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Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Enterprise


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The path leading to the entrance of Eastside High School in Gainesville, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.
Enterprise

East Gainesville schools continue to face severe underenrollment

According to data from the 2025-26 school year, some Alachua County Public Schools in East Gainesville were well below capacity. The Duval Early Learning Academy was less than one-third full as of February 2026, enrolling just 119 students of its 408-student capacity. Lake Forest Elementary School is just over 40% full, filling about 250 seats of its nearly 600-student capacity.


The First Amendment influence on social has provided certain protections to ensure users are able to exercise their freedom of speech on these platforms. 
Enterprise

Your post is protected, everything else isn’t

Posting opinions online takes seconds, but a few harsh words on social media could present months of First Amendment litigation and expensive attorney fees. While the Constitution limits which speech the government can regulate, those protections don’t extend to the private sector.


A sign marks Poe Springs closed for swimming, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Enterprise

Florida’s springs are at risk amidst Labor Day tourism

People who spent Labor Day weekend at a Florida spring may have noticed things looked and felt a little different. Experts and activists warn that many of Florida’s springs are under threat. Drought, overpumping of the Floridan aquifer and urban developments have been detrimental to the health of the waterways, with one popular spring, Poe Springs, closed to visitors this Labor Day weekend due to low water flow.


Trees recovering from April wildfires off of County Road 23, Friday, August 28, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Enterprise

Residents, city reflect on spring wildfires as drought conditions continue

Three wildfires threatened Gainesville’s city limits in the spring. Smoke clogged the air, and State Route 26, North Main Street, state Route 121 and the surrounding regions were impacted by road closures and forced evacuations. The blazes, which sparked fear and confusion among residents but may ultimately benefit the ecosystem, point to shifting weather patterns as the county nears a year of drought conditions.


Enterprise

Florida Board of Governors bans undocumented students from public universities

The Florida Board of Governors delivered another blow to undocumented immigrants seeking higher education in Florida during a Thursday meeting in Fort Myers. The board, which is made up of 17 members, with 14 appointed by the governor, voted to block Florida’s 12 public universities from offering admission to undocumented immigrants starting at the beginning of the 2027-28 school year.


The City of Gainesville opens a mile-long multiuse trail along Northeast 31st Avenue, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.
Enterprise

Residents debate East Gainesville’s needs as city invests millions in new infrastructure

A nearly mile-long multiuse trail in East Gainesville was completed this summer as part of the city’s push to develop infrastructure in the region. Since the creation of the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area in the early 2000s, the city has invested millions of dollars into its east side, which is home to several historically Black neighborhoods and has often gone underdeveloped and underfunded. The multiuse trail is intended to create more opportunities for lower-income residents by connecting homes, jobs and schools.


Primary Election Day voting at the Doyle Connor Building for Alachua County Precinct 39 on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 in Gainesville, Fla.
Enterprise

Which statewide candidates will you see on Alachua County ballots in November?

Florida’s 2026 primary election results are in, with just over 25% of Florida’s registered voters turning out to vote in Aug. 18’s election. Because Florida is a closed primary state, only registered members of political parties could vote in the primary election. The state has about 5.6 million registered Republicans, 4 million registered Democrats and 3.3 million registered with no party affiliation.


Balancing work, school and everything else has gotten harder for UF students as costs rise. 
Enterprise

How are UF students covering rising costs this school year?

If traffic cooperates, the drive from Cape Canaveral to Gainesville takes about three hours. Eli Stewart made that trip every few weeks this Summer, squeezing in a shift at a campus molecular lab before turning around and driving back home. The lab is one of two paid jobs he works year-round, on top of a full course load and freelance web design.


Primary Election Day voting at the Doyle Connor Building for Alachua County Precinct 39 on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 in Gainesville, Fla.
Enterprise

Alachua County, Gainesville primaries see big wins for newcomers

Alachua County and Gainesville voters headed to the polls Aug. 18 for the 2026 midterm primary elections, which featured statewide and local races, including the election of Gainesville’s mayor and new city and county commissioners. Election day included nonpartisan races including the mayoral and commission races and the election of a new Alachua County judge.


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