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The top stories near you

• News Service of Florida: Bill Galvano defends toll road projects. "Senate President Bill Galvano defended controversial toll-road plans he’s pushed for nearly two years, after task forces released draft reports Tuesday indicating they were unable to determine if there is a need for the projects. Critics hope the draft reports are a sign the brakes will be put on the three projects, which would stretch from Collier County in Southwest Florida to Jefferson County near the Georgia border."

• WUFT News: Waldo Road Lighting Restoration Promises A Brighter Future For Community. "FDOT recently broke ground on a $600,000 safety project that will feature new light poles and sidewalk restoration on Northeast Waldo Road between East University Avenue and Northeast 39th Avenue. The project promises to alleviate low lighting and restore pathways for both pedestrians and motorists along the heavily-traveled three-mile stretch just south of Gainesville Regional Airport."

• WUFT News: Alachua County’s Juror Donation Program Hits Low Point. "Jurors that aren’t paid by their employer are compensated $15 per day for their first three days on duty. After the third day, all members are paid $30 per day. Through the program, they can opt to send their earned funds to two local non-profits that are approved through state legislature ... These numbers have decreased in 2020 due to the suspension of trials in March. "

• WUFT News: Social-Justice-Themed Murals Will Arrive In Gainesville’s Parks And Public Spaces Before Thanksgiving Day. "Beginning Halloween weekend, 12 artists, selected by Gainesville’s 352 Walls program, will paint social justice-themed murals throughout the city’s parks and public spaces. Artists will paint their designs on two-sided 8-by-8 feet primed plywood panels."

• Spotlight on Levy County Government: Gorman Gets Nod for Williston City Manager, Zimoski Deputy Manager. "Williston City Planner Jackie Gorman received a pleasant surprise Tuesday night when the city council gave her the job of city manager."

• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Election preview: Florida State House 22 race draws political newcomers. "Democrat Barbara Byram faces off against Republican Joe Harding for the seat left open by Charlie Stone, who served four consecutive two-year terms. Due to term limits, Stone could not run again."

• Florida Politics: Gov. DeSantis extends remote local meetings one final month. "Since March, the Governor has authorized local governments to hold their meetings remotely, an order he has periodically extended. But the latest extension comes with the caveat that government boards should be prepared for in-person meetings beginning Nov. 1."

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Around the state today

• WKMG: Governor lets Florida’s eviction moratorium expire in favor of CDC order. "Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday let residents know that Florida’s eviction moratorium has been allowed to expire and instead, the state will abide by the CDC’s temporary halt in evictions nationwide."

• Politico: Trump’s Proud Boy moment sparks Black outrage in Florida. "President Donald Trump’s shoutout to the far-fight hate group Proud Boys is energizing black voters to turn out against him in the must-win state of Florida."

• Miami Herald ($): Florida prisons, among nation’s deadliest, didn’t like ‘demanding’ watchdog. He’s gone. "The inspector general for Florida’s Department of Corrections, the official in charge of rooting out brutality and corruption in one of the nation’s deadliest prison systems, has been replaced."

• New York Times ($): Remember When Trump Claimed Fraud in Florida? "The findings of Florida’s 18-month inquiry into allegations of ballot fraud in 2018 received little attention when they were released this year. But they proved the president wrong."

• WFSU: FSU Cancels Spring Break. "University students won’t have time to hit the beach this spring after FSU changed its Spring 2021 calendar. FSU is going remote for the first three days of the semester."

• News Service of Florida: Officials Tout Reopening Efforts As Disney Layoffs Loom. "On Wednesday, a day after the Walt Disney Company announced plans to lay off 28,000 employees in the U.S. due to parks closures and limited attendance in Florida, Florida Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis praised the state’s economic reopening efforts."

• Palm Beach Post ($): Florida a hurricane magnet in October, here's why. "Florida is geographically-challenged when it comes to late-season hurricanes, remaining in the climatological hot zone as the catalyst for storms shifts to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Fans finally cheer champs in person at Lightning parade and party. "A flotilla of boats carrying players, staff and fans paraded up the Hillsborough River through downtown, followed by a free celebration at Raymond James Stadium with an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people in the stands."

From NPR News

• World: 'Is This American-Style Civilization?': World Reacts To Presidential Debate

• Politics: Debate Organizers Say They Will Make Format Changes For Next Time

• Health: New York City Imposes Fines Of Up To $1,000 For Those Who Refuse To Wear Face Masks

• Books: Lies, Money And Cheating: The Deeper Story Of The College Admissions Scandal

• National: Alabama Gov. Apologizes To Surviving '5th Girl' Of 1963 KKK Bombing

• National: Baseball Rarity: Cubs And White Sox In Playoffs, But Chicago Fans Can't Go To Games

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.