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The stories near you

• WUFT News: After Taliban takeover, a former Afghan Air Force pilot recounts his journey from Kabul to Jacksonville. "It has been a year since Hakimullah Hamim, an Afghan refugee, arrived in Jacksonville. Adjusting to a new home and a new job as a data analyst for Stillwater Insurance Group, the 30-year-old has found a new life with his wife in North Florida. But he remembers the tough journey it took to get there."

• WUFT News: How one fisherman is sustaining his livelihood through environmental advocacy. "Steve Friedman, 52, always thought he’d spend his days in a cubicle surrounded by buttoned up shirts and staplers. Instead, he passes the time in a rash guard and polarized sunglasses on the waters of the Florida Keys."

• The Alligator: US Rep. Kat Cammack co-sponsors ‘Born Alive’ abortion bill. "The bill proposes to ensure health care practitioners take proper care of a child who survives an attempted abortion. Practitioners who don’t follow the bill’s requirements could be subject to fines or up to five years in prison."

• WCJB: Former Gainesville Mayor Jim Painter dies at age 71 after battle with cancer. "Shortly after the death of Craig Lowe, another former mayor of Gainesville has died. Jim Painter, who served on the city commission from 1990 to 1996, died after a battle with cancer."

• The Alligator: UF lecturer’s film ‘Americanish’ acquired by Sony Pictures. "When Iman Zawahry walked into the one-woman show “Dirty Paki Lingerie” in New York City September 2013, she didn’t know she'd also be embarking on a nine-year-long film project with the play’s star."

• Ocala Gazette: It Stinks! Part Two. "D.R. Horton, the developer who a number of Marion County homeowners say duped them into buying new homes and lots adjacent to a 1990’s-era sewage treatment plant, is facing similar complaints and lawsuits from Louisiana to Largo."

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Around the state

• WMFE-Orlando: USDA predicts another hard year ahead for Florida citrus growers. "It puts orange production at about 18 million boxes. That's down 10% from the December forecast. And if that forecast holds, that will be about 56% less than last season's final production."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Florida name, image and likeness law moves closer to change Tuesday. "Florida schools soon could see a potential competitive disadvantage in name, image and likeness (NIL) wiped away after a legislative subcommittee hearing Tuesday."

• WFTS-Tampa Bay: Veterans in suicidal crisis can now seek care from anywhere at no cost. "The VA says starting this week, veterans will have free access to inpatient crisis care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days from VA and non-VA facilities."

• Florida Politics: Gov. DeSantis backs permanent ‘freedom of speech’ protections for docs, anti-vax mandates. "Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for sweeping new COVID-19 legislation that would make permanent bans on vaccine and mask mandates, while blocking anyone from taking actions against doctors who disagree with 'the preferred narrative of the medical community.'"

• News4Jax: New FDA rule coming to reduce illness and deaths from food poisoning. "Now the Food and Drug Administration is trying to reduce the number of illnesses with its Food Traceability Rule, which covers food through the entire supply chain."

• Florida Politics: New appellate court up and running, but faces hiring, facility issues. "Florida’s new 6th District Court of Appeal is up and running two weeks after coming online thanks to legislation passed by lawmakers last year, but the new bench doesn’t have a suitable courthouse to hold oral arguments and neighboring districts are struggling to recruit staff attorneys."

• WGCU-Fort Myers: FWC tries turning invasive water hyacinth into organic fertilizer. "Right now there is a box-shaped, metal contraption sliding along the surface of Lake Okeechobee. It’s called a boat, but it resembles an aluminum scooper that doesn’t look like it should float. It moves with paddlewheels and sports a pitchfork."

From NPR News

• National: A losing Republican candidate in N.M. is charged over shootings at homes of Democrats

• World: Greta Thunberg was detained by German police while protesting a coal mine expansion

• World: American Siamak Namazi is on a hunger strike in Iranian prison. Why now and for what?

• Technology: This 22-year-old is trying to save us from ChatGPT before it changes writing forever

• Health: Social isolation linked to an increased risk of dementia, new study finds

• Science: Is music an exclusively human thing? A new study says no

• Art: French museum finds a missing painting in Madonna's personal collection
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.