The Alachua County Office of Waste Alternatives is inviting residents to participate in a two-month environmental scavenger hunt that began Feb. 22 and will conclude on April 22, which is Earth Day. “Eco Chase Challenge – The Race Against Waste” will welcome up to 50 teams, with up to five …
Read More »Get ready for the Marion County Master Gardeners’ 2023 Spring Festival
For the 27th year, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Marion County Master Gardener Volunteers are hosting the Spring Festival. It’s an event that is always held on the second weekend in March. The 2023 Spring Festival is a two-day event at the Southeastern Livestock …
Read More »Land of the fee? Costly permits now required to film some YouTube, TikTok videos in national parks
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Social media mavens may need to think twice before pulling out their iPhones, GoPros or other video equipment when they’re recording in breathtaking national parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or the Everglades. The National Park Service is now requiring permits that could cost hundreds of dollars …
Read More »Sunrise Movement Gainesville stages march for climate action
Shouting at the top of her lungs, “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, climate change has got to go,” while marching through Downtown Gainesville in the late afternoon heat, Madeline Stewart waved around a sign that read “Make Florida Green. You owe us.” Stewart, a 21-year-old University of Florida political science and …
Read More »Invasive Cuban treefrog extends its presence in Florida
Cuban tree frogs are a native species of Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas that came to the United States, more specifically Florida, in the 1920s. This species has had over a century to invade Florida ecosystems and negatively impact both human infrastructure and native species.
Read More »Alachua County Commission moves forward with plans for surtax revenue
Alachua County’s elected leaders have approved two new plans on how they will use $188 million in taxpayer money. In November 2022, voters in Alachua County helped pass an infrastructure surtax that will be in place for the next 10 years. It’s a 1% sales tax, equating to one cent …
Read More »Florida Springs Council announces big legal win
The Florida Springs Council announced a legal victory last week. In a Facebook post, the council said the Florida First District Court of Appeal had reversed a lower court’s decision in a legal battle that has been ongoing since 2019. In 2016, the Florida Legislature passed the Florida Springs and …
Read More »This cemetery’s flowers are planted, not placed
Perhaps one would not expect musicians playing, artists creating and kids running through the grass meadows at a loved one’s burial. However, for Eleanor Blair, this was the reality of the first burial she attended at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery (PCCC). PCCC aims to restore land in Florida through green …
Read More »Residents asked to review Santa Fe Watershed Flood Risk maps
The Suwannee River Water Management District has completed a flood-risk review of the Santa Fe River Watershed. Residents in parts of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Gilchrist, Suwannee, and Union counties may be impacted by the updated flood maps. Engineer Mary Diaz says it’s time for residents to review the initial maps. …
Read More »Community members speak up about new “forever chemicals” study
A new study by the Environmental Working Group compared its findings to data from the FDA that measured PFAS levels in seafood from grocery stores and found that the supermarket samples had a drastically lower concentration of PFAS compounds than freshwater fish.
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