Metro

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

Tup Tim Thai Restaurant and Sushi Bar reopens after health department shutdown

By Melanie Pena | Sep. 19

Tup Tim Thai Restaurant and Sushi Bar, located at 1228 W. University Ave. near the Publix Super Market at University Village Market, was shut down by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Sept. 13 for health violations. The infractions included multiple rodent droppings, one dead rodent and dead roaches, according to the inspection report. Following two inspections, the restaurant, which was a go-to spot for some Gainesville residents, was cleared to open. 

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville housing project passes first vote despite split commissioner, citizen support

By Aidan Bush | Sep. 19

The Gainesville City Commission voted 4-3 Sept. 15 to turn the lot on the corner of Southwest Second Avenue and Southwest 10th Street into a 12-story housing complex and standalone five-story building. The proposal was made by real estate firm CA Ventures.

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

Gator-grad franchise takes Florida: Bento celebrates 20 years

By Ashleigh Lucas | Sep. 16

Johnny Tung, 42-year-old co-founder of Bento, said he never imagined the amount of success Bento would have when their first location, 3832 W. Newberry Road, opened almost 20 years ago on Sept. 20, 2002. 

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Local contractor arrested for threatening Gainesville city commissioners

By Lily Kino | Sep. 14

Terry Martin-Back, a 68-year-old Gainesville resident, was booked into the Alachua County Jail around 4 p.m. Monday. He’s being charged with written threats to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, according to his arrest warrant.

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METRO  |  BREAKING NEWS

Gainesville Amazon facility cleared after written bomb threat

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 13

Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a written message on a whiteboard in the facility, located at 2121 NW 67th Place near Northside Park off of U.S. Route 441, around 9 a.m., GPD Chief Inspector Jamie Kurnick said. The message indicated the presence of a bomb in the building.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

23-year-old man dead after Archer Road motorcycle crash

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 13

An SUV collided with a motorcycle and killed its driver, a 23-year-old man, at 6:31 a.m. at the intersection of Southwest Archer Road and Clark Butler Boulevard, Gainesville Police Department Chief Inspector Jamie Kurnick said. No roads are blocked as of Tuesday afternoon.  

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville residents debate exclusionary zoning as key issue before mayoral race

By Allie Sinkovich | Sep. 12

As Gainesville residents anticipate the runoff mayoral race in November, the aftermath of the city’s elimination of exclusionary zoning is heavy on their minds.

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua County Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler sued for alleged residency violation

By Aidan Bush | Sep. 11

Eugene Garvin filed a lawsuit Sept. 8 against Alachua County Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler, accusing her of not residing within District 2 during her Aug. 23 election against Democratic opponent Charlie Jackson. 

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Former Gainesville Police Department K-9 officer alleges racism within the unit

By Omar Ateyah | Sep. 9

Edward Ratliff, a Black 13-year veteran of the force, alleged white officers casually used racial slurs within the K-9 unit through multiple uses of the n-word. This includes an incident where, in light of a K-9’s euthanization, a white officer said the dog “bit a lot of n—s.”

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

‘I can’t see’: Gainesville Police Department release graphic K-9 mauling body camera footage, officers suspended

By Lucille Lannigan | Sep. 9

GPD showed never-before-seen body camera footage at a Thursday press conference about their K-9 encounter with 31-year-old Terrell Bradley, who was stopped for an alleged traffic violation July 10 and then fled from the officer after allegedly striking him with his elbow.

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville single-family zoning elimination faces pushback from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

By Aidan Bush | Sep. 9

The department's letter argued creating additional units would only serve the city's renters, which primarily consists of UF students, not the majority of residents. 

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METRO  |  BREAKING NEWS

Parents of Gainesville 3-year-old who shot and killed himself charged with manslaughter

By Lily Kino | Sep. 8

Ledrick Lataurus Ferguson, 48, and Kayla Shelynn Carter, 34, were charged with manslaughter, unsafe storage of a firearm and three counts of neglect Wednesday, court documents show. The neglect charges refer to two of their other young children who were present at the time of the shooting.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

UF students report being shot with BB gun near campus

By Alexa Herrera | Sep. 7

The Alligator interviewed three UF students who said they were shot with what they believe to be a BB gun by people driving in a beat-up tan and gold car last week. Students in the area have circulated multiple threads on Reddit sharing similar stories and concerns. 

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METRO

Furniture excess contributes to landfill waste, students weigh cheap, eco-friendly alternatives

By Fernando Figueroa | Sep. 6

Many movers aren’t aware of the environmental impact their choice to throw out furniture has, with bulk items packing landfills. In a city with a frequent base of students moving in and out of furnished and unfurnished apartments, strategies like furniture recycling and thrifting have become popular Gainesville options. 

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METRO  |  POLITICS

Allegations of voter fraud, suppression linger following Alachua County’s primary election

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 6

Allegations of felon voter fraud, a lack of Republican ballots at select precincts and late-night result deliveries have cast doubt over Alachua County’s primary election process for some residents. A portion of voters point to what they feel is incompetence, leading to demands that Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton take accountability.

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

No one hurt as early Monday morning fire breaks out at Peach Valley Cafe

By Allie Sinkovich | Sep. 6

No one was harmed at Peach Valley Cafe, located at 3275 SW 34th St. near Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Gainesville Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Stephen Hesson said. 

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METRO  |  K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools face teacher vacancies amid statewide school staff shortage

By Sophia Bailly | Sep. 6

Around 48 K-12 teacher openings were listed on the Alachua County Public Schools website as of Sunday. As school administrations and state politicians look toward short-term solutions, those in the education system are left to grapple with low salaries among the long-lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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METRO  |  BREAKING NEWS

Select UF Health Shands dispatchers, paramedics unanimously vote to unionize

By Heather Bushman | Sep. 4

The 84-member union of dispatchers, flight paramedics and ground paramedics will bargain with UF Health for higher wages and industry-standard training as it negotiates its first contract.

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua County Commission asks city to delay vote on elimination of single-family zoning

By Aidan Bush | Sep. 2

Gainesville’s contentious single-family zoning elimination faces opposition again — this time from members of the Alachua County Commission.

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METRO

Gainesville zero waste ordinance goes into effect after years in progress, further limits single-use plastics

By Fernando Figueroa | Sep. 2

The ordinance joins the ever-growing list of local sustainability-oriented commercial policies dating back to 1997.