News | Features - The Independent Florida Alligator

Rich Hibner crouches behind an obstacle at the new M2 Battlesports field in Newberry on Saturday.

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Outdoor laser tag arena opens

By GRAHAM HACK | July 14, 2014

Water droplets fell from the trees as the red team discussed its strategy.

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Local bar offers risque trivia, sex toys as prizes

By Erin Meisenzahl-Peace | May 26, 2014

“Dirty Mike” cleared his throat and then grunted into the microphone.

Julia Goodrich, 4, inspects a freshly picked blueberry at the 301 Blueberry Farm during its annual Blueberry Festival Saturday morning. Her mother, Meredith Goodrich, 39, said it’s nice to be able to listen to live music while picking blueberries.

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Blueberry festival keeps Alachua traditions

By Steven Katona | May 19, 2014

ISLAND GROVE, Fla. — Sliding a birdshot round into his Remington 1100 shotgun, Kinnis Thomas takes aim at one of several small, paper targets about 30 yards into a wooded clearing.

A vampire-slaying kit sits among similarly weird items at Comanche Moon Curios, a store for eclectic items near McIntosh, Fla.

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Antique store in McIntosh offers unusual wares, like vampire slaying kit

By Rachel Whetstone | May 12, 2014

For those in need of a vampire-slaying kit, it’ll run about $300 at the Comanche Moon Curios near McIntosh, Florida.

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Subsidized housing residents trapped despite mold problems

By Shayna Posses | Apr. 22, 2014

Erica Brown’s 4-year-old son doesn’t understand why his family can’t go home.

Santa Fe College student Velinda Davis talks to artist Sheila Barksdale on Saturday at the Archer Community Center at the “Interpreting the Sword” event.

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Artist combines Dickinson poetry with martial art Aikido

By Julianne Huhn | Feb. 23, 2014

A barefoot Sheila Barksdale stepped onto the mat, raised a 3-foot long sword into the air and recited poems by Emily Dickinson.

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UF professor leaves honors advising to open downtown Gainesville brewery

By Erin Meisenzahl-Peace | Feb. 13, 2014

John Denny quit his job for beer.

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UF alumna starts advertisement-free Gainesville art magazine

By Bradley Norman | Jan. 28, 2014

In a world where print advertising is volatile, one UF alumna is developing her own ad-free publication.

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Families battling mold in Gainesville apartment complex

By Shayna Posses | Jan. 9, 2014

Erica Brown’s 6-year-old son doesn’t understand why his family can’t go home.

“Doctor” Robert Ramsthaler takes a shot during a game of pool as Tom Miller, the first official billiard therapy patient, watches Sept. 16 at Main Street Bar & Billiards.

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Playing billiards provides therapy, life lessons for locals

By Ashley Crane | Oct. 1, 2013

Every Friday at 3 p.m., “Doctor” Robert Ramsthaler gets into his red pickup truck and heads to Main Street Bar & Billiards.

The Reverend William H. Russell Jr., 51, from The United New Testament Church International speaks at a candlelight vigil held for missing Christian Aguilar on the corner of Southwest 13th Street and West University Avenue Thursday evening. Christian Aguilar went missing on Sept. 20, Pedro Bravo, the main suspect in the disappearance was indicted with murder and kidnapping charges on Monday.

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One Year Later: Christian Aguilar remembered as Bravo case continues

By Chris Alcantara | Sep. 23, 2013

The call came in the middle of the night, jolting Carlos Aguilar awake as he slept in a Beaty Towers dorm room.

RTS driver Steve Holloway, 54, is well-liked by students and bus riders for the jokes and life lessons he shares during his Friday routes. Holloway’s passion for customer service won him RTS’s top award for customer service earlier this year. He currently drives a bus on Route 35.

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RTS Route 35 bus driver holds captive audience with jokes and stories during commute

By Jensen Werley | Aug. 26, 2013

She was the last student at the last stop on the last trip of the day.

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40 AND COUNTING: Alligator gains independence, contract with UF near completion

By Jay O'Callaghan | Jan. 31, 2013

This article originally ran Feb. 1, 1973 on pages 1 and 6 of The Independent Florida Alligator.

Will Cohen plays with Nicole Reed, a 21-year-old family, youth and community science senior, who cares for Will after school as his personal counselor. Reed has spent 20 hours a week with Will for the last four months. “I’m blessed that I’m a one-on-one,” Reed said.

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Will Power

By Colleen Wright | Nov. 8, 2012

Will Cohen was diagnosed with severe autism, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and other challenges at 22 months old. He is considered preverbal, meaning he can make sounds, but he can’t speak.

Peter Nguyen, 9, enjoys a strawberry slush with green apple jelly at Lollicup on Monday afternoon. “I like it because it tastes good,” Nguyen said. His favorite drink is the Oreo Snow.

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Cancer risk of boba tea uncertain

By Webb | Sep. 12, 2012

Local vendors of bubble tea, also known as boba tea, are afraid they may lose business after a German hospital published a vague test that found a few toxins in a sample from a German bubble tea chain.

Corey Nickels, an 18-year-old electrical engineering sophomore, fixes and donates abandoned bicycles.

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UF student spends free time repairing bicycles and gadgets

By Haley Stracher | May 23, 2012

Nickels, an 18-year-old electrical engineering sophomore, spent his childhood repairing and donating his neighbors’ bikes, stereos and microwaves left at the curb for trash pickup.

A brown capuchin monkey hangs from its cage at Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary.

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Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary needs financial help to expand facility

By Clare Lennon | Apr. 24, 2012

Kari Bagnall, 58, who founded Jungle Friends in 1998, said the nonprofit needs $250,000 to be able to buy the 20-acre lot next door and expand.

Gainesville Police officer Thomas Harrison drives his cruiser down University Avenue early Thursday morning.

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Behind the night shift: A ride with a Gainesville Police officer

By Jon Silman | Mar. 25, 2012

Tommy Harrison, 28, is a three-year veteran of the Gainesville Police Department, and he works four 10-hour shifts a week.

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The many faces of protest

By Meredith Rutland | Mar. 11, 2012

Gainesville artist Melanie Peter walked toward an art exhibit as protesters set up their exhibit outside.

Edgar McCray, of the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, stands in formation during an afternoon inspection Saturday.

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The Battle of Olustee reenactment rages for its 36th year

By Emily Morrow | Feb. 19, 2012

The reenactment, now in its 36th year, is a three-day event that started Friday and lasted through Sunday afternoon at the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park.