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The stories near you

• News Service of Florida: UF appeals in professor testimony fight. "Lawyers for UF President Kent Fuchs, Provost Joseph Glover and the university’s board of trustees filed a notice Tuesday that is a first step in appealing a January decision by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, who called the policy 'pernicious' and a violation of First Amendment rights."

• WUFT News: Florida school districts that resisted DeSantis’ mask ban could lose millions. "In a written statement, Dr. Carlee Simon, superintendent of Alachua County Public Schools, said the proposal would eliminate jobs of employees working in districts where mask policies were implemented. Per the proposed budget, Alachua County stands to lose over $2 million in education funding."

• WUFT News: Alachua County to open first dual language immersion school. "Terwilliger Elementary School, located at 3999 SW 122nd St., will become the first school in the district to offer both English and Spanish instruction in the classroom. Crystal Marull, University of Florida’s coordinator of online Spanish courses, was disappointed to find limited availability for language education in the county."

• WUFT News: Alachua County schools are working to increase accessibility of local food for students. "The Good Food Purchasing Program has helped Alachua County Public Schools invest nearly $1 million to increase nutrition in school cafeterias. That figure includes a $107,297 direct investment to local family-owned farms that helped raise nutritional standards at public schools 20% beyond the program’s baseline, said Kelli Brew, the county coordinator for Good Food Purchasing."

• Florida Politics: Putnam port study measure sets sail for the House. "Palatka, along the St. Johns River, is home to the Putnam County Barge Port. The Putnam County Commission has plans, with help from the Army Corps of Engineers, to dredge a 12-foot-deep, 5,000-foot-long channel to improve vessel navigation and safety and increase the number, size and capacity of vessels using the barge port."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Keepers send 20 million bees to CA almond farms. "The young bees have a job to do pollinating the blossoming almond trees in the California central valley next week. It's known as the Super Bowl of Beekeeping and Florida is one of the biggest players in the effort to make sure 30 billion bees and their beekeepers accomplish the task of pollinating more than 18,000 square miles of almond orchards."

• WUFT News: Newberry plans to establish a precedent for new infrastructure. "Thursday marked the first of a 150-day goal to adopt concise regulations into Newberry’s set of legal ordinances for future infrastructure. Over the next six months, a blueprint for the expectations of the future of Newberry should be clear to the city, consultants said."

• WTSP-Tampa Bay: Former animal shelter director, husband accused of using shelter's money to buy house, boat, car. "The former director of the Humane Society of the Nature Coast and her husband cheated the non-profit animal shelter of at least $1 million for purchases of boats, cars and a house, authorities allege."

• WUFT News: Beautyberry from the backyard: How McCarty Woods is getting back to its roots. "On Saturday, volunteers will take to McCarty Woods in the latest update of a year-long effort to conserve the two acres of University of Florida land from development. The volunteer movement, spearheaded by faculty members Lucas Majure and Pam and Douglas Soltis, will again return to the woods. This time, they will be planting."

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Around the state

• Politico: Florida Supreme Court rejects DeSantis' redistricting push. "The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday shot down Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to get the high court to rule on whether Rep. Al Lawson’s 200-mile congressional district linking Black neighborhoods must be kept intact during the state’s redistricting process."

• WFSU: The Florida Senate votes to shield public college and university presidential searches from public view. "Florida lawmakers are steps from closing the search process for public colleges and university presidents. Right now, most of those considerations are done publicly, with committees holding interviews and vetting candidates in meetings open to anyone."

• Florida Politics: House votes to impose term limits on all school boards. "Along party lines, the Florida House voted 78-40 Thursday to impose term limits on all school boards in the state. CS/HB 1467, introduced originally by Rep. Sam Garrison, would cut salaries for school board members newly elected or re-elected after August 2022."

• Florida Today ($): Nature gap: Black people strive to overcome history of recreational barriers, reconnect with Florida land. "(Brandon) Thompson is one of many trying to encourage others who look like him to explore the nation’s parks and green spaces. It's a move to break through the legacy left behind from Jim Crow-era rules, segregationist attitudes, and economic barriers that kept many Black people away from Florida's most sought-after outdoor spaces."

• WFLA-Tampa: Lakeland’s Peloton facility to close as company lays off 2,800 workers globally. "Fifty-eight workers are losing their jobs at Peloton’s Lakeland facility amid shakeups at the top of the at-home exercise bike company."

• WFTS-Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay Bandits return with new USFL. "The Tampa Bay Bandits led the original USFL in attendance and the team is back with the new league. The eight-team league includes the Bandits, Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, New Orleans Breakers, Philadelphia Stars, and Pittsburgh Maulers."

From NPR News

• World: A Canadian judge has frozen access to donations for the trucker convoy protest

• National: Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin got her day in court in 'New York Times' lawsuit

• Politics: The economy is strong but voters aren't feeling it. That's a problem for Biden

• Books: 'Cost of Living' considers the real price of the U.S. health care system

• Health: Bob Saget's death shows how dangerous an untreated head injury can be, experts say

• Science: The hamsters of Hong Kong offer a cautionary COVID tale

• Sports: Shaun White finishes fourth in men's halfpipe, wrapping up storied Olympic career

About today's curator

I'm Ethan Magoc, a news editor at WUFT. Originally from Pennsylvania, I've found a home telling Florida stories. I’m part of a team searching each morning for local and state stories that are important to you; please send feedback about today's edition or ideas for stories we may have missed to emagoc@wuft.org.