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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Artemis I gets off the ground, propelling historic mission. "Cheers and applause erupted from spectators at Kennedy Space Center in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday morning as NASA’s Artemis I moon rocket mission blasted off."

• WUFT News: Incoming Alachua County commissioners pledge to fix roads, increase access to affordable housing. "Marihelen Wheeler, Ken Cornell, and Mary Alford swore their oaths in the Jack Durrance Auditorium with close to 50 friends, family members and county residents assembled."

• WUFT News: Increased demand and reduced supply challenge north central Florida food banks. "His Compassion Food Bank has canceled Thursday distributions for the last three weeks because of a lack of food supply."

• Mainstreet Daily News: GNV to tackle major development, land trust items. "Following a recess and the elections, the Gainesville City Commission will reconvene for a regular meeting on Thursday."

• WCJB: Activists plan GPD protest as Gainesville city leaders hold special meeting. "Protestors are demanding that Gainesville city leaders abolish the police department’s K-9 unit."

• Mainstreet Daily News: ACAR pauses animal intakes. "The shelter will pause intakes unless an animal is in critical need of our care due to illness, injury, or a threat to public safety."

• WUFT News: Free health fair offers medical services to Gainesville community. "Some of the services that will be provided are exams to detect cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, flu shots, pediatric medicine and women’s health."

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Around the state

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida’s Rick Scott says he’s challenging McConnell for US Senate leadership. "'The status quo is broken and big change is needed,' Scott wrote on Twitter."

• News Service of Florida: Dr. Joseph Ladapo keeps his job as Florida Surgeon General. "Ladapo has been a controversial national figure because of his views on issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and treatments for transgender people."

• WLRN-Miami: DeSantis' 'reform board' votes to fire Broward County Schools Superintendent. "Broward Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright was fired with a 5-4 vote on Monday night, a dramatic climax to the three-month tenure of a “reform board” controlled by five appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis."

• WUFT News: Updates: Countdown to launch of NASA’S Artemis I moon mission. "History was made Wednesday morning as NASA’s Artemis I moon mission blasted off from Kennedy Space Center."

• NPR: After a night of uncertainty, NASA's Artemis moon rocket takes to the skies. "The predawn sky over Florida's space coast lit up early Wednesday morning as NASA's new 322-foot-tall moon rocket roared off its launch pad with a few mannequins — but no astronauts — strapped into a crew capsule."

• WFLA-Tampa: Florida residents need up to 74% more income to buy homes than in 2021. "The national average income to afford a home has gone up 46%, according to a Redfin real estate study. In Florida, it’s gone up as high as 74%, as of October."

• WGCU-Fort Myers: One candidate remains for FGCU president, two others drop out; trustees set to meet Thursday. "A notice sent on behalf of Blake Gable, chair of FGCU’s Board of Trustees, said Tod A. Laursen, Ph.D., one of the two remaining candidates for president and the acting president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, announced his withdrawal from consideration."

• WLRN-Miami: Florida Latinos are red, national Latinos are blue — but will that script always be true? "Latino voters in Florida have always been different from Latino voters in the rest of the country — but last week’s midterm elections hardened that contrast as never before."

From NPR News

• Politics: Donald Trump, who tried to overturn Biden's legitimate election, launches 2024 bid.

• National: Four students in Moscow, Idaho, died from an edged weapon, police say.

• National: Federal judge blocks the pandemic border restrictions known as Title 42.

• World: Earth welcomes its 8 billionth baby. Is that good or bad news... or a bit of both?

• Economy: These companies ran an experiment: Pay workers their full salary to work fewer days.

• Health: Black Death survivors gave descendants a genetic advantage — but with a cost.
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.