Gainesville City Commissioners voted 4-1 on Thursday to change the method by which their salaries are calculated, nearly doubling their pay.
Read More »This RTS driver tries to spread holiday joy — every day — via his bus header
For one Gainesville bus driver, it’s the holiday season year-round. January through December, Steven Sowders displays “happy holidays” on his bus header to celebrate a national holiday, big or small, every day. Sowders has worked for the Gainesville Regional Transit System for nearly eight years. For most of that time, …
Read More »Weathering the storm: Homeless Micanopy couple spent two hurricanes in a tent
Of the thousands of motorists who drive southbound Interstate 75 every day, hundreds take the Exit 374 ramp toward Micanopy, and they all pass Sharon James and Tim Rader. James and Rader have been “off and on” homeless for over 20 years and have been in Florida since 2016. They spend their days panhandling at the exit and return to their tent in the woods at night, where they weathered Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole.
Read More »Voter clarity on Gainesville’s Complete Streets program still evolving post-election
Gainesville’s Vision Zero program, a part of the national Complete Streets movement, was introduced to the city commission in 2018, and the city implemented many of its major components in 2021. The Nov. 8 election results indicate that the plan will likely maintain support over the next electoral term. But many people seem not to know what the program entails.
Read More »The Point, Nov. 10, 2022: Alachua County Sheriff’s Office addresses wage concerns
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: Alachua County Sheriff’s Office addresses employee wage concerns. “County officials on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of awarding additional funding to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.” • Fresh Take Florida: …
Read More »Kat Cammack’s reelection push culminates in illuminated celebration
Rep. Kat Cammack’s re-election watch party was certainly that: a party.
Read More »See who won Dixie, Gilchrist and Lafayette counties’ 2022 midterm elections
Dixie County Commissioner District 2 Daniel Wood III vs. Jaffry Crawl vs. Keith Tuten Daniel Wood III won the Dixie County Commissioner District 2 seat with 65% of the votes. The current District 2 commissioner, W.C. Mills, is stepping down. Daniel Wood III fundraised the most of the three candidates …
Read More »Tom Petty’s daughter donates $25,000 to Cade Museum
Florida Gator fans already have a reason to love Tom Petty; the lyrics of his 1989 hit “I Won’t Back Down” echo through Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during every home football game. Now fans have more reason to love the late Gainesville native and rock icon after several donations to the community have been made in his honor. A gift of $25,000 was made to the Cade Museum on Petty’s behalf by his daughter, Adria Petty, in October. Jennifer Dempsey, the marketing manager for the Cade Museum, said the donation will go toward Operation Full Steam, an outreach program serving students in Title I schools in Alachua County.
Read More »Inmates face off in state culinary arts competition
The smell of various foods filled the air, pans of grilled chicken sizzled on the stove and inmates wearing aprons, hats and chef’s coats rushed around the industrial kitchen at Lowell Correctional Institution as they worked with their team to win the gold trophy. Wendasia Gipson, an inmate, kept her cool as she moved through the kitchen calling out “behind” to her teammates warning them not to bump into her as she helped prepare a dish called “Not the Taco." Four teams of male and female inmates from across the state competed in the first Culinary Arts Training Competition hosted by Lowell Correctional Institution Wednesday.
Read More »UF selects Sasse as its next president; conservative U.S. senator pledges ‘political celibacy’
The University of Florida on Tuesday formally selected Ben Sasse as its next president, setting aside concerns that the appointment of a conservative Republican U.S. senator from Nebraska would further politicize the state’s flagship higher education institution. The university’s board of trustees – largely appointed by Republican governors – voted …
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