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 • WUFT News: After Hurricane Ian, sowing hope. “Hurricane Ian trampled over 5 million acres of agricultural land in Florida. The storm ranks among the top storms in U.S. history. For small, family …
Read More »Updated training program brings the heat to Gainesville firefighters
Gainesville Fire Rescue firefighters train all year and complete live fire training to keep them sharp and efficient in every situation. As the older generation of firefighters retires, GFR training officials need to do everything they can to refresh returning firefighters and get recruits up to speed.
Read More »‘The red suit picks you’: Santa Clauses prepare for the renewed holiday crush
Seven-year-old Ranessamae Rinehart could not contain her excitement after sitting on Santa’s lap at the Ocala Town Square gazebo recently. She asked Santa for Legos bricks and sparkly shoes with bows on them. As several other families waited in line for their turn to meet the old man with the …
Read More »The Point, Dec. 19, 2022: Paying the price: GRU customers respond to high bills
Subscribe to The Point, arriving in your inbox Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. The stories near you • WUFT News: Paying the price: GRU customers question why their bills are so high. “Hayley Shea is a lifelong Gainesville resident who’s considering moving to another state. Why? Because her utility bills …
Read More »No monkey business in Levy County: Primate research lab plans get nixed
There apparently will not be any monkey business in Levy County. Plans for a primate research lab in this rural north central Florida county have been shelved. And many residents, still harboring anxieties about the idea, say good riddance. “It’s bad enough that it’s gonna be a monkey lab, and …
Read More »Medical marijuana usage is increasing in America
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 …
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