2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO

Gainesville Sister Cities: Supporting Israeli and Palestinian communities

By Kat Tran | Oct. 16, 2023

For the past 26 years, the city of Gainesville has fostered international connections with its local government by partnering with the cities of Kfar Saba, Israel and Qalqilya, Palestine through the Sister City Program of Gainesville, Inc. With the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the program is needed now more than ever, according to Gainesville officials.

NEWS

Gainesville, UF community divided over Israel-Hamas war

By Megan Howard | Oct. 16, 2023

In wake of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, affected UF student and community groups came together with split support for Israel and Palestine.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Black student enrollment remains stagnant despite increase in applicants

By Jinelle Vazquez | Oct. 16, 2023

Only 5.5% of students enrolled at UF in Fall 2022 identified their ethnicity as Black. While UF undergraduate Black student applications reached a record high during the Fall 2022 admissions cycle, admission and enrollment rates for Black students have remained the same over the last 10 years.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Conservative parents weigh in on school library objections

By Alissa Gary | Oct. 16, 2023

Following Alachua County Public School’s first book removal under protocols for challenging school library books, conservative parents are skeptical about whether a formalized system achieves its goal of protecting their children from inappropriate content at a young age.

Republican U.S. Sen Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, applauds President Kent Fuchs at the Board of Trustees meeting to discuss his candidacy at Emerson Alumni Hall Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse hires former US Senate office members to top leadership positions

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 16, 2023

UF President Ben Sasse hired two of his former U.S. Senate office members — James Wegmann and Raymond Sass — to top positions at the university.

OPINION | COLUMNS

SJP’S rhetoric is not helping anyone

By Norman J.W. Goda | Oct. 16, 2023

The “Day of Resistance” Oct. 12, sponsored by National Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), turned ugly on many campuses.

OPINION | COLUMNS

My Palestinian blood : دمي فلسطيني

By Noor Sukkar | Oct. 16, 2023

The horrifying terrorist acts of Hamas took the lives of nearly 700 Israeli civilians Saturday, the most amount of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust. My thoughts and prayers go out to every single Israeli, Jewish person or any family member who has mourned a loss these past weeks. Now imagine 75 years of that loss.

Adam Steinberg will be the eleventh UF men’s tennis head coach in program history.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Jeremy Jin leads charge for Gators at ITA Southeast Regionals

By Jack Meyer | Oct. 15, 2023

Jeremy Jin may only be a freshman, but he already solidified himself as an integral member of the Florida Gators men’s tennis team.

Duane Whitehorse, 76, explains the cultural significance of his garments during the Indigenous Peoples’ Week celebration at the Harn Museum of Art on Oct. 12, 2023.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

The Harn Museum of Art’s Museum Night celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day

By Molly Seghi | Oct. 15, 2023

The vibrant colors and sounds of the beaded jingle dresses and feathered headdresses and the beat of the drums gave a Harn Museum audience a dynamic show for all the senses. This was only the beginning of the festivities for the celebratory holiday of Indigenous Peoples’ Day at the Harn Museum of Art Thursday night.

Senior wide receiver Ricky Pearsall runs past a South Carolina defender in Florida's 41-39 win against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, Oc.t 14, 2023.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Mertz makes magic amidst chaos in the Cockpit against Gamecocks

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 14, 2023

The Florida Gators (5-2, 3-1 SEC) defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks (2-4, 1-3 SEC) 41--39 Saturday afternoon in Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. The Gators totaled 494 total yards in the game.

Junior punter Jeremy Crawshaw practices punting the ball before the Gators' game against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida vs. South Carolina: Live Updates

By Topher Adams | Oct. 14, 2023

The Florida Gators (4-2, 2-1 SEC) look to get their first road win of the season against the South Carolina Gamecocks (2-3, 1-2 SEC). UF is looking for its fifth win in its last six meetings against the Gamecocks. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., follow along for live updates.

Outside hitters graduate student Anna Dixon and senior AC Fitzpatrick block the ball during the Gators' match against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sunday, October 8, 2023 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Florida’s away-game winning streak snapped after loss to MSU

By Krisha Sanghavi | Oct. 13, 2023

The No. 14 Florida Gators (12-4, 4-3 SEC) fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 3-1 (9-8, 2-5 SEC) in Starkville, Mississippi, Friday evening. The loss ends the Gators’ five-game road winning streak.

Three Florida runners compete in the Mountain Dew Invitational on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS CROSS COUNTRY

Parker Valby leads Gators to top-5 finish in Wisconsin with course record

By Isabella Morales | Oct. 13, 2023

Brutal 19 mph winds and heavy rainfall – nowhere near ideal conditions for a cross country race. But a course record from redshirt junior Parker Valby and a top-5 finish for the Gators in the women’s 6k championship seems to dismiss such pessimistic thinking.

The Gainesville Ronald McDonald Charity House on Thursday Oct. 12, 2023.

METRO

Gainesville’s new Ronald McDonald House boasts space for 20 more families

By Zoey Thomas | Oct. 13, 2023

The plan for the new Ronald McDonald House began seven years ago, when Chief Executive Officer Sherry Houston decided she needed to do something to shorten RMH’s long waitlist. The house was fully booked 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, and turned away 1,962 families in 2021 alone.

The Gators football team prepares to run out of the tunnel before their 22-7 win against the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida fighting to end road woes against South Carolina

By Topher Adams | Oct. 13, 2023

The Gators (4-2, 2-1 SEC) will face the South Carolina Gamecocks (2-3, 1-2 SEC) Saturday at Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. Florida will hope to break a five-game losing streak away from home.

Redshirt junior cornerback Jaydon Hill celebrates with his teammates in the Gators' 38-14 win against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators look to make changes for upcoming South Carolina matchup

By Krisha Sanghavi | Oct. 13, 2023

UF's victory against Vanderbilt extends the Gators’ unbeaten run in the Swamp but does little to break their losing streak on the road. Head coach Billy Napier remains focused on implementing changes to snap the trend.

Majd Afaghani, attends UF SJP’s discussion in Turlington wearing a Palestine kufiyyeh neck scarf on Thursday Oct. 12, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Campus organizations host educational discussion on Palestine’s current events

By Nicole Beltran | Oct. 12, 2023

A crowd of around 100 UF students lingered inside and around a Turlington classroom — guarded by several police officers — for “Day of Resistance,” an informational lecture hosted by three UF organizations Thursday evening on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Senior defender Josie Curtis dribbles the ball up the field in the Gators' 1-0 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Florida fails to upset Arkansas despite strong first half

By Austin Stirling | Oct. 12, 2023

The Florida Gators (5-5-4, 1-4-2 SEC) fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-3-1, 6-1 SEC) Thursday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Gators failed to get anything going on the offensive end in the second half and played on their heels for most of the match.

Hundreds of UF students and community members gather in Turlington Plaza for a candlelight vigil to show support for Israel after after Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas launched a large-scale invasion on Monday, Oct. 10, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

Sasse condemns Hamas, ensures campus safety following Israel vigil stampede

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 12, 2023

UF President Ben Sasse wrote an email to Jewish alumni following a vigil held Monday in support of Israel that ended in a stampede. The letter condemned Hamas and assured the UF community of its safety in the face of possible “anti-Israel protests.”

Kanapaha student crosses a sidewalk at the intersection of Tower Road and the entrance of Kanapaha Middle School Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Pedestrian beacons added to three crosswalks Alachua County Public Schools

Oct. 12, 2023

Alachua County installed flashing signs indicating to drivers when a pedestrian is crossing the road at three public school crosswalks.

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