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Today's top Florida stories
• Fresh Take Florida: UF trustee chairman was back-channel to DeSantis office over pandemic decision. "The chairman of the University of Florida board of trustees served as a liaison with the office of Gov. Ron DeSantis when administrators were considering temporarily moving some college classes online due to the pandemic, according to text messages. Morteza 'Mori' Hosseini, who was elected chairman in 2018, is already under scrutiny over questions about his role in politically-tinged decisions affecting the school."
• Gainesville Sun ($): Report: Gainesville's 'net zero' carbon emission goal could swell debt to $6.5 billion. "The extensive solar power generation that would have to be developed combined with another biomass project to meet that goal will increase the overall debt of the utility to $6.5 billion by 2065, according to a climate action plan sent to city commissioners last Friday. The utility’s current debt is the primary reason its rates are among the highest in the state."
• WUFT News: Two Gainesville college students face sexual assault allegations. "Two men with ties to the University of Florida and who have been recent subjects of separate sexual assault investigations were arrested after Gainesville Police Department officers determined there was probable cause to recommend charges."
• Citrus County Chronicle ($): SWFWMD, FWC, UF launch shocking snook study in King's Bay. "Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) researchers on Monday, Dec. 13, launched a multi-year endeavor to learn more about how and when common snook swim during the winter into King’s Bay, Crystal River, for warmth within its springs."
• NPR News: Miami and New York City compete to become the center of the crypto industry. "The race is on between Miami and New York City to become the center of the cryptocurrency industry as their two mayors compete to turn their cities into hubs for virtual currency."
• Florida Politics: Rick Scott defends hurricane evacuations amid opposition to vaccine mandates. "Though the evacuations were framed as mandatory at the time, Scott suggested they were really optional after all, a contrast to his pitched rhetoric as storms approached."
• WUFT News: Big crowds gather for small businesses at Flashbacks Community Pop-Up. "Flashbacks will hold its next pop-up on Saturday, in time for last-minute holiday shopping."
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From NPR News
• Health: Sandra Lindsay got the first U.S. COVID jab. Here's her secret to motivate others
• Politics: Authoritarians are using migrants as weapons. The White House frets it's on the rise
• Climate: Civil engineer says buildings will need to prepare for stronger storms
• Climate: Scientists are working to figure out how climate change influences tornadoes
• Books: Working 9 to 5? 'Out of Office' author says maybe it's time to rethink that
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.