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The stories near you
• Mainstreet Daily News: ‘Full operations’ resume at HCA’s North Florida Hospital. "HCA Florida North Florida Hospital reports it has returned to normal operations, even as reports of inadequately cleaned instruments persist."
• Gainesville Sun ($): School District proposed creating an alternative disciplinary school. How did that happen? "The new school, called Scholars for Success, was originally floated by school board Chair Diyonne McGraw early into her term as a board member, but was submitted to the state without any board approval, as outlined by Florida law."
• Mainstreet Daily News: High Springs selects new city manager. "City staff and Marshall will now start contract negotiations. Until the contract is finalized, a trio of city staff will take over the responsibilities of city manager."
• Ocala Gazette: Dunnellon restricts number of cats and dogs per residence. "The Dunnellon City Council unanimously passed an ordinance restricting the number of cats and dogs to no more than four of each in private homes within city limits at its regular meeting on March 13."
• WUFT News: All members of GRU Authority board resign after lawsuit settlement from citizen group. "Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said he isn’t surprised by the situation unfolding. He said he thinks it will take a long time for everything to be sorted out."
• Ocala Gazette: Bomb testing scheduled for Ocala National Forest. "Nearby residents can expect some extra noise coming from the Pinecastle Range Complex from 9:30 until 11 a.m. on Thursday."
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Around the state
• WFSU-Tallahassee: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill banning ID's for undocumented immigrants. "The measure was one of a host of bill the governor signed during a Friday press conference in Winter Haven meant to continue the undocumented immigrant crackdown that has been a priority since he took office. It comes as Florida faces a potential wave of refugees from Haiti."
• NPR: Gov. Ron DeSantis' war on 'woke' appears to be losing steam in Florida. "A court settlement this week blunted his Parental Rights in Education Act, a law that critics call Don't Say Gay. And earlier this month, a federal court blocked another key measure that DeSantis introduced in 2021 and called the Stop WOKE Act."
• WUSF-Tampa: Survivors of Hurricane Ian still in FEMA housing in Sarasota County are offered financial relief. "Survivors of Hurricane Ian currently using the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s temporary housing program will be charged rent after March 29."
• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida lawmakers are planning to buy more than 220 acres of land in Wakulla County. "Last summer, there were hundreds of state environmentalists and local Wakulla citizens voicing concerns for a piece of land in the county being eyed for a gas station."
• WLRN-Miami: Rubio, Scott press White House to reveal its plans for Haiti, possible migrant influx to Florida. "Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott on Friday penned a strongly-worded letter to President Biden demanding that he inform Floridians of the White House plans to address the unfolding humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti and prevent what they anticipate to be a 'drastic influx of Haitians' into Florida."
• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida State University is firing back at the ACC following its motion to dismiss media rights case. "The two have been at each other’s throats for months over FSU’s desire to leave the conference."
• WLRN-Miami: Would abortion drive Florida Latino turnout? Panelists at Hispanic Vote forum debate. "A constitutional referendum to protect abortion access in Florida could drive Hispanic voters to the polls in November if it ends up on the ballot, Democratic strategists said during a forum on the Hispanic vote hosted by the Miami Herald and other South Florida media outlets at Florida International University on Thursday night."
• Associated Press: As threats to Black cemeteries persist, a movement to preserve their sacred heritage gains strength. "Experts say these cemeteries -- located across the country, including Florida -- tell the story of bygone days that capture the richness of the Black experience. And families say it's essential to be able to pay their respects and connect with ancestors there."
• NPR: A Florida man who refused to sell his home to a developer now lives in the shadows. "There's something unusual about a new real estate development in the posh South Florida city of Coral Gables. Smack-dab in the middle of the million-square-foot complex, there's a small house. On all sides, it's surrounded — by parking garages, office buildings and a 14-story hotel."
From NPR News
• Elections: Mike Pence ran with Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. In 2024, he won't even endorse him
• National: RBG's family condemns the selection of recipients of an award named in her honor
• Business: A major settlement could spell an end to 6% real estate commissions
• Culture: Wendy Williams' dementia was blatantly exploited by the docuseries, a complaint says
• Business: Uber and Lyft threaten to halt operations in Minneapolis over minimum wage law
• Health: Watching a solar eclipse without the right filters can cause eye damage. Here's why
• History: This medieval astrolabe has both Arabic and Hebrew markings. Here's what it means
• Art: A family found centuries-old Japanese art stolen during WWII in their attic
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.