The Point

The Point, Jan. 2, 2024: Confederate monument removed from Jacksonville park

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published January 2, 2024 at 1:00 PM EST

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The stories near you

• Ocala Gazette: Paddock Mall workforce pleaded for more security long before fatal shooting. "Current and former staffers and tenants say security at the Paddock Mall, the scene of a fatal shooting Dec. 23, is lax and that management has ignored repeated pleas for more guards and surveillance cameras for years, even after a 2021 parking lot shooting."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Sheriff’s deputy strikes, injures 2 ATV riders. "A sergeant for the Union County Sheriff’s Office struck an ATV traveling at night without lights, injuring two young adults Friday night."

• WCJB: Concerns rise as GRU board weighs eliminating government services contribution. "The board is considering reducing or completely eliminating the government services contribution (GSC)--formerly known as the general fund transfer (GFT)."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Local reps prep for 2024 legislative session. "The Florida Legislature will start its 2024 session on Jan. 8, with over 1,000 bills already filed for consideration, including legislation by Alachua County representatives."

• Ocala Star-Banner ($): Zoey, the girl left in a Safe Haven Box in Ocala, turns 1 today: Jan. 1, 2024. "Vince, a firefighter, was on duty that day when Zoey was left in the box. He and Katy, who had been trying to start a family, decided to adopt the child."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Ward reflects on first year, top issues for 2024. "Mainstreet spoke with Ward as he approached his 100th day in office, and this Q&A follows up on that conversation and the issues ahead of the city as the mayor completes his first year on the job."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Hoggetowne Medieval Faire moves to Depot Park. "This year, the fair was unable to find a place to hold the events for the traditional three weekends. Instead, the fair will be held for one weekend for free."

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Around the state

• WLRN-Miami: Residents of some countries must soon register real estate with Florida - or face steep penalties. "Citizens of Cuba, China, Venezuela, Russia, Syria, North Korea and Iran have until the end of January to register certain real estate with the Florida Department of Commerce, under a law passed earlier this year."

• Jacksonville Today: Confederate monument removed, but debate persists. "The divisive statues that adorned the Confederate monument at Springfield Park were removed just after sunrise Wednesday as a crowd chanted 'look what we can do' and 'dump it in the river.'"

• WMFE-Orlando: 'It's frustrating' A Florida mom's search for an infant COVID shot. "The CDC recommends the ages 6 months and older get vaccinated from the virus, but trying to get a child between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old vaccinated in Florida can be challenging."

• WUSF-Tampa: A Florida bill geared toward working teens is raising concerns. "It would allow teens ages 16 and 17 to work at heights over 6 feet if they earn a safety certificate and are supervised. Holly Bullard, with the Florida Policy Institute, calls it a 'poison bill.'"

• WLRN-Miami: No more anonymous shell companies buying houses: A landmark Rubio law to go into effect. "A federal law aimed at making anonymous business dealings in the United States essentially a thing of the past will go into effect on New Year’s Day, three years after becoming law."

• PolitiFact: Trump says AI was used to make him ‘look bad.’ The clips are real. "We identified the origin of all but one of the 31 photos and videos used in the "Feeble" ad, 21 of them featuring Trump. We’ve corroborated them with footage from C-SPAN, news outlets, and/or government archives."

• News4Jax: 13-foot great white shark makes waters off Jacksonville’s coast his home for the holidays. "He was first tagged back in 2020 off the coast of Nova Scotia and has traveled more than 33,000 miles since. He’s made several trips up and down the East Coast."