Metro - The Independent Florida Alligator

Alachua County Public School buses await students at Littlewood Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public School parents are unhappy as bus route delays continue

By Emma Behrmann | Feb. 4, 2022

Chronic late buses frustrate Alachua County Public School parents as the fifth month of school continues to be marked by delays of up to 90 minutes. Skylah Banks, 36, a Gainesville resident, waited to leave for her 2 p.m. shift until her two third-graders came home from Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary at 3500 NE 15th St.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Free parking spaces are temporarily coming back to downtown Gainesville

By Carissa Allen | Feb. 4, 2022

Free parking is coming back to downtown Gainesville until June 1. The Gainesville City Commission voted 5-1 on Thursday to suspend the paid parking structure in the center of downtown Gainesville. Mayor Lauren Poe was the only dissenting vote.

Luis McLeod (middle), recreation aide, helps Cayson Dumas (left), 7, and Jacari Holoie (right), 8, grill pepperoni pizzas at the Eastside Community Center on Monday, Jan. 31.

METRO

New cooking program teaches culinary basics to East Gainesville youth

By Erina Anwar | Feb. 2, 2022

These enthusiastic young chefs participated in Gainesville Parks and Recreation & Cultural Affairs’ new Grillers’ program, which teaches basic cooking skills to youth. The program cost $35 for Gainesville residents and $52.50 for non-residents.

City Commissioner-elect Cynthia Chestnut (center) stands with Gainesville NAACP President Evelyn Foxx (left) and School Board member Tina Certain (right) at her election watch party at Cypress and Grove Brewing Company on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Cynthia Chestnut, Matt Howland continue their work in the electoral process

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 31, 2022

In the days following the election, commissioner-elect Cynthia Moore Chestnut prepared for her position as city commissioner at-large seat B. Opposing candidate Matt Howland will be returning to his studies, flying between Gainesville and his classes at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

METRO

Pedestrian deaths spook Gainesville’s cyclists who want safer streets

By Troy Myers | Jan. 31, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission approved a speed reduction plan on Jan. 20 to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists around the city. The commissioners looked at studies of different traffic safety in other cities and found that speed was the number one determinant when it comes to fatalities and injuries.

The Alachua County Animal Services building is seen on Friday, Jan. 28.

METRO

Shelter volunteers speak out about the harsh reality at Animal Resources and Care

By Namari Lock | Jan. 31, 2022

Alachua County Animal Resources and Care euthanized 168 animals in 2021, and they could have euthanized 149 more last year and still held their “no-kill” title.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City commission fired GRU’s general manager, so he ran for mayor

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 28, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission’s vote to fire Gainesville Regional Utilities General Manager Edward Bielarski Thursday ended with a new bid for mayor. At the beginning of the meeting, City Commissioner Harvey Ward proposed the motion to fire Bielarski, which passed with a 4-2 vote. Commissioners Desmon Duncan-Walker and David Arreola opposed.

Three cats play inside the cat room at the Feeline Good Cat Cafe on Jan. 19. There were a total of 12 adoptable cats at the cafe being fostered from the Humane Society of North Central Florida.

METRO | BUSINESS

Gainesville cat cafe successfully adopted out 200 cats after its seventh month open

By Jasper Wittig | Jan. 27, 2022

The Feeline Good Cat Cafe in downtown Gainesville reached its 200th adoption Jan. 23, seven months after its grand opening. Francesca Hall, the cafe’s 23-year-old founder and owner, said the cat cafe works as a foster home for adoptable cats, and she recently increased the number of cats the cafe takes in at a time from 10 to 12.

Following 10 weeks of campaigning, Cynthia Moore Chestnut won the Gainesville special runoff election Tuesday by 244 votes. Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%. The city’s voter turnout for the special run-off election was about 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Chestnut wins Gainesville special run-off election, newcomer concedes

By Alligator Staff report | Jan. 26, 2022

Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%, according to preliminary results. Out of the 90,080 eligible voters, only 12,280 voted, or 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

Judi Jackson, a 62-year-old election volunteer (left), sits outside Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office Jan. 22 with her fellow volunteer, checking early voting ballots. The special run-off election for City Commission At-large Seat B will be held Jan. 25.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Early voting for the Gainesville City Commission special run-off election ends

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 24, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission Special Election early voting began Friday and ended Sunday, with the official election date being Jan. 25. For voters casting their vote by mail past the early voting period, the mail-in drop box will be available Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 at the Alachua Supervisor of Elections Office at 515 N. Main St. Suite 100.

English teacher Cassidy Klein is seen inside the A. Quinn Jones Center on Thursday, Jan. 20. Klein was named the 2022 Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health Teacher of the Year.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

A. Quinn Jones English teacher received regional award for dedication to Special Education

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 24, 2022

Klein, a 25-year-old high school English teacher, received the 2022 Division for Emotional & Behavioral Health teacher of the year award. The DEBH is an international community of educators that dedicates itself to the success of students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. Klein traveled to Orlando Monday to receive her plaque.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

ACPS new COVID cases continue to rise

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 21, 2022

Alachua County Public Schools saw an increase in the number of new cases from Jan. 9 to Jan. 16, after a record number of new cases the week prior. However, these numbers could increase as parents and employees report test results from before the holiday weekend, ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said.

A mural on the Southwest 34th St. graffiti wall for the victims of the 1990 "Gainesville Ripper" murders is seen on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

‘You will never be forgotten’: Community remembers murder victims over 30 years later

By Alexis Carson | Jan. 18, 2022

Five Gainesville college students were murdered in their apartments along Archer Road in August 1990, and three of them were brutally assaulted by a man dubbed “The Gainesville Ripper.” The Florida Department of Law Enforcement caught the murderer after a nine-month-long search where he, Danny Rolling, was executed by lethal injection in 2006.

The How Bazar officially opened its doors at the downtown Gainesville location with a celebration that included a fashion show, car show and local vendors, effectively shutting down Second Ave. with its festivities. The vintage clothing store, formerly run out of the Seagle Building on West University Ave., is a growing hub of Gen Z fashion and culture for students and young people in the area.

METRO

Shutting down Second Street: How Bazar hosts late-night grand opening

By Aurora Jimenez Castro | Jan. 18, 2022

How Bazar shut down Northwest Second Street for its new storefront’s grand opening block party Jan. 14.

Judge Stephan Mickle's wife, Evelyn Mickle, speaks at the podium about her husband's trailblazing legacy at the renaming ceremony of the Alachua County Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 14. The courthouse is located at 220 S. Main St.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua renames courthouse to honor the legacy of late Judge Stephan P. Mickle

By Carissa Allen | Jan. 18, 2022

After Mickle died last January, Alachua County commissioners unanimously approved a new courthouse name: Judge Stephan P. Mickle Sr. Criminal Courthouse, ending the nearly 20 yearslong search for the perfect name.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Fire at special education public school destroys classrooms, lab

By Jiselle Lee | Jan. 16, 2022

A fire destroyed classrooms at Alachua County public school Sidney Lanier Center on Friday afternoon.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Vaccination gift card programs return to Alachua County and include boosters

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 14, 2022

One program gives any Alachua County resident $25 gift cards for each COVID-19 vaccination and booster they receive. Another awards $100 gift cards to each county government employee for their initial vaccination and booster.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools’ COVID-19 cases increase following winter break

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 13, 2022

After the first week back, there were 334 new student cases and 55 new staff cases — contributing to a total of 476 reported cases among both groups.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Three Gainesville city board members resign

Jan. 12, 2022

Their letters were sent in December. The Gainesville City Commission accepted the resignations of Shayna Rich, Wendell Porter and Harriet Davis during their meeting Thursday, Jan. 6.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Manager fires all assistant city managers, makes changes to the staff

By Erina Anwar | Jan. 12, 2022

Interim Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry fired three assistant city managers and appointed Gainesville Police Department Chief Tony Jones to take their places on Monday.