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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Thanksgiving shopping may look different for Alachua County residents. "Susan White, a Gainesville resident, is among those shoppers who have noticed a lack of products on the shelves. 'I warned my daughter a month ago,' White said. 'So we already have a turkey.' She said she is prepared to look for certain food substitutes until the shortage subsides."

• The Alligator: Dean who barred professor from testifying against state says UF administration directed him to do so. "David Richardson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, shared more about his role in the growing controversy during the meeting of the CLAS Assembly Monday. After receiving a request from professor Daniel Smith to testify in a case challenging the state’s voting rights law, Richardson said he sought counsel from central administration. In the meeting, he said he did so because the defendant in the case in question was a state official."

• Gainesville Sun ($): Alachua County School Board bypasses precedent in selecting new chair. "Tina Certain was able to keep her seat as vice chair after a change of heart from (Rob) Hyatt resulted in a 3-2 vote. Being denied the chance to serve as chair was expected, Certain said."

• WUFT News: Santa Fe High School volleyball team wins its first state championship. "After  knocking on the door for the last four years, the Raiders were finally able to break through finishing the season on a 16-game winning streak. The team also did not drop a set in the final 10 games."

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Around the state

• Associated Press: Florida GOP limits on vaccine mandates nears final passage. "House lawmakers passed the bill on a party-line vote after lengthy debate where Republicans said they were protecting workers from being fired over vaccination status and federal virus mandates."

• News Service of Florida: House OKs stripping state surgeon general of power to order vaccinations during public health emergencies. "The surgeon general has not used the power since it was put in state law in 2002. But the Republican-controlled Legislature has moved forward with repealing it during a special session that focuses on pushing back against vaccination and mask mandates."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida Legislature sends COVID-19 vaccine bills to Gov. DeSantis. Now what? "If Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody succeed in their court challenges of President Joe Biden’s administration, the bills take full effect. That would mean Florida companies could not mandate COVID-19 vaccines for their employees without first offering several exemptions. If the court cases don’t go Florida’s way, federal rules would override the bills."

• Politico: 'Milestone moment': Republicans officially overtake Democrats in Florida. "Republicans now hold a slight voter registration edge over Democrats, just another sign that the state is moving away from its two-decade-old reputation as the nation’s largest battleground state. It’s also more bad news for Democrats as they try to knock off rising national GOP star Gov. Ron DeSantis next year."

• WMFE: Grim milestone: More than 1,000 manatees dead in Florida waters. "The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports 1,003 manatees have died through Nov. 12. The number represents more than 10% of the animal’s population in the state and is nearly double the five-year annual mortality average."

• News4Jax: St. Johns County considers buying out homeowners in Summer Haven after nor’easter damage. "During its Tuesday afternoon meeting, St. Johns County commissioners spoke about a significant breach of the ocean during a nor’easter that worsened erosion in the area. 'The ocean is taking the land back,' said one commissioner during the meeting."

• WFLA-Tampa: Tampa Bay homeowner facing HOA fines for putting Christmas lights up too early. "On Nov. 6, the Moffa family hired a company to put up Christmas lights outside their home. 'That was their only availability, and I can’t climb up on the roof myself,' said Michael Moffa, who does not plan to take down the lights."

From NPR News

• National: Travis McMichael says in his murder trial that he felt threatened by Ahmaud Arbery

• National: Day 2 of jury deliberation in the Rittenhouse trial ends again without a verdict

• National: Self-styled 'QAnon shaman' is sentenced to 41 months in Capitol riot

• Race: 2 men convicted of killing civil rights leader Malcom X are set to be exonerated

• Race: Racial covenants, a relic of the past, are still on the books across the country

• Climate: The Biden administration sold oil and gas leases days after the climate summit

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.