The Point

The Point, July 21, 2023: A small Alachua County city now has broadband internet

By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published July 21, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Cox Communications extends its high-speed internet coverage to Archer. "Cox Communications made waves in Archer on Wednesday morning touting its launch of high-speed internet access to the rural community. Its expansion efforts are part of the company’s goal of bringing broadband to underserved rural communities. The expansion includes gigabit internet speeds that the company says will reliably serve the people of Archer with fast, fiber optic-powered internet that will help over 500 residents and businesses in the town, according to a Cox press release."

• WCJB: Property taxes set to increase as leaders vote on proposed millage rate hike. "Mayor Harvey Ward says the City of Gainesville is facing financial hardship after a major reduction of the general fund transfer. City leaders are using tax increases to make up the difference."

• Gainesville Sun ($): Field for Alachua County sheriff widens with candidate who hopes to succeed bosses again. "Col. Chad Dondrill Scott, who rejoined the Alachua County Sheriff's Office in 2022, has filed to run for sheriff with the hope of succeeding his current boss, Sheriff Clovis Watson Jr. who withdrew from the race last month. ... Campaign filings show that Scott filed to run for office the day after Watson withdrew from the race."

• WUSF-Tampa: Weeki Wachee boaters will face stricter regulations with river being 'loved to death.' "The rules will prohibit boaters from mooring or beaching their vessels in a roughly six-mile stretch from Weeki Wachee State Park to the popular Rogers Park boat ramp."

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Around the state

• NPR News: Three Florida men are on the ballot in 2024. Voters there still want Trump. "Nationally, Trump leads the contenders for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, which includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and a much lesser known Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. The red state arguably gives Republicans their best test case to see who will come out on top for their party's ticket."

• Associated Press: Florida school shooting reenactment set for Aug. 4 using live ammunition, judge told. "The reenactment of a 2018 mass shooting at a Florida high school will take place early next month as part of a civil lawsuit and will use live ammunition with a bullet safety device, a judge was told Thursday. Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips endorsed an agreement reached by attorneys for victims’ families and former Broward Deputy Scot Peterson to conduct the reenactment Aug. 4 at a three-story classroom building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School."

• Palm Beach Post ($): Heat wave has Florida split with drought on the west coast and bountiful rain on the east coast. "A dogged weather pattern this summer has soaked southeast Florida with rainfall 7 inches above normal in West Palm Beach, while parts of the west coast of the state suffer an unusual wet season drought."

• Spectrum News: Vice President Kamala Harris to speak about 'America's full and true history' in Jacksonville Friday. "The move comes just days after the Florida Board of Education approved new policies governing the way African American history is taught in the state. Among the policies approved Wednesday, is one that applies to the Ocoee Massacre of 1920. In it, teachers are expected to teach students that acts of violence were 'perpetuated against and by African Americans' during the massacre."

• WUSF-Tampa: An effort to enshrine abortion rights in Florida's constitution is more than halfway to its goal. "Abortion rights supporters have collected nearly half a million petition signatures for their campaign to place the issue before voters on the 2024 ballot."

• WINK-Fort Myers: Deputies investigate second shooting targeting state rep.’s home. "A bullet flew into a child’s bedroom inside the home of Republican State Representative Spencer Roach in North Fort Myers, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating. State Representative Roach said he didn’t hear gunfire or realize someone fired a bullet into his home until he woke up Thursday morning."

• WJCT-Jacksonville: Hydroponic farm in Baker County promises 600 jobs. "A new $750 million hydroponic farm in Baker County will grow fresh produce and create more than 600 jobs, county officials say. The Baker County Development Commission announced Wednesday that a public-private partnership between the county and Plant Agricultural Systems is moving forward."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida's attorney general says AI is making scam calls worse. "Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning that artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to carry out imposter scams, which often target grandparents. She says A.I. voice-cloning technology makes these scams even more convincing."