Julia Coin

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

UF backup quarterback played season while secretly under investigation in child pornography case

The University of Florida’s backup quarterback played his whole season in the shadows of struggling starter Anthony Richardson — and now, it turns out, a sensational child pornography investigation, too. The criminal investigation, which began in June and unfolded slowly over five months during a disappointing 6-6 season, has redirected national attention on the Florida Gators – under new head coach Billy Napier – and quarterback Jalen Kitna, 19, of Burleson, Texas. Kitna was released from jail on an $80,000 bond late Thursday, after his first court appearance in a case involving five felony counts of possessing and distributing child pornography online.

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Florida Gators backup quarterback faces child pornography charges, suspended from team indefinitely

Florida Gators backup quarterback Jalen James Kitna was arrested Wednesday and accused of five felony counts of possession and distribution of child pornography. The team suspended him indefinitely and said in a statement it was shocked and saddened over his arrest. Gainesville police said Kitna, 19, of Burleson, Texas, shared …

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University of Florida bans protests in on-campus buildings as Sasse awaits presidential appointment

GAINESVILLE, Fla – Protestors will not be allowed inside University of Florida buildings after more than 300 students disrupted a meeting with sole presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse during his first on-campus appearance earlier this month.  The two-decade-old regulation will be upheld for the first time in recent years, …

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Early reports emerge of stunning damage on Florida’s iconic Sanibel Island, still severed from mainland by bridge collapse

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A cement-like mixture of sand, muck and oil cloaks everything on Sanibel Island, one of two barrier islands renowned for their sandy beaches and seashells where Hurricane Ian particularly focused its fury. The mixture smeared across Carolyn Bradbury Schwartz’s face and filled her boots as she …

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Lifelines after landfall: Southwest Florida grapples with Hurricane Ian’s impact

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Gulf of Mexico swallowed driftwood, stray shoes, split skim boards and the last vestige of Crystal Edge’s mother’s memory in the days following Hurricane Ian’s devastation. The 28-year-old sailboat – a family heirloom – remained trapped below piled debris at a marina under the Fort …

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Florida wildlife agency expected to shoot down commercialized turtle breeding proposal

The U.S. Association of Reptile Keepers of Florida wants the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to approve captive breeding of Diamondback terrapins. The move would combat declining populations of the species of turtle due to high demand as both low-maintenance pets and poachable commodities. The program will be discussed at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission meeting Wednesday, but FWC’s staff report, slated to be presented during discussion, recommends maintaining current rules.

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