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The top stories near you

• The Alligator: UF will have full capacity classrooms and relaxed COVID-19 protocols during Summer B. "Summer A and C classes will maintain many of the same COVID-19 policies seen during Spring and will serve as a transition period to in-person classes starting May 10."

• The Alligator: UF graduates attend first in-person commencement ceremonies since 2019. "From April 29 to May 3, around 10,000 students graduated in the Class of 2021 — the first class since December 2019 to have in-person graduation ceremonies."

• CBS4: Gainesville commissioners against resignation of Equal Opportunity and Equity Director. "After the city of Gainesville’s Equal Opportunity Director submitted a letter of resignation, some commissioners are hoping to convince her stay."

• WCJB TV20: GPD promotes pedestrian and bicyclist safety through High Visibility Enforcement Detail. "Since the program began, more than 1,000 pedestrians and bicyclists have been contacted. 188 vehicles have also been stopped. Officers give those they contact informational pamphlets."

• WUFT News: Meet Alachua’s Resident Horse Riding Teacher and Wiccan Priestess. "Their practices are more than tradition — it’s a way of life. It’s a part of almost everything they do, from teaching Zoom classes on using herbs in spells to taking care of their horses for Kami’s horse riding business."

• Villages-News: Historic tree that predates The Villages to be cut down in favor of car wash. "The developer of the property found there was no way to preserve the tree which is 40 inches in diameter at the breast. The developer determined the tree will have to come down to make way for the entrance to the car wash."

• Levy County Spotlight: Williston Council Ready to Ratify Voter Approved Raises. "  City voters gave the Williston City Council and the mayor a pay raise in a March election this year but confusion over how the board should implement the pay increase wasn’t settled until Tuesday’s council meeting."

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Around the state today

• News Service of Florida ($): Gov. DeSantis signs bill ratcheting up ban on local gun regulations throughout state. " The bill, which will take effect July 1, will broaden a 2011 law that can make local governments pay as much as $100,000 in damages if they are sued for imposing gun regulations."

• Daytona Beach News-Journal: Lawsuit seeks at least half million from state in fight over gopher tortoises. "An Edgewater company that relocates gopher tortoises has sued the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, seeking at least $500,000 in damages because it claims the state wrongfully revoked its permit to move tortoises."

• WMFE: Florida Gas Prices Expected To Remain Low Despite Colonial Pipeline Shutdown. "Florida doesn’t rely heavily on the pipeline that carries gas and diesel throughout Texas. Plus, most of the gas it gets from the Gulf Coast comes from waterborne vessels."

• WMFE: Fears Of Steepening Prices Under New FEMA Flood Insurance Methodology. "More than 1 million Floridians are projected to see increases of $120 or more annually.  FEMA says the new price methodology — called Risk Rating 2.0 — will more equitably distribute costs by considering a wider range of factors like flood frequency and cost to rebuild.

• WUSF: USF Students, Faculty Protest Development Of Forest Preserve. "More than 50 people waived signs at passing cars, some of which honked in support of their cause to prevent building on the 769 acres."

• Spectrum News: With federal funds received, Hillsborough schools hopes to avoid state takeover. "The district still has to submit a financial plan to the state’s Department of Education this week. Officials said some of the federal funding will go toward technology and summer learning programs.   Some of the funds also likely will be used to retain staff."

• Tallahassee Democrat ($): Brogan, Coburn, Corcoran and more: Names of applicants for FSU presidency released. "An initial list of applicants to be the next president of Florida State University includes two former lieutenant governors, a former House speaker, and the school's current athletics director."

• WINK News: Environmental groups ask DeSantis to declare state of emergency over Lake O algal blooms. "The groups cite recent health alerts warning of blue-green algae in the Okeechobee Waterway, Lake Worth Lagoon and other water bodies in South Florida. There was also a presence of the toxin microcystin, produced by blue-green algae, in Lake Okeechobee, which feeds the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers."

• Miami Herald: Publix starts offering no-appointment COVID Moderna, J&J vaccines at all Florida stores. "Monday’s change comes about a week after President Joe Biden issued a federal mandate requiring pharmacies in the federal retail pharmacy program to offer walk-in vaccinations."

• WFTS: Controversial bill to abolish no-fault auto insurance may mean higher premiums for Florida drivers. "Critics of SB 54 say drivers will pay $344 more on average. Senate Bill 54 gets rid of no-fault or personal injury protection insurance, commonly called PIP."

From NPR News

• Health: FDA Permits Pfizer Vaccine For Children As Young As 12

• Technology: Social Media Hate Speech, Harassment 'Significant Problem' For LGBTQ Users: Report

• Middle East: 300 More Palestinians Wounded In New Violence; Jerusalem Day March Is Canceled

• Health: U.S. Will Protect Gay And Transgender People Against Discrimination In Health Care

• National Security: What We Know About The Ransomware Attack On A Critical U.S. Pipeline

• Politics: A Look At The GOP From Inside A Matt Gaetz-Marjorie Taylor Greene Rally

• Economy: Biden Warns Workers Not To Turn Down Jobs To Remain On Unemployment

• Environment: Louisiana's Governor Wants The Oil And Gas State To Go Carbon Neutral

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.