Here are our editors' selections for the biggest news stories covered by WUFT in 2025.
Voters dissolved the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority
In November, 75% of Gainesville residents voted to dissolve the GRU, moving control of their utilities from the state to the city. The GRU Authority had previously been appointed by the governor in Republican efforts to install a GOP-appointed board in Gainesville.
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Kaley Mantz/WUFT NewsGainesville voters overwhelmingly approved a measure Tuesday to return control of the city’s utility to the City of Gainesville, a rejection of Republican efforts to install a GOP-appointed board from Tallahassee. -
Christian Petraitis/WUFT NewsWith only a single issue on the ballot, more than 75% of voters chose to return control of City of Gainesville utilities to the city government.
Quiet hurricane season leads to North Florida’s worst drought in a decade
With no landfalling hurricanes on the Sunshine State this season, aquifer levels are low. A resulting drought continues despite rain showers throughout Florida.
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Dillon Menefee/WUFT NewsNorth central Florida depends heavily on the Floridian Aquifer as its primary source of drinking water. When fewer tropical systems bring rain, the aquifer has less opportunity to recharge. -
Courtesy of SRWMDUnlike surface waters, which swell hours or weeks after a good storm, aquifer levels depend on about two years’ worth of rain. One wet weekend can’t fully restore the Floridan Aquifer’s flow, especially as an ever-growing number of wells competes for its water.
Gators men’s basketball took home the title
In April, the national championship for men’s basketball returned to Gainesville for the first time since 2007. The Gators defeated Houston 65-63 with just 19 seconds to spare.
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It was the scream heard ‘round Gainesville and, perhaps, all of collegiate sports. A thunderous clangor rang out from the more than 11,000 fans wedged together at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The national championship returned to Gainesville for the first time since 2014, and UF students greeted it with a deafening roar. -
The Gators men’s basketball team returned on Tuesday to Gainesville where 8,500 fans awaited at Flavet Field to celebrate the team's triumphant victory (65-63) Monday night against the University of Houston in the NCAA championship game.
Controversial black bear hunt took place in Florida forests
Despite widespread backlash, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) unanimously approved the hunt earlier this fall. The last hunt in 2015 was called off after just two days due to high kill counts.
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Amid support from hunters and warnings of a “slaughter” from animal-rights advocates, state wildlife officials Wednesday moved forward with Florida’s first black bear hunt in a decade. -
Courtesy of Ron Magill“Floridians really care about protecting bears,” she said. “And when you protect bear habitat, you protect habitat for so many other amazing species.”
University of Florida presidential search proved tumultuous
Donald Landry is UF’s newest interim president after another candidate, Santa Ono, was rejected at the final step during the summer. The process faced ups and downs, with backlash from state leaders, students, staff, faculty and alumni.
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Ono was rejected by Florida's Board of Governors on Tuesday afternoon. At Thursday's trustees meeting, Chairman Mori Hosseini spoke briefly on Ono's rejection. -
After unanimous Board of Trustees approval, BoG finalizes Landry’s appointment.
RTS lost funding from the University of Florida
Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) lost part of its funding from the University of Florida, which reallocated a portion of the money to its own transportation service, Campus Connector, leading to reduced city routes.
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Community members say UF funding decision hurts more than just students as service reductions take effect June 30. -
University of Florida students rallied Tuesday afternoon to demand better bus service, as Mayor Harvey Ward pushed for a $3 million city boost to the University of Florida’s RTS funding.
Alachua County residents protested ICE in schools
In a period of uncertain times for immigrants and their children, the Trump administration rescinded rules that had blocked immigration enforcement in schools. Alachua County residents took to the streets to protest.
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Gainesville residents rallied Tuesday outside the Alachua County School District headquarters demanding that Alachua County public school officials revise guidelines they say leave immigrant students vulnerable to questioning and detention by federal agents without parental consent. District officials say the policy complies with state and federal law. -
Kaley Mantz/Fresh Take Florida“We couldn’t take it anymore, the constant fear that one of us could be disappeared by ICE,” Silva said in an interview translated from Portuguese. “We wanted to stay in Florida where we’ve built our life, but my kids deserve a place where they feel safe and welcome.”
Florida football gets a new head coach
After failing to secure the most coveted coach in the country, Lane Kiffin, the Florida Gators hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as the program’s next head coach at an average of nearly $7.5 million per year. Stories published on WRUF.com: