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Today's top Florida stories
• News Service of Florida: Budget cuts expected in Florida due to projected shortfall from pandemic. "Information provided for the committee meeting pointed to a projected $2.75 billion general-revenue deficit for the fiscal 2021-2022 budget, which lawmakers will negotiate during the upcoming session. Cuts could be spread across multiple budget areas, from education and health care to the environment and the justice system."
• WFLA: Florida surgeon general grilled by lawmakers over state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. "In a committee hearing held Wednesday morning, Democratic state senators questioned Florida Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees about the rollout. The lawmakers grilled Rivkees over the state’s alleged lack of planning and reports that the rich are skipping the vaccine lines."
• WLRN: No Florida Residency Requirement For COVID-19 Vaccines Lets Tourists Get Vaccinated — Frustrating Residents. "Dr. Aileen Marty, an infectious diseases expert with Florida International University, has been involved in the vaccination efforts in South Florida. She says she understands all the frustration but says the virus doesn’t care where you live, or about your citizenship status."
• Fort Myers News-Press ($): COVID-19 vaccine tracker: See how many people in Florida have been vaccinated, by county, state. "Data for this interactive map is provided by Johns Hopkins University and state health departments and will be updated automatically when states update data."
• Tallahassee Democrat ($): Tallahassee, Florida law enforcement agencies on high alert amid state Capitol threats. "Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil canceled all days off for sworn personnel from Saturday through Wednesday, when President-elect Joe Biden takes the oath of office in Washington. Investigators are working to ferret out any potential local threats."
• WUSF: 'Extremely Hazardous' Pesticide Federally Approved For Use On Florida Citrus. "The Environmental Protection Agency announced late Tuesday its approval for registering the expanded use of the harmful pesticide aldicarb on Florida citrus trees to combat the Asian citrus psyllid, an insect that has spread citrus greening and decimated production."
• WMFE: Space Command Picks Alabama, Not Florida, For New Home. "The Air Force is recommending the Army’s Redstone Arsenal In Huntsville, Alabama as the new home of Space Command headquarters, not Florida, which was in the running."
• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida’s Rick Scott’s vote on election may hinder him in new Senate GOP role. "He was elected to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee in November without opposition, a position that primarily involves cultivating relationships with donors. But before Scott could assume the job, Republicans lost their Senate majority after losing two runoff elections in Georgia and saw the U.S. Capitol invaded by violent supporters of President Donald Trump."
• Gainesville Sun ($): Some UF faculty outraged over tattle button. "Incensed University of Florida professors have taken to Twitter to protest a new button feature on students' Gator Safe phone application for students to report 'course concerns' about their instructors if a class isn't being held in person."
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From NPR News
• Politics: House Impeaches Trump A 2nd Time, Citing Insurrection At U.S. Capitol
• Politics: These Are The 10 Republicans Who Voted To Impeach Trump
• National: New Charges In Flint Water Crisis, Including Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder
• National: Rep. Tim Ryan: Probe Underway On Whether Members Gave Capitol Tours To Rioters
• National: About 20,000 National Guard Members To Deploy For Inauguration, Officials Say
• National: Man Photographed In 'Camp Auschwitz' Sweatshirt During U.S. Capitol Riot Is Arrested
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.