enterprise - The Independent Florida Alligator

Gear display at Shoot GTR - Gainesville Target Range, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2026, in Gainesville Fla.

Enterprise

Online gun sales proposal raises safety, market concerns among Alachua dealers

By Logan McBride | Sep. 14

The competition between brick-and-mortar stores and online sales isn’t new to Americans, but a proposal could put it at the forefront of an unlikely market: gun sales. A proposed rule change by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could allow people to buy guns without stepping foot in a store. In Alachua County, local gun store owners worry the proposal could threaten public safety and the market.

A sign for Marshall Rawson stands on the side of the road, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Lawtey, Fla.

Enterprise

Florida House 10 candidate’s past ties to extremist groups draw criticism

By Logan McBride | Sep. 21

An Alachua County Republican running for a seat in the Florida House of Representatives this midterm season is drawing criticism for his ties to a controversial southern group and his attendance at the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. “Unite the Right” protested the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park.

Technology has changed how people invest, from paper statements to trading apps.

Enterprise

Investing got easier, but fewer young people are doing it

By Jessica Yang | Sep. 19

Today, trading a share of stock is free. Until 1975, it cost a fixed commission set by the New York Stock Exchange. By 2004, it was about $10 at a discount broker, and by 2019, it cost nothing at all across the industry. Yet fewer young people are investing than they were a few years ago.

A shoreline along Lake Alice, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

Mayor Harvey Ward’s 1,000-acre conservation goal

By Christian Haas | Sep. 17

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward set a goal of conserving an additional 1,000 acres of land before he leaves office in 2031. Ward said he and his colleagues are always looking for new land to conserve. The city has acquired nearly 2,000 acres over the past nine years, but finding another 1,000 could prove challenging as Gainesville simultaneously tries to address housing shortages.

Director of the US Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor gives an interview to Alligator reporter Alexa Ryan on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

Fed Scott Kupor details government-wide hiring practice overhaul

By Alexa Ryan | Sep. 16

Scott Kupor, the director of the federal Office of Personnel Management, kicked off his college speaking tour at UF on Tuesday with the goal of recruiting college students to the public sector. In an exclusive interview Tuesday before his campus event, Kupor spoke with The Alligator about the goals and policy initiatives he hopes to implement during his next three years in office.

Rent signs for Silver Creek Apartments along Old Archer Road, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

The Fed might raise interest rates Wednesday. How could it hit Gainesville?

By Jessica Yang | Sep. 15

The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates on Wednesday for the first time since July 2023, reversing a series of cuts made in 2024 and 2025.

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

By Sara Dhorasoo | Sep. 14

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

By Kaysheri Haffner | Sep. 12

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

By Christian Haas | Sep. 9

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.

Daniel Khani, incoming Goldman Sachs investment banking analyst and MSF student at UF, poses outside the Warrington College of Business, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

Wall Street wants UF students earlier than ever, but the jobs they're racing toward are shrinking

By Jessica Yang | Sep. 9

Finance recruiting starts as early as sophomore year, pushing students to start preparing their freshman year, a time which is typically seen as an exploratory period.

Outside Publix, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

A fear of food: Are food recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks on the rise?

By Chloe Santiago | Sep. 8

There’s a gap like a missing tooth in the frozen aisle of West University Avenue’s Publix. A shadow looms over the empty shelving between the coconut- and tangerine-flavored fruit bars where the grape and strawberry flavors used to be.

Construction on the south block of SW 1st Avenue in Gainesville, Fla., Friday, April 17, 2026.

Enterprise

From pandemic fix to permanent plaza, The Streatery opens after six years

By Jessica Yang | Sep. 7

The fences and barriers around The Streatery came down Sept. 4, opening downtown Gainesville's new pedestrian corridor to the public after six years of votes and delays and months of construction that cut into neighboring businesses' sales.

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

By Christian Haas | Sep. 6

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

By Logan McBride | Sep. 3

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

By Sara Dhorasoo | Aug. 31

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.

Enterprise

Campaign cash matters, but Gainesville candidates say conversations win elections

By Jessica Yang | Aug. 31

Candidates elected to the Gainesville City Commission and Alachua County Commission Aug. 18 said fundraising increasingly pays for targeted voter outreach through mail, text messaging and digital advertising. But face-to-face conversations with voters remain one of the most valuable parts of campaigning.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis delivers a speech for the Hamilton School’s ceremonial groundbreaking, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla.

Enterprise

Florida Democrats address ruling DeSantis administration misappropriated $10 million in taxpayer funds

By Logan McBride | Aug. 28

In a virtual press conference Thursday, Florida Democratic leaders called for Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and Sen. Ashley Moody to resign after a grand jury ruled they were part of a scheme to misappropriate $10 million meant for healthcare into political organizations.

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?

By Christian Haas | Aug. 24

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?

By Jessica Yang | Aug. 24

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.

Enterprise

Alachua County, Gainesville primaries see big wins for newcomers

By Logan McBride | Aug. 23

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.