Voters who supported the other three candidates — Scherwin Henry, Patrick Ingle and Gabe Kaimowitz — are now tasked with making another choice. Both candidates have adapted their campaign styles to attract more voters.
The Gainesville City Commission voted Thursday to allow The Standard, located at 1360 W University Ave, to open its residential parking lots to the public. The change comes amid an effort pioneered by Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos. The apartment complex can choose whether to allow the public to use the parking garage, which previously wasn’t a permitted option.
The privately funded pilot program, designed by formerly incarcerated individuals, assists formerly incarcerated people re-enter society with a guaranteed income.
Hosted by The Alachua County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers, 21 vendors sold products ranging from varieties of cheese to succulents. Food trucks supplied global cuisine spanning Cuba to Venezuela and back home with American hot dogs, barbecue and ice cream.
A crowd of about 150 people gathered for the tree lighting, a performance excerpt of Cinderella by Danscompany of Gainesville and some opening remarks.
About 40 people came together to remember those who had lost their lives to transphobic violence worldwide. The annual vigil at Bo Diddley Plaza was hosted by TranQuility, Unspoken Treasure Society, UF LGBTQ Affairs, Pride Community Center of North Central Florida and UF Pride Student Union.
ACPS hosted the event at Eastside High School instead of the usual venue, Buchholz High School. The change of location was meant to tackle disproportionate success and representation among minority students in Alachua County, College & Career Pathways Director Shannon Ritter said .
Neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, which resulted in a necessary runoff election on Jan. 25. Chestnut received 46% of the votes, with a 560 lead over Howland, who received 41%. More than 13% of the nearly 90,000 eligible Gainesville voters turned out in the election, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
The event targeted Black voters in Gainesville and featured many performances, including gospel singer Keyla Richardson as well as speeches from candidates, city commissioners and other community leaders.
More than 100 people attended the event, which lasted from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. State Sen. Keith Perry made a brief appearance, and Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe made a short, two-minute speech.
The Alachua County School Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday to allow parents to opt their students out of masking from Nov. 12 to Dec. 17. The board also voted to make masking completely optional for students of all grade levels after winter break. The decision is consistent with State Department of Education and State Department of Health requirements.
As of Sunday, almost 8,000 ballots have been cast according to the Supervisor of Elections Office — representing about 8.8% of total eligible voters in Gainesville. More than 6,000 of the ballots have been mailed in.
The Downtown Gainesville Strategic Plan process began last fall when city management and elected officials met to create ways to improve the city.
To honor National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Oak Hammock Retirement Community at UF hosted a Music & Memory event Nov. 5. The organization uses music to help residents recall specific memories linked to songs that span across every era and genre.
Lightner, a 72-year-old Gainesville resident, united with his half-sister Linda Crosby, a 77-year-old Flagler Beach native, for the first time Nov. 3.
James Dinh, an artist from Los Angeles, spoke at the Veterans Day concert at Evergreen Cemetery.
Antonio Murray, 21, had a warrant for invading a home in Marion County at gunpoint, ACSO spokesperson Art Forgey said. He was booked at Alachua County Jail Monday with a $25,000 bond.
Early voting for the special election begins Nov. 12 and ends Nov. 14, and registered Gainesville residents can vote at the Alachua Supervisor of Elections Office or the Millhopper Branch Library from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After passing a unanimous vote at a meeting Thursday, city commissioners voted in favor of adding Southern Poverty Law Center and Jenner & Block firm as outside counsel. The commission also voted to add other cities as plaintiffs.
On Wednesday, the City Commission amended its meeting’s consent agenda, which means a motion can pass without discussion. They added one controversial item: the approval of a multi-year event at Depot Park to celebrate one of Gainesville’s Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, Tom Petty.
Solutions by The State News
