WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: DeSantis, candidates slam Trump in second Republican debate. “The debate went full circle as it started and ended in the same way: candidates telling the audience they planned to defeat …
Read More »Hurricane Ian, 1 year later: A story of resiliency and hope
Floridians are still picking up what was lost a year ago during Hurricane Ian, a deadly and destructive Category 4 storm. Sept. 28 marks the one-year anniversary of Ian plowing through the state, making landfall near Cayo Costa in Lee County. Ian was the third-costliest natural disaster to hit the …
Read More »The Point, Sept. 28, 2023: DeSantis appoints first GRU board members
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: DeSantis appoints more Republicans to governing roles in heavily Democratic county. “The new law requires the utility’s board members must be registered voters inside the city limits, except at least …
Read More »Horseshoe Beach community rebuilding after Hurricane Idalia’s destruction
Horseshoe Beach residents have come together, with help from around the state, to attempt to clean up and rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
Read More »DeSantis requests aid for Big Bend fishing industries
Governor Ron DeSantis requested assistance for North Central Florida’s fishing industry to repair damage from Hurricane Idalia. He wrote a letter on Wednesday to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to issue a federal fisheries declaration providing federal funding for offshore, nearshore and inshore fisheries to rebuild. In DeSantis’ letter, he …
Read More »Hurricane, shooting test DeSantis leadership as he trades the campaign trail for crisis management
First a shooting, then a storm. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is facing a one-two punch testing his leadership at a critical moment for his presidential campaign, with the Republican moving to cast aside his role as culture warrior and show the country that he can govern through crises. His first …
Read More »World Equestrian Center Ocala opened free stall space for equine owners during Idalia
Nearly 2,000 horses across northern Florida sought refuge from the threat of Hurricane Idalia Wednesday after the World Equestrian Center opened its stalls in Ocala to equine evacuees. The World Equestrian Center Ocala, located at 1750 NW 80th Ave, announced in a Facebook post Sunday it would provide free-of-charge evacuation …
Read More »The Point, Aug. 31, 2023: Idalia’s aftermath
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. Hurricane Idalia • WUFT News: Photos capture aftermath of Hurricane Idalia in Perry and Cedar Key. “WUFT photojournalists made their way to Cedar Key and Perry to report on the damage following the arrival Wednesday morning of …
Read More »Historic Florida fishing village sees record storm surge
CEDAR KEY, Fla. – While Hurricane Idalia made landfall farther northwest than originally expected in Cedar Key, the town still saw a record 6.9-foot storm surge Wednesday morning. Residents of this historic, Gulf Coast fishing village renowned for its waterfront seafood restaurants and quaint stores watched live newscasts of water …
Read More »Hurricane Idalia makes landfall on Florida’s west coast as a dangerous Category 3 storm
CEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia has made landfall on Florida’s west coast as a dangerous Category 3 storm on Wednesday and threatens to unleash life-threatening storm surges and rainfall. Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula. The …
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