It’s been almost a week since Alachua County’s Friends of the Library fall book sale ended, but for volunteers and book lovers alike, the hardest part of the work is just beginning: throwing away books into the dumpster. “Paperback books that can’t be sold are recycled,” said Ellen Smith, a …
Read More »Florida minimum wage increase to $12 an hour could change the way local businesses operate
Ben Guzick, a Gainesville bakery owner, is evaluating how he needs to run his business after the recent increase in Florida’s minimum wage to $12 on Sept. 30. The minimum wage will increase by $1 annually until 2026 when it reaches $15 an hour. This went into effect on Nov. …
Read More »UFORA residents finally get green light to move into apartments promised in August
It’s been two weeks since the long-awaited move-in day at UFORA, and resident Jordan Floyd said there are still concerns post move-in day. After arriving to her brand-new fully furnished apartment, Floyd said multiple items were missing including the fridge, bed side tables and the chair for the living room. …
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 »Nonprofit receives $1.73 million grant for broadband infrastructure training
CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion was awarded a $1.73 million grant to fund training courses for workers to install and maintain broadband infrastructure in the area. The five-year grant is part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs program that helps people in the rural areas of …
Read More »Local bookstore owner prepared for new Barnes & Noble location opening in town
Heather Halak has been working at Third House Books on 400 NW 10th Ave. for six years. While Halak hasn’t been worried about chain bookstores bringing competition to the Gainesville area, the upcoming opening of a new Barnes & Noble location in Butler Plaza has caught her attention. “With a …
Read More »Williston Municipal Airport receives $3.5 million to build new terminal
Construction is expected to begin in late October on a new $3.5 million terminal for the Williston Municipal Airport. While the small airport does not expect to see regularly scheduled passenger service, officials there say the new terminal will attract visitors to the airport, which will bring in revenue to …
Read More »How Taylor Swift is changing the way UF professors are teaching
In Nov. 2021, English Professor Elizabeth Scala at the University of Texas at Austin was tasked with updating her class content for the spring semester. Having taught “Literary Contests and Contexts: Harry Potter, A Secret Language” three times already, she craved something new. Locked down for months at home with …
Read More »A construction landfill in Archer faces another hazardous waste violation after 36 years of business
Since 1987, Watson C&D, a company that operates a construction landfill in Archer, hasn’t passed Alachua County inspections. In August, the latest violation included oil leaks on the ground from a fuel storage container, which can contaminate the groundwater, according to an inspection report. The inspections are completed every 24 …
Read More »“Cheers to Swifties”: The Eras Tour takes over theaters around north central Florida
While scream masks and tacky costumes typically overtake Friday the 13th, blonde hair and shimmer eyeshadow dominated the lines at more than 300 movie theaters Friday across the nation as Friday kicked off with the premier of “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.” North Central Florida fans were in step with …
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