Metro | City County Commission - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville residents brace for eviction

By Serra Sowers | July 26, 2020

As Aug. 1 approaches, financially burdened tenants are worried

Protesters hold a banner that reads, "#StandForSeminaryLane," demanding that developers refrain from building luxury student apartments on land located in a historically Black community.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

No pause yet approved for Seminary Lane construction

By Grethel Aguila | July 17, 2020

Gail Johnson proposed a pause on the development of high-end apartments on Seminary Lane, an affordable housing complex in a historically Black neighborhood that was demolished in 2009

The online dashboard will use mapping technology so residents can track businesses’ current and previous violations and inspections.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City Commission unveils COVID-19 violation tracker

By Grethel Aguila | July 16, 2020

An online dashboard will use mapping technology so residents can track businesses’ current and previous violations and inspections

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City and county officials brace for student return amid COVID-19

By Tristan Wood | July 16, 2020

Students will be given two UF-themed cloth masks when they return to campus

The commission budgeted $40,000 to build a replacement sculpture where a Confederate statue stood until 2017.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

County Commission rejects proposed sculptures to replace former Confederate statue

By Tristan Wood | July 15, 2020

The commission will reopen for more proposals after a community contest sets theme for submissions

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Relief grant, Poe Springs plans: inside the County Commission’s COVID-19 update

By Tristan Wood | July 14, 2020

COVID-19 cases in the county quadrupled since the beginning of June

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

County Commission launches COVID relief grant program

By Tristan Wood | July 7, 2020

Businesses can receive up to $15,000, individuals up to $2,500

Paul Myers, an administrator for the county health department, highlights the increase in COVID-19 cases the past two weeks.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

County Commission doubles COVID-19 code enforcers, requires businesses to post mask requirement signs

By Tristan Wood | June 23, 2020

The commission hopes to increase face mask compliance in response to county's recent increase in COVID-19 cases

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City Commission starts research into police reform, plans to honor BLM movement

By Tristan Wood | June 22, 2020

A commission-appointed council will review GPD functions, explore options

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

County businesses can operate at full capacity, parks reopening Friday

By Tristan Wood | June 9, 2020

Occupancy limits at restaurants, bars and entertainment venues are still 50 percent

For the first time in Gainesville's history, city commissioners took their oath of office virtually Thursday afternoon.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commissioners sworn into office virtually

By Tristan Wood | May 21, 2020

Thursday was the first virtual swearing-in ceremony in the city’s history.

Denise Garcia and Jeffery Davis wear face masks in downtown Gainesville. The commission voted Tuesday to end the face mask requirement in its emergency order.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

County threatened with lawsuit over face mask order

By Tristan Wood | May 9, 2020

Gainesville Attorney Raemi Eagle-Glenn sent a letter threatening a lawsuit against Alachua County over its face mask ordinance. The order is being considered discriminatory toward people with medical conditions and disabilities.

Face masks have become a heated topic of debate following the recent orders for them to be worn in public spaces.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua County residents react to face mask emergency order

By Hannah Bobek | May 6, 2020

From necessity to legality, residents shared their opinions about Monday’s order that people wear face masks in public.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua County Commission introduces new fines for violating COVID-19 orders

By Tristan Wood | May 5, 2020

The violation will result in a $125 fine. The second will result in a fine ranging from $250 to $500.

Forty-nine shirts lined the walkway at Depot Park on Oct. 4, 2018, during the Domestic Violence Community Vigil and Clothesline Project Exhibit. The Clothesline Project began in 1990 and was created to honor survivors of domestic violence and educate others about the reality of abuse. The shirts were decorated by women and children who survived domestic violence.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Domestic violence and child abuse rates expected to rise in county, state

By Grethel Aguila | Apr. 10, 2020

While data doesn’t currently show a significant increase, law enforcement anticipates a shift

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Town hall meeting addresses COVID-19 healthcare for homeless

By Sarah Mandile | Apr. 9, 2020

Gainesville is ranked within the top 30 Florida cities with the most cases of COVID-19

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

LIVE BLOG: Gainesville and Alachua County joint telephone town hall

By Grethel Aguila | Mar. 26, 2020

City and county officials collaborated to answer citizen's questions about the local effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic in a telephone town hall Thursday. The live tweets of the town hall by city commission reporter Grethel Aguila are as follows: