The Point

The Point, Nov. 28, 2023: Chabad UF increases security after vandalism

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published November 28, 2023 at 1:00 PM EST

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Chabad UF Jewish Student Center increases security after Friday vandalism. "Berl Goldman, a rabbi at the center, said two signs located outside Chabad UF were written over. One of the signs is a banner that reads 'Gator Nation Stands with Israel.' The other sign has the center’s logo. Both now have phrases like 'Burn in Hell' and 'Child Murders' written on them."

• WUFT News: Additional room at shelters open in anticipation of cold weather. "Grace Marketplace and St. Francis House, which provide services for the local homeless community, will serve additional persons in need of shelter Monday through Wednesday night in anticipation of expected temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Newberry mayor says EPA results are not cause for concern. "Marlowe said the EPA has done a poor job communicating with Newberry about contaminants, leaving city officials to find out about the test results from the website publication, instead of notifying them directly. He said Newberry can only act to address substances the EPA regulates, and the government agency has only presented PFAS chemicals to the city as something still being researched to determine safe amounts."

• Politico: University of Florida turns against Joe Ladapo. "Ladapo’s work at UF has generally escaped scrutiny. Yet interviews with more than two dozen current and former faculty members, state lawmakers and former agency heads, as well as reviews of internal university emails and reports, show that staff was worried that Ladapo had bypassed a crucial review process when he was rushed into his coveted tenured position and, moreover, was unsuited for the position."

• WUFT News: ‘Birds are citizens of the world’: Climate change affects bird migration. "According to the non-profit organization, Audubon Florida, more than 500 birds reside and travel across the state of Florida. From June to January, that number varies as fall bird migration periods begin. But drastic changes in weather are forcing birds to either adapt or change their migration patterns if they want to reach their final destinations."

• WCJB: ‘This has been a long time coming:’ Class is in session at Bradford Elementary School for the first time. "It’s out with the old and in with the brand new for some students and teachers in Bradford County. Class is in session for the first time at Bradford Elementary School."

• WUFT News: Man fired six shots at ex-girlfriend on Interstate 75, sheriff’s report says. "The woman began to perform evasive maneuvers and run red lights to escape Wilson. She eventually got onto Interstate 75 North, where she heard what sounded like a gunshot hit the back of her car, according to the report."

• Associated Press: Man suspected of dismembering body in Inverness dies of self-inflicted gunshot wound. "A further investigation led deputies to the dismembered body of a man in the trunk of a vehicle at the home. The statement offered no details about the man, how he may have known Dimick, or when he was killed."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Halo Potato Donuts announces closure. "The local donut shop, Halo Potato Donuts, announced on social media that it will be closing all of its stores on Sunday, Dec. 3."

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Around the state

• PolitiFact: Banned books in Florida schools: How accurate is a list Pink shared? "Different organizations define "bans" differently, but we zeroed in on Pink’s 13-title list to determine how accessible these books really are in Florida’s public schools. We found that although many of the books Pink listed had been temporarily or permanently removed or restricted from shelves in some Florida schools, using PEN America’s most liberal definition of a "ban," this happened in 17 school districts out of 67 in the state."

• WTSP-Tampa: Millions of gallons of wastewater spill into sinkhole at Busch Gardens. "The theme park's environmental manager reported an estimated 2.5 million gallons of wastewater discharged into the 15-by-15 sinkhole adjacent to wastewater treatment ponds, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection."

• WMFE-Orlando: Fast fashion: A new fad alters fabric of Central Florida thrift shops. "Real leather jackets used to be easy to find on the racks of Central Florida thrift stores, but in the wake of a new trend called fast fashion, only a plastic-feeling faux leather remains."

• News Service of Florida: Florida lawmaker budget requests for the 2024 legislative session are starting to pile up. "Florida lawmakers are championing hundreds of projects and seeking billions of dollars as they prepare for the start of the 2024 legislative session in January."

• WUSF-Tampa: What role did 'Take Care of Maya' play in a jury siding with the Kowalski family? "Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital has been ordered to pay over $260 million to the family in the Netflix documentary 'Take Care of Maya.' Tampa Bay Times reporter Chris O’Donnell, who covered the trial, discusses whether it impacted the verdict."

• WMFE-Orlando: AdventHealth researcher could help doctors prescribe the right exercise to battle dementia. "Physical excercise is good for our brains as we age. But why is that? And what's the right amount to deter dementias like Alzheimer's disease? And why do some seniors stay the course and others don't?"

• WGCU-Fort Myers: F23 and M15 produce second egg in North Fort Myers eagle nest. "M15 and F23 have been taking turns on the nest since the first egg appeared Friday and continued that through the weekend and today. That will be how the eagle pair incubates the eggs throughout the coming nearly five weeks until they hatch."

• WFLA-Tampa: How much longer can I eat my leftover Thanksgiving turkey? "Are you making the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers? If you haven’t used up all your turkey, you might want to toss it or freeze it soon."