2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

UF houses many different perspectives and political groups on its campus, these views become more prevalent with the upcoming primaries.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Housing, academic freedom, abortion: What issues matter most to UF students this election cycle?

By Siena Duncan | Aug. 22, 2022

Several student groups have geared up to throw their support behind candidates who come out of the primaries victorious. Due to internal policies, most groups don’t endorse partisan state-level candidates early in an election cycle to avoid putting stock behind a candidate that might not make it through to the next stage.

About 50 graduate students marched from the Reitz Union to Tigert Hall Tuesday to protest the proposed increase to graduate assistants' wages.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Graduate Assistants United agrees to new stipend minimum — the first raise in five years

By Siena Duncan | Aug. 21, 2022

UF Graduate Assistants United announced its agreement with the university Thursday regarding a final minimum stipend offer, which is the equivalent of a yearly salary that some graduate assistants depend on for their main source of income.

Florida volleyball's Elli McKissock (23), Sofia Victoria (4), Marlie Monserez (21) and Merritt Beason (13) celebrate during the Gators' loss to Mississippi State on Sept. 24. The team hosted Jacksonville Saturday for its annual Fan Day exhibition match.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball sweeps Jacksonville at its Fan Day exhibition match

By Brandon Hernandez | Aug. 20, 2022

Gators volleyball swept Jacksonville in four and a half sets of exhibition action Saturday afternoon.

Florida goalie Alexa Goldberg makes a save against Kentucky on Sept. 23, 2021. Goldberg made a few clutch saves to keep the Gators at a draw, but a second-half concesion lead to a 1-0 UF loss.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Gators soccer drops season opener in Samantha Bohon’s debut

By Jackson Reyes | Aug. 18, 2022

Gators soccer opens the 2022 season with a 3-0 loss against UCF

Screenshot of event as seen from SGP Music & Entertainment Facebook page.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Joey Bada$$, Jean Deaux to perform at UF first day of school concert

By Alissa Gary | Aug. 18, 2022

In the first SGP sponsored concert of the year, Joey Bada$$ and Jean Deaux will perform Aug. 24 at the O’Connell Center. Tickets are free for UF students and will be available at Gate 1 of the O’Connell Center starting Aug. 19.

Nikki Fried, a Democratic candidate for governor, greets Emily Blais, a 23-year-old UF microbiology and English alumna, at the Get Out The Vote bus tour stop at the Tower Road Branch Library Thursday, August 18, 2022.

METRO | POLITICS

‘A Nikki Wave’: Nikki Fried’s bus tour hits Gainesville ahead of primary

By Heather Bushman | Aug. 18, 2022

The tour, which launched Tuesday, began on the heels of new University of North Florida poll that put Fried ahead of Crist by 4% in the Democratic primary.

Demonstrators hold signs outside of Alachua County Public Schools Administration Building Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2022.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Eastside High School marching band alumni seek a return to original culture

By Omar Ateyah and Allie Sinkovich | Aug. 17, 2022

For advocates, the debate over the marching band’s culture is not merely an issue of extracurriculars. It also embodies an erasure of Black heritage from a school thats roots are intimately tied to a critical part of Black history: the desegregation era.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

The people who live inside Gainesville's bright orange boxes

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Aug. 17, 2022

We’ve provided hard-hitting news the community depends on before, and it’s a challenge we’re ready to take on once again.

A graphic depicting the nine candidates in the running for Gainesville mayor.

METRO | POLITICS

Meet the mayoral candidates for the Gainesville primary election

By Mickenzie Hannon | Aug. 17, 2022

Nine mayoral candidates — including David Arreola, Ed Bielarski, Ansaun Fisher, Gary Gordon, Adam Rosenthal, Donald Shepherd, July Thomas and Harvey Ward — are on the ballot in the upcoming primary election. On the campaign trail, they’ve focused on issues such as affordable housing, Gainesville Regional Utilities rates and climate change.

The Alligator Podcast recaps the biggest news stories published in the paper this week.

MULTIMEDIA

Weekly Roundup: Aug. 17, 2022

By Brandon Hernandez | Aug. 17, 2022

Listen to the biggest headlines from the week of August 17.

Delta-8 and smoking is an activity seen amongst young adults in Gainesville's nightlife

METRO

Delta-8: pot’s accessible, affordable alternative

By Anna Ward | Aug. 17, 2022

Delta-8 is one of many legal THC products sold on shelves. Delta-8's biggest appeals are its accessibility and legality, students say. Any 18-year-old has a menu of legal edibles to choose from, and 21-year-olds get an extended edition of THC prerolls, flower, wax cartridges and disposable vapes — no medical card required.

Mark Law was terminated from his position as UF Honors director Monday.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF Board of Trustees fires longtime Honors Program director allegedly with no reasoning

By Christian Casale | Aug. 15, 2022

The director of UF Honors Program was fired Monday. He said he wasn’t given an explanation by the Board of Trustees.

Florida football coach Billy Napier greets fans during his first day on the job Dec. 5, 2021 in Gainesville.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida adds quartet of blue-chip defensive recruits

By Topher Adams | Aug. 14, 2022

Florida’s 2023 recruiting class received a massive boost over the weekend with three huge commitments along the defensive line. The Gators weren’t satisfied, however, adding a top commit for the 2024 class as well.

The mural on Southwest 34th Street is shown defaced with blue spray paint depicting a swastika and the phrase, “God Bless Derek Chauvin."

METRO

Terrell Bradley advocates grapple with racist messages, images painted over 34th Street mural

By Jackson Reyes | Aug. 13, 2022

Friends and family of Terrell Bradley woke up early Friday morning to paint over the hateful messages left on a mural demanding justice for Bradley, who lost an eye to a Gainesville Police Department K-9 after he fled from police last month.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville police arrest suspect involved in killing outside GRACE Marketplace

By Omar Ateyah | Aug. 12, 2022

Police charged James Lawrence, a 55-year-old man whose address is listed at the shelter, with premeditated first-degree murder after responding to a call around 7:50 a.m. about a man found dead outside of the shelter.

Prayer books are laid out at the Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center for the Rosh Hashanah service. Around 650 members of the community and students attended the holiday service Sunday night.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

City officials, GPD respond to white supremacist flyers in Gainesville neighborhoods

By Omar Ateyah | Aug. 10, 2022

Gainesville residents in multiple neighborhoods received flyers at their homes over the weekend condemning race-mixing and positing a Jewish conspiracy in an incident now under investigation by the Gainesville Police Department.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Innovation Academy’s Catalyst Summer B brings young, innovative minds together

By Kyle Bumpers | Aug. 5, 2022

Faculty and alumni from the program’s last decade went to the event to see 28 groups of students’ solutions to the question: How might we effectively engage residents in a 21st century live/work/play community?

Gainesville city commissioners listen to residents express approval or opposition toward the city’s plan to eliminate exclusionary zoning Thursday, Aug. 4, 2021.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commission approves zoning changes despite resident outcry

By Mickenzie Hannon | Aug. 5, 2022

Gainesville will be the first city in Florida to eliminate exclusionary zoning after a 4-3 vote Thursday. Hundreds of residents crammed into City Hall, for the meeting, which the city scheduled to finish at 10 p.m. Going nearly two hours over the allotted time, the vote finally came shortly before midnight.

Gainesville residents attend the Shady Grove Primitive Baptist Church to voice concerns about the city’s plan to eliminate exclusionary zoning Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2021.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

‘The fight will continue’: Gainesville community rallies against citywide zoning changes

By Mickenzie Hannon | Aug. 4, 2022

Gainesville residents attend the Shady Grove Primitive Baptist Church Wednesday to voice concerns about the city’s plan to eliminate exclusionary zoning.

La Chua Trailhead overlooking the water as seen January 30, 2022.

SPANISH

El condado de Alachua inicia la construcción de un nuevo sendero, un hombre es arrestado en un incidente de acoso sexual en un paseo por la naturaleza

By Fernando Figueroa and Manuel Tunez | Aug. 3, 2022

El Departamento de Obras Públicas del Condado de Alachua comenzó la construcción de un nuevo sendero a lo largo de Archer Road el 14 de julio, nueve días después de que un hombre presuntamente acosara sexualmente a una mujer en el popular cercano Hawthorne Trail.

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