2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County School Board votes Shane Andrew as interim superintendent

By Emma Behrmann | Mar. 18, 2022

Alachua County School Board named Shane Andrew as interim superintendent two weeks after firing former superintendent Carlee Simon. The members voted 3-2 Tuesday, with Mildred Russell and Gunnar Paulson in dissent. Chairman Robert Hyatt asked for agreement in the board’s nomination at the March 2 meeting, but the vote was split again.

Florida's Sam Riffice returns a ball against South Florida on May 9, 2021.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida shuts out Illinois for 12th win of season

By Joshua Morgan | Mar. 18, 2022

The No. 1 Gators (12-2) cruised to a 7-0 victory over Illinois (5-9) this Wednesday, as the team was able to extend their winning streak to seven games

METRO | BREAKING NEWS

UF student hospitalized after hit-and-run on West University Avenue

By Troy Myers | Mar. 17, 2022

A female UF student was hit on her scooter near University Park Arboretum Thursday evening. A car heading east on West University Avenue turned left onto Northwest 23rd Street and hit the unidentified student just after 6 p.m. in the opposite lane.

Florida's McCartney Kessler competes during a Feb. 26, 2021 match against LSU. Kessler helped secure a doubles win with freshman Alicia Dudeney, 6-2.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida delivers commanding performance over UAB

By Vanessa Sanchez | Mar. 17, 2022

The UF women's tennis team dominated UAB Wednesday to pick up its 10th win of the season.

Gators senior goalie Sarah Reznick and the team clinched the regular season AAC title Saturday afternoon after a victory over Temple University.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida earns statement win against No. 3 Syracuse

By Topher Adams | Mar. 17, 2022

Florida makes huge statement with a 14-10 win against the No. 3 Syracuse Orange on a complete performance.

Guard Kowacie Reeves (left) and forward Colin Castleton (right) celebrate during Florida's win over Iona in the first round of the NIT March 16, 2022. Both players will be centerpieces of the 2022-2023 team under new head coach Todd Golden.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gritty Gators pass by Gaels to open NIT

By Joseph Henry | Mar. 17, 2022

“That one was for him. Everything out there was for him,” said Colin Castleton following Florida’s first win under its new interim coach Al Pinkins. The Gators advanced to round two of the NIT Wednesday night.

The Target location closest to UF located at 250 NW 13th Street is seen on March 15, 2022. The company announced recently that the underperforming location will close.

METRO | BUSINESS

Target store beneath The Standard at Gainesville to close in June

By Carissa Allen | Mar. 16, 2022

The Target, beneath The Standard at Gainesville, at 250 NW 13th St. is closing its doors June 11 due to years of underperforming sales.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Defendant in hit-and-run fatality lawsuit changes his plea

By Troy Myers | Mar. 16, 2022

The deaths of multiple UF students, including Paxton, sparked a campus-wide response with the inceptions of Florida Not One More and Gators Against Pedestrian Deaths.

Florida head coach Kelly Rae Finley and forward Jordyn Merritt discuss the game plan before Merritt checks into the game against Missouri Feb. 27

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Battle-tested Gators look to dance past talented UCF

By Brenda Bogle | Mar. 16, 2022

Florida is dancing for the first time since the 2015-16 season and is seeded to face a determined UCF team, fresh off its first conference championship.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

The hero Gotham deserves: How “The Batman” compares to “The Dark Knight”

By Alexis Carson | Mar. 15, 2022

“The Batman” brings us Bruce Wayne two years into being the hero and vengeance of Gotham. He battles The Riddler to save the city. The audience is immersed in his day to day life fighting criminals to seek justice for the loss of his parents.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Engineering building filled with smoke the first day after Spring Break

By Troy Myers | Mar. 15, 2022

Gainesville Fire Rescue soon confirmed that it was only heavy smoke due to a malfunctioning compressor, GFR Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Hesson said.

UF President Kent Fuchs addresses the Board of Trustees in 2020. He announced he would step down from his role at the beginning of the Spring semester.

NEWS | CAMPUS UF ADMINISTRATION

UF’s presidential search will be held behind closed doors under new Florida bill

By Elena Barrera | Mar. 15, 2022

Senate Bill 520 and its companion bill, House Bill 703, will keep the identities of presidential candidates out of public records for most of the process. Students and faculty will be able to research and meet with finalists 21 days before a new campus leader is chosen.

Redshirt junior Skylar Wallace rounds third after launching a home run to center field. Florida takes on conference rival Tennessee in a weekend series.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida downs Mississippi St. late, earns a bounceback 3-0 win

By Caleb Wiegandt | Mar. 15, 2022

Homers from Kendra Falby and Skylar Wallace did the trick for Florida late in the game. The Gators clinched their home-opening series in a 3-0 defeat of Mississippi State.

THE AVENUE | FOOD

Opus Coffee plans to host birthday party to celebrate its 20th anniversary

By Amanda Friedman | Mar. 15, 2022

Opus and other Gainesville favorites such as Feliz Flavors Ice Cream and Satch Squared Pizza and Waffles will sell food at the event. Live music performances by Gainesville-based artists Mr. Aullie, Richy Stano, Ali and Will, Bears and Lions and Dan Flok will run throughout the event. Attendees can take pictures in the photo booth and enter a giveaway for the chance to win different Opus merchandise like mugs, t-shirts, stickers, koozies, candles and hip bags repurposed from Opus Coffee bags. For kids, there will be face painting and balloon animals.

Sam Riffice during a match against TCU March 17, 2021. The senior won his match Sunday against Tennessee's Emile Hudd.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida defeats Tennessee to reclaim SEC supremacy

By Joshua Morgan | Mar. 14, 2022

No. 4 Florida downed No. 1 Tennessee 5-2 to reclaim its spot as the top team in the SEC.

Kevin O'Sullivan before a weekend series with Missouri in 2021. The Gators head coach earned his 600th career win in a Saturday night bout with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Pirates drop anchor Sunday, Gators win final series before conference play

By Ethan Budowsky | Mar. 14, 2022

Despite the disappointing loss for the Gators, they still picked up an important series win this weekend before taking on conference play.

The Florida softball team during a game against Louisville Feb. 27, 2021. The Gators were edged by Mississippi State Sunday, 1-0 to drop game two of a three-game series.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida drops game two of SEC opening series against Mississippi State, 1-0

By Jose Tovar | Mar. 14, 2022

The Florida Gators were shut out in the second game of the SEC opening weekend against Mississippi State Sunday.

Florida women’s track team and head coach Mike Holloway raise the NCAA Indoor Championship trophy

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Florida women’s track and field claims second NCAA Indoor National Championship

By Ethan Eibe | Mar. 14, 2022

A national championship 30 years in the making. Florida women’s track and field made history in Birmingham, Alabama, claiming the program’s 11th NCAA title.

Roksolana Myktiuk, 25, a non-degree seeking UF women’s studies exchange student (left) and Sasha Nelson, 19, UF microbiology sophomore lead a group of about 30 in a minute of silence for the Ukrainian lives lost in their ongoing war with Russia on Thursday, March 3.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Ukrainian students stand together against invasion happening back home

By Gregorio Ruiz-Perez | Mar. 14, 2022

The conflict in Ukraine has displaced more than 4 million Ukranians and gained worldwide media attention.UF’s Ukrainian students have felt the negative effects of the invasion back home. Their loved ones are under attack and while their community in Gainesville is small, it has brought them closer together. There are only three Ukrainian international students at UF, Mykytiuk said.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Moving Past COVID-19

By Charlie Crist | Mar. 14, 2022

We got here because while some of our leaders played partisan politics, others got to work — and together, we all did our part. We developed the best vaccines in the world in record time and distributed over 250 million of them to Americans. We passed legislation that kept small businesses open and put money in people's pockets to ride out the crisis. Local leaders made the tough calls to keep people safe despite intense political interference from Tallahassee.