The Point

The Point, Sept. 28, 2023: DeSantis appoints first GRU board members

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published September 28, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

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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 one of the appointees must live in unincorporated parts of Alachua County or in another city in the county. None of the three appointed by DeSantis are registered voters within Gainesville’s city limits."

• Florida Storms: NOAA releases updated weather outlook; strong El Niño event expected. "This could mean more wet weather for the Southeast region of the U.S. The forecast is based on observed and predicted sea surface temperatures."

• WCJB: Newly appointed Alachua County Sheriff throws hat in the ring. "The man appointed to lead the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office until the next election is now running to hold onto the position. Interim Sheriff Emery Gainey filed to enter the 2024 race as a Republican."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Alachua County to move legal notices onto county website. "The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted Tuesday to begin publishing legal notices on its own website and social media platforms, ending the long-running publication of notices in the Gainesville Sun."

• Ocala Gazette: Esteemed educator turns 100. "'Willie B.' Curry is still cracking jokes as she turns 100 years old. Curry, a student athlete, long-time educator, dedicated church member, wife and mother, was surrounded by five generations of her family at her southwest Ocala home on Saturday, Sept. 23, to mark her birthday milestone a few days later."

• WUSF-Tampa: New clinic expands access to opioid addiction treatment in Citrus County. "Citrus County residents struggling with opioid addiction have a new option for treatment. The county's first licensed methadone clinic opened in Inverness on Tuesday."

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Around the state

• News Service of Florida: Florida's sports betting deal with the Seminole Tribe faces a new challenge. "The lawsuit filed Tuesday at the Supreme Court accused DeSantis and the Legislature of exceeding their power by allowing sports betting off tribal lands — without approval from voters."

• WMFE-Orlando: 1 year after Hurricane Ian, Central Florida homeowners are still rebuilding out of pocket. "In June, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported Hurricane Ian resulted in more than 700,000 insurance claims statewide. While some claims remain open, over 86% of them have been closed, and nearly 200,000 of them were closed without payment."

• WUSF-Tampa: Why was Dave Ramsey’s financial literacy textbook approved in Florida? Questions remain. "Ramsey is an evangelical Christian whose weekly radio show attracts millions of listeners. His textbook features a digital component with quizzes, and videos of him speaking on stage."

• WUSF-Tampa: New College of Florida alumni and supporters launch online learning platform as alternative to conservative makeover. "The New College of Florida community has continued to push back against Gov. Ron DeSantis' overhaul of the institution."

• Florida Politics: Ana Maria Rodriguez refiles vetoed ‘second chance’ legislation. "A bill similar to one that fell to the Governor’s veto last Session despite near-unanimous legislative approval is getting a second chance, proposing to expand eligibility for a 'second chance' at a clean record."

• Associated Press: Charlotte County Schools orders removal of all books with gay characters before slightly backing off. "Charlotte County's superintendent and board lawyer told librarians at a meeting over the summer that a bill signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis requires the removal of any book that mentions LGBTQ+ issues, even those where a minor character is gay and is not explicit."

• NPR: The winner of August's $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot claims prize in Florida. "The winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, a town along the Atlantic Coast near Jacksonville."