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The stories near you
• WUFT News: UF announces Santa J. Ono as sole finalist for its next president. "The university announced Ono will visit campus on Tuesday in an initial public appearance. Ono is scheduled to appear on Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. with administrators, faculty and staff in the Emerson Hall President’s Ball Room, located on the 2nd floor."
• WUFT News: No recreation without representation: documenting the fight for Florida’s state parks. "The Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 80 — one of two bills meant to prevent development in state parks. This bill deters initiatives similar to last summer, when Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plans were leaked to expand recreation and lodging in state parks."
• WUFT News: Alachua Conservation Trust prepares north Florida for growing season with prescribed burns. "Prescribed burning is necessary to prevent large-scale wildfires because it removes dead materials that can be kindling for fires. 'You remove the fuel, you remove the fire,' Coulliette said."
• WUFT News: A Gainesville running club hopes to start a statewide trend. "In its yearly trend report, the popular workout app Strava found the percentage of social runners increased dramatically in 2024, particularly among younger Gen Z athletes. 55% of Gen Z respondents said their primary motivation for joining a fitness group was to make social connections. Strava only predicts this trend to grow even more in 2025."
• Mainstreet Daily News: FDLE investigating crimes against minors during raid on Alachua Today, Boukari Law. "The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) raided Alachua Today and Boukari Law in July 2024 because of an investigation into former city manager Adam Boukari, according to a March memorandum from the Florida Office of the Inspector General."
• Mainstreet Daily News: Gainesville OKs first reading for red-light cameras. "The city currently plans to only roll out two red-light cameras—at the Waldo Road and NE 39th Avenue intersection and the NW 6th Street and NW 23rd Avenue intersection. The ordinance will still need another vote to be finalized."
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Around the state
• NPR: Florida lawmakers try to balance condo safety with cost. "The bill, which now goes to governor for a signature, pushes back the deadline for completing a structural integrity inspection and allows condo associations a two-year grace period in fully funding reserves. It also allows condo associations that receive approval from a majority of members to secure loans and lines of credit to fund repairs."
• WUSF-Tampa: Gov. Ron DeSantis quickly signs bill restricting citizens' initiative process. "The governor signed the bill hours after state lawmakers passed it on the final day of regular session. He did not alert the media ahead of time."
• News Service of Florida: Florida lawmakers will return in mid-May to hammer out a state budget. "House and Senate leaders said late Friday they had reached agreement on a 'framework' for a budget deal that would include $2.8 billion in tax cuts, with lawmakers expected to return to the Capitol during the week of May 12 to negotiate details."
• Associated Press: Key legislative issues that didn't go in DeSantis' favor. "For six years, Gov. Ron DeSantis had a firm grasp on Florida's legislature. In his second-to-last legislative session, that is not the case."
• WUSF-Tampa: Fewer teens are smoking, but Florida health and school officials want to do better. "According to an October 2024 survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10.1% of high school students reported using any tobacco product within 30 days of being polled. That was down from 12.6% in 2023."
• News Service of Florida: Florida lawmakers are turning off student cell phones. "Current law prevents students from using cell phones during instructional time, but the change would expand that prohibition to throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools."
From NPR News
• Politics: Does a president need to uphold the Constitution? Trump says 'I don't know'
• Law: Jury selection in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial begins today
• National: Army Black Hawk helicopter forces two jetliners to abort landings at DCA
• National: After paying people to leave, one federal agency is scrambling to fill positions
• Sports: Sovereignty beats out favorite Journalism to win the Kentucky Derby
• Health: Medical journals hit with threatening letters from Justice Department
• Health: He let snakes bite him some 200 times to create a better snakebite antivenom
• National: Race car drivers turn lemons (and $500) into an endurance contest like no other
Kristin Moorehead curated today's edition of The Point.