A bill proposed today in the Florida Legislature would allow the killing of bears in self-defense. House Bill 87, proposed by Representative Jason Shoaf, faces an uphill battle as it passes through the legislature. Under the bill, people can kill bears without authorization or permits if the person feels threatened. …
Read More »Prosecutors urge prison sentence for former Rep. Joe Harding
With a sentencing hearing scheduled Sept. 11, federal prosecutors said in a court filing Thursday that former state Rep. Joe Harding, R-Ocala, should be sent to prison for fraudulently applying for business loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Joseph Harding is a businessman and former member of the Florida House of …
Read More »The Point, June 8, 2023: Special Report: Record profits and soaring costs
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News Special Report: Today WUFT News continues The Price of Plenty, a special report on the fertilizer industry by student journalists from the University of Florida and the University of Missouri. …
Read More »Bill seeks big changes to Florida defamation laws
The proposed Florida House Bill 991, officially titled Defamation, False Light and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses, would make it easier to sue news outlets for defamation by lowering the requirement to prove actual malice.
Read More »House bill proposes to drop gun-buying age to 18
Republican Florida House of Representatives Bobby Payne, Palatka, and Tyler Sirois, Merritt Island, are cosponsoring HB 1543, which proposes to reduce the minimum age at which a person may purchase, sell or transfer a firearm from 21 to 18. The measure is headed to the Criminal Justice Subcommittee for discussion March 13.
Read More »Williston businessman sentenced to prison for defrauding federal government
Patrick Walsh, the brother-in-law of indicted former Florida State Rep. Joe Harding, was sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison Tuesday for defrauding the federal government of $7.8 million in COVID-19 aid in 2020.
Read More »The Point, Jan. 12, 2023: WUFT Special Report: Adam Van Allen
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News Special Report: Adam Van Allen: ‘Perfect human’ credited with saving lives after his death. “Another time, his family asked him what he wanted to do as an adult. ‘I’m not …
Read More »Montbrook Fossil Site volunteers unearth pieces of life millions of years old
Five to 6 million years ago, the area of the Montbrook fossil dig site in eastern Levy County was likely a river. Now, eight years after the discovery of bones in the area, it is one of the most productive fossil sites in the Southeastern United States. Over 70,000 specimens have been collected by the Florida Museum of Natural History and crews of volunteers.
Read More »Photo gallery: Election Day 2022 unfolds in Alachua County
Follow below as WUFT News photographers spread out across Alachua County to document the election process on Tuesday, from polls opening to closing to the final celebrations at election watch parties late in the night. (Photos appear from top to bottom in reverse chronological order.) …
Read More »Keith Perry and Rodney Long compete to represent District 9 in Senate
Residents of District 9 will choose between Republican Sen. Keith Perry and Democrat Rodney Long to represent them in the state Legislature in the upcoming election Tuesday, Nov. 8. Here is what voters need to know about the candidates and their viewpoints before they head to the polls.
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