Not only did COVID-19 unleash a virus that affected the entire globe, but the growing pandemic also triggered an epidemic of anxiety and depression among America’s Generation Z and millennial populations. And many people turned to cannabis, as opposed to prescribed medication, to calm their minds. In 2021, cannabis sales increased to $30 billion, 40% higher than the previous year. The United States is expected to make up 75% of global cannabis sales in 2026.
Read More »Paying the price: GRU customers question why their bills are so high
Watch above: Lisa Jordan, 54, talks about how her $2,000 Gainesville Regional Utilities bills have affected her business, Nature’s Pet Day Spa, off of West Newberry Road in northwest Gainesville. (Lauren Witte/WUFT News) Hayley Shea is a lifelong Gainesville resident who’s considering moving to another state. Why? Because her utility …
Read More »The Point, Dec. 16, 2022: Gainesville commissioners pass new ordinance changing steps for criminal background checks
Private employers will need to change when they perform a criminal background check on candidates in order to comply.
Read More »Gainesville becomes first city in Florida to apply ‘fair chance hiring’ to private employers
The ordinance prevents employers from running a criminal background check on a candidate until after making a conditional offer of employment.
Read More »The Point, Dec. 15, 2022: Alachua County withdraws from east Gainesville affordable housing project
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • Gainesville Sun ($): County votes to withdraw support for affordable housing project in east Gainesville. “The 96-unit development, known as Dogwood Village, was planned for the corner of Southeast Eighth Avenue and …
Read More »Hawthorne Middle/High School has a new principal
When Ginger Stanford threw her graduation cap in the air and earned her high school diploma from Hawthorne High School in 1991, she knew she would come back to her high school after college. But, she didn’t envision herself being the principal. Stanford became the new principal at Hawthorne Middle/High School in September after being a teacher and assistant principal for more than 25 years.
Read More »A tale of two cities: How two Florida towns are handling the tiny home movement
Want to live in a tiny house? Barb Diaz suggests marking off an 8-by-20-foot area in your garage – or some space similar – and living in it for 24 hours. Put a TV in it. Put a dresser in it. Set aside an even smaller space for a “bathroom.” …
Read More »The Point, Dec. 14, 2022: Gainesville releases financial report almost 6 months late
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WCJB: The city of Gainesville released its financial auditing reports, which were approved unanimously. “The city of Gainesville’s 2020-2021 fiscal report was late by almost six months.” • Gainesville Sun ($): Does …
Read More »Montbrook Fossil Site volunteers unearth pieces of life millions of years old
Five to 6 million years ago, the area of the Montbrook fossil dig site in eastern Levy County was likely a river. Now, eight years after the discovery of bones in the area, it is one of the most productive fossil sites in the Southeastern United States. Over 70,000 specimens have been collected by the Florida Museum of Natural History and crews of volunteers.
Read More »The Point, Dec. 13, 2022: Rebekah Jones signs plea deal in DOH hacking case
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WCJB: Alachua Co. School District gets rid of “LGBTQ Support Guide” after pushback from FLDOE. “The ‘LGBTQ Critical Support Guide’ was a 25 page guide that covered topics ranging from how staff …
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