WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
The second day of Gainesville's gun violence summit will be held Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center.
Read More »More than 400 people gather at first Gainesville gun violence summit
‘Choose Peace’: Gainesville to host gun violence summit to address deaths and violence in the community
Gainesville will host a two-day summit to address the high gun violence rates sweeping the city. The summit, titled “Choose Peace: Gun Violence Must Cease,” will be held Sunday and Monday and seeks to address the nuances and logistical issues facing gun-violence prevention. The event aims to bring community stakeholders …
Read More »Faculty unions file suit against state law banning arbitration in employment disputes
TALLAHASSEE — Faculty unions and a New College of Florida professor who was denied tenure have challenged the constitutionality of a new state law that did away with arbitration in university employment disputes. The United Faculty of Florida, its New College chapter and professor Hugo Viera-Vargas filed a lawsuit Thursday …
Read More »Death of Ocala woman motivates gun law reformation conversation at community vigil
Two months after the death of Ajike “AJ” Owens, cries for gun reform legislation and justice still ring throughout the Gainesville community. Dozens of residents gathered for a candlelight vigil on Wednesday at the GNV Bridge Community Center to commemorate the life of Owens, a Black mother of four who …
Read More »Florida set to execute inmate James Phillip Barnes in nurse’s 1988 hammer killing
A Florida man sentenced to death for the 1988 attack on a woman who was sexually assaulted and killed with a hammer, then set on fire in her own bed, is set for execution Thursday after dropping all his appeals and saying he was ready to die. James Phillip Barnes, …
Read More »Bearing the burden: Marion County Fire Rescue holds weightlifting competition for first responder mental health awareness
Editor’s note: This story includes the mention of suicide and its impact on a community. If you or someone you know is suicidal, you can reach the national suicide hotline at 800-273-8255 or by dialing 988. Among the sound of the weights clanging and the anxious chatter of the competitors, …
Read More »Florida Supreme Court will hear case stemming from UF’s 2020 COVID shutdown
TALLAHASSEE — The state Supreme Court on Thursday said it will take up a dispute about whether the University of Florida should return fees to students because of a campus shutdown early in the COVID-19 pandemic — one of numerous similar cases filed in Florida and across the country. Justices …
Read More »Gainesville Police Advisory Council reviews 9 internal investigation reports
Two investigations resulted in officer suspensions of over a week. One case stemmed from a K9 attack on a Gainesville man. The Gainesville Police Advisory Council is holding its monthly meeting at city hall Wednesday night, and part of the agenda is to review several of the department’s recently …
Read More »Gainesville police need your help identifying this armed robbery suspect
The Gainesville Police Department on Monday requested the public’s help in identifying the person in the picture below. The department says he is a suspect in an armed robbery in which he and two others targeted victims in two separate hotel rooms. Once inside, police say the man held the …
Read More »Ocala couple pleads guilty to participating in the US Capitol attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Florida couple pleaded guilty Monday to participating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Jamie Buteau, 50, and Jennifer Buteau, 46, both of Ocala, entered guilty pleas in District of Columbia federal court, according to court records. Jamie Buteau pleaded guilty to …
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