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 • The Alligator: University Police Department investigates targeted letter sent to UF Chief Diversity Office. “The University Police Department investigated a “concerning” letter sent to UF’s Office of the Chief Diversity Officer Feb. …
Read More »A Gainesville-based nonprofit seeks volunteers to work in Colombia’s poor neighborhoods
The student volunteer program Children Beyond Our Borders seeks applicants interested in working in poor communities in Medellín, Colombia, this summer. The deadline to apply for the Bound For Peace program is March 24.
Read More »The Point, March 20, 2023: Local legislators back bill to give state control of GRU
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. Today’s Florida stories • Mainstreet Daily News: Local legislators back bill to alter GRU control. “If passed by the Florida House and Senate, the bill would hand Gov. Ron DeSantis the power to create a five-member board …
Read More »The Point, March 17, 2023: Bill giving state control of GRU draws criticism from union leaders
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. Today’s Florida stories • WUFT News: Labor union leaders speak out against a bill giving the state control over GRU. “The bill was drafted by Rep. Chuck Clemons (R-Newberry), who will present it to legislators on Friday. …
Read More »The Point, March 16, 2023: 400 pride flags placed in Micanopy before town election
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: 400 pride flags planted in Micanopy on town’s election day. “LGBTQ+ issues were not on the ballot in Micanopy, but they were certainly on the minds of voters as they …
Read More »Fahrenheit 352? What Alachua County educators are saying about book removals
Even as national attention focuses on Florida and other states controlling what books students can read, some Alachua County teachers haven’t faced any issues with certain books being removed from public schools. Jay Winter Collins, a part-time teacher at W.A. Metcalfe Elementary School and children’s book illustrator, said if her …
Read More »House bill proposes to drop gun-buying age to 18
Republican Florida House of Representatives Bobby Payne, Palatka, and Tyler Sirois, Merritt Island, are cosponsoring HB 1543, which proposes to reduce the minimum age at which a person may purchase, sell or transfer a firearm from 21 to 18. The measure is headed to the Criminal Justice Subcommittee for discussion March 13.
Read More »‘Eco Chase Challenge’ seeks to further conservation and sustainability
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 »The Point, March 9, 2023: Man alleges abuse in Alachua County Jail
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: Earleton man alleges abuse at the Alachua County Jail. “More than a year after his arrest on Dec. 2, 2021, Juan Sterk said his experiences at the Alachua County Jail …
Read More »Students organize protests against Florida governor’s proposed changes to education diversity programs
College students across Florida are organizing a protest campaign against a new proposal backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that would remove degree programs that teach critical race theory and gender studies. “Students are rallying to reject House Bill 999,” said Bryan Gonzalez, a fourth-year political science student at Florida State …
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