1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS

Correction

Feb. 27, 2012

In a letter to the editor in Monday’s paper, UF officials incorrectly stated the number for UF’s U Matter, We Care team. The correct number is 352-294-CARE.

MULTIMEDIA | VIDEO

Over 1000 volunteers help make over Chester Shell Elementary

By Kimberly Ortiz | Feb. 27, 2012

Project Makeover choose Chester Shell Elementary this year as the school they would help improve. Project Makeover's Public Relations DIrector Carly Borden says about 1,400 volunteers helped them in their three day renovation process.

Nineteen-year-old political science sophomore Lissette Portocarrero and 21-year-old economics junior Matt Gorstein sell admission tickets for the 3rd annual Cinema Verde Environmental Film and Arts Festival. The festival runs from Feb. 24 to March 2, featuring films that focus on environmental issues and hosting local booths that showcase ways patrons can get involved within their own community.

NEWS | ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Environmental films highlight second day of Cinema Verde

By Matt Boles | Feb. 26, 2012

About 60 people attended the second day of the Cinema Verde Film Festival Saturday afternoon in downtown Gainesville.

NEWS | ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

Bus drivers compete at RTS Bus Roadeo

By Chris Alcantara | Feb. 26, 2012

Twelve drivers competed for a chance to be titled Gainesville’s best bus driver during Saturday’s 14th Annual RTS Bus Roadeo at the Gainesville Regional Airport Driving Pad.

Lesly Parra, an 18-year-old advertising freshman, and Sasha Saigol, a 19-year-old marketing freshman, perfect a mural in a Chester Shell Elementary School hallway Saturday. They volunteered their time as a part of Project Makeover, an organization that fixes up one Alachua County school each year.

METRO

Project Makeover volunteers fix up Hawthorne elementary school

By Kelsey Grentzer | Feb. 26, 2012

About 1,200 volunteers spruced up Chester Shell Elementary School Friday through Sunday as a part of Project Makeover.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Parking decal prices could increase by 4 percent this fall

Feb. 26, 2012

Parking decal prices could go up by 4 percent starting in May if a request from UF’s Transportation and Parking Services is approved.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Engineering senators to keep seats

By Samantha Shavell | Feb. 26, 2012

The UF Supreme Court determined that three upcoming Students Party engineering senators will be allowed to keep their seats.

Alpha Phi Alpha’s fraternity house, located at 630 NW 36th St., is where nine UF students and one alumnus allegedly engaged in hazing.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Hazing involved paddling, chest slaps, police say

Feb. 26, 2012

University Police filed sworn complaints to the State Attorney’s Office on Thursday alleging that nine UF students and one alumnus engaged in hazing with a risk of physical injury or death.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Students vie to be strongest Gator

By Evan Galin | Feb. 26, 2012

The Strong Gator competition, hosted by RecSports, took place on Maguire Field on Saturday and tested contestants’ strength, endurance and speed as they fought for bragging rights and a Strong Gator champion T-shirt.

METRO | POLITICS

Candidates in Gainesville City Commission runoff election talk differences

By Adrianna Paidas | Feb. 26, 2012

As election day descends upon the city, thoughts of last year’s runoff loom over the candidates.

Civil engineering major Kyle Mays, 19, eats a piece of fried quail at the 29th annual Beast Feast on Saturday night. The event was sponsored by the UF Wildlife Society.

NEWS | SFC

Organization serves mealworm cookies, ‘Bambi tacos’ at Beast Feast

By Meredith Rutland | Feb. 26, 2012

About 400 people feasted Saturday on stranger-than-usual fare at the UF student chapter of The Wildlife Society’s 29th annual Beast Feast.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Finding a home away from home

By Adrianna Paidas | Feb. 26, 2012

Aidan Knowles is one of about 200 international exchange students who study at UF every year.

A 7-foot robot named Otto built by the Gator Robotics club stands on display on the Colonnade last Wednesday. The robot is a replica of the original bot, which was built in 1957 by an electrical engineering student from UF.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Robotics club recreates 1950s robot for University of Florida Engineering Week

By Javier Edwards | Feb. 26, 2012

Using three photographs, a 55-year-old video clip and $700 from the Benton Engineering Council, the UF Gator Robotics club resurrected a 7-foot robot from the past.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

University of Florida blog looking for student writers

By Kimberly Greenplate | Feb. 26, 2012

A new UF blog about the Reitz Union is set to debut in early March and is still looking for student bloggers.

Shortshop Nolan Fontana makes the most of a rain delay Sunday by pretending to be a deer. Teammates in a center-field TV tower bagged the 10-point buck before the game was called in the sixth inning with the Gators leading 5-3. UF swept the three-game series.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators clinch series against William & Mary in rain-shortened win

Feb. 26, 2012

Kevin O’Sullivan and Frank Leoni walked toward one another and shook hands, officially concluding a day of tarp slip-and-slides, fake deer hunting and just more than five innings of baseball.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Big Difference: Opinions allowed on opinions pages

By The Alligator Editorial Board | Feb. 26, 2012

The events of last week sparked much debate and discussion on campus about the ethics of reporting, the purpose of a campus newspaper and the idea of bias in the media.

Coach Billy Donovan said he was disappointed with Erving Walker’s effort and leadership during Florida’s 76-62 loss at Georgia on Saturday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

UF dumbfounded by lack of energy at Georgia

By JOHN BOOTHE | Feb. 26, 2012

On a weekend when the Southeastern Conference crowned Kentucky as its regular season champion, Billy Donovan wondered aloud in a back hallway of Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum if his team noticed it still had something to play for.

NEWS | SFC

Filmmakers brave deadlines in contest

By Webb | Feb. 26, 2012

The deadline for SFC’s second annual 48 Hour Film Competition was 7 p.m. sharp Sunday night at Emiliano’s Cafe — a deadline so strict that two teams were disqualified for submitting three minutes late.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Beal’s strong performance overshadows UF’s struggles

By GREG LUCA | Feb. 26, 2012

People jumped to a lot of conclusions after Saturday’s loss, but there’s only one thing that was proven beyond doubt.

METRO

J.K. Rowling to release adult-oriented book

By Katherine Hahn | Feb. 26, 2012

She announced Friday via Twitter that her new novel for adults will be published later this year.

El Caimán