Alachua County is struggling with the homeless population in Gainesville. However, the Alachua County Commission proposed to buy the Scottish Inn, a local motel in town, and turn it into a permanent supportive housing facility for homeless people. Gainesville has 625 homeless people, as of a 2022 count. To house …
Read More »Gainesville’s noise ordinance debate continues to bring tension between Gainesville city officials and neighbors
Gainesville city commissioners unanimously decided Thursday against hiring a consultant to look over its noise ordinance. Gainesville Police Lt. Lisa Scott has said in the city, “the No. 1 complaint will be noise.” The complaints over the sound of loud cars and concerts in the downtown area remain. Gainesville has …
Read More »A compassionate cook takes big life step: building and receiving a home
Alachua County resident Kiana Clayton got a home of her own last Thursday. Clayton, 26, is a manager and cook at Bev’s Drive-Thru. She has worked there for the past decade. She needed help finding an affordable place to live, so she turned to her sister for guidance, who just …
Read More »UFORA apartment construction delay continues, tenants see no end in sight
Some University of Florida students are still waiting on a place to live, nearly halfway through the semester. The UFORA apartment complex has yet to finish construction after an initial proposed move-in date of August 5. Alyson Gonzalez, a UF parent, said she is feeling “frustrated and misled” because the …
Read More »UF students mark Child Health Day with walk to Shands Hospital
Pediatric illness is something University of Florida student, Kalie Wright, knows well. It all started when she was sitting in the crowd of an event for Dance Marathon during her Sophomore year of high school. “I was listening to a story by a lady named Marsha Tripp,” she said. “These …
Read More »Students question school safety day after bomb threat
Gainesville students are trying to understand why an 8th grader would allegedly send bomb threats before getting arrested Monday afternoon. The thirteen-year-old female is enrolled at Kanapaha middle school and was arrested after sending emails to Kanapaha Middle School and Buchholz High School on Monday, according to an Alachua County …
Read More »Hundreds of students forced to live in temporary hotel rooms, possibly left homeless after delay in promised housing
People love University of Florida football. That’s why fans book hotel rooms months in advance for the games. On Sept. 16, several hotels across Gainesville were sold out for the UF versus Tennessee game. But for many students in Gainesville, that meant packing up their stuff and looking for a …
Read More »UF Students host golf tournament to support GRACE Grows
Golfers putting. Golf balls flying. Golf carts zooming. University of Florida students working. This was the scene at the Turkey Creek Golf Course on Friday. UF students worked on a project this semester for GRACE Grows, a nonprofit organization that provides fresh fruits and vegetables to people experiencing homelessness and …
Read More »Live Oak Plantation in Ocala hosts jumping event for 32nd year
Ocala's Live Oak International, a world-class equestrian competition held in March, welcomed more than 15,000 spectators. It is the only tournament in the United States to offer both international combined driving and show jumping in the same event. The final will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, April 4-8.
Read More »Alachua Habitat for Humanity builds home for local school employee
Correction to the video story above: Gloria Lewis is an executive assistant at Westwood Middle School, not a teacher. The sound of clapping filled Gloria Lewis’ new front yard in the Duval Heights neighborhood. What started as a piece of land is now a beautiful green home with white columns. …
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