CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to clarify statements from Mai Kai to show they do not serve kratom to minors. ___ The Florida Legislature’s second recent endeavor in regulating kratom, an herbal extract that creates effects similar to stimulants and sedatives, won unanimous approval in the House of Representatives …
Read More »Land of the fee? Costly permits now required to film some YouTube, TikTok videos in national parks
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Social media mavens may need to think twice before pulling out their iPhones, GoPros or other video equipment when they’re recording in breathtaking national parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or the Everglades. The National Park Service is now requiring permits that could cost hundreds of dollars …
Read More »How the Big Cat Public Safety Act affects a Melrose animal facility
Carl Bovard, owner of Single Vision, calls his establishment an animal sanctuary. Others regard it as a roadside zoo. Located in Melrose, Florida, at the end of a long dirt road, the 10-acre facility is home to about 50 exotic species. Controversy arose after several pictures and videos of visitors …
Read More »The Point, March 7, 2023: UF Health reports increase in gender-affirming care to state
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • The Alligator: UF Health complies with state audit, reports increase in gender-affirming care patients. “UF reported a steady increase of patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who received gender-affirming care at UF …
Read More »Sunrise Movement Gainesville stages march for climate action
Shouting at the top of her lungs, “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, climate change has got to go,” while marching through Downtown Gainesville in the late afternoon heat, Madeline Stewart waved around a sign that read “Make Florida Green. You owe us.” Stewart, a 21-year-old University of Florida political science and …
Read More »The Point, March 6, 2023: Gainesville removes K-9 unit again
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • Mainstreet Daily News: Gainesville again pulls police K-9 unit. “Two weeks after returning to regular duty, the K-9 squad at the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) will again leave regular service as the …
Read More »Pickleball is growing on Florida’s college campuses
Pickleball is on the rise, and the addicting sport has made its way onto college campuses throughout the state. A sport that was originally made popular by a “senior” aged crowd, is now played and enjoyed by college students. Promoting the perfect balance of a social interaction and competitive spirit, …
Read More »Archeologists encourage community involvement in cemeteries
While people looked to the living for comfort during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigel Rudolph turned to stories of the dead as a way to ride out the worst of spring 2020. During quarantine, Rudolph, his wife and daughter spent almost every day in a cemetery. “There’s something …
Read More »Local governments tackle pedestrian safety, panhandling
Panhandling and pedestrian safety are both prominent and continuing issues among communities in north central Florida. In the past 10 days, three local governments have started taking measures to keep pedestrians safe. They join Gainesville and Alachua County, which have also enacted ordinances in recent years. Gainesville Gainesville in 2021 …
Read More »The Point, Feb. 3, 2023: Bomb squad called, all clear on UF campus
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: All clear after bomb squad called to UF’s campus to investigate suspicious package. “University of Florida classes were brought to a screeching halt when students in Turlington Hall were evacuated …
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