2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Change Party: Moving UF forward, together

Sep. 26, 2022

Our Student Government and our elections are supposed to reflect the interests of the entire UF student body, no matter who you are. Unfortunately, there has been persistent misallocation of student funding, prioritizing a slim number of interests. The inequitable distribution of our student budget was most recently manifested in the recruitment of Accent speaker Josh Richards for $60,000.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Gator Party aims to continue enhancing student experience

Sep. 26, 2022

Gator Party is proud to have led Student Government for the last two years. It has been an honor to generate long-lasting impacts for the Gator community through the executive and legislative branches.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The need for liberation in UF SG

Sep. 26, 2022

Our university and our democracy is under attack. On a broad scale, assaults on our academic freedom by Tallahassee have gone unchecked by the UF Board of Trustees, creating an atmosphere of fear and censorship.

Florida head coach Billy Napier looks on during the Gators game against South Florida Sept. 17, 2022. His team has dropped its first two conference games this season.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida overwhelmed by defensive shortcomings, still winless in SEC

By Jackson Castellano | Sep. 26, 2022

Mistakes made by defensive coordinator Patrick Toney’s unit were too much to overcome as the Gators were sent home from Knoxville still winless in the Southeastern Conference. Now-unranked Florida fell to now-No. 8 Tennessee 38-33. Despite the close score, the game seemed all but over heading into the fourth quarter. The Volunteers held a three possession lead over head coach Billy Napier.

METRO | BREAKING NEWS

Tropical Storm Ian expected to become hurricane, make landfall in Florida

By Fernando Figueroa | Sep. 26, 2022

As of 8 p.m. Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Ian maintains maximum sustained wind speeds of 60 mph and is expected to reach major hurricane strengths Monday night. AccuWeather said the storm could reach Category 4 wind speeds between 130 and 156 mph.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Many UF students express voter apathy as Fall SG elections draw near

By Alissa Gary | Sep. 26, 2022

Several UF students have heard about SG but never look into how, when and where to vote. Lack of interest or incentive is often the main culprit, which contributes to exceedingly low voter turnout for SG elections.

Freshman setter Alexis Stucky prepares for a point during the Gators' game against Virginia Aug. 27, 2022. Stucky is currently in her sophomore season with the Gators.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Mountains to the Swamp: Wyoming volleyball player takes on Gainesville

By Brandon Hernandez | Sep. 26, 2022

Standing tall at 6-foot-2 with curly red hair, Stucky has already become a familiar face for Florida volleyball fans. For others, the Stucky name is etched around the volleyball landscape of the Cowboy State.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist greets J.W. Honeysucker, a 58-year-old pastor at Grace United Ministries and Gainesville resident, at a campaign stop at the Alachua County Democratic Headquarters Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. “I’m supporting him for the stance and the platform he’s running on,” Honeysucker said.

METRO | POLITICS

‘The big answer’: Charlie Crist stops in Gainesville ahead of gubernatorial election

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 26, 2022

A crowd of about 50 people came to listen to him speak about his platform, where he tackled common concerns and emphasized his political experience.

Outside hitter Marina Markova and middle blocker Gabrielle Essix rise above the net for a block against Virginia Aug. 27, 2022.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

South Carolina stuns No. 12 Florida in five sets

By Ethan Eibe | Sep. 26, 2022

South Carolina snapped Florida’s seven game winning streak in five sets (25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 22-25, 7-15) with a Sunday matinee comeback win at the Carolina Volleyball Center in Columbia, South Carolina. It is Florida’s first loss in Southeastern Conference play and a tough blow for a squad that was one set away from a weekend sweep.

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

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF hasn’t begun a formal search for new honors director

By Christian Casale | Sep. 26, 2022

It’s been more than a month since Mark Law’s termination as UF Honors director, and UF administration still hasn’t begun a formal search for a new one.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried discusses the democratic platform for reproductive rights with congressional nominee Danielle Hawk in Gainesville, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

METRO | POLITICS

Nikki Fried, Danielle Hawk engage with Gainesville voters on abortion access

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 26, 2022

The pair emphasized the importance of reproductive health care and mobilizing voters ahead of November’s general election.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville lawsuit against Florida’s anti-riot law clears first hurdle with long journey ahead

By Aidan Bush | Sep. 26, 2022

The city of Gainesville won its first victory in what’s expected to be a prolonged battle against Florida’s anti-riot law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Kariel Stuart rallies students in Turlington Plaza to "mourn the Earth" in protest of climate change Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Turlington protesters show solidarity with global climate strike

By Fernando Figueroa | Sep. 25, 2022

Last Friday, Sunrise Movement Gainesville, UF College Democrats, Youth Democratic Socialists of America, Climate Action Gator and Take Action Florida participated in a climate strike alongside other international organizations. Organizers urged protestors to wear black to show solidarity in mourning the Earth.

Redshirt freshman midfielder Oakley Rasmussen shoots against South Florida Sept. 1, 2021.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Florida soccer collapses against Georgia

By Jose Tovar | Sep. 25, 2022

“This was our worst performance of the season." Those were Florida head coach Samantha Bohon’s words following the Gators’ 3-0 loss against Georgia Sunday. UF’s losing streak is now extended to five matches on the season.

Florida's Merritt Beason lays down a kill during a game against Texas A&M on Oct. 16, 2021. Beason laid down a career-high 18 kills against South Carolina, leading the Gators to their first road SEC win of the season.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

Gators volleyball spoils South Carolina’s SEC opener

By Brandon Hernandez | Sep. 25, 2022

No.12 Florida spoiled South Carolina’s Southeastern Conference opener three sets to one (25-18, 25-22, 16-25, 25-19) Saturday on the road at the Carolina Volleyball Center in Columbia, South Carolina.

Local band Cash Crop and the High Tops take the stage at Bo Diddley Plaza during Gainesville Hempfest on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Gainesville HempFest calls for legalization of cannabis

By Luna Boales | Sep. 24, 2022

Nearly three decades since the festival first took place, Gainesville HempFest returned to downtown Saturday, featuring a wide array of bands, vendors, food trucks and speakers all advocating for the legalization of cannabis.

The medical school recently put out a study saying coffee could help with nicotine addiction, especially in the morning, because after a night of no nicotine a molecule in coffee can help soothe some active addicted receptors in your brain.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Coffee may soothe some nicotine cravings, UF study shows

By Siena Duncan | Sep. 24, 2022

A UF study, published Sep. 15, could establish that there is a neurological reason the two are connected.

Members of the UF community protest for higher graduate assistant wages in front of Tigert Hall on Friday, April 1.

NEWS | CAMPUS

8 weeks of paid family leave likely for UF graduate assistants

By Siena Duncan | Sep. 24, 2022

On Thursday, Fuller, deputy general counsel for UF, said it's willing to support the proposal, but as a pilot program, meaning it will be flexible to changes if any problems arise.

People walk through the American Heart Association inflatable to being the 2022 Alachua County Heart Walk Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

NEWS | SFC

Gainesville locals raise more than $100,000 for 2022 Alachua County Heart Walk at Santa Fe College

By Claire Grunewald | Sep. 24, 2022

The Alachua County Heart Walk made its return to Santa Fe College for the first time since 2019 after three years held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson during the Gators' game against the Kentucky Wildcats Sept, 10, 2022. Richardson accounted for four of Florida's five touchdowns in Knoxville, Tennessee, Saturday but couldn't keep pace with the Volunteers offense.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Florida can’t make magic happen in Knoxville, drops first road game

By Topher Adams | Sep. 24, 2022

The Gators fell 38-33 on the road against Tennessee. Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker had a career day, throwing for 349 yards and running for an additional 112. Richardson had a bounceback performance for the Gators, throwing for a career-high 453 yards and adding 62 on the ground, but it wasn’t enough to keep up with the UT offense.