WUFT | News and public media for north central Florida
The Point, April 23, 2025: These are the areas of Florida experiencing a drought
By WUFT News
April 23, 2025 at 8:00 AM EDT
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Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
The stories near you
• Florida Storms: Drought worsens in Florida: Here are year-to-date rain totals and tips to conserve water. "Florida continues with a worsening drought. There is an extreme drought now affecting parts of South Florida, and a severe drought that has expanded across much of the state as well."
• Fresh Take Florida: Meet Florida’s future: University seniors reflect on their paths to graduation. "Graduation season has returned, and many college seniors are preparing to walk the stage with more than just academic success to celebrate. These are some of the inspiring stories from students across the state."
• Mainstreet Daily News: UnitedHealthcare, UF Health reach new agreement. "UnitedHealthcare announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached with UF Health to restore network access to its health system starting May 5."
• WUFT News: Legacy in the soil: Black farmers and cowboys keep heritage alive in Florida. "Despite challenges that are both personal and systemic, Black cowboys and farmers across north central Florida continue to ride forward with purpose. Whether it's through rodeo or farming, they are working to ensure that their legacies aren’t forgotten, but passed down with pride."
Today's sponsored message
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Around the state
• Associated Press: Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing age. "Days after a deadly shooting on their campus, Florida State University students who also survived a mass shooting in Parkland in 2018 sent a letter Monday to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding he squash efforts to lower the firearm purchase age back to 18 years old."
• Fresh Take Florida: Florida lawmakers consider bill to keep secret their home addresses, phone numbers. "The bill would allow government agencies to redact home addresses, phone numbers and birth dates from state and local elected figures, such as members of Florida’s Cabinet, the governor, city and county commissioners, school board members and more."
• WUFT News: Gov. DeSantis slams Florida House over proposed slashes to Everglades funding. "The House’s proposed budget slashes Everglades and water quality efforts by almost $500 million. Despite the House’s GOP-led supermajority, the governor called the move an attempt to 'sabotage' his administration’s Everglades restoration efforts after he recommended $805 million be earmarked for the cause this upcoming fiscal year."
• Miami Herald ($): Miami police could enter immigration enforcement partnership with ICE. "On Thursday, the Miami City Commission is scheduled to vote to authorize the city to enter into a 287(g) agreement, specifically under the 'task force' model, which would allow Miami Police Department officers to conduct immigration enforcement functions during routine work. ICE describes the model, which allows local police officers to question, arrest and detain people suspected of violating immigration law, as a 'force multiplier.'"
• WFLA-Tampa: ‘That will destroy it’: Town hall addresses potential leadership change at Ringling Museum. "For the last 25 years, Florida State University has managed the museum, but Gov. Ron DeSantis is laying out different plans in this year’s budget proposal. He is suggesting that leadership transfers from FSU to Sarasota’s New College of Florida."
• WUSF-Tampa: Fixing Tropicana Field and figuring out what's next for the Rays. "When the deal to build the stadium officially fell through March 31, so did plans to develop the land around it, including an African American history museum and affordable housing."
From NPR News
• World: After Pope Francis' death, debates begin over his successor
• World: Judge blocks Trump administration plans to dismantle Voice of America
• Law: Supreme Court leans toward parents who object to LGBTQ books in public schools
• Business: As Tesla profits plunge 71%, Elon Musk says he'll spend less time on DOGE
• National: Trump wants a Golden Dome over America. Here's what it would take
• Science: Flowers and trees are blooming earlier. Is it because of climate change?
• Health: Our medications are leaking into waterways — and may be changing fish behavior
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m.
The stories near you
• Florida Storms: Drought worsens in Florida: Here are year-to-date rain totals and tips to conserve water. "Florida continues with a worsening drought. There is an extreme drought now affecting parts of South Florida, and a severe drought that has expanded across much of the state as well."
• Fresh Take Florida: Meet Florida’s future: University seniors reflect on their paths to graduation. "Graduation season has returned, and many college seniors are preparing to walk the stage with more than just academic success to celebrate. These are some of the inspiring stories from students across the state."
• Mainstreet Daily News: UnitedHealthcare, UF Health reach new agreement. "UnitedHealthcare announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached with UF Health to restore network access to its health system starting May 5."
• WUFT News: Legacy in the soil: Black farmers and cowboys keep heritage alive in Florida. "Despite challenges that are both personal and systemic, Black cowboys and farmers across north central Florida continue to ride forward with purpose. Whether it's through rodeo or farming, they are working to ensure that their legacies aren’t forgotten, but passed down with pride."
Today's sponsored message
sweetwater branch inn ad 2023.jpg (1600x900, AR: 1.7777777777777777)
Around the state
• Associated Press: Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing age. "Days after a deadly shooting on their campus, Florida State University students who also survived a mass shooting in Parkland in 2018 sent a letter Monday to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding he squash efforts to lower the firearm purchase age back to 18 years old."
• Fresh Take Florida: Florida lawmakers consider bill to keep secret their home addresses, phone numbers. "The bill would allow government agencies to redact home addresses, phone numbers and birth dates from state and local elected figures, such as members of Florida’s Cabinet, the governor, city and county commissioners, school board members and more."
• WUFT News: Gov. DeSantis slams Florida House over proposed slashes to Everglades funding. "The House’s proposed budget slashes Everglades and water quality efforts by almost $500 million. Despite the House’s GOP-led supermajority, the governor called the move an attempt to 'sabotage' his administration’s Everglades restoration efforts after he recommended $805 million be earmarked for the cause this upcoming fiscal year."
• Miami Herald ($): Miami police could enter immigration enforcement partnership with ICE. "On Thursday, the Miami City Commission is scheduled to vote to authorize the city to enter into a 287(g) agreement, specifically under the 'task force' model, which would allow Miami Police Department officers to conduct immigration enforcement functions during routine work. ICE describes the model, which allows local police officers to question, arrest and detain people suspected of violating immigration law, as a 'force multiplier.'"
• WFLA-Tampa: ‘That will destroy it’: Town hall addresses potential leadership change at Ringling Museum. "For the last 25 years, Florida State University has managed the museum, but Gov. Ron DeSantis is laying out different plans in this year’s budget proposal. He is suggesting that leadership transfers from FSU to Sarasota’s New College of Florida."
• WUSF-Tampa: Fixing Tropicana Field and figuring out what's next for the Rays. "When the deal to build the stadium officially fell through March 31, so did plans to develop the land around it, including an African American history museum and affordable housing."
From NPR News
• World: After Pope Francis' death, debates begin over his successor
• World: Judge blocks Trump administration plans to dismantle Voice of America
• Law: Supreme Court leans toward parents who object to LGBTQ books in public schools
• Business: As Tesla profits plunge 71%, Elon Musk says he'll spend less time on DOGE
• National: Trump wants a Golden Dome over America. Here's what it would take
• Science: Flowers and trees are blooming earlier. Is it because of climate change?
• Health: Our medications are leaking into waterways — and may be changing fish behavior