1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

About three weeks after they were reported for “loudly” playing basketball, nine Gainesville kids and a handful of police officers sat courtside at an NBA game Sunday afternoon.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Do pastors really need protecting?

Feb. 8, 2016

As enticing and accessible as the 2016 presidential election is, there are other issues we Floridians ought to concern ourselves with. I’m speaking in particular of the Pastor Protection Act, which would absolve pastors of any liability to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Book lovers and the Amazon expansion

Feb. 8, 2016

As an English major, it goes without saying that books are a huge part of my life. They pile up on any and every flat surface in my apartment, slowly accumulating and overtaking my space. With my meager Ikea bookshelf packed to the brim, I’ve started using bedside tables, coffee tables, dressers and desks in an effort to contain them. I roll my eyes at anyone who dares suggest I buy a Kindle and wring my hands when my mother mentions our family history of hoarding. There are books worn and dog-eared from frequent readings, books I’ve only half-read, books I promise myself I’ll read one day (hello, “Infinite Jest”), and books that, let’s be honest, are just there for aesthetic purposes.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Rubio's policies are not truly conservative

Feb. 8, 2016

As the Republican contention for who will win the party’s primary boils down to just nine candidates — only seven being worthy enough for Sunday night’s stage — a favorite and hopeful among Republican voters is Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Particularly popular among Republican youth, Rubio has gained clout in staying relevant to voters despite having to contend with the show-stealing bravado of the party’s two frontrunners, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and the braggart billionaire Donald J. Trump, placing third in the Iowa caucus just behind “The Donald” himself.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

Editorial: Florida's death penalty is shameful

Feb. 8, 2016

Judge, jury and executioner: Although this idiom is meant to refer to someone having ultimate power and authority over one’s fate, the legal system of the U.S. is designed in such a way that these three functions are meant to remain relatively distinct and act with a measure of independence from one another. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court found two of these roles to be a little too close for its liking in the case of Hurst v. Florida.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Meet the Candidates: Executive Ticket Profiles

By Melissa Gomez | Feb. 7, 2016

Access Party

Kishan Patel is a 20-year-old UF industrial and systems engineering sophomore running for Student Body treasurer with Impact Party.Patel is currently a sophomore senator. He serves as the Indian Student Association treasurer and as a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in SG. He was a member of GatoRaas Dance Team and is currently a resident assistant in Cypress Hall. He was also the Access Party treasurer.Patel said he decided to run with Impact because he said Access Party was unable to compromise in Senate.“I’m really moving toward tangible change for the students,” he said. “The Impact Party is all about tangible change.”

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Kishan Patel - Impact Party Student Body treasurer candidate

By Melissa Gomez | Feb. 7, 2016

Kishan Patel put his passion for dancing on pause to help student organizations get funding from Student Government.

Lillian Rozsa is a 20-year-old UF political science and women’s studies sophomore running for Student Body treasurer with Access Party.Rozsa currently serves as a senator for District D. She serves as the current vice president of the Women’s Student Association and is the president and founder of the UF chapter of HeForShe. Rozsa has also served on the Transportation and Fee Committee.She said she wants to remain accessible to students trying to start student organizations.“I really understand what it takes to be part of a student organization and to really start from the bottom up in terms of financials with student organizations,” she said. “I really think that I’m someone that students can go to if they have fee complaints or go to for any sort of question they may have.”

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Lillian Rozsa - Access Party Student Body treasurer candidate

By Melissa Gomez | Feb. 7, 2016

The first time Lillian Rozsa didn’t exercise her right to vote was when she came to UF. As a freshman, she didn’t want to vote for the single-party system in Senate, which was run by Swamp Party.