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The stories near you
• WUFT News: Gainesville city commissioners are split on how to tackle municipal broadband. "The city commission discussed three options for municipal broadband at a Thursday meeting. They include broadband as an amenity through fiber optic cable, as a public utility through wireless overlay or a private-public partnership between the city and a company. The initiative to bring municipal broadband to the city has been in the works since 2017."
• WUFT News: ‘The threat to the whole globe’: A Gainesville art curator from Ukraine reacts to attack on nuclear power plant. "From an art curator in Gainesville to scientists along the U.S., people everywhere were still concerned about Russia capturing the Zaporizhian nuclear power plant in southeast Ukraine. Shelling caused a fire to break out at the power plant on Friday, and although none of the reactors or essential components were damaged, the incident raised concerns worldwide."
• News4Jax: Taylor County deputy shot 2 weeks ago is now home. "The Alachua County Sheriff’s office announced Monday that Troy Anderson, the Taylor County deputy shot on February 22 is now recovering at home. A ‘Florida Blue Alert’ was issued after Anderson was shot three times during a traffic stop on U.S. 19 South. Anderson was treated for gunshot wounds to his jaw, neck, and hand."
• Citrus County Chronicle ($): 'Unprecedented' amount of evidence delays Dunnellon woman's Capitol-riot trial. "In their motion, defense attorneys argued the 'unprecedented' amount of evidence from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot in Washington being continuously shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been hampering their trial preparations."
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Around the state
• WFSU: Bay County residents fear losing homes in wildfires. "(Hurricane) Michael made landfall in the county more than 3 years ago. Since then, the county has been at an increased risk of wildfires due to the thousands of acres of tree debris that remain on the ground. The county's largest fire is burning most actively in an area that intersected with the storm's direct path."
• NPR News: Florida Senate to vote on measure that critics dubbed 'Don't Say Gay' bill. "Florida's Senate is preparing to pass a bill that bans any discussion of sexual orientation in schools from kindergarten through third grade. Republican supporters say it's about parental rights."
• News Service of Florida: Controversial changes to Florida's rooftop solar rules are going to the governor. "The Florida Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would make major changes in rules for rooftop solar energy, after weeks of attempts by the solar industry and environmental groups to head it off."
• Politico: Florida's controversial surgeon general recommends against Covid-19 vaccination for kids. "Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo, speaking at a roundtable Monday with Gov. Ron DeSantis and medical professionals who oppose much of the CDC’s recommendations, did not elaborate."
• Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald ($): Late bill change would weaken tenure at Florida universities, faculty say. "Under the proposal, the Board of Governors may establish a requirement for each tenured faculty member at a state university to undergo a 'comprehensive post-tenure review' every five years. The review would need to address faculty members’ accomplishments; their assigned duties in research, teaching and services; their evaluations and ratings; and their compensation. It could also include 'consequences for underperformance.'"
• News4Jax: Federal grand jury indicts former JEA executives, accuses them of conspiracy, wire fraud. "Federal prosecutors unsealed the indictment Monday. It all stems from allegations of an attempt to take millions in personal profits from a proposed sale of the utility through a controversial bonus plan, which would have cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars."
• WLRN: New superintendents of Florida's two largest districts take over as public education becomes increasingly political. "Broward and Miami-Dade counties took very different paths for picking their next top bosses, who are taking the helm at a time when public schools are finding themselves at the center of partisan political fights."
• Sarasota Herald-Tribune ($): FHP: Trooper stood 'as the last line of defense' on bridge crash. "The Florida Highway Patrol on Monday afternoon credited the actions of Trooper Toni Schuck for acting 'as the last line of defense' and putting "herself in harm's way to protect others" during a collision near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. A 26-year veteran of the agency, Schuck aimed her patrol vehicle into the path of an oncoming car that had veered around barricades and headed onto the Sunshine Skyway Bridge approach packed with runners Sunday."
• FOX35 Orlando: Streets flood at Disney's Hollywood Studios after rare March downpour in Central Florida. "Like much of Central Florida, the rain came pouring down at Disney's Hollywood Studios on Monday night. Guests were seen running for cover in social media posts as streets became flooded."
From NPR News
• World: We're trying everything to avoid WWIII, acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine says
• Business: Gas prices surge to above $4 a gallon, near a national record
• Health: You can order free COVID tests from the government again
• National: Senate passes anti-lynching bill and sends federal hate-crimes legislation to Biden
• Books: Sandy Hook took place as 'alternative facts' muscled out objective truth
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.