The Point

The Point, Nov. 2, 2023: GRU Authority meets for second time

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published November 2, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority approves bond validations and trunked radio sale. "Members of the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority (GRUA) said they were happy to get the approval for bond validations at the board’s meeting Wednesday, accomplishing what they described as the main goal for the evening."

• Fresh Take Florida: Florida law making gun carry permits optional leads to dramatic drop in safety classes. "After the new state law went into effect, the number of people who applied for concealed carry permits – which are now optional and include hours-long classes on safety and legal issues – dropped by about 64% over the same three-month period a year ago."

• Mainstreet Daily News: GRU lowers pass-through charge for November, third reduction this year. "Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) has lowered its fuel adjustment charge for electricity customers starting Nov. 1, resulting in $4 off the average bill."

• WUFT News: School bus driver shortages persist in north central Florida. Here’s how some districts are responding. "In his 11 years driving a school bus for Marion County, Glenn Cremeans said he’s never seen students behave so poorly as they do today — the primary reason he believes the district suffers from a bus driver shortage."

• WCJB: Susan Lorincz manslaughter trial delayed. "Lorincz is accused of shooting to death her neighbor Ajike Owens in Ocala on June 2."

• WUFT News: Fire severely damages landmark Williston restaurant in century-old building. "A landmark restaurant that has operated for three decades out of a century-old home in Williston suffered serious damage in an electrical fire Tuesday and will be closed indefinitely."

• WUFT News: ‘The hangout place for everyone’: Gainesville Starbucks store navigates high school student presence. "But the high school students complicate things. For the most part, they socialize there with friends, wait for a ride from their parents or pull out their laptops and do homework. Others visit for a quick break before returning to campus for team practice after school. Some students, however, can alter that dynamic."

• WCJB: State senator from Gainesville files left lane driving ban bill. "The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles encourages drivers to drive in the right lane. It says this prevents impeding the traffic flow and creating dangerous driving situations."

• WUFT News: “Do you know the muffin man?” Visitors at Haile Plantation Farmers Market answer yes. "After two years in the position, Justin Edwards, 32, sees familiar faces among the trail of market-goers, from wandering university students to children beaming their gap-toothed grins. He inherited the role after his father retired from vending The Gourmet Muffin, their family-owned brand, in markets throughout the state."

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Around the state

• WUSF-Tampa: The family of a victim in the Ybor City shooting is calling for gun safety reforms. "Harrison Boonstoppel, 20, was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire when at least one man began shooting during a fight in the popular entertainment district early Sunday."

• News Service of Florida: Florida attorney general urges Supreme Court Justices to reject abortion measure. "Attorney General Ashley Moody late Tuesday urged the Florida Supreme Court to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to ensure abortion rights, describing the measure as an effort to 'hoodwink' voters."

• News Service of Florida: Court shields lawmakers in a legal battle about the 'Stop WOKE Act.' "A federal appeals court has shielded 14 current and former Florida lawmakers from having to turn over documents in a legal battle about a 2022 state law that Gov. Ron DeSantis dubbed the 'Stop WOKE Act.'"

• PolitiFact: PolitiFact FL: DeSantis backed a bill drafting a path for Puerto Rico statehood. "PolitiFact found that DeSantis, who’s vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, co-sponsored a 2018 bill that established a process for a path to statehood for Puerto Rico."

• News Service of Florida: Seminole Tribe of Florida is ready to take the next steps to expand sports betting. "After more than two years of legal wrangling about a 2021 deal with Florida that allowed the Seminoles to offer online sports betting anywhere in the state, Seminole Tribe leaders said they plan to roll out sports betting in December."

• WMFE-Orlando: Florida Virtual School sign-up begins. "Applications for Florida Virtual School are now open for the second semester of the 2023-2024 school year, which starts in the new year."

• News4Jax: Authorities still can’t find Jacksonville man accused of running $5.9M Ponzi scheme after months of searching. "Since May, federal investigators have been trying to serve him with the SEC complaint. Normally, they have 90 days, but in August, they asked for an extension because Griffin had been 'evading' service."