Jack Lemnus

Jack is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.

UF Faculty Senate approves vote of no confidence in presidential selection process

The University of Florida Faculty Senate passed a resolution Thursday indicating it has no confidence in a selection process that designated Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Nebraska, as the sole nominee to be UF’s 13th president. After two-and-a-half hours of debate, the Senate voted 72-16 to approve the resolution drafted last week stating the faculty was dissatisfied with a lack of openness in the selection process. Many faculty members were also displeased with Sasse’s lack of support for abortion and LGBTQ rights.

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UF students and faculty voice their opposition before Sasse’s return to campus

Students and faculty at the University of Florida are preparing to again display their disapproval of the university’s sole presidential finalist -- U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse R-Nebraska.  Opposition grew this week as the UF Faculty Senate was poised for an emergency meeting Thursday to consider a vote of no confidence in the selection process. This came as students were preparing another protest when Sasse returns to campus on Nov. 1 for a final interview with the UF Board of Trustees. 

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Ocala Pride Inc. leaders say Saturday’s return of Pride Fest is needed now more than ever

After two years of cancellations due to COVID-19, Ocala Pride Fest is back to celebrate LGBTQ culture with vendors, live music performances and an assortment of food. The Fest will take place at the downtown Ocala Square, 1 Northeast 1st Ave., from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday The event organizers, Ocala Pride Inc., say that Pride Fest is needed now more than ever in light of the discourse around LGBTQ equality taking root in Florida and reverberating around the country. Coming after legislation like the Parental Rights in Education bill, or the “Don’t Say Gay” bill as its dubbed by critics, LGBTQ rights in Florida will take center stage in Ocala this weekend.

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Residents of Hills of Santa Fe breathe a sigh of relief in the wake of Hurricane Ian

When Hurricane Ian was originally projected to make landfall around the Tampa Bay area and rampage up the center of Florida near Gainesville, the residents of Hills of Santa Fe held their breath. In a community with a long history of severe flooding, homeowners prepared for the worst. Then the storm changed course, heading northeast near Orlando and out into the Atlantic Ocean. Making landfall as a Category 4 storm near Fort Myers and Cape Coral before heading northeast, Hurricane Ian largely spared Gainesville of extreme damage.

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