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The top stories near you

• Florida Storms: “High Uncertainty” In Tropical Storm Elsa’s Long-Range Forecast. "Uncertainty is 'larger than usual' in the long-range forecast for Tropical Storm Elsa, according to the National Hurricane Center. However, forecasters say storm surge, wind, and rainfall impacts are all possible across portions of Florida early next week."

• The Alligator: Man arrested in hit-and-run case resulting in death of UF student. "The Gainesville Police Department arrested a man Thursday in connection with a hit-and-run car crash that killed UF student Maggie Paxton in December. Joshua Alexander Figueroa, 31, was charged with failing to stop for a crash involving a death."

• WUFT News: Marion County Hosts Summer School Supply Drive. "This school supply drive is a summer-long program that asks the community to donate new school supplies, children’s clothing, shoes, personal hygiene items or even financial contributions. The program provides these supplies to 29 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, eight high schools and an additional eight educational institutions in the school district."

• WCJB: Rate hike for state direct support professionals could worsen worker shortage for The Arc of Alachua County. "In the last three months, 60 disability group homes have closed in Florida, according to the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The Arc of Alachua County President and CEO Mark Swain said he’s concerned The Arc could be next."

• The Alligator: Gainesville apartment complex catches fire. "Gainesville Fire Rescue responded to alerts of a fire at Piccadilly Apartments, near the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. When they arrived about five minutes later, they found fire emerging from the roof of a two-story building, according to a GFR report."

• The Gainesville Sun ($): Young woman charged in boy's shooting in Holly Heights. "A teenager accused of shooting a youngster early Wednesday morning was arrested by the Alachua County Sheriff Office, which said additional arrests are possible."

• Programming note: The Point will return to your inbox on Tuesday, following the long Independence Day weekend.

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Around the state today

• Associated Press: 'We can do it': Biden brings message of comfort to Surfside. "President Joe Biden on Thursday offered comfort to the grieving and federal support for the ongoing efforts to search for the missing and rebuild after last week’s collapse of a high-rise condo building along the Florida coastline."

• WLRN: As Surfside Building Collapse Investigation Continues, Anxiety Builds At High Rises Across South Florida. "After the collapse, Miami, Miami-Dade County, and Miami Beach all ordered rapid inspections on buildings that are at least 40 years old and due for re-certifications, starting at four or six stories. That adds up to nearly 650 buildings."

• Miami Herald ($): President Biden had some surprise news for Miami-Dade’s mayor on the Surfside collapse. "President Joe Biden seemed to surprise Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava Thursday when he said the federal government could handle the first 30 days of county and state’s costs in the Champlain Towers South condo collapse."

• USA Today ($): Rescue effort resumes at Florida condo collapse site; demolition of remaining building 'likely.' "Rescue efforts at the site of the collapsed condo building near Miami resumed Thursday afternoon after being suspended around 2 a.m. over concerns about the stability of the remaining tower, officials said."

• The Tampa Bay Times ($): DeSantis fires back after California bans state travel to Florida. "Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office fired back this week after Florida was added to a list of places targeted by California because of laws involving LGBTQ people. California said it is halting state-funded travel to Florida and four other states because of what it considers discriminatory laws."

• WMFE: Florida Falling Short of Biden's July Fourth Vaccination Goal. "The state has vaccinated 64 percent of those over the age of 18, but vaccine hesitancy continues to be a barrier, especially among younger Floridians."

• WSVN: 13-year-old Broward girl sues Florida over transgender school athletes ban. "The Broward County girl, Daisy, has played on girls soccer teams since she was 7, but will no longer be able to do so on school teams under the law that takes effect Thursday."

• CBS Miami: Florida Sees Decline In Unemployment Claims. "In a report released Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor estimated that 6,086 new jobless claims were filed in Florida during the week that ended June 26, down from a revised count of 7,667 in the week that ended June 19."

From NPR News

• National: Trump Organization, CFO Are Criminally Charged For Alleged Tax Crimes

• Politics: The Justice Department Is Pausing Federal Executions After They Resumed Under Trump

• Politics: New FTC Chair Lina Khan Wants To Redefine Monopoly Power For The Age Of Big Tech

• Law: The Supreme Court Deals A New Blow To Voting Rights, Upholding Arizona Restrictions

• World: More Grave Found At New Site, Canadian Indigenous Group Says

• Business: Exxon Lobbyist Caught On Video Talking About Undermining Biden's Climate Push

About today's curator

I'm Melissa Feito, a journalist at WUFT. Originally from Miami, I got my start in public radio covering religion stories like the spiritual roots of Afro-Brazilian music and modern communities of pagans. I'm a graduate student getting my master's degree in mass communication and am part of a team searching for local and state news each week that's important to you. Please send feedback about today's edition of The Point or ideas for stories we may have missed to  mfeito2@ufl.edu.