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• WUFT News: Local metal artist fosters a blacksmithing community through workshops. "Over the last 15 years, however, Tharp has noticed significant growth in the community. Her workshops in Alachua County, held in her Gainesville studio, play a big role in that growth."

• WUFT News: Greater Gainesville Chamber celebrates 2024 Annual Business of the Year Awards. "The business of the year awards recognizes the best of local businesses in a variety of categories. Applicants are evaluated by three local business leaders to determine the finalists and a winner of each category. Winners are recognized as leaders in their specific industries."

• Florida Storms: Is there a Christmas tree crisis after the 2024 hurricane season? "North Carolina is the second-largest Christmas tree producer in the U.S. The majority of Florida's Christmas trees comes from the Carolinas or the Midwest. But many Christmas tree farms suffered devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene just before the 2024 holiday season."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Area communities receive Rural Infrastructure Fund Awards. "According to a press release from Gov. Ron DeSantis’s office, the four area communities received nearly $4 million of the $20 million in awards to small county governments and rural municipalities. The funds will go toward infrastructure and strengthen the rural economies."

• WCJB: UF named best agricultural research school in the country. "For the sixth year in a row, the National Science Foundation ranked UF number one in agricultural sciences and conservation research. UF has invested more than 260 million dollars in agricultural research, and Dr. Robert Gilbert believes Florida’s diverse climate is a big reason they’re number one."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Gainesville Black Professionals to dissolve, founder plans new nonprofit. "Grant, whose background is in mental health counseling, found that everyone said they wanted to connect and work with the Black business community, but no one was connecting."

• Mainstreet Daily News: Gainesville kicks off holiday season with 2nd annual parade. "Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal was chosen to act as grand marshal for this year’s holiday parade, and he glided onto University Avenue in a Blackfin boat with a 'Shaq-A-Clause' hat."

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Around the state

• Associated Press: Group headed to court over a decision to drill for oil in a vulnerable Florida watershed. "The challenge brought by the conservation group Apalachicola Riverkeeper against the state’s environmental protection agency comes as the department has faced a wave of pushback from advocates who argue the state is inadequately protecting public lands and waters."

• WGCU-Fort Myers: Naples City Council votes to discontinue fluoridating its city water supply. "On Wednesday, the Naples City Council voted to stop the practice of adding fluoride to the city’s water supply. It was decided with a 4-to-3 vote following public comment from citizens on both sides of the issue."

• WFSU-Tallahassee: Florida’s domestic violence shelters are getting back on track after the Tiffany Carr scandal. "When Tiffany Carr, the former CEO of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, turned herself in last year on charges relating to grand theft and a scheme to defraud, domestic violence shelters and advocates were left to pick up the pieces. Now, Amanda Price, who heads the nonprofit that was created to replace Carr’s organization, is leading the cleanup effort."

• NPR: NASA delays Artemis II human moon mission once again as it wraps up heat shield investigation. "The news of the delay comes after a lengthy investigation into issues related to the Orion spacecraft's heat shield that were uncovered during an uncrewed test mission in late 2022. After the capsule returned to Earth, engineers uncovered charred bits of the heat shield--tasked with protecting the crew from temperatures of nearly 5,000 degree Fahrenheit during re-entry--had broken off unexpectedly."

• News Service of Florida: Farmworker housing issue is teed up in Tallahassee. "After Gov. Ron DeSantis in June vetoed a proposal aimed at providing housing for migrant farmworkers, a Republican senator has reintroduced the issue for the 2025 legislative session."

• Associated Press: Prosecutor seeks to clear records of people charged with buying police-made crack in 1980s. "A South Florida prosecutor says he will seek to vacate as many as 2,600 convictions of people who bought crack cocaine manufactured by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for sting operations between 1988 and 1990."

• News Service of Florida: Florida wildlife officials will discuss bear management this week. "Florida's bear management plan was approved five years ago, and calls are increasing for the state to allow bear hunting for the first time in nearly a decade."

• Associated Press: Jury awards $310 million to parents of teen killed in Orlando amusement park ride fall. "Late Thursday, the Orange County jury ordered that the manufacturer Funtime pay $155 million each to Tyre Sampson's parents, Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson. He died on March 24, 2022, after falling 70 feet from Icon Park's Orlando Free Fall ride. The trial lasted only a day as Funtime never appeared in court to defend itself."

• Central Florida Public Media: As RSV levels rise in Florida, vaccine levels remain low. "Vaccination rates in various risk groups are low. For adults 75 years and older, vaccination rates topped at just 41%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other risk groups showing low signs of vaccine levels include 32% of pregnant mothers and 30% of infants."

From NPR News

• National: Yes, the number of food recalls has been rising. Here's what you need to know

• Law: Lawsuit accuses Jay-Z of raping a 13-year-old with Sean 'Diddy' Combs in 2000

• World: Photos: See the fall of Damascus after Syrian rebels topple Assad's regime

• Health: USDA orders testing across nation's milk supply amid rising bird flu cases

• Health: Coronavirus FAQ: I didn't get the latest COVID vaccine. Should I? And if so ... when?

• Election: Election confidence among Republicans surges after Trump's win, a new poll finds

• Animals: She's 74 — and expecting: Wisdom the albatross astounds once again

Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.