The Point

The Point, April 17, 2023: Fort Lauderdale deals with aftermath of flooding

WUFT | By WUFT News

Published April 17, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.

The stories near you

• WUFT News: GRU, Gainesville City Commission work to find way out of debt issues. "GRU General Manager Tony Cunningham opened the meeting by stating that he and other utility officials had worked closely with Gainesville’s city manager, Cynthia Curry, to develop a method and formula to address the debt issues."

• The Alligator: Gators face most stubborn opponent yet: rising temperatures. "Projections show the number of days over 95 degrees per year could reach 40 to 50 days as soon as the 2030s, according to The Climate Explorer, an interactive toolkit managed by NOAA. The heat serves as an advantage on the field for the Gators, but health risks could soon outweigh the draw of The Swamp."

• WUFT News: Chuck Bell takes the helm of Buchholz football program after long journey back to Gainesville. "For the first time in over a decade, the Buchholz High School football program will have a new head coach in Bell. Former head coach Mark Whittemore retired after the team’s 42-35 loss to Venice High School during the final four competition last season."

• The Alligator: Feeding Florida in a changing climate. "Amy Van Scoik is driven by her passion for feeding people, but this mission grows harder each year as the climate becomes more unpredictable. It’s never clear what extreme weather to expect during the next season."

• WMFE-Orlando: As Tax Day nears, free help is available through AARP and United Way. "AARP volunteers provide in-person and virtual assistance, especially for people over 50. But there’s no age or income requirement."

• WUFT News: Alachua County Board approves Water Conservation Month proclamation. "According to a publication by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), in Florida 'the average home would use at least 991 gallons of water each time they watered their yard.' This equates to around an eight-hour shower with a water-efficient showerhead."

• WUFT News: ‘Super kind and friendly’: Meet some of the Gainesville Jeepers, rubber ducks and all. “'Gainesville Fl Jeepers,' a Facebook group, has brought together more than 1,500 people solely based on having a Jeep. It offers a place for local Jeep owners to not only share exciting moments with their Jeeps but also to ask for help with their vehicles in addition to celebrating a passion for Jeeps."

• WUFT News: Students from Alachua County middle schools learn about government during sixth annual civics challenge. "The competition consisted of a written test and a fast-paced family-feud-style trivia game where students use a buzzer and answer civics questions."

Today's sponsored message

Around the state

• Florida Politics: Andrew Gillum wire fraud trial kicks off week of intrigue. "Accusations include the tale of FBI agents posing as would-be Southern Pines project developers offering Gillum up to $100,000, for which he suggests methods to anonymize, like making a 'dinner contribution.'"

• WLRN-Miami:After historic floods, some Fort Lauderdale residents say they've lost nearly everything. "Some residents in the hardest-hit parts of Fort Lauderdale say what little they had is ruined, after unprecedented rains sent dangerous flash floods through their homes. Some say they're just grateful they made it out alive."

• News Service of Florida: The future of abortion rights in Florida hinges on a state Supreme Court decision. "Seven abortion clinics and a physician filed a lawsuit arguing the 15-week limit violates a privacy clause in the Florida Constitution that has protected abortion rights since a 1989 Supreme Court decision."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: After a lawmaker made an anti-trans statement in committee others warn words are powerful. "After Rep. Webster Barnaby (R- Deltona) called transgender and LGBTQ audience members in a House committee 'demons and imps,' he’s faced pushback from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who say Barnaby’s religious beliefs don’t reflect their own."

• WMFE-Orlando: Graduating seniors ask: Would I have attended a Florida school if DEI was banned? "As WMFE’s Danielle Prieur reports, while some students are now reevaluating whether Florida is right for them, for others, the proposed legislation is a step in the right direction."

• WLRN-Miami: Sea rise could wipe out coastal nesting grounds for endangered Everglades sparrow within decades. "A new study that modeled both rising sea levels and restoration efforts to move more water into Everglades National Park concluded that in just 50 years, the endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow could likely disappear from coastal nesting grounds."