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The Point, Sept. 22, 2022: National Hurricane Center eyes system that could become Tropical Storm Hermine

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Alachua County residents express concern over proposed development that includes new UF golf course. "Alachua County recently greenlit a special area study to examine the environmental impacts of developing the over 4,000-acre land along Southwest 122nd Street. The county commission received a staff report with recommendations on how the five elected commissioners should consider the development."

• WUFT News: Criminal case moving forward again for suspect in violent sexual assault of UF student. "One year after the brutal rape of a University of Florida freshman in the parking lot of her off-campus apartment complex, the criminal case against the man accused in her attack is starting to move forward again. Antwine Samuel Johnson, 32, of Gainesville looked around the courtroom and otherwise stood quietly Wednesday as the judge gave the prosecutor and defense lawyer an opportunity to update him on the status of the case."

• WUFT News: Sheriff’s deputies in Ocala arrest second man in fatal robbery during marijuana buy. "Sheriff’s deputies in Marion County said Wednesday they have arrested another man in what they described as a robbery during a marijuana purchase that ended in gunfire on a hiking trail. Detectives said the robbery planning and aftermath were openly discussed in incriminating Snapchat messages."

• Ocala Gazette: City again denies controversial Saddlewood-area multifamily development. "The Ocala City Council on Sept. 20 voted 4-1 to deny a zoning request for a Georgia company to build a multifamily residential development consisting of up to 288 homes on 15 acres on Southwest 43rd Court, across from Saddlewood Elementary School."

• News Service of Florida: State picks North Florida farmer for pot license. "The owner of a Suwanee County farm is in line to be the state’s newest medical-marijuana operator, beating out 11 other applicants competing for a license earmarked for a Black farmer with ties to Florida. The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced it had issued a 'written notice of intent' to approve a medical-marijuana license for Terry Donnell Gwinn, setting the stage for what could be protracted litigation over the sought-after opportunity to join the medical-pot industry."

• Florida Politics: Lawsuit against anti-riot bill’s ‘defund the police’ provision advances. "Gainesville, Lake Worth Beach, Lauderhill, Miramar, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Tallahassee and Wilton Manors sued DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and the state Administration Commission over the law, which the Legislature passed at the Republican Governor’s behest."

• The Alligator: Zeezenia International Market to reopen after fire. "After more than three months of closure for repairs, Zeezenia International Market is set to reopen its doors to the public Friday. The store, one of the only Middle Eastern and Mediterranean markets in Gainesville, was forced to temporarily close down in June after a spontaneous combustion caused a fire inside the stockroom. Since then, the owners — Fawzy Ebrahim, 50, and his wife Zaineb Ebrahim, 42 — have worked nonstop to restore the damage and start their business again."


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Around the state

• WUSF-Tampa: The next named storm of the hurricane season could be headed toward the Gulf of Mexico. "Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center say that system will likely become a tropical depression within the next two to three days as it moves to the west. Megan Borowski, meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, said that system — which could become Tropical Storm Hermine — 'is expected to track toward the western Caribbean and the Gulf over the next few days.'"

• NPR News: After migrants arrived in Martha's Vineyard, a community gathered to welcome them. "Residents across Martha's Vineyard said they were scrambling to care for the immigrants, who arrived on two separate planes. The flights, which originated in San Antonio, Texas, were paid for by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to his office."

• Miami Herald ($): Operatives linked to DeSantis promised to fly migrants to Delaware — but left them stranded. "All of the migrants interviewed by the Herald told similar stories. They were recruited by a woman in a black vehicle driving around the migrant resource center and then taken to La Quinta to wait. Although the destination was uncertain, the plan appealed to people who had no resources after making the long journey north from Venezuela."

• News4Jax: Nearly 400 veterans have applied to become teachers in Florida under DeSantis-backed program. "DeSantis has touted the program in recent months that looks to military veterans to help address the ongoing statewide teacher shortage."

• WFLA-Tampa: Florida teacher vacancies down to 4,442, according to FDOE. "According to FDOE, there were more than 4,000 vacancies for just teachers on the first day of school. FDOE said school districts reported a total of 5,208 vacancies. However, the vacancy numbers reported in September totaled 4,442. State officials said 766 positions had been filled since districts sent in their numbers."

• News Service of Florida: Report details a large shift in funds to Florida's private schools. "Since 2019, when Florida lawmakers created a voucher program called the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, the 'flow of public funds to private education' has dramatically increased, according to a new report by the nonprofit Florida Policy Institute and the Education Law Center."

• FOX 35 Orlando: Surfers prepare for big waves from Hurricane Fiona, and warn others about rip current. "While Hurricane Fiona won't hit Florida, it's sending some big waves to the coast. It's something surfers have been waiting for all year."


From NPR News

• Politics: The House just passed a bill that would make it harder to overthrow an election

• Politics: Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court justice, will speak with the House Jan. 6 panel

• National: New York's attorney general sues Trump and 3 of his children for alleged fraud

• National: Adnan Syed's case is unique. Withholding of potentially exculpatory evidence is not

• Business: Home prices see biggest drop in 9 years, thanks to higher mortgage rates

• Climate: Puerto Rico is in the dark again, but solar companies see glimmers of hope

• Science: A box of 200 mosquitoes did the vaccinating in this malaria trial. That's not a joke!

• Health: FDA seems poised to approve a new drug for ALS, but does it work?
Ethan Magoc curated today's edition of The Point.

Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news @wuft.org