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The Point, June 10, 2021: The Fight Over Bridge Lighting Colors In Jacksonville

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Today's top Florida stories

• WJCT: Rainbow Lights Returning To Acosta Bridge For Pride Month But Questions Remain. "The colors of the rainbow will be returning to Downtown Jacksonville’s Acosta Bridge Wednesday night in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month after they were temporarily shut off Tuesday at the request of the Florida Department of Transportation after the agency said it received 'several complaints regarding the color scheme.' According to FDOT’s bridge lighting policy, 'the department reserves the right to refuse any request it deems offensive or not in the best public interest.'" Hear more about this controversy in today's episode of our podcast.

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Five years later, the pain of Pulse lingers. "The smell of tequila or the tight squeeze of a restroom stall can stir panic. Some feel sick after fireworks, gunpowder on their tongues. Others feel the date approaching in their wounds — shattered arm nerves flaring up. They map routes out of town as if for hurricane season."

• WCJB: Former Alachua County School Board candidate files a lawsuit against Diyonne McGraw. "The controversy surrounding District 2 Alachua County School Board Member Diyonne McGraw appears to be heading to court."

• WUFT News: Gainesville And UF Launch Electric Scooters For Riders To Rent On Campus, Around The City. "All of the companies now operating in Gainesville have GPS technology that allows them to have access to the location of each of their electric scooters. This allows them to control the customer’s payment and the speed at which it is transported."

• Naples Daily News ($): Federal court denies EPA approval of controversial pesticide for Florida's citrus industry. "The pesticide, known as aldicarb, was previously discontinued in the U.S. after the EPA found it poses 'unacceptable dietary risks, especially to infants and young children.'"

• Spectrum News: Val Demings announces run for U.S. Senate. "Democrats see Demings as a top recruit to take on (U.S. Sen. Marco) Rubio in what is expected to be one of the most high profile, expensive and closest Senate races next year."

• Florida Politics: ‘Do-nothing House member’: Marco Rubio vows to expose ‘the real Val Demings.’ "Demings launched her campaign officially Wednesday. And Rubio was ready. Voters, vowed Rubio, are “going to learn more about how ineffective and extremist the real Val Demings is when she’s in Washington.”

• WINK-Fort Myers: Florida’s Board of Education set to vote on proposal to ban critical race theory. "The proposed rule change also says teachers can’t 'attempt to indoctrinate students.'"

• WFSU: DeSantis Expected To Sign Property Insurance Changes Into Law. "One change would increase the eligibility threshold for new policyholders to be admitted into the state-backed, Citizens property insurance group. ... Citizens was created to be the last resort for Floridians who couldn’t find affordable insurance in the private market. In recent years it’s started to take on more policies due to increased rates in the private market."

• Sun Sentinel ($): After outcry over food distribution contract, Nikki Fried says she’ll review choice made for South Florida. "The decision this spring by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to move the work to another organization drew howls of outrage from many elected officials in Broward County."

• The Alligator: UF approves historical plaque recognizing first Black students. "Students have been fighting for further recognition of UF’s Black population for decades. Now, the university is working to install a plaque recognizing its first Black students. While the plaque would honor Black students’ history, it’s not exactly what some have been fighting for."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Alachua County calling on twice as many jurors. "Your chances of getting summoned for jury duty in Alachua County have doubled, according to the clerk of courts who said he is playing catch up."


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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