In the tight race that some East Gainesville residents followed closely, Desmon Duncan-Walker replaced incumbent Gigi Simmons, who was elected in 2018, for the District 1 seat by just 119 ballots.
Gainesville residents will vote on two city commission seats Tuesday: District 1 and At-Large Seat B. Development in East Gainesville and public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic are hot-button issues in the election.
Facebook groups and vaccine hunting websites, such as vaccinehunter.org, tip people off to locations across Florida and other states where they may have a shot at getting spare doses that would otherwise be wasted due to the vaccine's short life span of about 6 hours.
Gigi Simmons faces Desmon Duncan-Walker in the March 16 municipal election to represent District 1, which encompasses most of East and downtown Gainesville. Some of the major issues currently facing the district are economic development, food insecurity and COVID-19 relief.
The store offers delivery to the College Park neighborhood, university campus and surrounding areas until 1 a.m. or 3 a.m. depending on the day.
Residents and city leaders alike have expressed frustrations with Florida politicians and UF’s response to the pandemic. After UF reopened in the Fall, COVID-19 cases climbed and the university’s decision to return to in-person classes brought protests. But some residents agree Gainesville was better off than many other cities over the past year.
The city passed a similar ban last month, which raised concerns about the homeless population among experts and community members.
A 47-year-old man was killed in a crash in Alachua around midnight Thursday after being hit by a car.
The event featured shows where children ages 8 to 18 presented animals they raised.
The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections sent an email Wednesday reminding voters of polling place changes for the election on March 16.
Voters can go in person to vote early from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at four locations: the Supervisor of Elections Office, the Millhopper Branch Library, the Reitz Union and the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center.
The deputies involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave per department policy, Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Art Forgey said. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the ACSO Office of Professional Standards will investigate the deputies’ actions.
Michelle Berglass, a 19-year-old UF student, filed a lawsuit against Uber and the owners and drivers of the cars that hit her and four other students as they stood on a sidewalk near West University Avenue. She is seeking more than $100,000 in damages.
![Photo of the missing Leachianus “Leachie” gecko. [Photo courtesy of Mike Southwick]](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/ufa/907bd92a-0b29-40eb-a5fb-d7db7cf98b2f.sized-1000x1000.jpg?w=1500&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
Chantz Chick, the owner of the shop, had recently purchased two $1,800 geckos — one male and one female Leachianus “Leachie.” They lived comfortably in the store for about two months, hiding in greenery and eating fruits, before the female went missing one day.
A donation of $20 sends books to six prisoners, according to the organization's Instagram page. The nonprofit has fulfilled more than 60 requests during its first few months back in operation.
Some Asian Gainesville residents feel safe in the college town, others feel aggressions due to cultural and racial discrimination.
![Boy Scout Troop 125 places invasive plants into a plastic trash bag for proper disposal. [Photo courtesy of Rich Bennett]](https://snworksceo.imgix.net/ufa/d5ac8652-350f-4fe9-afb5-348ba0823188.sized-1000x1000.jpg?w=1500&ar=4%3A3&fit=crop&crop=faces&facepad=3&auto=format)
Instead of working in locations scattered throughout the city as done in previous years, organizers encouraged people to remove invasive plants in their own yards and neighborhoods, said Geoffrey Parks, Nature Operations Supervisor for the Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department.
The machine’s opening comes as Thomas celebrates the anniversary of her business, Gurl U Cute Inc. Hair Boutique, in Jacksonville, which she opened after struggling to purchase wigs in the past.
Since former Eastside High School band director Richard E. Parker's death in 2016, former band members have come together every few months to honor and educate people about the marching band’s old style and community impact through performances at community events and street parardes.
On Friday, UF issued a timely warning email to notify the campus community of the incident, which took place at an unknown fraternity house Feb. 20.
Solutions by The State News
