News - The Independent Florida Alligator

Ten people died in a school shooting on Friday at Santa Fe High School, just south of Houston, Texas. (KTRK-TV ABC13 via AP)

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UF’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas alumni grieve over mass shooting in Texas

By Dana Cassidy | May 20, 2018

The Flores-Colondres family poses for a photo at an Alabama church in 2010.

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Gainesville residents raise money to bring deported father, husband back home

By Amanda Rosa | Apr. 27, 2018

Every night for the past six years, Lina Colondres and her husband Ruben Flores Garcia have stayed up thinking of each other — 1,681 miles apart.

In the 2012-13 school year, the Disability Resource Center center served 1,214 students. This academic year, that rose to 3,055.

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Disability Resource Center struggles with growing demand

By Jessica Giles | Mar. 29, 2018

Nestled alone in her cubicle, Marti Stein can fidget all she wants.

Michael Weissman, a UF finance freshman.

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Why I'm Marching

By Meryl Kornfield | Mar. 23, 2018

Michael Weissman, a UF finance freshman, graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year. He still has friends in the school, and when the Valentine’s Day shooting started at about 2 p.m., the 18-year-old was in class.

Julia Tiplea, a 19-year-old marine science sophomore, hands out "UF stands with MSD" T-shirts to fundraise for her group's trip to Washington for the national "March for Our Lives" event Saturday.

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'Come back stronger'

By Romy Ellenbogen | Mar. 22, 2018

Julia Tiplea knows grief.

Students and other passengers walk toward a RedCoach bus to begin boarding Thursday afternoon at the Commuter Lot as UF will begin its Spring Break this upcoming week.

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RedCoach incident raises questions on bus companies' protocols

By Jessica Giles | Mar. 1, 2018

As Halle Berliant watched her bus creep farther away from the Tampa airport on her phone’s map, the knot in her stomach tightened.

David DiMauro, a 22-year-old UF biology senior, ascends the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand during Summer 2017. He will guide a hike up five mountains over Spring Break.

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Six UF students plan to climb five peaks this spring break

By Elliott Nasby | Mar. 1, 2018

Three days. Five mountains. Six pairs of burning thighs and toned calves.

Rupert Heard, 55, gives a tour of his camp fit for three. As camp leader, he manages his group’s finances and stocks up on daily supplies.

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An unexpected leader

By Elliott Nasby | Feb. 22, 2018

Rupert Heard used to sleep with a knife by his side.

[FILE PHOTO] 35-year-old Lilliemarie Gore leads students of Idylwild Elementary School through a series of math exercises. Mrs. Gore was awarded the title of "2017-2018 Alachua County Teacher of the Year" earlier this month.

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‘Night and Day’: Schools still struggle with achievement gap

By David Hoffman | Feb. 15, 2018

THE RESOURCES

Richard Doan and his classmates wait to be escorted out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School by a SWAT team, following a school shooting that left at least 17 dead.

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UF community struggles to cope after shooting at Broward County high school

By Paige Fry | Feb. 14, 2018

Richard Doan didn’t think much of the blare of the fire alarm when it went off Wednesday afternoon.

In this frame grab from video provided by WPLG-TV, emergency personnel wheel an injured person from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., following a shooting there on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. (WPLG-TV via AP)

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Broward County high school shooter in custody; at least 17 victims, authorities say

By Meryl Kornfield and Paige Fry | Feb. 14, 2018

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: The Associated Press reported at least 17 people are dead after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Christian Aguilar, Carlos Aguilar, Alex Aguilar and Claudia Aguilar pose for a photo on Alex's 15th birthday.

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‘I want to finish out what he started’: UF student carries on brother’s legacy

By Jessica Giles | Feb. 11, 2018

Alex Aguilar still remembers how his older brother Christian’s eyes gleamed when he first toured UF in April 2012.

Callie is one of several stray cats that have been regularly fed and cared for by Gainesville natives over the years. This group of felines regularly wander the streets and sewers of the University of Florida and gather behind the Counseling and Wellness Center everyday to be fed.

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Mama Kitty’s legacy: A look at stray cats around the city

By Amanda Rosa | Feb. 8, 2018

When Libby Rowell started feeding Mama Kitty in 1997, she never expected to bury the stray in her backyard nearly 15 years later.

From left: Ian Green, Janae Moodie and Revel Lubin. The three black student candidates are running for student body president in a three-party race.

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Bigger than Us: Three black UF students vie for president

By David Hoffman | Feb. 1, 2018

Pamela Bingham had never been called the N-word in her life — until her freshman year at UF.

Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow speaks with media on UF's Plaza of the Americas in September 2014.

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Missed Tim Tebow’s HGTV appearance? Here’s what happened.

By Katherine Jones | Jan. 31, 2018

Former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow appeared on HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” to help a family make their home wheelchair-friendly.

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Living and loving with HIV: A UF alumna tells her story

By Elliott Nasby | Jan. 28, 2018

The first time Jessica Grobman told anyone about her medical secret was in sixth grade when she shared it with her middle-school best friend.

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‘Privacy, not conﬁdentiality’: reporting sexual assault at UF

By Romy Ellenbogen | Jan. 27, 2018

When the knock on her door came, Avnee Mistry was prepared.

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Friends, family remember UF College of Medicine resident’s kindness, intelligence

By Robert Lewis | Jan. 23, 2018

Sey Hee Park, a double Gator, was integral to the College of Medicine, colleagues said.

Omar Lopez, a lead scientific systems developer with the UF Center for Biotechnology Research, is enrolled in UF’s Employee Education Program, which allows full-time employees to take up to six credit hours tuition-free. Lopez, 25, hopes to get his associates degree by the end of the year.

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Back to school: At UF, a job can come with an education

By David Hoffman | Jan. 11, 2018

For the ﬁrst time in more than 30 years, Colette Cimino is a college student again.

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‘Dancing for the King’: A UF student honored

By Christina Morales | Jan. 7, 2018

Lisa Ly's passion for dancing started when she was 5.