Metro - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | POLITICS

As election season approaches, the Alligator is always receptive to feedback

Feb. 3, 2015

Slating for seats in Student Government ended at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Participation was high this semester: 617 students slated for Swamp Party, while 175 slated for the most recent incarnation of its opposition, Access Party. All in all, it was a civil affair — enthusiasm for the political process met the machinery of SG bureaucracy, signing up students to run for seats and affect the future of this university.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Medieval faire vendor arrested, charged with sexual assault

By EMILY COCHRANE< | Feb. 2, 2015

Gainesville Police arrested an employee at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire on Sunday morning in connection with the rape of a local 15-year-old girl.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Police say Gainesville woman hit five parked cars while intoxicated

By EMILY COCHRANE< | Feb. 2, 2015

A Gainesville woman was arrested early Sunday after reportedly crashing into five cars in an apartment complex parking lot while driving drunk.

Veterinarians perform surgeries to spay and neuter feral and stray cats in a  clinic hosted by Operation Catnip.

METRO

Operation Catnip to pounce past milestone at free clinic

By Moriah Gaynor | Feb. 2, 2015

A local cat rescue group will be fixing its 45,000th cat this weekend.

METRO

Trading website, Brtr, gaining traction at UF

By Mikayla Mott | Feb. 2, 2015

A new website is helping Taryn Tacher reach her $2,000 fundraising goal for Dance Marathon.

METRO

Time limit causing applicants to speed through permit test

By Zee Krstic | Feb. 2, 2015

After more than a month of studying, UF student Luis Hernandez failed the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles written test — twice.

The south side of Infinity Hall is seen from Southwest Second Avenue on Monday.

METRO

Infinity Hall construction half-finished

By Nicole Gomez | Feb. 2, 2015

Infinity Hall has reached its vertical limit.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Battery on officer this weekend in Gainesville

By EMILY COCHRANE< | Feb. 1, 2015

Gainesville Police arrested a local man early Friday after he reportedly shoved an officer outside of Balls Bar.

METRO

Study shows shopping malls are threatened by online retailers

By Ansley Pentz | Feb. 1, 2015

Instead of going to The Oaks Mall to buy a blue and orange sweatshirt, Rony Schutz stayed at home and ordered it from Amazon.

METRO

New chef doubles food sales at Gator City

By Ansley Pentz | Feb. 1, 2015

With black paint, young Adam Cooper painted over a purple Easy Bake Oven and transformed it into his first oven. Fifteen years later, he catered for Rep. Ted Yoho’s re-election party at Gator City’s nightclub, Envy. Today, the 25-year-old has doubled Gator City’s food sales in the seven months he’s worked as a chef there.

ReShonda Billingsley signs a book for a fan in the Alachua County Library Headquarters on Saturday afternoon. Billingsley was at the library as a speaker for The Opinionated Ladies Book Club of Gainesville’s 7th anniversary.

METRO

Best-selling author visits Alachua county library

By Amaury Sablon | Feb. 1, 2015

Avid readers throughout Gainesville had the opportunity to meet a distinguished author Saturday.

METRO

What the Health app shows nearby restaurants’ health inspection scores

By Carla Vianna | Jan. 29, 2015

There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s cracking down on restaurants via your smartphone.

METRO

Gainesville ranked among best cities in Florida for millennials

By Shannon Dudzinski | Jan. 29, 2015

A recent survey listed Gainesville as one of the top 10 cities for millennial job seekers in Florida.

METRO

RTS to move all operations to a new facility on Monday

By Lilianne Busto | Jan. 29, 2015

Gainesville Regional Transit System’s new facility will move into full operation Monday after opening its doors in November.

METRO

Genetically modified mosquitoes might be released in Florida Keys

By Veronica Garcia | Jan. 29, 2015

There are a lot of misconceptions about the genetically modified mosquitoes that could be released in the Florida Keys. The experiment has been conducted in other countries, such as the Cayman Islands, and experts say it isn’t as dangerous as it seems.

METRO

Sandra’s Lunchbox delivers healthy, homemade lunches

By Marcus Holton | Jan. 29, 2015

A new business is serving up healthy lunches that can be delivered straight to your door.

From left: City Manager Russ Blackburn, Mayor Ed Braddy, and interim General Manager for Utilities Kathy Viehe answer questions from the press after the state of the city address Wednesday afternoon.

METRO

State of the City praises Gainesville progress, says there’s still work to do

By Cyanne Dunn | Jan. 28, 2015

In his State of the City address Wednesday, Mayor Ed Braddy said things are looking up for Gainesville.

METRO | POLITICS

The Access Party could change UF's Student Government, or not

Jan. 28, 2015

So, uh, the Access Party.

Nicole Giaquinto, a 20-year-old UF public relations sophomore, displays a chocolate-covered ice pop at The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops on Monday evening. The Hyppo opened its doors for the first time this weekend.

METRO

UF graduate expands downtown ice pop business with two locations

By James McLaughlin | Jan. 27, 2015

A gourmet ice pop store is expanding across town with the addition of two new pop shops.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Police: Man fights with officer, committed under Baker Act

By EMILY COCHRANE< | Jan. 27, 2015

A Gainesville man was admitted to the hospital under the Baker Act on Monday night after he reportedly fought with a police officer.