2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

Sophomore center Micah Handlogten dribbles the ball down the court during the Florida Gators men's basketball open practice on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Todd Golden breaks down Gators’ scrimmage against Miami

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 24, 2023

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team played a secret scrimmage against the Miami Hurricanes this past weekend and came away with a 91-89 victory behind closed doors. Although Florida’s victory won’t count to its 2023 record, the win is still impressive with the Hurricanes being the preseason Associated Press No. 13 team in the country.

Kyle Pitts against Vanderbilt in November of 2019.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators in the NFL: Week seven roundup

By Luke Adragna | Oct. 24, 2023

Six teams were on bye in week seven of the NFL season. However, despite less football, several Gators stepped up in big ways for their teams.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Our Florida springs are under attack: What you should know and why you should care

By Cayman Forbes | Oct. 24, 2023

Over the past several years the health of Wakulla Springs, Santa Fe River and Ginnie Springs have been compromised. The springs are something that should be protected, not exploited.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The value of engaging with UF research

By Ronin Lupien | Oct. 24, 2023

Research isn't just pipetting and test tubes. Thanks to IFAS, UF conducts research in all 67 counties of Florida. In political science or journalism, people research electoral trends and political opinions.

A attendee at the "Stand with Palestine" protest holds a "Not war, it's colonialism; not eviction, it's ethnic cleansing; not conflict, it's occupation; not complicated, it's genocide" sign at the corner of University Avenue on Monday, Oct. 23, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Gainesville residents protest Israel-Hamas war, call for ceasefire

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

A crowd of 75 people wearing keffiyehs and the colors of the Palestinian flag gathered in protest at the corner of University Ave. and Southwest 13th Street Monday evening.

Running back Errict Rhett dives into the end zone in the Gators' 33-26 win against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, Oct. 30, 1993.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Anthone Lott calls his shot: Remembering the “Timeout Game” on its 30th anniversary

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 23, 2023

The year is 1993. The Florida Gators opened the season with a dominant 5-0 start and were the No. 4 team in the country before a heartbreaking 38-35 loss on the road against Auburn. With Florida’s perfect season ruined, the Gators turned their direction to Jacksonville, to play against hated rivals, the Georgia Bulldogs on Oct. 30, 1993.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Gators vs. Bulldogs: Hypothetically, who would win?

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 23, 2023

Two historic programs in college football will meet once again along the Saint Johns River at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Oct. 28. The Florida Gators and the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs have been playing this cross-state football rivalry game for more than 100 years. However, what if it wasn’t the Gators against the Bulldogs? What if it was a gator against a bulldog?

Members of the local Jewish community listen to Chabad UF co-director Chanie Goldman speak on the importance of prayer at the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Gainesville community members gather in prayer at ‘Unity and Solidarity with Israel’ event

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

Over 50 Jewish and non-Jewish community members gathered in a morning of solemn and soulful prayer at the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center — guarded by a patrol car — Oct. 22 for “Unity and Solidarity with Israel,” an event supporting Israel amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz and junior offensive lineman Richie Leonard IV celebrate a Florida touchdown in the Gators' 38-14 win against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida football midseason review

By Topher Adams and Jackson Reyes | Oct. 23, 2023

Despite the season-opening defeat, Florida is now 5-2 and 3-1 in the SEC. Napier secured his first win against an AP Top 25 SEC opponent when UF defeated the then-No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers 29-16 Sept. 16.

Volunteers with the Latina Women’s League (left, upper right) sit down to read “¿De quién eres, ratóncito?” at the Tower Road Public Library on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Voluntarios de la Liga de Mujeres Latinas (izquierda, arriba a la derecha) se sientan a leer “¿De quién eres, ratóncito?” en la biblioteca pública de Tower Road el 21 de octubre de 2023.

SPANISH

Latina Women’s League hosts event series to read to children in Spanish

By Eluney Gonzalez | Oct. 23, 2023

The Latina Women’s League has hosted its weekly “Storytime in Spanish” event series every year since 2006 between September and April. This year, they meet on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. at the Tower Road Public Library to read a new story.

SPANISH

La Liga de Mujeres Latinas organiza una serie de eventos de lectura en español para niños

By Eluney Gonzalez | Oct. 23, 2023

La Liga de Mujeres Latinas ha organizado su serie de eventos semanales "Historias en español" cada año desde 2006, entre septiembre y abril. Este año, se reúnen los sábados de 10:30 a 11:45 a.m. en la Biblioteca Pública de Tower Road para leer una nueva historia.

An attendee of UF SJP’s discussion in Turlington wearing a Palestine keffiyeh neck scarf on Thursday Oct. 12, 2023.

ENTERPRISE | POLITICS

Jewish UF students show support for Palestinians

By Sophia Bailly | Oct. 23, 2023

Since the violence began two weeks ago, Clay Robinson said Palestinian and anti-Zionist voices have been largely neglected. Zionism is the Israeli national ideology that Judaism is both a nationality and religion and that Israel is an ancestral land that exists for the Jewish community.

Sophomore guard Denzel Aberdeen goes against two defenders in the Gators’ open practice on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida men’s basketball report, potential starters from preseason practices

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 23, 2023

The Florida Gators 2023-2024 men’s basketball team brought nine new additions and had six returners, including Kugel, who look to compete collectively to reach this goal.

Bee City original organizer and volunteer Janice Garry plants pollinator-friendly native plants at the Grow Hub on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

ENVIRONMENT | ENTERPRISE

Gainesville’s inaugural Bee City USA native garden installed at community planting event

By Kylie Williams | Oct. 23, 2023

The Grow Hub garden, teeming with native plants that are pollinator-friendly, is the first Bee City USA green space in Gainesville. The City of Gainesville was certified as a bee city in January and is now working toward installing local pollinator landscapes.

Florida head coach Billy Napier greeting fans during Gator Walk Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Napier’s connections to the Peach state

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 23, 2023

On any given Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in 1990s Chatsworth, Georgia, Kurt Napier and his family would gather around the TV to watch Southeastern Conference teams duke it out on CBS. To them, football was tradition. The SEC in some parts of their northern Georgia town was religious. No one would’ve imagined that on that same television, 30 years from those moments, someone in the family would have an impact on what they saw on Saturdays.

A Florida player slides into second base in the Gators' 13-11 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs on Friday, April 14, 2023.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

The history of Florida-Georgia baseball

By Luke Adragna | Oct. 23, 2023

The battle on the gridiron between Florida and Georgia draws the most attention among fans of the rivalry. However, there is a deep-rooted history on the diamond few fans consider when discussing the rivalry between the two schools.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville to redevelop a joint space with the Knot Climbing Gym

By Kat Tran | Oct. 23, 2023

The Gainesville City Commission voted 6-1 Oct. 19 to approve The Knot Climbing Gym’s proposal to redevelop the old RTS Administration and Maintenance facility to the south of Depot Park.

ENTERPRISE | POLITICS

UF student group fights corporal punishment in K-12 public schools

By Zoey Thomas | Oct. 23, 2023

Six students from UF Florida Student Policy Forum visited Tallahassee Oct. 18 during the legislature’s interim committee weeks to advocate an amendment to the state statute that would ban corporal punishment for students with disabilities and require parental consent for use of corporal punishment in all cases.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart looks on during an NCAA college football practice at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Kirby Smart created a monster and became Florida’s next great villain

By Topher Adams | Oct. 23, 2023

Florida-Georgia is a rivalry of era-defining coaches. Vince Dooley dominated the Gators in the 1980s, and Steve Spurrier flipped the series with an 11-1 record against the Dogs. Urban Meyer kept the dominance alive in the late 2000s with five wins against Georgia in six years.

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

UF Faculty Senate proposes shared governance resolution

By Garrett Shanley | Oct. 23, 2023

The UF Faculty Senate proposed a resolution Oct. 19 to review shared governance processes across the university, which dictate how faculty, staff and students are able to participate in decision and policy making.

COVID-19