The Point

The Point, Oct. 12, 2023: School rezoning meetings draw parent concern

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published October 12, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Parents raise concerns about proposed redrawing of Alachua County Public Schools zones. "The last time Alachua County Public Schools rezoned the entire district was 1983, according to the Alachua County Public Schools website. Only limited rezoning has been done since then."

• Ocala Gazette: Employee file of repeat Ocala council candidate reveals poor conduct. "Over nearly 30 years as an educator and coach, Landers has amassed a disciplinary record of multiple incidents, including criminal charges, of inappropriate conduct toward students and staff, according to documents obtained from MCPS and the Bay County Clerk of Court."

• WUFT News: Woman indicted in case of fentanyl-laced drugs that killed man. "A woman was in jail Wednesday after a grand jury indicted her in the death of a man who overdosed on drugs containing fentanyl she is accused of providing."

• WCJB: Columbia County School Board threatens to sue after company fails to install new track. "School district officials say Pro Sports Consulting Group was paid $192,000 to renovate Columbia High School’s track, but they never showed."

• WUFT News: Florida Treasury to invest $25 million in Israel bonds, CFO says. "The purchase brings Florida’s total current investment in Israel bonds to $80 million, the largest total ever held at one time by the state, according to the press release."

• Ocala Gazette: City of Ocala to make big tech purchases in 2024. "The Ocala City Council has approved nearly $1 million worth of purchasing agreements for new citywide technology and equipment to replace older units that have reached the end of their lifespans."

• WUFT News: Beginner stand-up comedians bring laughter in graduation show. "What do a Canadian, a pediatric Intensive Care Unit nurse, a redhead, a customer support representative, a mom of two teenagers and an administrative specialist all have in common?"

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Around the state

• News Service of Florida: Florida defends its Medicaid redetermination process before a state Senate committee. "Amid criticism from Democratic lawmakers and other groups, DeSantis administration officials went before a Senate committee Wednesday to discuss a process that has led to hundreds of thousands of people being dropped from the Medicaid program."

• WMFE-Orlando: Central Florida to feel 'turbulent' housing market recession, say economic forecasters. "Bank of America economists issued a report Thursday cautioning against 'potential turbulence ahead' for the 2024 national housing market, dismissing theories of another crash."

• News Service of Florida: Florida lawmakers say they'll give property insurance changes time. "A key senator said Tuesday he does not expect lawmakers to make major property-insurance changes during the 2024 legislative session, as they continue to watch the results of an overhaul passed last year."

• Spectrum News: Tornadoes move across Tampa Bay area overnight; damage in multiple counties. "The early morning storms spawned fast-moving tornadoes that came on shore around 2 a.m. and left a trail in Citrus County as well as a separate tornado that spawned near Clearwater Beach and then entered Pasco and went into eastern Hernando County."

• WLRN-Miami: FPL launches pilot project to turn 'clean hydrogen' into electricity. "It’s part of the utility’s effort to decarbonize power generation infrastructure by no later than 2045. It also has the potential to eventually save FPL customers money on their power bills."

• WGCU-Fort Myers: Controlled burns now make out-of-control blazes less likely later. "This time of year, when there is still some moisture in the backwoods, yet it hasn’t been raining every day, conditions are perfect for professional firefighters to light a 'controlled' or 'prescribed' fire. And that prescription results in a woodsy fire smell and wildfire smoke - but not the kind to be worried about."