Metro - The Independent Florida Alligator

Gator Stompin’, a pub crawl organized by the Pledge 5 Foundation, will attempt to break a world record on May 1 by having more than 4,700 people check in to 10 bars each.

METRO

Gator Stompin’ organizers hope to break world's largest pub crawl record

By Brandom Krumins | Apr. 22, 2014

May 1 has the potential to go down in Gainesville history — maybe even world history.

UF telecommunication freshman Matthew Szlasa, 19, and accounting graduate student Jacob Sperber, 23, eat wings and share some laughs at Gator City on Tuesday evening.

METRO

Laughing scientifically confirmed as good medicine, study suggests

By Ashley Kobza | Apr. 22, 2014

Giggling your way to good grades may be a possibility.

METRO

Amazon will start charging sales tax in Florida on May 1

By Dominic Utter | Apr. 22, 2014

Amazon.com announced last week it will be charging sales tax for Florida customers.

METRO

The Estates apartment complex cracking down on pet evictions

By Beatrice Dupuy | Apr. 21, 2014

Students commonly hide their pets from landlords and apartment complexes without consequence, but one student-living complex is cracking down.

UF’s symphony orchestra performs at the University Auditorium on Nov. 14, 2013.

METRO

Ivory transport laws could impact musicians’ travel abroad

By EMILY COCHRANE< | Apr. 21, 2014

Proposed government regulations may make it harder for UF musicians and faculty to showcase their art outside of the country.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

UF student arrested on DUI charges after crashing into pole on Sixth Avenue

By Jenna Lyons | Apr. 21, 2014

Gainesville Police arrested a UF student after officers reported the student crashed into a pole while drunk driving, causing about $3,500 of damage.

Barry Setlow, an associate professor at the UF College of Medicine, works in his lab at the McKnight Brain Institute. He and a team of researchers are testing a drug therapy that could help with memory loss.

METRO

UF researchers test drug to reverse memory loss in adults

By Nicole Giaquinto | Apr. 21, 2014

As people grow older, they tend to forget simple aspects of life, like what they need to buy at the grocery store or where they parked their cars — an inevitable effect of aging.

METRO

New BAC app lets users monitor friends' alcohol levels

By Christian Cooper | Apr. 21, 2014

A new iPhone and Android application aims to slash buzzed driving among college students.

METRO

Gainesville design business, Parisleaf, donates 1,000 trees to Maryland charity

By Monique Hernandez | Apr. 21, 2014

A local business is celebrating Earth Day with a large contribution. Parisleaf, a local Gainesville design and printing firm, donated 1,000 trees to a Maryland-based agroforestry charity called Trees for the Future.

A meeting was held in March at Gainesville City Hall by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which provided this photo, to discuss black bears. The bear population is growing across the state.

METRO

Bear sightings, attacks in Florida raise safety questions and discussion

By Kelly Vollmer | Apr. 21, 2014

Two serious attacks and an unprecedented rise in the animal’s population have caused a recent bear scare among Floridians.

METRO

Alachua County Humane Society to host kitten shower on Sunday

By Chelsea Smith | Apr. 21, 2014

To celebrate kitten season, the Alachua County Humane Society is holding its first Kitten Shower at 2 p.m. Sunday at the shelter, 4205 NW Sixth St.

METRO

Archer Road, 13th Street roadwork impacting nearby Gainesville businesses

By Brandon Krumins | Apr. 21, 2014

Local roadwork conducted by the City of Gainesville’s Public Works department is affecting nearby businesses.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville Police arrests homeless woman arrested after leash attack, beer dump

By Jenna Lyons | Apr. 21, 2014

Gainesville Police arrested a local homeless woman Sunday evening after she beat a man with a dog leash then dumped beer on another woman’s head.

METRO

UF alumnus in entrepreneurs' competition to climb Mount Kilimanjaro

By Griffin Horvath | Apr. 21, 2014

A UF alumnus ascended to the next level in a contest offering rising entrepreneurs a chance to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this June.

Pictured are 135 teachers from the conference held by Projects for Haiti. The event helps them network and improve teaching skills through workshops and training exercises.

METRO

Gators found nonprofit, Projects for Haiti, to help brighten future of Haiti schools

By Beatrice Dupuy | Apr. 21, 2014

Independently, Bertrhude Albert and Priscilla Zelaya energize classrooms. As a pair, they’re re-charging a nation’s teachers and illuminating the future for their students.

METRO

A year after bombing, Gainesville locals reflect, race again in Boston

By Jenna Lyons | Apr. 20, 2014

Steve Lachnicht isn’t afraid.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Man ruins alcohol by using fire extinguisher in High Dive

By Jenna Lyons | Apr. 20, 2014

A show at downtown High Dive Bar & Venue got washed out early Saturday morning after police reported a local man in the crowd used a fire extinguisher for no reason, damaging about $1,620 of liquor in the process.

METRO

RTS upgrades stops with wheelchair-friendly accommodations

By Lauren Troncoso | Apr. 20, 2014

Billy MacConel was born with cerebral palsy.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

UF student who was shot by University Police debuting documentary

By Sean Stewart-Muniz | Apr. 20, 2014

The story of Kofi Adu-Brempong, the UF student from Ghana who was shot in the face by campus police, is coming to the big screen Tuesday.

METRO

Community cancer resource center opens in Gainesville

By Erin Meisenzahl-Peace | Apr. 20, 2014

Catch it early enough, and it can be killed.