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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Pro-Palestine campus event follows UF President Ben Sasse’s email condemning anti-Israel rhetoric. "Sasse’s strong statement stands out among that of leaders of other universities who have taken a more even-handed posture. It may also raise free speech concerns among faculty who hold differing views."

• WUFT News: Citrus County recovers from heavy storm damage, potential tornado. "Citrus County is working to recover from damage from the strong storms that moved through the area Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. County commission officials posted these images of damaged homes and roads on their Facebook page."

• Fresh Take Florida: Who will watch the kids? Florida families, child care providers vulnerable with loss of federal money. "An estimated 2,196 child care programs in Florida are expected to close, and 212,721 children are predicted to lose care in the state due to the loss in funding, according to a report in June by the New York-based Century Foundation, a progressive think tank."

• WUFT News: Elderly woman arrested in hit-and-run near UF campus. "Police said the pedestrian, whose identity was censored in court records, was hospitalized with a serious head wound."

• Mainstreet Daily News: New Alachua County sheriff talks goals, challenges. "The longtime law enforcement officer inherits a department that faced turbulence in recent years under recently departed Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson Jr."

• WUFT News: City beautification board redefines its purpose, shifts toward public involvement. "As part of its annual report for the Gainesville City Commission, the board met to discuss the past, present and future actions of the group."

• WUFT News: High Springs ‘Flower Bandit’ strikes again. "In less than 25 seconds, the woman had uprooted the freshly planted flowers, checked her surroundings and exited the scene."

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Around the state

• Associated Press: Florida law targeting drag shows can't be enforced for now, appellate court says. "A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a lower court's granting of a preliminary injunction stopping the law from being enforced until a trial is held in Orlando, Florida to determine its constitutionality."

• News Service of Florida: Feds consider listing manatees as endangered. "Federal wildlife officials will consider whether manatees should be classified as an endangered species, pointing to issues such as a loss of seagrass that serves as a key food source for the animals."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Five years later Hurricane Michael recovery has a long way to go. "In Mexico Beach new homes are under construction as far as the eye can see, a few new businesses have opened and tourists have returned—helping to boost the economy, but the storm’s scars remain both on the area’s landscape and its people."

• Associated Press: Florida citrus forecast improves over last year when hurricanes hit state. "A forecast released Thursday says that Florida is expected to produce 20.5 million boxes of oranges during the 2023-2024 season, up from 15.8 million boxes last season."

• WUSF-Tampa: The teacher pay gap is worsening across the country, including in Florida. "State level data shows that Florida teachers are being paid 20.4% less than other college-educated workers."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida's elections supervisors look to exempt poll workers from public records requests. "Earley says he's received troubling public records requests for the personal information of staff and volunteers. He worries that information could open the door to threats, harassment and coercion aimed at elections workers."

• WUSF-Tampa: Health advocate fears hurdles in Florida's Medicaid 'unwinding' is jeopardizing kids' coverage. "As the state defends its process, the executive director of the Center for Children and Families, says in an interview, 'We know children are losing Medicaid,' but 'where are they going?'"

• WLRN-Miami: 17 Broward Sheriff's Office employees charged with COVID relief fraud. "Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Florida announcedcharges Thursday against 17 Broward Sheriff's Office employees, saying they defrauded the federal government out of half a million dollars."

From NPR News

• Politics: Scalise drops out of race for speaker of the House, leaving Congress in limbo

• Law: Donald Trump's classified documents case gets new questions from judge and attorneys

• National: Gap between U.S. income taxes owed and paid is set to keep growing, the IRS says

• National: A Black Texas student suspended for his hairstyle is shifted to an alternative school

• Sports: The NHL bans Pride Tape, setting off a backlash from players and fans

• Science: New atlas of brain cells offers insight on disorders like autism and ADHD

• Business: America can't resist fast fashion. Shein, with all its issues, is tailored for it
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.