2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS

The Latina Women’s League begins English classes for immigrants

By Laura Quintana | Jan. 29, 2024

Many non-English speakers arrive in the country without knowing basic things about the language, which creates problems when they can’t communicate with native English speakers. The Latina Women’s League aims to empower the local Hispanic community through a variety of educational events and community activities. On Jan. 25, the league began teaching English classes for immigrants at HealthStreet to provide support to those who came to the United States without knowing the language.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

ACPS employees, parents share views on the district’s book challenging process

By Megan Howard | Jan. 29, 2024

Trask, a parent to two children at Meadowbrook Elementary School and a co-chair of the District Advisory Council, worries about the lack of transparency from the district when books are being discussed to be taken off shelves in school libraries.

Joseph Williams Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Joseph Williams Elementary School to begin IB Primary Years Program next school year

By Megan Howard | Jan. 29, 2024

The IB PYP magnet is a school-wide curriculum designed to foster a love for learning through student inquiry.

Sunshine State Book Festival on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Statewide book festival aims to improve childhood literacy rates in Alachua County

By Emilia Cardenas-Perez | Jan. 29, 2024

On Jan. 27, the ground floor of the Hilton Conference Center filled with lines of eager readers waiting to meet and greet more than 200 authors from across Florida promoting their most prized literary pieces.

Senior Beth Blair in Century Tower on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UF Century Tower Carillon students ‘ring’ in the Spring semester

By Sara-James Ranta | Jan. 29, 2024

Every semester, a small group of students have the opportunity to play the Century Tower Carillon — an instrument made of bells — ranked among one of the largest university carillons out of the less than 200 nationwide. Since the carillon’s first recital in 1979, each student’s performance is an addition to the tower's historic legacy and unique sound, according to its website.

A young boy gets his face painted at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire at Depot Park in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Gainesville hosts 37th Hoggetowne Medieval Faire

By Bonny Matejowsky | Jan. 29, 2024

Flocks of families, friends and fabled characters gathered at Depot Park Jan. 27-28 to revel in warm weather and high spirits at the 37th annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire.

RACE AND EQUITY | ENTERPRISE

‘What happens in the homeland hurts you deeply’: Gainesville’s Ecuadorian community weighs in on the nation’s crisis

By Nicole Beltran | Jan. 29, 2024

The country’s outbreak of gang violence has escalated since an attack at a television network in Guayaquil Jan. 9 spiraled the nation into fear. After the country’s powerful drug lord, José Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as “Fito,” escaped prison Jan. 8, Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa, declared a 60-day state of emergency for what he’s coined an “internal armed conflict.” For Gainesville’s Ecuadorian community, the violence back home has left a lingering pain.

First-year international law student Winxin Feng stands outside UF Levin College of Law on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF Law has its most diverse class in the last five years

By Delia Rose Sauer | Jan. 29, 2024

The Levin College of Law Class of 2026 has seen an increase in diversity among its student body. The Class of 2026 had 3,987 applications and accepted 180 students. Of those students, 53% are women, and 36% come from various racial and ethnic backgrounds, according to UF Law’s entering class profile. About 13.8% of applicants identified as LGBTQ+.

SPANISH

La Liga de Mujeres Latinas da inicio a clases de inglés para inmigrantes

By Laura Quintana | Jan. 29, 2024

Muchos no hablantes de inglés llegan al país sin saber cosas básicas del idioma, creando problemas al no poder comunicarse con los hablantes nativos de inglés. La Liga de Mujeres Latinas [Latina Women 's League] tiene como objetivo empoderar a la comunidad hispana local a través de una variedad de eventos educativos y actividades comunitarias. El 25 de enero, la liga comenzó a dar clases de inglés HealthStreet para apoyar a quienes vinieron a los Estados Unidos sin conocer el idioma.

ENVIRONMENT | ENTERPRISE

Gambling revenue may be used for Florida’s environment under new bill

By Kylie Williams | Jan. 29, 2024

In 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The compact provided the Seminole Tribe exclusive rights in running gambling activities on tribal lands. In exchange, the tribe agreed to give $2.5 billion of its revenue to the state for the first five years the compact is in place. Under SB 1638, 96% of these annual funds would go to Florida’s environmental resources.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Florida Democrats robbed of vote: A wake-up call to rethink incumbent support

By Ashley Mason | Jan. 29, 2024

Across the country, the primary election cycle is heating up; Iowa and New Hampshire have already chosen their candidates. Soon, Florida will have its turn. On March 19, Floridians will head to the ballot box, casting their votes for their preferred presidential candidate. Well … Florida Republicans will.

OPINION | COLUMNS

A crisis of confidence: UF and the future of democracy

By Andrew Taramykin | Jan. 29, 2024

In April 2022, I moderated a meeting of student leaders from across campus to discuss civic education and barriers to student engagement going into the midterm election. Nearly every participant spoke to the same obstacle preventing peer engagement: polarization.

Santa Fe College student actors line up to bow and receive applause after the ‘Take 5’ festival on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

NEWS | SFC

Santa Fe College performs student plays at Take 5 festival

By Ariel Rademeyer | Jan. 28, 2024

As the curtains rose, the lights dimmed to black, transporting the audience into the realm of ‘Take 5’ — a series of five, 10 minute plays, performed and directed by Santa Fe College students Jan. 26. The ‘Take 5’ festival unfolded with five distinct plays, each delving into themes of overcoming hardships and featuring no more than two actors.

Gators women's tennis sophomore Rachel Gailis goes for a forehand shot in the women's tennis team's match against Baylor on Saturday, January 20, 2024.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators women’s tennis secures spot at the NCAA Indoor National Championship with ITA Kickoff Weekend Victory.

By Max Bernstein | Jan. 28, 2024

Gators women’s tennis pulled out a victory in the ITA Kickoff Weekend Championship to clinch its place at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Seattle.

Jeremy Jin hits a backhand shot in the Gators men's tennis team's match against the Citadel on Friday, January 19, 2024.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Men’s tennis goes winless at ITA Kickoff Weekend

By Chandler Hawkes | Jan. 28, 2024

The No. 20 Gators traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for the ITA Kickoff Weekend, where they fell to No. 17 Wake Forest and No. 16 North Carolina.

Ilene Silverman at the Next to Normal opening night on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.

THE AVENUE | ART AND THEATER

Hippodrome’s latest musical tackles mental health stigma

By Bea Lunardini | Jan. 28, 2024

Family dynamics are only one of the issues the musical tackles, presenting a challenge for creative director Stephanie Lynge when the Hippodrome Theatre, located at Southeast Second Place, added the production to its 2024 lineup. Premiering Friday, “Next to Normal” will be shown through Feb. 25.

Diamond and her litter at Grace Marketplace on Wednesday January 24

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

St. Francis Pet Care, Grace Marketplace provide mobile pet care to vulnerable communities

By Molly Seghi | Jan. 28, 2024

Diamond and her litter were some of the 20 pets treated by the St. Francis Pet Care’s mobile outreach van. The nonprofit pet clinic in Gainesville partners with GRACE Marketplace, a one-stop shop for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness at 3055 NE 28th Drive to provide monthly wellness clinics for pet owners.

Senior guard Leilani Correa looks for a pass from senior forward Faith Dut in the Gators' 89-66 loss against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators women's basketball survives last-second scare from Aggies for second SEC win

By Jack Meyer | Jan. 28, 2024

The short-handed Florida Gators women’s basketball team picked up its second SEC win of the season in a 63-51 win over the Texas A&M Aggies.

Senior Victoria Nguyen performs her vault routine in the Gators gymnastics'
Hype Night on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

No. 8 Florida loses undefeated streak after loss to No. 6 Alabama

By Krisha Sanghavi | Jan. 28, 2024

Senior Ellie Lazzari felt the pressure as she stepped on the mat for the uneven bars. A hard fall in the landing of her vault routine forced numerous deductions to tally a 9.150 for her in the apparatus.

Redshirt junior Caden Monk competes in day one of the Pepsi Florida Relays, March 31.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators decorate Razorback Invitational with personal records

By Emma DiNicola and Krisha Sanghavi | Jan. 27, 2024

The Florida Gators competed in the two-day Razorback Invitational from Friday to Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Gators sent 54 athletes to compete in the meet.

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