The Point

The Point, Oct. 2, 2023: Judge tosses GRU takeover lawsuit

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published October 2, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Judge sides with state, tosses Gainesville’s GRU lawsuit. "The judge’s ruling appeared to be made largely on technicalities. She ruled the lawsuit improperly named Attorney General Ashely Moody, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Secretary of State Cord Byrd as defendants."

• WUFT News: Alabama man found in submerged vehicle in Steinhatchee River 28 years after disappearance. "The remains of a missing Alabama man were found Thursday in a car submerged in Steinhatchee River in Dixie County. The man, James Aaron Toole, was 72 years old when he disappeared in 1995."

• WUFT News: Palatka teen is dead after being struck by lightning. "A Palatka teenager is dead after she and her father were struck by lightning while they were hunting Tuesday, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Gainesville, Alachua County extend $8 million radio sale amid delays. "The city and county commissions originally approved the sale in February and March after Alachua County gave a deadline last year. If Gainesville didn’t sell the system, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) said they would build their own."

• Ocala Gazette: FDOT announces expansion of Interstate 75 through Marion County. "To widen the interstate, auxiliary lanes will be added to each direction of I-75. An auxiliary lane is the portion of the roadway that separates traffic entering or exiting the highway to allow drivers to speed up or slow down."

• The Alligator: Alachua County to greet new sheriff Monday. "Emery Gainey, a Republican veteran of sheriff’s duties across Florida, will ascend into the role of Alachua County Sheriff Monday following his appointment to the position by Gov. Ron DeSantis."

• WUFT News: Gatorland is new home for alligator that survived in the wild for months without upper jaw. "After gaining national attention for its injury, the wild alligator from Sanford, Florida, that’s missing its top jaw has found a home in what is known as 'The Alligator Capital of the World.'"

• The Alligator: Multiple pitbulls found dead in Archer. "Harn’s sightings aren’t the only pitbull findings reported. Reports of dead pitbulls and other mixed breeds go back at least two years, according to the Archer Word of Mouth Facebook group."

• WUFT News: Photos: Kirbiicon comes to Gainesville. "The event, which prides itself on its combination of live music, gaming and anime, attracted fans dressed in their best cosplays."

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Around the state

• WUSF-Tampa: Multiple ethics violations in Florida are still waiting for DeSantis' signature. "Over forty ethics violations by officials throughout the state have not yet been finalized, according to a recent report from the Florida Commission on Ethics. The oldest dates back over seven years."

• WLRN-Miami: Miami-Dade’s worker heat protection bill was a milestone. Lobbyists are watering it down. "After negotiations with lobbyists in the construction and agriculture industries, the latest version of the bill — scheduled for a final vote before the County Commission next month — would take effect for less than five days a year, on average."

• WMFE-Orlando: Student loan payments resume in October leaving some Central Florida families with fewer dollars to spend. "Federal student loan repayments restart beginning in October for the first time since they were paused in March 2020."

• Associated Press: Disney, DeSantis legal fights ratchet up as company demands documents from governor. "The Florida governor asked that the company’s First Amendment lawsuit against him be tossed from federal court, and Disney demanded emails, texts and other communications from the governor’s office in a separate state court lawsuit originally brought by DeSantis appointees of Walt Disney World’s governing district."

• WUSF-Tampa: Proposed conservation area could help protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor. "Federal money could be used to match or augment existing state dollars used to protect environmentally sensitive land, including that of the Florida Wildlife Corridor."

• Associated Press: After Ron DeSantis takeover, New College attorneys threaten to sue ‘alternate’ school. "Attorneys for New College of Florida, the traditionally progressive public liberal arts college that was taken over by allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis as part of his 'war on woke,' last week threatened to sue a group of former faculty members and students who have formed an alternative online institute named 'Alt New College' after departing the school following the takeover."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida streakers to face bigger penalties under new law. "Just a few weeks ago, Dylan Duggan, a 25-year-old man, was taken into custody in Gainesville after he recorded himself running onto the University of Florida’s football field as a game was being played. He would later post the video to social media where it gained thousands of views and he’s not alone."

• News Service of Florida: U.S. Supreme Court to Weigh Florida Tech Law. "The industry groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association challenged the constitutionality of the Florida law, which placed restrictions on large social-media companies such as Facebook and Twitter, now known as X."