1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

Shahmir Memon, a 21-year-old business administration junior, receives a fresh cut on the Plaza of the Americas lawn on Friday, Jan. 14. From bathroom stalls to street corners, Ju-Ray Kuo, a 24-year-old applied physiology and kinesiology master's student at UF, has been giving free cuts throughout Gainesville for the past six years.

SPORTS | FEATURES

Ju-Ray Kuo: The basketball barber of Gainesville

By Elena Barrera | Jan. 28, 2022

As the cheers of 10,000 Florida men’s basketball fans crescendo into a deafening roar, the quiet insight from their team manager rings loudest through the players’ heads. From the locker room bathrooms, Ju-Ray Kuo, an applied physiology and kinesiology masters student at UF, has become the unofficial barber of the Florida Gators men's basketball team — every returning player on the 15-player team has received a haircut from Kuo at least once.

Three cats play inside the cat room at the Feeline Good Cat Cafe on Jan. 19. There were a total of 12 adoptable cats at the cafe being fostered from the Humane Society of North Central Florida.

METRO | BUSINESS

Gainesville cat cafe successfully adopted out 200 cats after its seventh month open

By Jasper Wittig | Jan. 27, 2022

The Feeline Good Cat Cafe in downtown Gainesville reached its 200th adoption Jan. 23, seven months after its grand opening. Francesca Hall, the cafe’s 23-year-old founder and owner, said the cat cafe works as a foster home for adoptable cats, and she recently increased the number of cats the cafe takes in at a time from 10 to 12.

Around 400 attendees, most without masks, partied to Taylor Swift's classics at The Wooly's Swift-themed dance party Saturday night, Jan. 22.

THE AVENUE | NIGHTLIFE

Taylor Swift fans ‘shake it off’ at The Wooly’s sold-out show

By Alexis Carson | Jan. 27, 2022

A Taylor Swift-themed celebration for those at least 21 years old, was held at Downtown club The Wooly Saturday night. “You Need to Calm Down: A Taylor Swift Dance Party,” jammed on, blasting the entire discography of Taylor Swift’s music from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. About 400 people purchased tickets to the event, selling out within a few weeks of tickets being up online, said Courtney Gibson, 32-year-old CEO of Le Petite Fete, the touring company who hosted the dance party.

Lauren Lemasters, Gator Party's nominee for Student Government president, walks up to the podium outside of Library West at the announcement of the party's executive ticket on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Gator Party, Communist Party announce executive tickets for Spring 2022 elections

By Maia Botek | Jan. 27, 2022

Two Student Government parties announced their candidates for executive positions three weeks before elections start. Feb. 22 and 23, UF students can cast their votes for a new Student Body president, Vice President and Treasurer. Students will also choose 50 new senators to take over seats organized by college and credit hours.

Florida's Tyree Appleby holds the ball during a Dec. 6 game against Texas Southern. The point guard scored 16 points and dished out seven assists in a losing effort Wednesday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida falls late in back-and-forth bout against Tennessee

By Jackson Castellano | Jan. 26, 2022

In a blow for blow matchup against Tennessee that came down to the final possession, UF couldn’t hang on and collected their sixth straight loss in Knoxville.

Following 10 weeks of campaigning, Cynthia Moore Chestnut won the Gainesville special runoff election Tuesday by 244 votes. Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%. The city’s voter turnout for the special run-off election was about 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Chestnut wins Gainesville special run-off election, newcomer concedes

By Alligator Staff report | Jan. 26, 2022

Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%, according to preliminary results. Out of the 90,080 eligible voters, only 12,280 voted, or 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

Junior Marlee Zein and senior McCartney Kessler against Arkansas on March 14, 2021. The Gators overcame the Mississippi State Bulldogs Sunday afternoon.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

No. 20 Gators start season with back-to-back wins

By Joshua Morgan | Jan. 26, 2022

A potential rise back to the top started off on the right foot Sunday with a 6-1 win over North Florida and a shutout performance against South Florida 7-0 the following day.

Center Jason Jitoboh catches his breath during a pre-season friendly against Embry-Riddle Nov. 1. Jitoboh scored 12 points without a miss in Florida’s loss to Ole Miss Monday night.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida basketball falls hard in Oxford

By Jesse Richardson | Jan. 25, 2022

Florida men’s basketball shot 14.3% from long range and gave up 48 points in the second half Monday night to cause their eventual downfall to the Ole Miss Rebels.

Judi Jackson, a 62-year-old election volunteer (left), sits outside Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office Jan. 22 with her fellow volunteer, checking early voting ballots. The special run-off election for City Commission At-large Seat B will be held Jan. 25.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Early voting for the Gainesville City Commission special run-off election ends

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 24, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission Special Election early voting began Friday and ended Sunday, with the official election date being Jan. 25. For voters casting their vote by mail past the early voting period, the mail-in drop box will be available Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 at the Alachua Supervisor of Elections Office at 515 N. Main St. Suite 100.

Florida doubles pair Duarte Vale (above) and Abedallah Shelbayh opened Sunday's match against UCF with a dominant 6-1 doubles victory. Photo from UF-TCU game March 17, 2021.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

No. 3 Gators dominate No. 14 UCF for 7-0 win

By Joshua Morgan | Jan. 24, 2022

Florida men’s tennis scored an emphatic shutout win against No. 14 Central Florida on Sunday.

English teacher Cassidy Klein is seen inside the A. Quinn Jones Center on Thursday, Jan. 20. Klein was named the 2022 Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health Teacher of the Year.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

A. Quinn Jones English teacher received regional award for dedication to Special Education

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 24, 2022

Klein, a 25-year-old high school English teacher, received the 2022 Division for Emotional & Behavioral Health teacher of the year award. The DEBH is an international community of educators that dedicates itself to the success of students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. Klein traveled to Orlando Monday to receive her plaque.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

UF hasn’t offered any federal emergency relief this semester; some students worry they never will

By Lucille Lannigan | Jan. 24, 2022

A new federal grant has not been funded for Spring, causing some students to worry as they continue to face impacts from the pandemic.

COVID 19 | UF

UF offers conflicting information on isolation dorms, leaving students frustrated

By Fernando Figueroa | Jan. 24, 2022

UF will no longer provide isolation dorms for students who live on campus for a “proper quarantine or isolation length,” according to UF Health’s Screen Test & Protect. No further information on how long these periods last is available.

Florida Gators Athletic Department ambassador Steve Spurrier autographs the final steel beam at the James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center at the facility’s topping-out ceremony on Tuesday, June 8.

NEWS

Four Gator athletic teams will receive new or revamped facilities for their 2022 seasons

By Lily Kino | Jan. 24, 2022

Phase three of the UF athletic facilities master plan is expected to be completed this Spring, fostering a fresh start for four Gator sports teams.

Attendees browse Gainesville artist Steven Bradbury’s art at the Santa Fe Art Gallery opening on Friday, Jan. 21.

NEWS

Santa Fe Art Gallery reopens after nearly two years, sparks creativity back into the community

By Lily Kino | Jan. 24, 2022

The Santa Fe Art Gallery made its grand re-opening Friday night after nearly two years of being closed, attracting more than just inspired young artists.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

We chose UF — would we choose it again?

By Sara Lindsay | Jan. 24, 2022

Right now, our community cares about COVID-19. Students and faculty are sick, scared of getting sick or sick of the situation in general. And there’s no end in sight. Despite widespread symptoms of pandemic burnout, UF continues to implement a laissez-faire leadership style when it comes to the virus. UF leaders expect masks but won’t mandate them, online class alternatives are rarely offered and simple social distancing protocols in classrooms seem to be a thing of the past.

Florida's Kiara Smith pictured during a Feb. 28, 2021 game against Georgia. The senior scored 23 points and dished out eight assists in UF's upset victory over LSU Sunday.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators continue historic run with hard-fought upset of No. 11 LSU

By Caleb Wiegandt | Jan. 23, 2022

Florida earned its fifth straight SEC win by upsetting No. 11 LSU in Exactech Arena.

A Florida football helmet, pictured during a game against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 4, 2021.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Hayden Hansen commits to Florida

By Jackson Castellano | Jan. 23, 2022

Billy Napier continues to bring over talent from his tenure at Louisiana-Lafayette, as three star TE Hayden Miller committed to Florida after decommitting from the Ragin Cajuns on November 28.

Kieran Smith, a senior who took home a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finished first in the 200-meter freestyle (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators swim and dive makes a statement against Auburn

By Ethan Eibe | Jan. 22, 2022

Florida was victorious in 23 of the 32 events between the men’s and women’s categories on the way to a 201-91 men’s final score and a 184-116 tally for the women, handing Auburn a pair of defeats.

Sophomore Jason Jitoboh at last year's game versus LSU. Jitoboh has stepped up in the absence of Colin Castleton, scoring eight points and grabbing 10 rebounds Saturday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators overpower Vanderbilt in conference victory

By Jackson Castellano | Jan. 22, 2022

White’s squad maintained constant pressure, running away with the game. Florida (12-6, 3-3) defeated Vanderbilt (10-8, 1-5) on Saturday 61-42. The Gators were in control the whole way, never allowing Vandy to take a lead.

El Caimán