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Today's Florida stories
• WUFT News: Data show almost 1,000 instances of Florida nursing home residents — some with dementia — exiting without supervision. "Between 2017 and 2021, there were 993 instances of residents of Florida nursing homes exiting their facility without proper authorization or supervision, according to Florida Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) records. On average, that’s almost four 'elopements' — as they’re referred to in the medical community — each week. Florida nursing homes care for roughly 71,000 residents at any given time, according to the Florida Health Care Association, making elopements relatively rare. But they can be extremely dangerous for people living with dementia, said Ronald Petersen, the director of the Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center."
• WCJB: Alachua County Commissioners vote to oppose Gainesville plan to eliminate single-family zoning. "In a stunning setback for the Gainesville City Commission, Alachua County Commissioners voted unanimously to oppose a city plan to end single-family zoning. The vote took place during a joint city-county meeting."
• Gainesville Sun ($): Residents outraged at proposal for 12-story building near historic downtown neighborhood. "The proposal would allow plans to proceed with 12-story and 5-story buildings as part of a multi-family development project on 1.1 acres at the northwest corner of Southwest 2nd Avenue and Southwest 10th Street. The University Heights South Historic District wraps around to the south and west of the property."
• News4Jax: Saharan dust keeping tropics quiet; peak hurricane season right around the corner. "The tropics have been very quiet through the month of July, and that was partially due to an influx of Saharan dust traveling across the Atlantic. This is common every season, but when it happens, the dry dusty air associated with strong winds chokes off any sort of tropical development."
• Palm Beach Post ($): Florida monkeypox cases, confirmed or probable, nears 500, state department of health says. "As of Aug. 1, the Florida Department of Health reported 442 confirmed or probable cases of monkeypox in 22 counties. A week ago, the state reported 273 cases in 16 counties — that's a jump of 169 probable or confirmed monkeypox cases here since July 25."
• WUSF-Tampa: Gas prices across Florida fall below $4 a gallon following weeks of declines. "According to a AAA news release, gas prices dropped an average of 17 cents the week ending July 31, and 96 cents a gallon since mid-June. It is the seventh straight week of declines. As of Monday, the average price is $3.91 a gallon."
• The Alligator: College of Education, Alachua face Florida's teaching vacancies. "As of Sunday, 83 ACPS teacher jobs and five substitute teacher positions remained posted on ACPS’ website."
• WMFE-Orlando: Orlando mayor plans downtown checkpoints after a shooting that injured seven people. "Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer says the city will set up six controlled access points for people entering downtown on Friday and Saturday nights. The safety measures follow a shooting in which seven people were injured early Sunday morning."
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From NPR News
• World: The U.S. has killed top al-Qaida leader and key 9/11 plotter, Ayman al-Zawahiri
• Environment: People who want to visit the world's tallest living tree now risk a $5,000 fine
• Politics: There are a slew of significant primaries Tuesday. Here's what we're watching for
• Sports: Deshaun Watson is suspended for 6 games over sexual misconduct
• National: We might never know who won the Mega Millions jackpot. That's not usually the case
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.