Opinion | Columns

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

A message from Gainesville Regional Utilities' CEO

By Ed Bielarski | Sep. 7

Unlike many of your hometown utilities, Gainesville Regional Utilities is a one-stop shop. We provide electric, natural gas, water and, for those who live in a GATOR NET community, high-speed internet. We also treat wastewater at our two local facilities and work with the City of Gainesville to bill for their solid waste and stormwater services.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Why you should vote YES on Local Public Utilities Nov. 4

By Susan Bottcher | Sep. 7

The state legislature forcefully placed our locally owned public utility, Gainesville Regional Utilities, under the control of Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023. This stripped Gainesville voters of their power to choose who controls GRU, despite the stated will of its ratepayers in two previous elections. DeSantis appointed five people to the new Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board, who answer only to him.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The real victory on University Avenue: Our students coming home safe

By Sylvain Doré | Sep. 4

It wasn’t an award I ever wanted us to win. The motivation for those wide, flat-topped mounds, or speed tables, on University Avenue was born from gut-wrenching losses — the tragic, preventable deaths of Maggie Paxton and Sophia Lambert, two bright young students. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Overconsumption is consuming us

By Kendall O'Connor | Sep. 3

Overconsumption has become a buzz word in the media today, particularly in the ongoing discussion about sustainability, but many of us don’t actually know what it means for ourselves directly.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Why Florida should strengthen gun secure storage regulation

By Isaiah Sloan | Sep. 3

I am a student at the University of Florida, a proud Floridian and a young person who has seen firsthand what happens when a gun is not stored securely. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Dear Florida Democrats: Stop running Republican-lites

By Lucas Nadeau | Sep. 1

The primaries for Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial election are still a year away. But some Florida Democratic Party officials are already attempting to prevent a primary in the first place. Who is the party anointing as their pick for Florida governor in 2026? Surprise, it’s another former Republican.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

UF joins a troubling trend in climate rollbacks

By Abigail Trachtenberg | Aug. 25

UF is also abdicating its role in climate leadership — depriving students and the city of Gainesville of a vital environmental resource. The implications are profound for a university in a state currently experiencing the impacts of climate extremes.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Dean Hub Brown welcomes students back to UF campus

By Hub Brown | Aug. 21

Seeing your energy return to this community is like watching the great battery of this university getting recharged. So with that charge approaching 100%, let’s chat.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

UF student body president welcomes students back to the Swamp

By Blake Cox | Aug. 21

Happy first week Gators, and welcome to The Swamp! Whether you’re stepping onto campus for the very first time or returning for another chapter in your journey here, I am beyond excited to greet you as this year’s Student Body president. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Mayor Ward Welcomes You Back

By Harvey Ward | Aug. 21

Welcome back to fall in Gainesville! Yes, I know it’s technically still summer, and I know it’s still hot. It’s going to be this way for a bit, but I promise you there’s no better place to be than right here in Gator Country right now. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

A new student’s guide to the Gainesville food scene

By Aidan Ragan | Aug. 15

Freshman year of college is a mountain to climb. Many obstacles lie in the wake of the best times most college students will experience. With that in mind, I wanted to give my top five restaurants in Gainesville and some must-order options. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Terror in the Everglades: The hidden horrors of Alligator Alcatraz

By Kendall O'Connor | Aug. 13

Despite the federal government’s efforts to conceal what happens inside the recently — and hastily — built immigration detention center officially named “Alligator Alcatraz,” the facility garnered national attention. We must speak up against this blatant violation of human dignity before it’s too late.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

In a while, crocodile

By Jin-Hee Lee | Aug. 13

I applied to The Alligator to become a copy editor over a year ago as a last-minute decision, kicking off what would become one of the most rewarding times of my life. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

No more hesitant steps

By Delia Rose Sauer | Aug. 13

I would often lie on the floor, eyes fixated on each divot of my popcorn ceiling, contemplating what would become of my life at the University of Florida. I had all this passion with nowhere to put it. Now, I navigate winding roads and uneven staircases with the might and heart of a journalist, a part of me I would never have unlocked if I hadn’t stepped through the propped-open door of The Alligator office.  

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Are Gator men becoming more like their reptilian counterparts?

By Grace Tran | Aug. 8

In a school of over 60,000 students, it seems impossible to find the right person. UF’s dating scene makes me wonder if we would have better luck looking for our dream man in Lake Alice.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

UF is at a fiscal crossroads

By Lily Haak | Aug. 8

President Donald Trump recently signed his domestic policy bill, which outlines mass federal funding cuts. While the cuts were inevitable amid a national debt crisis and evolving economic policy, a choice was made to slash funding for programs nationwide. The University of Florida has been lucky. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The Spot: Gainesville’s hidden Greek gem wrapped in pita

By Aidan Ragan | Aug. 1

Just across from UF and squeezed into Midtown is The Spot. It’s the kind of place you walk past dozens of times until that first bite of gyro hits and the homemade tzatziki cements itself to the inside of your skull. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Tikka Express: India delivered to Gainesville

By Aidan Ragan | July 26

Indian food is a constant craving of mine. It’s wired into my circadian rhythm to the point where some mornings I wake up thinking about naan and a good curry. I go to Tikka Express to satisfy it. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Successful emergency response starts with reliable communications

By Jon Olson | July 26

I’ve seen firsthand how reliable communications impact response times and critical care. Now amid Florida’s hurricane season, communication is more important than ever. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

UF’s commitment to ‘institutional neutrality’ will be its downfall

By Grace Barrett | July 18

As the years progress, I feel increasingly disenchanted with what UF stands for. A look into its recent news stories may illustrate the cause of its slow, painful descent in rankings.