1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

With City Commission's help, UF student marketing campaign promotes mask-wearing in bars

By Jack Prator | Feb. 17, 2021

Students at The Agency, UF’s student-led marketing firm, paired up with the city to launch a marketing campaign aimed to encourage students to wear masks in public inside bars during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Healthy Gainesville Initiative was presented to and approved by the City Commission Jan. 21 and cost the city $87,500.

Screenshot of the false message on Instagram [Courtesy of Jackie Johnson]

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Fake message about Alachua County Public Schools posted on Instagram

By Emil Munksgaard Grosen | Feb. 17, 2021

A fake Instagram account posing as Alachua County Public Schools spread a false message late Saturday night that schools would switch to remote learning. The school district plans to contact Instagram with hopes of getting the account taken off the platform.

COVID 19 | UF

COVID-19 Update: UF’s on-campus positive tests bottoms out at 1% weekly average

By Manny Rea | Feb. 17, 2021

Since UF started tracking cases in March, 6,097 UF students and 1,364 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. In the last week, 113 students and 17 employees tested positive.

Pictured is the Santa Fe College clock tower.

NEWS | SFC

Santa Fe College COVID-19 update: 15 students and employees tested positive last week

By Juliana Ferrie | Feb. 17, 2021

Santa Fe’s total number of reported positive cases is now 678, according to a report provided by spokesperson Jay Anderson. The college recorded its first student case March 8. Since Jan. 29, the college’s COVID-19 numbers have fluctuated, with the highest number of reported positive cases being 37 in one week.

COVID 19 | ALACHUA COUNTY

229 Alachua County Public School students and staff in quarantine

By Daniella Sevares | Feb. 17, 2021

There are 15 active student cases and four active staff cases as of Tuesday afternoon. These cases represent students and staff who have reported a positive test result to ACPS within the past 10 days.

Sophomore guard Scottie Lewis at last year's game against Arkansas. Lewis struggled with foul trouble Tuesday night, scoring just four points while forcing three steals

NEWS

Florida’s fight back foiled late against Arkansas

By Declan Walsh | Feb. 17, 2021

The Arkansas defense stiffened down the stretch, forcing poor shots and costly turnovers that ensured a 75-64 victory for the Razorbacks Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Mullen speaks with media before spring practice Thursday

By Zachary Huber | Feb. 17, 2021

Coach Dan Mullen announced the start of spring football practices Tuesday. They start Thursday, and the Gators will hold 15 more practices until the end of spring ball.

Coach Emily Bastel Glasser at Mark Bostick Golf Course. She highlighted her team’s mistakes but commended Fuller’s performance

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Fuller finishes in 10th, Gators 11th at Moon Golf Invitational

By Michael Hull | Feb. 17, 2021

Annabell Fuller finished 10th individually in Florida’s first tournament of the spring.

Coach Dan Mullen during the Florida-Georgia game Nov. 2, 2019.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Mullen acknowledges defensive issues, preaches urgency ahead of spring practice

By Ryan Haley | Feb. 17, 2021

Dan Mullen offered some criticism of defensive alignment and urgency late in the 2020 season with spring practices right around the corner.

Florida softball team before its series against the Ragin' Cajun's this year. Lorenz will return to the program this year as a volunteer assistant coach.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida opens home season against Jacksonville

By Noah Ram | Feb. 17, 2021

Florida will play its first home game in 11 months against Jacksonville Wednesday evening.

Tight end Kyle Pitts recorded four catches for 56 yards for the Blue team in UF's Orange and Blue game. Blue was defeated by Orange 60-35 in the highest-scoring spring game of all time.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators spring football game to have no fans in attendance

By Jesse Richardson | Feb. 16, 2021

Athletic director Scott Stricklin said hosting fans for the annual scrimmage seems “unwise given all circumstances,” in a press release Tuesday.

The tomb of Francisco José do Nascimento, nicknamed "Sea Dragon," caked in dirt when UF history graduate student Licinio Nunes de Miranda found it in July. [Courtesy of Licinio Nunes de Miranda]

NEWS | CAMPUS

Following three-year search, UF grad student discovers long-lost Brazilian abolitionist’s tomb

By Jack Prator | Feb. 16, 2021

UF history graduate student Licinio Nunes de Miranda spent three years searching for the tomb of Brazilian abolitionist Francisco José do Nascimento, nicknamed the Sea Dragon because of his beginnings as a fisherman.

Mike White departed from Florida in March to become the head coach at Georgia. White ended his time in Gainesville with a 142-88 record over seven seasons.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Gators return to the hardwood against Arkansas after hiatus

By Declan Walsh | Feb. 15, 2021

The Gators are set to play their first game since Feb. 3 against No. 24 Arkansas Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena.

In the golf world, Ryan Hart was a late bloomer because he didn’t compete until high school.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Kickstart my Hart: an athlete’s journey from the rink to the links

By Michael Hull | Feb. 15, 2021

Gator freshman Ryan Hart didn’t start playing golf until he was 13, and he’s now making a name for himself on a stacked Florida roster.

Star guard Kiara Smith led the Gators with 23 points while recording her sixth double-double season Monday night.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida falls to Kentucky 88-80 without Briggs

By Griffin Foll | Feb. 15, 2021

Without star guard Lavender Briggs, Florida relied on offensive production elsewhere in its home loss to No. 17 Kentucky.

Junior Addie Baggarly kneels down to contemplate a putt. She shot an even par on Monday, currently sitting 39th in the Moon Golf Invitational heading into the final day

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Fuller, Florida on the rise at Moon Golf Invitational

By Michael Hull | Feb. 15, 2021

Annabell Fuller had a career day for the Gators, shooting a collegiate low 67 in the second round of the Moon Golf Invitational

Miller and McShane with two members of the public after a private screening of the film at Maude’s SideCar Bar.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

Local filmmaker and playwright tackle Shakespeare in latest project

By Heather Bushman | Feb. 15, 2021

“The Seven Sides of Shakespeare” was shot almost entirely on an iPad over six months.

Lichen Press is run by stagehands Sinead Figiel and Phynix Davis.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Bookstore on wheels passes through Gainesville

By Veronica Nocera | Feb. 15, 2021

Lichen Press, a used bookmobile, stopped on UF campus Thursday and Friday night.

Decyo McDuffie will close out the Black History Month concert series Feb. 26.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

‘Gainesville Live!’ Concert Series celebrates Black History Month

By Heather Bushman | Feb. 15, 2021

Gainesville’s longest-running concert series presents a three-show virtual sequence featuring regional Black artists.

Two people light each other’s candles during an event on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021 to honor those killed during a school shooting in Parkland, Florida three years ago.

NEWS | CAMPUS

Gainesville remembers Parkland shooting victims

By Alexander Lugo and Valeriya Antonshchuk | Feb. 15, 2021

About 80 students gathered in Plaza of the Americas on the evening of Feb. 14 to observe the third anniversary of the shooting. March for Our Lives Gainesville, a local branch of the national organization formed immediately following the tragedy to advocate for gun reform, honors the anniversary each year with a vigil on the plaza.

El Caimán