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The stories near you
• WUFT News: Gainesville says UF pulling bus budget. UF says there’s been a 'major misunderstanding'. "The City of Gainesville announced in a press conference Tuesday that the University of Florida has proposed to pull millions of dollars from the city’s Regional Transit System budget."
• WUFT News: Alachua County commission makes initial bid to manage proposed Little Orange Creek Conservation Corridor. "The proposed Little Orange Creek Conservation Corridor connects the Little Orange Creek Nature Preserve with the Lochloosa Slough Preserve. Lochloosa Slough Preserve totals about 6,300 acres and is located in Alachua County."
• WUFT News: Florida drivers react to failed EV tax bill. "A bill that would’ve added a $200 annual license tax to register electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles died before the end of Florida’s annual legislative session, never getting a hearing from the Senate’s Appropriations Committee."
• Mainstreet Daily News: Alachua County plans redo of 2022 single-member districts vote. "Alachua County voters could once again decide whether to elect county commissioners based on single-member districts or at-large districts—mirroring the 2022 ballot measure that voters passed by 51.5%."
• WUFT News: Two teens, one man indicted by grand jury for February murder. "The victim, Caleb Fries, was the target of a robbery when he was shot in his car near 700 NE 23rd Ave., according to a Gainesville Police Department press release."
• WUFT News: Affordable Housing Advisory Committee finalizes 2023 report to City Commission. "The city commission asks its advisory boards to submit and present a brief report on the board’s activities over the previous year each year, according to the City of Gainesville Agenda Item Report created before the meeting."
• Mainstreet Daily News: Blalock wins city of Alachua commission seat. "Incumbent Commissioner Jennifer Blalock won the city of Alachua’s election for Seat 5 on the city commission Tuesday by a 73-vote margin."
• WUFT News: Rapper Nelly delivers hits, advice to UF audience despite low turnout. "The event was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., but due to a low turnout, the show was delayed for an hour. As students continued to arrive, the arena announced that all guests seated in the stands were welcome to disregard their assigned seats and head to the open floor."
• The Point Podcast: Ending child abuse. Wednesday's host, Caitlyn Schiffer, speaks with Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together, about the significance of turning child abuse prevention month into a year-round mission as well as this issue's impact on our society as a whole.
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Around the state
• News Service of Florida: Federal judge blocks enforcement of Florida's school pronoun restrictions. "A federal judge on Tuesday blocked education officials from enforcing a law requiring a transgender Hillsborough County teacher to use pronouns that align with her sex assigned at birth, saying the law violated her First Amendment rights."
• Central Florida Public Media: DeSantis announces expansion of CORE, Florida’s opioid recovery network. "CORE connects overdose patients to medical treatment and brings in support through care coordinators and peer navigators. DeSantis said it's one part of the state's multi-faceted opioid response."
• WLRN-Miami: Florida's strict laws make Latin America a potential destination to get an abortion. "With the Florida Supreme Court upholding the state’s new stricter abortion ban, pregnant women in Florida — especially those in South Florida — may soon head to countries in Latin America, where several countries have legalized the procedure, a reproductive health expert told WLRN on Friday."
• Central Florida Public Media: Moving In: Census data shows Florida has four of the country’s fastest-growing metro areas. "According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2023 estimates of population and components of change, Florida had four of the five fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country from 2022 to 2023, led by the area that includes The Villages."
• News Service of Florida: An abortion proposal on Florida's November ballot might not end legal fights. "The three justices, who dissented last week from allowing the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot, wrote opinions warning about legal fights that will result if the measure passes."
• WUSF-Tampa: Thaddeus Bullard uses his pro wrestling fame to give back to his community. "But before he was a pro wrestler and Global Ambassador for WWE, Titus O’Neil was Thaddeus Bullard. He began his athletic career as a promising football player - a University of Florida Gator who played under legendary coach Steve Spurrier, and later in the Arena Football League."
From NPR News
• Health: EPA puts limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
• National: A Boeing whistleblower raises fresh concerns about the 787, and the FAA investigates
• Law: Here are the 42 questions on the juror questionnaire in Trump's hush money case
• National: The Arizona Supreme Court allows a near-total abortion ban to take effect soon
• National: Norfolk Southern will pay $600 million to settle East Palestine derailment lawsuit
• National: James and Jennifer Crumbley, a school shooter's parents, are sentenced to 10-15 years
• Science: Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of the so-called 'God particle,' has died
• World: Chechnya is banning music that's too fast or slow. These songs wouldn't make the cut
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.