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The Point, March 1, 2021: Previewing The 2021 Florida Lawmaking Session

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The top stories near you

• WUFT News: Untold Florida: Why Is North Main Street, North 8th Avenue Intersection So Crooked? "The curved appearance is not due to any architectural blunder or an oddly-placed building. Rather, the intersection is a reflection of the history of railroads in Gainesville."

Do you have a question or something you're curious about in your community? Ask it through our Untold Florida project, and we'll work to report the answer.

• WUFT News: City Of Gainesville Introduces New Solution To Increase Accessibility To Food. "During Thursday's General Policy Committee meeting, city commissioners considered a new solution to increase accessibility to food in Alachua County."

• WUFT News: Marion County Public Schools Participating In Study On Student Learning During The Pandemic. "Marion County Public Schools will participate in a national study run by University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning, which will focus on student learning during the pandemic."

• News Service of Florida: Florida Senate Could Take Aim At Toll Road Plan. "Two years after Florida lawmakers approved a controversial toll-road plan, a Senate committee is slated next week to consider a bill that could undo major parts of it."

• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Ocala landlord who killed tenant raises 'stand your ground' claim. "Jensen, 59, of Ocala, was charged in October 2019 in the shooting death of Marc Bruss, 49. Bruss died at his residence, located in the 2800 block of Southeast 59th Street in Ocala. Jensen was renting the home to Bruss and another man."


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Around the state today

• Associated Press: Florida Lawmakers Face Challenges as 60-Day Session Begins. "Coronavirus, budget questions, anti-riot legislation and an attempt to reign in large technology companies will be among issues lawmakers will take up in their 60-day session that begins Tuesday. But so will bicycle seats, alcohol-to-go and baby boxes."

• News Service of Florida: House Speaker Unveils Plan To Deal With Florida's Rising Seas, Flooding. "The proposals would give tax breaks to homeowners who elevate their homes because of flooding. And around $100 million would be provided to local governments that plan to combat rising seas."

• WGCU: Lawmakers seek to Limit Who Benefits from Minimum Wage Increase. "Republican State Senator Jeff Brandes drafted a bill excluding felons, and those under 21, from the rise in minimum wage. He says he wants to limit wages for groups that are considered “hard to hire,” saying he believes employers will need a financial incentive to hire them."

• Spectrum News: Hurricane Season Officially Starting in May? It Might Happen. "A new National Hurricane Center committee could move up the official start of the Atlantic basin's hurricane season to May 15, formalizing a recent trend of increased tropical activity before the current start date of June 1."

• Florida Politics: CPAC poll: Ron DeSantis top choice without Trump on ballot. "Good news abounds for Gov. Ron DeSantis in a straw poll of conservative activists Sunday. While former President Donald Trump won the straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Florida’s Governor was the clear 2024 second choice … and first choice if Trump stands down."

• WTSP: It's been one year since Florida's first COVID patient was hospitalized. "The patient had been admitted to Doctors Hospital of Sarasota six days before an epidemiologist recommended they test the Manatee County man for COVID-19. Up until then, the patient had been diagnosed with a respiratory illness of unknown origin."

• WJCT: St. Johns County Toll Booths For Area Beaches Open Monday. "Here’s a sign that life may be slowly getting back to normal: the return of toll charges for people who want to drive on St. Johns County beaches."


From NPR News

• National: People Share #TheMoment They Realized The Pandemic Was Changing Life As They Knew It

• Race: A Chapter In U.S. History Often Ignored: The Flight Of Runaway Slaves To Mexico

• Race: WNBA Team Co-Owned By Ex-Sen. Kelly Loeffler Is Sold After Players' Criticism

• Politics: House Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Plan; Biden Calls For 'Quick Action' From Senate

• Politics: Why Republicans Are Moving To Fix Elections That Weren't Broken

• Politics: Trump Blasts Biden In His 1st Speech Since Leaving Office

• Health: U.S. Coronavirus Cases Dropped Dramatically Since January, But Can We Keep Them Down?

• Science: Scientists Talked To People In Their Dreams. They Answered

• Business: Need A Career Change? Here's The Best Job Advice We've Heard On Life Kit

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