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• WUFT News: Gainesville’s original water source to get a new life through a major revitalization project. "In 1899, Gainesville purchased Boulware Springs Nature Park and invited the University of Florida to establish its campus in the city, offering free access to freshwater as an incentive. Over 100 years later, the spring’s history has been largely forgotten, Waite said."
• WUFT News: 'Horse Capital of the World' becomes shelter for equine hurricane evacuees. "While most Floridians can leave their homes during a storm, horse owners face the challenge of finding shelter for their animals. Deciding whether to leave them in a barn or release them into the wild is a hard choice, exactly why WEC opens its doors."
• WUFT News: Meet the candidates in the 2024 Gilchrist County School Board District 4 race. "Incumbent Gina Geiger is currently the Gilchrist County 4th District school board member, having been in the seat for the last eight years, but is running for the county’s superintendent of schools this fall. With her stepping away from her position, there is now a two-candidate race for the District 4 school board seat."
• Mainstreet Daily News: Clemons calls for end to clashes over GRU Authority, orderly transition. "He said his goals were to give control to an authority beyond the control of the City Commission, to prohibit 'activist-management' of the utility, to establish representation by customers living outside Gainesville city limits, and to preempt any plans that would undermine the authority’s autonomy."
• Gainesville Sun ($): Foreign national convicted in Alachua County of conspiring to export drill rigs to Iran. "Assi facilitated the sale of the drills and attempted to export them to Iran and used freight forwarding companies to ship the heavy equipment from the U.S. to Turkey. In doing so, Assi concealed any Iranian involvement in the transaction from his employer, claiming the drills were ultimately destined for use in Iraq."
• WCJB: ‘They’re too prevalent’: District officials ban cell phone use at Dixie County Middle High School. "This has caused some controversy with many parents saying this is a good idea and can help prevent bullying. Some others say they can’t get behind the change due to the possibility of a school shooting or a medical emergency."
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Around the state
• News Service of Florida: Internet-industry groups are challenging a new Florida law aimed at keeping children off social media. "The groups claim the law violates the First Amendment, and posits that parents should be the ones to decide what platforms or websites their children access and use."
• Associated Press: Seminole Tribe settles legal challenges to online sports gambling exclusivity in Florida. "As part of the settlement, the companies have agreed to end litigation against the tribe’s gaming operations and instead will begin a new partnership to offer Jai Alai wagering on the tribe’s Hard Rock Bet app."
• WFSU-Tallahassee: Ashley Moody kicks off Florida first responder mental health hotline. "Moody said the hotline developed from several regional ones around Florida that have found success. It’s meant to help police, firefighters or EMS seek help for trauma they receive on the job."
• News Service of Florida: Florida voters weigh hunting and fishing rights on 2024 ballot. "The Vote Yes on Amendment 2 political committee, which is leading efforts to pass the proposal, had raised $1.228 million in cash as of Saturday and had spent nearly $964,000, according to finance information posted on the state Division of Elections website."
• Associated Press: Officials push back against misconception Gulf Coast was 'decimated,' encourage tourists to visit. "While it may take months - if not years - for some portions of the Tampa Bay area tourism industry to recover, Hillsborough County officials want to get out the word that they're open for business after the havoc wreaked by hurricanes this season."
• WLRN-Miami: Will Latinos be the decisive vote on abortion access in Florida? "The measure is a response to what critics call the near total abortion ban that took effect in Florida, which largely bans the procedure after only six weeks of pregnancy. Amendment 4 needs 60% of the vote to gain passage — and the latest polls show it will be close."
• WUSF-Tampa: Dengue continues to spread in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. "With Hurricane Helene flooding Pasco’s coastline, and Milton dumping over fifteen inches of rain on the county’s interior, officials said the situation was especially inviting for the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Dengue."
From NPR News
• Election: Ballots set on fire in three states as Election Day approaches
• Politics: Philadelphia DA sues Elon Musk over $1 million giveaway to registered voters
• National: Hurricane evacuations are about 5 times more expensive than 20 years ago
• Media: Over 200,000 subscribers flee 'Washington Post' after Bezos blocks Harris endorsement
• Business: Why you’re seeing scary-high chocolate candy prices this Halloween
• Science: Meet America's secret team of nuclear first responders
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.