Every bird watcher’s dream is to find a species they wouldn’t normally see wandering through North Central Florida. Some encounters can be extraordinary enough to bring attention, said Felicia Lee, a current board member of the Alachua Audubon Society. That’s the case with the Common Merganser wandering across Alachua County …
Read More »The war against flooding: A Gainesville family’s nightmare
When the dark clouds roll in, the Blanchards’ storm preparation team rolls out. “Prepped, staged, deployed” is what the couple calls their flooding protection process. It starts when clear skies fade away. That’s when Gainesville resident Mike Blanchard, 53, starts watching the storm radar with a vigilant eye. But he …
Read More »Residents who oppose golf course development left waiting after commission meeting
Approximately 20 community members spoke at last Tuesday’s policy discussion at Alachua County Administration headquarters to voice their concerns about the development of a proposed golf course in southwest Gainesville. The meeting lasted approximately three hours and ended with the commission approving a special area study, which outlines the minimum …
Read More »Lee property special area study approval could mean a UF golf course
A special area study on one of Alachua County’s 47 environmentally sensitive ecosystems will be evaluated Nov. 7 to determine what should be protected during potential development. In 1996, Alachua County determined that the 5,311 acres known as Hickory Sink houses a strategic ecosystem – meaning it contains vulnerable natural …
Read More »The Point, Oct. 11, 2023: Israel vigil attendees shaken after crowd panic
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: Prayer followed by panic at Turlington Plaza leaves students shaken. “About 20 people arrived in the UF Health Shands emergency room lobby within a 15-minute period, said Doug Bennett with …
Read More »From wetland to wasteland: trees on Gainesville woman’s property removed
Julianna Witte, 61, watched her two sons grow up in her 11-acre backyard, running wild, letting nature be their teacher. She did not anticipate the backdrop to their childhood would be bulldozed years later. “As widows, we feel deceived, vulnerable and taken advantage of by the county,” Witte said, gazing …
Read More »Air Force base could threaten Florida’s endangered Rice’s whale
In 2021, scientists confirmed a new species of whale in Florida after one washed up in the Everglades in 2019. The Rice’s whale, also known as the Gulf of Mexico whale, was previously considered a Bryde’s (pronounced broodus) whale. The Rice’s whale has an estimated population of less than 50, …
Read More »The Point, Oct. 3, 2023: Super Bowl streaker not fazed by new Florida law
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • Fresh Take Florida: ‘I would still do it’: Super Bowl streaker says new Florida law won’t work. “Starting this week, Florida has a new law stiffening penalties on attention-grabbers who sprint across …
Read More »Young Gainesville leaders educate community on wildlife conservation
Sevaral organizations shared information about the issues harming the ecosystem, including invasive species and groundwater contamination.
Read More »Volunteers remove invasive species for Gainesville’s 30th National Public Lands Day
For the first time, the 30th National Public Lands Day was open to volunteers from the public. West of the Bass Pro Shop in Celebration Pointe, 13 volunteers participated at Lake Kanapaha Park by pulling invasive coral ardisia, a non-native plant that displaces native trees and shrubs in the forest. …
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