Metro - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO

FDOT plans to revamp I-75 along Alachua, Marion counties

By Katherine Campione | Mar. 23, 2017

The last time Lauren Carpenter left Gainesville to go home to Tampa, she sat in traffic.

Emergency services staff provide medical attention to injured people on the south side of Westminster Bridge, close to the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday, March 22, 2017. London police say they are treating a gun and knife incident at Britain's Parliament "as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise." The Metropolitan Police says in a statement that the incident is ongoing. Officials say a man with a knife attacked a police officer at Parliament and was shot by officers. Nearby, witnesses say a vehicle struck several people on the Westminster Bridge.

METRO

UF students safe after attack in London

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 22, 2017

UF students studying abroad in London are safe after an attack at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, university officials said.

Joe Steven Vincent Wagner, 23, is still in critical condition at UF Health Shands Hospital. He suffered from brain swelling, because he was hit by another car on Southwest Archer Road on Monday morning.

METRO

UF student in hospital after crash; frat brothers fundraise

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 22, 2017

Outside Joe Steven Vincent Wagner’s hospital room, the waiting room is never empty.

In this Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012, file photo, a Border Patrol agent stands inside one of the holding areas at the Tucson Sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Tucson, Arizona.

METRO | POLITICS

Alachua County makes federal list over immigration detainers

By Molly Vossler | Mar. 22, 2017

Alachua County is the only county in Florida singled out for failing to comply with federal requests to detain non-native arrestees after the release of a Department of Homeland Security report.

METRO

YMCA receives enough pledges to escape debt

By Molly Vossler | Mar. 21, 2017

The North Central Florida YMCA received the funds needed to pull itself out of debt.

METRO

Depot Park to host art festival

By Jayna Taylor-Smith | Mar. 21, 2017

Charlotte Kesl knows how much art therapy can improve a patient’s health.

A new UF Student Government program, scheduled to launch within the next week, will cover 50 percent of all registered UF students’ Uber rides. The discount will cover rides on campus and off campus around Archer Road, 13th Street, 34th Street, University Avenue and Southwest Second Avenue.

METRO | POLITICS

Partnership will give UF students half-off Uber rides

By Jimena Tavel | Mar. 20, 2017

Within the next week, Uber rides will become cheaper for UF students.

METRO

UF student in critical condition after crash

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 20, 2017

A UF student driving a motorcycle on Southwest Archer Road remains in critical condition at UF Health Shands Hospital after a crash Monday.

METRO

State bill would fund UF medical marijuana research

By Paige Fry | Mar. 20, 2017

A bill that would allocate about $2.5 million for UF to research medical marijuana advanced in the Florida House of Representatives last week.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

First Florida mental health sanctuary opens in Gainesville

By Max Chesnes | Mar. 20, 2017

The yellow house on University Avenue has a name: Serenoa.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD: Driver at gas station ambushed, attacked and robbed

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 20, 2017

Gainesville Police arrested two local residents Sunday whom they say robbed a man after crashing into his car.

Larry King, 76, loosens a rack holding a roasted pig as Jim Ferrer, 66, makes a tent out of aluminum foil to keep it warm for a day-after-St. Patrick's Day party at the corner of Northwest 14th Avenue and Northwest 18th Street on Saturday. King and Ferrer roasted the pig for about four hours before serving it.

METRO

Former UF administrator hosts annual St. Patty’s Day feast

By Romy Ellenbogen | Mar. 19, 2017

Larry King spent the morning of his 56th wedding anniversary roasting a nearly 41-pound pig.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

FHP: GNV woman drives drunk through front yards

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 19, 2017

As patrons of Gainesville’s bar scene celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, one woman was arrested for driving drunk through people’s front yards, Florida Highway Patrol said.

On Dec. 5, a fire burned down Satchel Pizza’s gift shop and open-bar waiting area, Lightnin’ Salvage Enterprises. Now, owner Satchel Raye is working to rebuild it and hopes to reopen it by December.

METRO

Satchel’s to resume live music three months after fire

By Max Chesnes | Mar. 19, 2017

Satchel’s Pizza is resuming live music five nights a week three months after a fire destroyed part of the restaurant’s property.

METRO | POLITICS

Ride-hailing app Lyft brings competition to Gainesville

By Molly Vossler | Mar. 19, 2017

For the first time, Uber will have competition in Gainesville.

METRO

Search continues for Ocala cobra following escape

By Molly Vossler | Mar. 19, 2017

After disappearing from an Ocala home a week ago, a 2-foot-long cobra has popped up on Twitter.

METRO

Grand opening for Cade Museum set for 2018

By Scottie Andrew | Mar. 19, 2017

Gainesville residents will have to wait five more months for the new Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention to open.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD: $40,000 Bobcat construction vehicle almost stolen

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 16, 2017

Gainesville Police arrested an Ocala couple Thursday who traveled to Gainesville to steal a Bobcat construction vehicle.

METRO

Gainesville bars, clubs offering deals for St. Patrick’s Day

By Shannon Claflin | Mar. 16, 2017

It’s St. Patrick’s Day, that time of year when hordes of revelers drink green beer and celebrate their (oftentimes nonexistent) Irish heritage.

A video camera catches an unknown man stealing a painting from the wall of Flaco’s Cuban Bakery. The painting of a rhino was returned almost two weeks later to the front door of the restaurant.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Flaco’s painting returned

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 15, 2017

Flaco’s Cuban Bakery was closed for the night when employees spotted a white trash bag by the front door Wednesday.