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The good news from 2021
The stories in this second pandemic year continued to be trying for Florida and the nation, to say the least. Whether it's the arrival of new COVID variant waves, dysfunction and conflict between federal, state and local governments or the ongoing struggle for racial equity, many editions of this newsletter contain fairly grim headlines.
That last point, in particular, became a stronger area of focus for our newsroom during 2021 and it's where we want to begin highlighting the good from this year. With the support of a grant from Report for America and our generous donors, we hired Katie Hyson to report exclusively on issues of racial equity across our coverage area. Her stories can be at once enlightening and dispiriting, and so she set off at year's end to discover where progress was made.
If you value the work Katie and others in our newsroom contributed this year on these topics, please consider supporting them here. We thank you.
As for more stories of how people (or, as in one story, their very good dog) are trying to make their communities a better place this year, these were a dozen of our favorites.
• Lincoln High School has an important history, and this part of the Gainesville community is fighting to remember it. "Gainesville’s only all-Black secondary school was forced to close its doors mid-semester during the 1969-1970 school year. Alachua County Public Schools had just received the federal mandate to integrate public schools. This is how the community that made up Lincoln High School fought to preserve its legacy." (Dec. 28)
• To understand how to save more birds, these Florida volunteers are collecting thousands of dead ones. "The Florida Museum of Natural History will be getting more birds this fall, as the project kicks off once again in time for fall migration, as birds head south for the winter. The project organizes volunteers to walk around downtown Jacksonville and collect dead birds on the sidewalk that have run into windows and buildings as a result of being distracted by bright lights. The project also encourages tall buildings to turn off their lights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every night during the spring and fall migration seasons in an effort to reduce the number of bird deaths caused by collisions." (Oct. 4)
• A Very Good Girl: Florida Man’s Dog Alerted A Neighbor After Her Owner Suffered A Stroke. "The stroke came suddenly. He didn’t remember falling, but the bump seen later on his head was evidence of his collapse. His wife was two hours away, so he was home alone and vulnerable. The family’s 7-year-old sable German Shepherd, Ellie, bolted for help. Suffering a hereditary condition that can cause joint pain and lameness, the dog opened no fewer than three gate latches by herself before hopping like a kangaroo to a neighbor’s nearby house, barking furiously for attention." (Sept. 23)
• Meet The Family That Started Marion County’s First Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program. "In 1980, 3-year-old Kathy Gray laid in a coma after being kicked in the head by a horse. Forty-one years later, she now ventures around her mother’s riding center, Stirrups ‘n Strides, caring for the 15 horses there. Asked if she has a favorite, she responds with a smile and a shrug, 'I love them all.'" (Sept. 22)
• ‘I Refuse To Be Faceless’: Gainesville AIDS Survivor Continues Fight Against HIV/AIDS Stigma. "Diagnosed with AIDS in 2003, (Marvene) Edwards has, at times, been on the brink of death. Now, she spends her days serving those who may have come just as close, as she works to channel her past to extend the lives and livelihood of others." (April 27)
• For Fans Of Local History, High Springs Museum Is A Hidden Treasure. "Recently, Bill and Diane Karras have kept the museum alive. The couple has been involved with the museum since 2014. Having lived in the area for over 30 years, Bill and Diane have learned and witnessed the change in High Springs." (April 21)
• Age is Just a Number, At Least for Kathryn “Kitty” Williams. "After a storied career in chemistry, Williams has found love a second time around. She spends her retirement as a volunteer (at St. Francis Pet Care), working just as many hours and refusing to be paid for it. She doesn’t need to work to live; she lives to work." (April 16)
• An Accident Took A Boy’s Ability To Walk. A Community In Ocala Wants To Give It Back. "Jacen Mancil never got to take his first steps as a toddler, but that could soon change due to the efforts of a small community in Ocala. Jake Mancil, Jacen’s father, calls Aug. 29, 2016, the worst day ever. His son was struck by a vehicle that day and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since. Now 5 years old, Jacen hopes to walk some day and has begun to show signs of movement in his legs. Members of the Ambleside School of Ocala came together over the past month to organize events to raise funds for intensive physical therapy. The campaign could help make Jacen’s dream a reality." (April 6)
• These Female-Owned Businesses In Gainesville Persevere In Spite Of Nationwide Challenges. "The most recent U.S. census statistics from 2012 showed that 35.7% of Alachua County businesses are female-owned, up from 30.8% in 2007. Despite the nationwide 'shecession' being observed in the last year, several female-owned firms in Alachua County continue to thrive under the circumstances, including Chase Morris’." (March 23)
• Running Regas: Regas Woods' journey to the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics. "The 39-year-old can see his future this summer in Tokyo, representing the United States again as a Paralympian. He can see his 13-year-old son, LJ, watching and cheering him on. And he envisions the struggles he’s encountered over the last four years, relearning how to run because of variables out of his control. Another day of training is complete. As his body begins to cool, Woods gathers himself, sits up from the floor and takes off his legs." (March 2)
• Community Gardens Grow In Purpose During Pandemic. "Since March, protective measures against COVID-19, including lockdowns, have restrained many from having face-to-face interactions or participating in social activities. But gardening has been one way for members of the Gainesville community to connect with nature and interact with people of all ages and backgrounds — all while being outdoors, keeping their distance and staying safe. In Gainesville, people have access to at least 12 community gardens across the city." (Feb. 15)
• Newberry Honors Lynching Victims With Soil Collection Ceremony. "The Concerned Citizens of Newberry partnered with the Equal Justice Initiative, the City of Newberry, the Alachua County Commission, the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project and the Real Rosewood Foundation to honor the six victims, known as the 'Newberry Six,' with a soil collection ceremony. Their names were Jim Dennis, Stella Young, Mary Dennis, Bert Dennis, Rev. Josh Baskins and Andrew McHenry." (Feb. 5)
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Our 25 most popular stories this year
Here's the ranking of WUFT stories our readers found most intriguing over the past 12 months. We look forward to sharing more news with you in the year ahead.
25. Gainesville And UF Launch Electric Scooters For Riders To Rent On Campus, Around The City (June 9)
24. Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy Unapologetic During UF Speaking Engagement (April 16)
23. Rebekah Jones And The Consequences Of Whistleblowing (May 13)
22. Florida Governor Won’t Consent To Drop Felony Charges In Voter Hacking Case (April 5)
21. Lu The Homosassa Hippo Is Getting Older, But He Still Draws A Crowd (Jan. 5)
20. Real estate agents in school board land deal are accused of ‘working both sides,’ increasing cost to Alachua County taxpayers (Oct. 22)
19. ‘One of the Best Years of My Life’: New Gainesville Black-Owned Food Businesses Flourishing (Feb. 10)
18. Two Women Charged With Homicide In Connection With 13-Year-Old Delia Young’s Disappearance (May 27)
17. UF files motion to dismiss complaint of former astronomy Ph.D. student in ongoing lawsuit (Oct. 18)
16. Tiny Houses Bring Big Opportunities For Growth In Williston (Feb. 16)
15. Gainesville’s Creeks Continue To Suffer From Unsustainable Shark Tooth Hunting (Jan. 11)
14. University of Florida stunt lands YouTube prankster in legal trouble (Oct. 26)
13. Untold Florida: What’s The History Of The Tenant Houses In Shiloh Near Micanopy? (May 18)
12. City of Gainesville Adopts New Rental Ordinance, Takes Effect in October (April 26)
11. Look To The Sky This Weekend In Gainesville As Vintage World War II Aircraft Fly Formations (April 7)
10. Former NYPD officers in Florida heralded by DeSantis include surprises (Nov. 22)
9. Her TikTok broadcasts from inside a Florida prison are exposing conditions to millions. (Oct. 6)
8. Gainesville Might Become First Florida City To Sue Governor, State Attorney Over ‘Anti-Riot’ Law (Aug. 2)
7. Some Florida residents faced a $600 fee for reporting free-flowing wells on their property. Now they won’t. (Dec. 14)
6. A 13-year-old in Putnam County is facing felony charges for repeating a rumor (Nov. 8)
5. Two Gainesville college students face sexual assault allegations (Dec. 13)
4. Employees At Gainesville Real Estate Firm Raided By SWAT Team Could Face Felony Charges (Aug. 25)
3. University of Florida Professor Resigns Amid Investigations Into Student’s Suicide (April 23)
1. Love in the big house: Former inmate plans unauthorized wedding in Florida federal prison to convicted fiancé (Nov. 19)
The Point will return to its regular format and publication schedule on Monday.
About today's curator
I'm Ethan Magoc, a news editor at WUFT. Originally from Pennsylvania, I've found a home telling Florida stories. I’m part of a team searching each morning for local and state stories that are important to you; please send feedback about today's edition or ideas for stories we may have missed to emagoc@wuft.org.