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The Point, Dec. 6, 2021: Data show Florida has lowest flu vaccination rate in the country

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Today's top Florida stories

• WUSF: Florida's recent low flu vaccination rates raise concerns. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41.7% of Florida’s population ages 6 months and older received a vaccine during the 2020-21 flu season — the most recent data available on a statewide basis. That’s the lowest rate nationwide, followed by Mississippi at 42.1% and Wyoming at 42.6%."

• News Service of Florida: UF Trustees fire back in professor testimony controversy. "During a meeting Friday, UF Board of Trustees chairman Mori Hosseini led the charge in sharply criticizing the professors and rallying around university President Kent Fuchs."

• WMFE: ‘Angels in the crosswalk’ work in America’s dangerous city for pedestrians. "Every morning in Central Florida, thousands of children roll out of bed, get dressed, lace up their shoes, pack up their lunches, sling their backpacks over their narrow little shoulders and set out to commit a singularly brave act. They walk to school in America’s most dangerous community for pedestrians. Lucky for them, in Orange County they have about 310 guardian angels watching over them in the form of school crossing guards."

• Associated Press: UF awards Gainesville music legend Tom Petty a posthumous doctorate in music. "The school’s board of trustees unanimously voted to award Thomas Earl Petty a posthumous doctoral degree in music during a Friday meeting."

• Florida Politics: Black farmers’ opportunity to get into medical marijuana growing opens in March. "The state will begin accepting applications for one Black farmer to receive a medical marijuana growing license starting next March, according to an emergency rule issued Wednesday. The opening is targeted to a protected class of farmers to address historic discrimination."

• WFLA-Tampa: Polk State College cancels $1.2 million in student debt for nearly 1,300 students. "It canceled debt for students enrolled between March 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Any student debt (totals) that were sent to collections during this time have also been eliminated."

• WUFT News: Leaving a four-decade legacy, Thornebrook Gallery is set to close. "This October marked four decades of the beloved gallery — and also foreshadowed its closure, with (David) Arrighi announcing that he will close in February 2023."


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From NPR News

• Politics: Bob Dole, longtime GOP senator and 1996 presidential nominee, dies

• Health: Pro-Trump counties now have far higher COVID death rates. Misinformation is to blame

• Health: With omicron looming over the holidays, here's how to stay safe

• Race: Thriving Black-owned businesses 'righting the wrongs of the past' in rural Mississippi

• National: Michigan's attorney general wants to investigate the Oxford school shooting

• National: Chris Cuomo, newly fired from CNN, faces an allegation of sexual misconduct

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