-19 with payroll costs, interest on debt, rent, utilities and group health care benefits."

• WMFE: Marion County schools push back start of in-person classes, require masks. "Marion County public school parents have been asked to choose between in-person and online classes. So far, 61 percent will be sending their kids to school."

• Florida Politics: Five CD 3 candidates raised $100K or more last quarter; James St. George has most cash-on-hand. "Ten candidates are competing for the GOP nomination to replace U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho in the North Central Florida district, making it Florida’s most crowded primary race this cycle."

• Citrus County Chronicle: All-female snorkeling company enjoying the good life. "Traci Wood, owner/operator of Homosassa Manatee Snorkeling Center, said when it comes to her line of work, it’s still considered a male-oriented business. Wood said she still receives reactions from customers surprised when she announces she is the captain."

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Around the state today

• NPR News: GOP Scales Back Convention Plans In Florida, Relenting On Virus Restrictions. "Bowing to the realities of holding a mass gathering in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in Florida, which has seen a spike in new cases, attendance at the convention during its first few days, Aug. 24-26, will be limited to delegates only, which is a little more than 2,500 people."

• NPR News: Supreme Court Deals Major Blow To Ex-Felons' Right To Vote In Florida. "The U.S. Supreme Court has left in place a lower court order that likely will prevent hundreds of thousands of ex-felons in Florida from voting in the November election. It is the fourth time that the court has refused to intervene to protect voting rights this year."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): A coronavirus surge is hitting Tampa Bay hospitals. "Doctors say their hospitals are constantly expanding bed space, but it fills up fast. Patients are younger and sicker than a few months ago, and there are simply more of them, said Dr. Jason Wilson, an emergency room physician at Tampa General, the area’s largest hospital."

• Miami Herald ($): Publix requiring customers to wear masks at all stores as coronavirus pandemic continues. "Starting July 21, all customers will have to be wearing a face covering in order to enter the store, except young children and those with medical conditions who are not able to wear a face covering. For those not able to wear a mask, Publix encourages them to use Publix delivery or curbside pickup."

• FLKeysNews ($): Keys to restrict booze sales as COVID-19 numbers rise. And defying county mask law is now a crime. "...Monroe County made its mandatory mask law a criminal offense if violated, punishable by a $500 fine and possible jail time."

• Orlando Weekly: Abigail Disney slams Walt Disney World reopening, 'incredibly concerned' as Florida sets new coronavirus record. "The granddaughter of Walt Disney Company co-founder Roy O. Disney is slamming Disney for its decision to reopen their Florida theme parks amid the nationwide highest-ever rates of COVID-19 infection."

• Florida Politics: Helen Aguirre Ferré exiting Governor’s Office to be Executive Director of Florida GOP. "Helen Aguirre Ferré is jumping out of the fire that surrounds the messaging of Gov. Ron DeSantis in the coronavirus crisis and into the frying pan that is the Republican Party’s preparations for an election likely to be both explosive and nationally critical."

• WUFT News: Rip Currents Can Kill: What You Need To Know As A Florida Beachgoer. "According to the National Weather Service, there have already been three Florida rip current fatalities in 2020, at Fort Pierce Beach, Perdido Key and Siesta Key, which begs the question: How many Florida beachgoers know how to survive a rip current?"

• Sun Sentinel ($): Watch Fort Lauderdale police corral kangaroo after it hopped through city’s streets. "A curious 2-year-old kangaroo named Jack decided to roam the Fort Lauderdale neighborhood around his home north of downtown on Thursday, but city police had to jump in and catch him for safety’s sake."

From NPR News

• Politics: CDC Won't Release School Guidance This Week As Anticipated

• World: U.S. Says Russian Hackers Are Trying To Steal Coronavirus Vaccine Research

• Education: Another Revenue Hit For Colleges: Canceled Summer Camps

• Science: It's A Good Time To Head To Mars

• Race: The Story Of A Memorial: The African Burial Ground In New York

• Health: Floridians Get Coronavirus Test Results Slowly. Pro Athletes Are Tested Regularly

• National: 15 Women Speak Out About Culture Of Sexual Harassment Within Washington NFL Team

• Business: Exact Change Please: Walmart, Kroger, CVS Are Feeling The Coin Shortage

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.