WUFT News - WUFT News

How a former Gator football star grooms the next generation of players

Newberry football head coach Ed Johnson led his team to a last second field goal victory against Calvary Christian on Sept. 15. A week later, with the school celebrating its homecoming, Johnson’s squad was up against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs a year ago. “Hopefully we have enoug…
Prosecutors formally charge former UF resident assistant in sex attack

Parker Aeon Siegel, 19, of Boca Raton, Florida, was charged with felony sexual battery of a person who was older than 12 and younger than 18. He previously entered a plea in the case of not guilty. Court records said the woman in the case was 17. …
Police search for suspect after sex attack near UF sorority houses

Police are searching for a young man who broke into a home near the University of Florida’s sorority houses in the middle of the night this week and sexually attacked someone. The crime occurred in the area of 400 SW 10th Street, just east of the university’s campus and only blocks away from Sororit…
The state university system Board of Governors moves forward with carrying out a new restroom rule

The state university system Board of Governors on Wednesday took a step in carrying out a controversial new law that includes requiring designation of restrooms for “exclusive use by females” and “exclusive use by males.” Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law in May, amid a series of measures in Florida …
Florida Supreme Court rejects execution appeal for man convicted of killing two women

The Florida Supreme Court has rejected an execution appeal for Michael Duane Zack III, who is facing a death sentence for killing two women in 1996 over the course of a nine-day crime spree near Tallahassee, Florida. The court upheld the death warrant signed by Governor Ron DeSantis signed on Aug. …
Former non-profit executives, entrusted to help domestic violence victims, accused of swindling at least $3.7 million

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has charged two former Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence chief executives with stealing over $3.7 million. Tiffany Carr, 54, former CEO of Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Patricia Duarte, 57, former CFO of Florida Coalition Agains…
National Weather Service promotes weather safety for the deaf and hard of hearing

The National Weather Service (NWS) is recognizing Deaf Awareness Week by releasing weather safety information for the deaf and hard of hearing. Weather alerts serve as important tools to notify the public of incoming danger, but some may not consider what it’s like to not hear the alarm in the middl…
Redistricting fight teed up in federal court

TALLAHASSEE — As the state appeals a Leon County circuit judge’s ruling that a congressional redistricting plan violated the Florida Constitution, another battle about the plan is poised to play out in federal court. A three-judge panel of federal judges is scheduled next week to start hearing argum…

Heard It On WUFT FM

Data do not account for families experiencing homelessness in Alachua and surrounding counties

Kimberly Iglesias December 1, 2022 Human Interest

An accurate record of the number of families experiencing homelessness in Alachua County and surrounding areas is nonexistent. According to Patrick Dodds, the director of Continuum of Care in Gainesville, there are currently about 10 homeless families in the coordinated entry system in need of housing assistance. “I think the number’s probably 10 times that,” Dodds said. “Families are often kind of the invisible homeless.”

Gainesville homeless campers told to move by Dec. 1

Katie Hyson November 28, 2022 Racial equity, Report for America

The camp is a microcosm of both this year’s housing crisis and the cracks in the local shelter system. Its uncertain future hints at what may be ahead for many more.

Inside the effort to diversify north central Florida’s largest arts festival

Katie Hyson November 18, 2022 Racial equity, Report for America, Rural equity

The Emerging Artist Program was developed in response to a challenge: What would it take to diversify the Downtown Festival and Art Show?

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Fresh Take Florida

Exclusive: Florida temporarily suspends political ideology surveys to nearly 2 million in state colleges, universities

September 13, 2023

Destruction seen from above: New video, photos reveal hurricane damage in Florida’s hardest hit region

September 1, 2023

Photos capture aftermath of Hurricane Idalia in Perry and Cedar Key

August 30, 2023

Idalia survivor of storm’s fury near landfall: ‘Don’t ever want to go through that again’

August 30, 2023

Historic Florida fishing village sees record storm surge

August 30, 2023

Florida evacuates 4,000 prisoners from 35 facilities ahead of Hurricane Idalia

August 29, 2023

One night, two lives changed forever: Case against shooter of neighborhood burglar ends in plea deal

July 13, 2023

Florida university graduates share inspiring personal stories

May 9, 2023

Underage drinking in a college town: How strictly should police, prosecutors enforce laws?

May 8, 2023

Former death row inmates slam new Florida law making it easier to impose capital punishment

May 3, 2023

Florida’s skating rinks look for insurance relief from Legislature

May 2, 2023

‘Stop being racist:’ Tickets for loud music nearly 3 times more likely for Black drivers under new Florida law

May 2, 2023

Longform

Micanopy divided over pennant flag displays

February 3, 2023

Growing, growing, gone: Marion County residents bemoan development surge

December 28, 2022

Gainesville’s first trans minister makes a mark through social justice initiatives

December 23, 2022

After Hurricane Ian, sowing hope

December 19, 2022

A tale of two cities: How two Florida towns are handling the tiny home movement

December 14, 2022

‘It’s Wakanda’: Inside a Gainesville public charter school defying the achievement gap

August 25, 2022

Watershed: A lake named Alice

August 22, 2022

Watershed: Wellspring

August 22, 2022

Watershed: Loving Florida, losing Florida

August 22, 2022

Watershed: On a fish and a prayer

August 22, 2022

Watershed: Spillover

August 15, 2022

Watershed: Wake Up Now

August 8, 2022

Environment

Law and public safety

Florida Good

Photos: Former members commemorate 101-year anniversary of UF Women’s Club

September 21, 2023

Peace conference in Gainesville: Bridging divides in the Middle East

September 13, 2023

Resilience amidst adversity: How Gainesville’s homeless population weathered Hurricane Idalia

September 2, 2023

World Equestrian Center Ocala opened free stall space for equine owners during Idalia

August 31, 2023

Florida Museum of Natural History staff safeguard butterflies for Hurricane Idalia

August 29, 2023

Outreach Thrift Store sees and sorts it all, serving Gainesville’s local communities for decades

August 14, 2023

988 hotline, one year later: mental health professionals talk positives and pitfalls

August 9, 2023

Community partners band together against homelessness, fundraise for GRACE Marketplace

August 4, 2023

Gainesville business builds homes out of shipping containers

June 15, 2023

Santa Fe College students help build home with Habitat for Humanity

June 8, 2023

Families gather at Rockwood Park for ACT’s ice cream event

June 5, 2023

Fisher House of Gainesville offers respite to caretakers of sick veterans

June 5, 2023

Alachua County student competes in Scripps National Spelling Bee

May 31, 2023

UFxFAMU1963: Reporting From the U.S. Civil Rights Trail

May 22, 2023

Rev. Milford Griner has personal experience with gun violence. It’s driven him toward solutions for 54 years

May 18, 2023

The Brazilian community in Gainesville: bringing culture and investment into the area

April 24, 2023

Arts and Entertainment

Local artists prepare to celebrate 100 years of Gainesville fine arts at the downtown Artwalk

September 20, 2023

High Springs residents prepare for closure of century old theater

September 19, 2023

Micanopy antique stores navigate the digital age

September 19, 2023

From dance to research, celebrating the wide range of Hispanic culture

September 18, 2023

Florida turkey hunting season in full swing amid national shortages

September 18, 2023

Chomp the Block brings smiles to Gainesville despite the early rain

September 18, 2023

Animals

Police: Driver blamed in fatal crash involving woman notorious for dog abuse allegations

Vivienne Serret September 20, 2023 Animals

A newly released Gainesville police report obtained by WUFT News said Loren Cava was riding her bicycle in the crosswalk and had the right of way when she was struck by the Jeep driven by Sohair A. Mohammed, 50, of Alsip, Illinois, who was turning left through the intersection.
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Gainesville Rabbit Rescue raises funds for disabled bunny

Mariana Larsen September 19, 2023 Animals
Florida turkey hunting season in full swing amid national shortages

Alissa Gary September 18, 2023 Agriculture, Animals, Business and development, Environment, Holidays, National, Statewide
ZooTampa welcomes its first endangered Komodo dragon hatchlings

Kaylann Sims September 17, 2023 Animals, Human Interest
Beware bears: Florida wildlife officials renew warnings about encounters

Debra Garcia September 15, 2023 Animals, Environment

Invisible Aftermath

A team of WUFT journalists looked into the unseen trauma of weathering a storm like last year’s Category 4 Hurricane Michael, which devastated the Florida Panhandle. WUFT spoke with survivors and researched solutions help children and families overcome the mental and emotional aftermath of a hurricane.

Peak Florida

Florida’s population growth has rebounded since the recession — now back to nearly 1,000 people a day like in the ’80s, but with weakened development regulations and accelerating climate change. Our special report examines the state’s latest growth wave, and whether we can welcome newcomers without losing what makes Florida, Florida.

Generation Gunned Down

Across America, nearly 230,000 children have experienced gun violence on their school grounds. A team of 15 journalists from WUFT News traveled to Littleton, Colorado, Parkland, Florida, Washington, D.C. and Toronto, Canada to learn about these tragedies. Everyone who has attended school from 1999 onward are part of Generation Gunned Down. Here are their stories.

Life After Maria

On Sept. 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria pounded Puerto Rico, destroying nearly everything in its path and cutting off the island from the rest of the world. A team of 11 journalists from WUFT News and Noticias WUFT traveled to the island for a week to document life after Maria. What captured their attention were the stories of resilience and determination to keep moving forward.

Silenced

In this WUFT News Special Report, we explore the fight Florida felons face after they leave the prison gates with housing, employment and voting.

Grade Expectations

For kids in East Gainesville, failing third grade can be a prison sentence. It’s a cycle of poverty, so the School Board, police and other educators are trying to figure out how to stop it.

Locked Out: Florida Sentences Are For Life

In the news, we often hear about people going to prison. But, we never hear about what happens to inmates once they leave. We wanted to find out. Our team of eight journalists at WUFT News followed the lives of seven people, some just minutes after they were released. Locked Out: Florida explores how the label “felon” has followed six people long after their prison sentences ended.

The Cost of Sunshine

A public records investigation by WUFT News revealed Florida lacks accountability for fees at local and state agencies.

Energy Burden

Energy comes at a much greater cost for Gainesville’s poor, from the portion of income spent on utilities to the days without power after Hurricane Irma. A special report on why the poor pay more, and what we can do.

Florida Voices

From veterans to community leaders to average citizens making a difference, hear the stories of Floridians in their own words. These are oral histories from WUFT News.

Hurricane Irma

On the morning of September, 10, 2017, Hurricane Irma made landfall as a Category 4 storm at 9:10 a.m., at Cudjoe Key before continuing its assault up the spine of the Florida peninsula. WUFT covered the storm from before it made landfall through the recovery efforts. These are our stories.

Our Gainesville

This summer, WUFT reporters focused on a community-engagement project that celebrates and highlights the rich diversity of the people who live here. We asked them why they made Gainesville home. All of them came here for different reasons, but one thing kept them here— it's a place where we belong— all of us. The project, Our Gainesville, is comprised of individual stories of people living, working, praying, performing and more. It dives into our past and present. It tells the stories of who we are, where we are and what we are. It shows what makes Gainesville, Gainesville.

Sunshine Lost

Florida’s Public Records Act Lacks Effective Enforcement Mechanism A statewide investigation of compliance with Chapter 119 of the Florida Public Records Act has revealed that the state lacks a uniform system to enforce the public records law. WUFT News investigated compliance with the state public records law in all 20 Florida district state attorney’s offices.

A Tale of Two Gainesvilles

The construction — happening city-wide, but mostly on University Avenue and on 13th Street — comes as part of plans by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency and the university to renew Gainesville.

The Low of Highs

Facing jail, a drug-addicted grandmother struggles to stop using and start over. Drifting in a small town in Marion County — a county where people are dying close to every other day from a drug overdose — Becky Clifford is desperate to survive in the face of addiction.

Earth's Storytellers

The Earth is wondrous, complicated, precious, damaged. How can we do its story justice, from the awe to the peril? Graduate students studying Nature & Adventure Journalism in the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications asked some of our most captivating environmental storytellers. WUFT News published their responses in a multi-week series of interviews and stories that celebrate science, environmental communication and the natural marvels that inspire it all.

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

In recognition of the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, WUFT-TV presents “Pearl Harbor: 75 Years Later,” a short documentary that tells the stories of veterans who survived those two infamous hours that greatly altered the course of American history.

Project: Blue Ether

A reporting and engagement project to explore the stories and science of water in North Central Florida.

This special project is funded by the Online News Association.

Bear Down

The first Florida black bear hunt in 21 years pitted staunch conservationists against hunting enthusiasts. Over one October weekend, hundreds of bears perished.

WUFT followed the story from the protestors to the taxidermy.