WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: “Can’t Drag us Down”: Gainesville celebrates pride. “Surrounding patrons with vibrant color and rich sound, the festival had undertones of making positive change for the community.” • WUFT News: Media …
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 »Pedestrian safety focus of joint City Commission and UF Student Senate meeting
UF Student Government Senators asked for major changes to university-wide pedestrian safety at the joint annual Gainesville City Commission meeting. Five pedestrians have died in Gainesville so far this year, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. At the meeting, commission members heard students’ demands for …
Read More »Man accused of crashing excavator into Walmart ordered to face mental health evaluation
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A judge has ordered a man accused of stealing an excavator and running it into several buildings to undergo a mental health evaluation before he can be released on bail. Jesse Charles Smith, 47, of Trenton, Florida, was arrested late Monday in Gainesville. Police accused him of …
Read More »Trenton man who hijacked an excavator caused an estimated $2 million in property damage
Police say a Trenton man stole construction equipment and went on a destructive spree just after 10 p.m. Monday causing an estimated $2 million in property damage to four businesses, according to early estimates. Police say Jesse Charles Smith, 47, hot-wired an excavator at a construction site and drove it …
Read More »The Point, Sept. 12, 2023: Man arrested after allegedly crashing excavator into Walmart
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • Florida Storms: Hurricane Lee expected to stay away from Southeast coast. “Although Lee is forecasted to stay off of the coast, distant hurricanes still pose a threat to coastal communities. Know the …
Read More »Man drives stolen excavator through a wall at Butler Plaza Walmart, police say
Gainesville Police posted a brief description of the crash that also damaged power poles and lines in the area. A suspect is in police custody.
Read More »Gainesville grocery stores struggle to keep up with demand ahead of storm
Gainesville grocery stores are struggling to keep up with rising demand for supplies like water and toilet paper. While necessities are being restocked as quickly as possible prior to Hurricane Ian’s arrival, it is unclear how late stores will remain open. As of noon Wednesday, several locations still have water …
Read More »The Point, Sept. 15, 2022: In a surprise move, defense attorneys for confessed Parkland school shooter rest their case
The announcement frustrated the judge and prosecutors on Wednesday.
Read More »Man who died in motorcycle crash had complex past but was working to turn his life around, family member says
This story has been updated to include comment from the owner of the motorcycle, update the headline, add Lovett family comments and to replace the photo of Lovett with one from his family. READ: Open Letter to the Community about our Coverage Why we reported this story this way This …
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