The Point

The Point, Nov. 27, 2023: 'Forever chemicals' found in Newberry water

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published November 27, 2023 at 1:00 PM EST

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The stories near you

• Mainstreet Daily News: GPD searches for two suspects involved in shootings near UF. "Even though the threat was not directed at the UF campus community, UFPD sent out a UF Alerts message cautioning anyone about the proximity of the shootings near UF."

• WCJB: Chabad UF vandalized, asks for help identifying suspect. "Officials with the center and the Gainesville Police Department are asking for help identifying a suspect who was recorded by security cameras in the area."

• Gainesville Sun ($): 'Forever chemicals' detected in Newberry drinking water; mayor discourages overreacting. "The chemicals, Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, were reported to be found above the EPA's limit in one out of four public drinking water systems in the nation."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Medical AI tool from UF writes medical notes at same level as doctors. "In this proof-of-concept study, physicians reviewed patient notes — some written by actual medical doctors while others were created by the new AI program — and the physicians identified the correct author only 49% of the time."

• Ocala Gazette: Man arrested in connection to New Year’s shooting deaths. "The Ocala Police Department arrested a 19-year-old man on Nov. 22 in connection with the deaths of two people who were shot during a party in southwest Ocala on Jan.1."

• The Alligator: Miami Vice Mobile brings smoke shop on wheels to Gainesville. "From 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the van makes its rounds anywhere from Midtown to Downtown, stopping to sell to the hustle and bustle of Gainesville’s nightlife."

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Around the state

• NPR: Judge says evidence shows Tesla and Elon Musk knew about flawed autopilot system. "The suit stems from a deadly crash in 2019, in which Jeremy Banner switched on the autopilot function on his Tesla Model 3 about 10 seconds before it drove under the trailer of a semi-truck. The collision sheared off the top of the car, killing Banner."

• WMFE-Orlando: Florida kids aren't getting their Flu vaccines, CDC data shows. "The Sunshine State's pediatric vaccine levels (6-months-old to 17-years-olds) are at about 22%, lagging behind the national average of 56% for children overall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

• MediaLab@FAU: Undocumented: Living, working under Florida's strict immigration law in Palm Beach. "The new law increases funding for the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program, and requires employers to register employees under E-verify to make sure employees have documents to work. It also fines employers for hiring or keeping undocumented workers, including imposing a daily fine of $1,000 and 'allowing for the suspension of employer licenses after multiple findings of noncompliance.'"

• News Service of Florida: Florida lawmakers propose vouchers for swim lessons for kids 4 or younger. "The bills would direct the Florida Department of Health to develop a program that would contract with vendors to 'increase water safety in this state.'"

• WLRN-Miami: ‘Forever chemicals’ are getting into ocean ecosystems, where marine life dine – we traced their origins. "Because PFAS can enter the food chain and accumulate in marine plants and animals, including fish that humans eat, the spread of these chemicals has ecological and human health implications."

• WMFE-Orlando: New AI tech allows UCF researchers to monitor the health of buildings. "Doctors use X-rays for patients, and soon local scientists are hoping to put similar monitoring technology in the hands of engineers. Researchers at the University of Central Florida are developing virtual reality and artificial intelligence tools to better monitor the health of buildings and bridges."

• WLRN-Miami: Federal lawsuit seeks back pay for unpaid overtime work by Publix department managers. "A group of hourly-paid department managers this week joined assistant department managers in a federal lawsuit against Publix, alleging the regional supermarket chain failed to pay them overtime in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act."

• WMFE-Orlando: Send your name to Jupiter's icy moon, via NASA's Europa Clipper. "NASA is inviting the public on a mission to Jupiter’s icy moon -- Europa. Along with a suite of scientific instruments, Europa Clipper will bring the names of supporters of the mission along for the ride when it launches from Kennedy Space Center next year."