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The stories near you

• Florida Storms: Forecasters are watching three areas in the tropics, two could be named soon. "The National Hurricane Center has given these two areas a moderate chance to develop in the next several days."

• WCJB: Newberry leaders decline meat processing plant meeting with Alachua County Commission. "Newberry city leaders are declining to hold another joint meeting on a proposed meat processing plant. Mayor Jordan Marlowe says the city’s support of the project and conditions are already clear."

• Mainstreet Daily News: School district works to rectify emergency funds. "The federal government has allocated over $90 million dollars in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding for Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS). Of that, ACPS has already been paid almost $53 million according to the Florida Department of Education."

• Ocala Gazette: “We are at a precipice." "The Marion County School Board may ask the Marion County Commission to reinstate school impact fees at less than half the rate recommended by a consultant."

• WUFT News: Master Ong imparts the tradition of taekwondo at Ocala school. "(Taekwondo) is a form of art that translates to 'kicking', 'punching', and 'the way'. And one man in North Central Florida has mastered martial art since he was 5 years old: Master Angelito Ong of Ocala."

• Gainesville Sun ($): University of Florida finds 'goat' on campus. And no, it's not Tim Tebow. "The goats were lured into a pen Wednesday morning using watermelon as bait, said Jacy Brown, an employee at the UF Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department."

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Around the state

• News4Jax: Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers selling 400 Winn-Dixie, Harveys stores to Aldi. "Under a proposed merger agreement, Aldi will acquire all outstanding shares of Jacksonville-based SEG. If the deal is approved by regulators, it’s expected to close in the first half of 2024."

• Associated Press: Protesters march through Miami to object to Florida's Black history teaching standards. "Dozens of teachers, students and activists marched to a Miami school district headquarters Wednesday to protest Florida’s new standards for teaching Black history, which have come under intense criticism for what they say about slavery."

• WTSP-Tampa: All child welfare cases now handled by FL Department of Children and Families. "The seven counties that were handling local cases until now account for a quarter of Florida's child population."

• Florida Politics: Florida’s international tourism headed for new post-pandemic high. "Through June, the Sunshine State has welcomed 70.8 million visitors this year — an uptick of 1.3% over the first six months of 2022 and 4.5% higher than 2019 pre-pandemic levels, VISIT FLORIDA says."

• Tampa Bay Times ($): Feds say Florida is failing to help many at risk of losing Medicaid. "A letter sent by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says Florida may be out of compliance with federal rules as it conducts first purge of Medicaid rolls since the end of the pandemic."

• Spectrum News: Maui native links Florida donations to those hit hardest by wildfires. "Gulfport resident Sarah Bedell had only returned from Maui a few days before wildfires ravaged part of the island she once called home."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida State is staying put in the ACC, but for how long? "The August 15th deadline for Florida State University to notify the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) of its intent to leave, has passed."

• WMFE-Orlando: Volusia County marks record-breaking sea turtle nesting season. "More than 1,400 nests have already been counted on Volusia County beaches, and there’s still six weeks left to go in the nesting season."

From NPR News

• Health: Ruling deals blow to access to abortion pill mifepristone — but nothing changes yet

• Politics: Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis is crowdfunding her Georgia indictment defense fees

• Media: New York Times considers legal action against OpenAI as copyright tensions swirl

• Politics: Schumer says Inflation Reduction Act provides contrast with Republicans in 2024

• Law: Are there parallels between the Nixon-era scandal and Trump's indictments?

• Business: Target says backlash against LGBTQ+ Pride merchandise hurt sales

• Space: People are freaking out over a question mark seen in space. Scientists can explain
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.