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The Point, Oct. 19, 2022: Rubio and Demings face off in Senate campaign's only debate

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Black-owned farms are disappearing. One Alachua County man is fighting to preserve what's left. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently directed $2.2 billion to compensate farmers for historic lending discrimination. The lack of credit access caused the loss of Black-run farms nationwide. The number of Black farm operators dwindled from almost one million in 1900 to less than 50,000 today."

• WUFT News: UF student charged with assaulting second bar employee in 3 months "A 20-year-old University of Florida student was arrested Monday for assaulting a manager at The Social — three months after he was arrested for punching a bouncer in the face at the Salty Dog Saloon. Kaleb Wiswall is being charged with aggravated battery and disorderly intoxication after punching a manager at The Social, pushing him down four stairs and falling down on his neck, according to the arrest report."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Oak Hammock to host Walk to End Alzheimer’s "Oak Hammock at UF will host its annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s at 10 a.m. on Thursday to raise awareness and funds for the crippling disease. The walk is a nearly one-mile loop around the Oak Hammock campus, starting at the Health Pavilion Parking Lot at 2660 SW 53rd Lane." 

• Gainesville Sun: Tickets available for Oct. 25 debate between mayoral candidates Ed Bielarski, Harvey Ward "A limited number of tickets are still available for a debate between Gainesville’s mayoral candidates next week on the University of Florida campus. The debate between mayoral candidates Ed Bielarski and Harvey Ward is being held Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the UF Levin College of Law’s Martin H. Levin Advocacy Center. Free tickets to the event can be reserved through Eventbrite at  https://bit.ly/gainesvillemayoraldebatetickets."

 


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Around the state

• WUFT News: Rubio, Demings tussle in Senate campaign’s only debate but no knockouts "Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Val Demings tangled late Tuesday night in a feisty, one-and-only debate on hurricane relief for Florida, future limits on abortion, gun rights and illegal immigration. There were no knockout punches thrown."

• WMFE-Orlando: Hurricane Ian caused up to 1.56 billion in agricultural losses according to preliminary estimate "The hurricane pounded some 5 million acres of agricultural lands. Among the hardest-hit were Florida’s iconic citrus crop, along with vegetables, melons and livestock. Florida leads the nation in orange production for juice. The industry has been battered in recent years by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and also the spread of citrus greening disease." 

• WFLA-Tampa: ‘Why now? Why me?’ Bodycam videos of Florida voter fraud arrests show confusion, distress "All six are Hillsborough County residents. All six were arrested on the morning of Aug. 18 on charges of voting illegally in the 2020 election. Hours later, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the arrests of 20 individuals on allegations of voter fraud. The arrests were announced at a news conference in the state capital. It was billed as “the first election integrity operation” and arrests following the creation of the state’s new Elections Crimes and Security Office."

• Fort Myers News-Press ($): DeSantis hand delivers $1,000 checks to Sanibel and Captiva first responders on Tuesday "Gov. Ron DeSantis visited Sanibel Island Tuesday to personally deliver $1,000 recognition payments to Sanibel and Captiva first responders impacted by Hurricane Ian. The checks were given out to first responders from the Sanibel Fire & Rescue District, the Captiva Island Fire Control District and the Upper Captiva Fire Protection & Rescue Service District.

• Florida Politics: Fishery panel backs plan to slash South Atlantic red snapper catch limits "The amendment — part of the short-term response to address discards — will go up for approval in December for public hearings, and those hearings would likely be in January or February, before the March meeting. If implemented in time, it all but ends any chance of a recreational red snapper season in 2023."

• WLRN-Miami: Hurricane Ian highlighted confusion over the forecast cone. Experts say it is set to 'evolve' "The hurricane forecast cone that for two decades has accompanied newspaper headlines and broadcast news, to become one of the most widely-viewed warning graphics for a looming disaster, may be getting a makeover. After finding widespread misinterpretation of the cone, researchers led by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science say it’s now time for an update."

• AP Florida: Winning $494M lottery ticket sold in city battered by Ian "Florida lottery officials on Monday said one of the two winning tickets was purchased at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers. The other winning ticket was bought in California."


From NPR News

• National: Anna May Wong will become the first Asian American to be on U.S. currency

• Health: CDC underscores the importance of Black and Hispanic adults getting flu shots

• Economics: The IRS is increasing the standard deductions for 2023 as inflation intensifies

• Politics: Biden to release another 15M barrels from strategic reserve

• Economics: The IRS is increasing the standard deductions for 2023 as inflation intensifies

• Health: Hair straightening chemicals may increase women's risk of uterine cancer, study finds

Serra is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.