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The stories near you
• WUFT News: Gainesville awarded $8M in federal funds to overhaul University Avenue. "The rework of the road will affect areas of high foot traffic, including the border of the University of Florida campus, Downtown Gainesville and the surrounding apartment complexes."
• The Alligator: UF Jewish community, Fuchs react to antisemitic ‘Ye’ Kanye West messages. "UF campus will have increased police presence this week after members of the UF community discovered multiple antisemitic messages written in chalk on campus in support of Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West."
• WUFT News: Mark Oppenheimer speaks at UF against antisemitism. "The event included a display of antisemitic material from the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica. It showcased content from as back as the 1800s and as recent as five years ago."
• WUFT News: High Springs remains divided over Walldogs Murals coming to town in March. "An international group of artists is scheduled to paint a series of murals in High Spring in March. But residents remain at odds over the historic themes of the murals and whether they want them painted at all."
• Gainesville Sun ($): School district equips 125 buses with free Wi-Fi for students. "The internet connection will be active throughout September, including the summer months. The funding may allow for an extension of service."
• WUFT News: Photo gallery: Ocala police celebrate Alice Faison, the first African American woman sworn into the force. "Alice Faison expresses her gratitude toward everyone who came to celebrate this moment with her as she was honored at the Ocala Police Department."
• WUFT News: New traffic lights installed on University Avenue, and a UF student was hit riding a scooter a block away. "Some students who frequently walk to campus believe the new traffic changes along University Avenue won’t have much impact."
• WUFT News: Bringing back bingo: One way the American Legion supports veterans. "The American Legion offers bingo every Tuesday and Thursday. It is a place where veterans and their families can gather to support each other and have fun."
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Around the state
• WFSU-Tallahassee: DeSantis unveils a $115 billion budget proposal for Florida. "The governor’s budget proposal includes permanent sales tax cuts on baby and toddler necessities, cribs and strollers, over-the-counter pet medications and gas stoves."
• NPR: College Board's revised AP African American studies course draws new criticism. "The College Board released the official curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies on Wednesday, the first day of Black History Month."
• Florida Storms: 2022 ranks as Florida’s fifth warmest year on record."While the Southeast in general did not trend too far from the average, according to Gleason, Florida saw significant warming in 2022."
• Florida Politics: Budget plan details teacher apprenticeship reducing college requirements. "The Governor announced the Teacher Apprenticeship Program in August as one way to open new avenues for filling classroom vacancies."
• NPR: Tom Brady retires from the NFL, 1 year after retiring from the NFL. "It's not quite Groundhog Day — but yes, you've heard all this before. Quarterback Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL — for real this time, he said in a video posted to social media on Wednesday morning."
• WUSF-Tampa: This teacher says Black history is American history. "'I think it is important, especially for African American students, to understand that their history did not start at slavery. That's because as a student, it's hard to find value in yourself when you look in the mirror when you start at such a violent start to history.'"
• NPR: Twenty years after the Columbia disaster, a NASA official reflects on lessons learned. "It's been exactly 20 years since the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it returned to Earth, killing all seven astronauts on board: commander Rick Husband, pilot Willie McCool, mission specialists Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown and payload specialist Ilan Ramon of Israel."
From NPR News
• National: 4 of the 5 officers charged in Tyre Nichols' death had prior violations at work
• National: SNAP recipients will lose their pandemic boost and may face other reductions by March
• Politics: In first GOP-led hearing about the border, witnesses paint sharply different pictures
• Politics: Congress takes reins of prayer breakfast from secretive Christian evangelical group
• World: How 'modern-day slavery' in the Congo powers the rechargeable battery economy
• Race:Does the IRS audit some people more often than others?
• Science: A recent deep sea expedition in the Indian Ocean revealed a plethora of new species
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.