The Point

The Point, Jan. 4, 2024: Parents, teachers react to school district rezoning

WUFT | By WUFT News,

WUFT News

Published January 4, 2024 at 1:00 PM EST

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The stories near you

• WUFT News: Some parents, teachers concerned over school district’s rezoning plan. "The district proposed a comprehensive rezoning plan to minimize overcrowding and maximize capacity in county schools, and the proposal’s consequences are stirring up some debate."

• WCJB: Southeast Gainesville residents protest in hopes of closing down Florence Landfill. "Residents of Southeast Gainesville and Sierrca Club Florida members protested outside the Alachua County Commission against the Florence Landfill, calling for county commissioners to ‘dump the dump.’"

• Mainstreet Daily News: GRU Authority moves forward with general manager search. "The unanimous vote allows the utility to work on a contract with the firm and hopefully start looking for candidates in a month. The timeline presented at the meeting shows a potential seven-month process before a general manager might be selected by the authority."

• Ocala Gazette: Mass resignations at Marion County municipalities. "The new year has started with a lot of empty seats on city councils in the cities of Reddick, McIntosh and Dunnellon as more intensive financial reporting requirements took effect."

• WCJB: Hearing scheduled for Susan Lorincz, accused of shooting Ajike Owens. "Court records show Lorincz’s attorney filed Tuesday a demand for a speedy trial, so Circuit Court Judge Robert Hodges scheduled a preliminary hearing for Thursday at 10:30 a.m. This indicates the defense is ready for trial."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Florida Supervisors of Elections to award three scholarships. "Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Kim A. Barton, through the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE), will be offering Florida college and university students the opportunity to apply for one of three $1,200 scholarships."

• WCJB: Gainesville shooting victims ‘stable,’ officers still searching for shooter. "Gainesville police officers are still searching for those involved in a shooting that sent four people to the hospital."

• News Service of Florida: State leaders urge Florida justices not to take up a redistricting challenge. "Voting-rights groups and other plaintiffs last month asked the Supreme Court to take up the case, which centers on a North Florida district that in the past elected Black Democrat Al Lawson but was overhauled during an April 2022 special legislative session."

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Around the state

• News Service of Florida: State Supreme Court sets abortion measure arguments in February. "With the measure’s supporters getting close to meeting a petition-signature requirement, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear arguments Feb. 7 about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights in the state."

• WUSF-Tampa: Florida's surgeon general calls for 'halt' in COVID-19 vaccines against federal health guidance. "The FDA had refuted Ladapo's concerns in a Dec. 14 response and stated that 'based on a thorough assessment of the entire manufacturing process, FDA is confident in the quality, safety, and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines.'"

• NPR: After the Surfside collapse, Florida is seeing a new condo boom. "The reason is that Florida's first generation of condominiums — buildings 50 and 60 years old — are ripe for termination. In real estate parlance, that means they'll be torn down."

• WUSF-Tampa: Some Florida school districts are adopting inclusive LGBTQ guidelines. "Laws that govern how gender identity and sexual orientation may be addressed in schools have caused confusion. Some districts have created guidelines that clarify these laws and aim to protect LGBTQ students and staff."

• News Service of Florida: An appeals court will weigh a patient drug dispute in a case involving Publix. "An appeals court this month will hear arguments in a long-running battle pitting the Publix supermarket chain and insurers against a state agency and doctors over rules for dispensing medications to injured workers."

• Associated Press: Prosecutors file evidence against Rays shortstop Wander Franco in Dominican Republic probe. "Dominican prosecutors on Wednesday accused Wander Franco of commercial sexual exploitation and money laundering following allegations that the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop had a relationship with a minor whose mother also faces the same charges."

• News4Jax: Florida leads the nation in bicycle deaths, report reveals. "According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 18 people on average are in a bicycle crash every day. Per capita, the state leads the nation in bike deaths."

• Jacksonville Today: Jacksonville man’s conviction overturned because of witness hypnosis after 44 years in prison. "A Jacksonville man who spent more than 44 years in prison had his conviction overturned on Wednesday. Prosecutors acknowledged key evidence in the case against Willie Lee Williams, 79, was not disclosed at the time of his trial in 1976."