Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.

Today's Florida stories

• Florida Storms: Florida DEM urges caution as a tropical disturbance could bring heavy rain to the Panhandle. "A tropical disturbance off the coast of North Florida moving westward through the Gulf of Mexico is producing large, disorganized showers and thunderstorms. As of today, the disturbance currently has a low chance of development into a tropical storm, according to the National Hurricane Center."

• Tallahassee Democrat ($): Relief at the pump: Florida gas prices drop for fourth straight week to a two-month low. "Florida’s gas prices dropped for the fourth week in a row, falling 47 cents in the last month. The decline in the average price drivers are paying is a welcome respite from months of worry that a gallon of gas could cross the $5 threshold."

• WLRN-Miami: Doctors speak out about Florida's new abortion law, written by lawmakers without medical expertise. "Drs. (Sarah) Stumbar and Katrina Ciraldo said they felt compelled to protest not just because of how the SCOTUS decision would affect them as women, but as physicians." 

• News Service of Florida: Abortion law opponents object to fast-tracking a legal fight over Florida law. "Attorneys for abortion clinics and a physician objected Monday to fast-tracking a legal fight about a new Florida law that prevents abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and disputed that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade affects the case."

• WMFE-Orlando: Statewide teachers union president says it’s not surprising that student performance is dropping. "Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association says this dip in performance is to be expected. 'I think those two factors, COVID and the massive teacher and staff shortage is certainly having an impact on student performance.'"

• WUSF-Tampa: Cybersecurity experts weigh in on election threats this November. "The Department of Justice found no evidence of election tampering during the 2020 election, but it did find evidence of foreign misinformation campaigns. On June 30, the U.S. Department of State announced a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign interference in elections."

• The Alligator: Presidential searches around the nation reflect UF’s own. "Little is known about UF’s search as it enters its fourth month. Public record bills passed in March permit the names of Florida schools’ presidential candidates to remain private; the list of presidential candidates is released only 21 days prior to the official selection of the new university president."

• Atrium Magazine: Healing waters: A volunteer park ranger finds peace in paddling after surviving tragedy. "A volunteer park ranger at Gilchrist Blue Springs, Mariela Mason's days entail kayaking through the park and educating visitors about healing the springs. When she lost one of her legs in a motorcycle accident, Mason had to find a way to heal for herself."

Today's sponsored message

We focus our legal attention on these practice areas: • Family Law • Business Law • Estate Planning • Probate • Guardianship

Visit  lawyergainesville.com or call 352-373-3334 today to learn more.

From NPR News

• Health: A new dominant omicron strain in the U.S. is driving up cases — and reinfections

• Health: Fertility treatments could be in jeopardy in anti-abortion states, IVF patients fear

• Health: There's a vaccine and decades of research against Monkeypox. So why is it spreading?

• National: Some states are struggling to prepare for calls to the 988 mental health crisis line

• National: A look at one of the thousands of gun deaths that didn't make national headlines

• Business: Twitter has vowed to sue Elon Musk. Here's what could happen in court

• Politics: A new bill could help protect the census after Trump-era interference

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.