1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Ossoff lost Georgia, and I’m not surprised at all

June 26, 2017

Last Tuesday, Republican Karen Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in the most expensive congressional race in U.S. history. The special election filled the vacancy left by current Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price in Georgia’s 6th congressional district, located just outside of Atlanta. Newt Gingrich took the 6th district in 1979, and it has been held by Republicans comfortably since. However, since President Donald Trump won the district by a close margin of only two percentage points in 2016, Democrats saw an opportunity to try to flip it.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Man pleads guilty to at least $35,000 of theft

By David Hoffman | June 26, 2017

A Florida Panhandle man admitted to stealing at least $35,000 worth of jewelry and shipping them out of state.

OPINION | COLUMNS

College is fleeting, enjoy it while you can

June 26, 2017

As I drove back to Gainesville after about two months filled with travel and relaxation, I came to a horrific realization.

OPINION | EDITORIALS

The Philando Castile verdict has made a mockery of the criminal justice system

June 26, 2017

On Friday, Jeronimo Yanez, the Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop last year, was found not guilty of second-degree manslaughter.

UF hurdler Eric Futch races during the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 10, 2016, in Eugene, Oregon.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Futch wins American crown, three more Gators qualify for Team USA

By Andrew Huang | June 25, 2017

On the final day of the USATF Outdoors Championships, Florida added three more World Championships qualifiers, upping the school’s total to 14.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators dominate 400-meter hurdles, set for final day of USATF Outdoors

By Andrew Huang | June 25, 2017

Eric Futch and TJ Holmes are nearly interchangeable in the 400-meter hurdles. The duo regularly places in the top five for the event, in no particular order.

UF pitcher Alex Faedo pitches during Florida's 1-0 win against LSU on March 24, 2017, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators bounce back against TCU, advance to CWS Championship series

By Jake Dreilinger | June 25, 2017

Alex Faedo has been here before.

Jackson Kowar pitches during Florida's 5-4 win over North Florida on March 9, 2016, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF’s offense stumbles against TCU in CWS

By Dylan Dixon | June 24, 2017

For Jackson Kowar, Friday night wasn’t the most convenient time to accrue his first loss of the season.

Jeff Demps (right) smiles during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators have solid outing on Day 2 of USATF Championships

By Mari Faiello | June 24, 2017

Florida had a strong second day at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. Standout performances in the junior championships and some of the senior events have left the Gators still fighting for spots on Team USA.

Shayla Sanders runs the 100-meter dash at the Hurricane College Invitational on March 25, 2017.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Former and current Gators complete Day 1 of USATF Championships

By Mari Faiello | June 23, 2017

Excessive heat warnings in Sacramento, California, didn’t keep UF athletes from putting their best effort forward in Thursday night’s USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. With potential spots for Team USA on the line, Jeff Demps led all current and former Gators with a solid performance in the 100-meter dash.

Florida pitcher Brady Singer pitches during UF's 6-2 loss against Bethune-Cookman in the NCAA Regional on June 4, 2017, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Singer, Gators down Louisville 5-1 in CWS winner's bracket

By Jake Dreilinger | June 20, 2017

Brady Singer was standing on the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning after Louisville had loaded up the bases on a five-pitch walk.

Alex Faedo stares at home plate during Florida's 1-0 win against LSU on March 24, 2017, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Faedo dominant for Gators in 3-0 win to open CWS

By Dylan Dixon | June 19, 2017

Alex Faedo remembered the pain of last year’s College World Series.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

FHP trooper dies after being struck by car on I-75

By David Hoffman | June 18, 2017

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper died Saturday night after being struck by a car in the median of Interstate 75.

Jim McElwain (left) and Mike White received contract extensions and raises on Friday afternoon. McElwain's new deal runs through 2022, while White's runs through 2023.

SPORTS

Stricklin announces raises, contract extensions for McElwain and White

By Dylan Dixon | June 16, 2017

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin likes the direction UF’s football and men’s basketball programs are heading toward.

Outside Tigert Hall, the Co-President of Graduate Assistant United Alec Dunnin prepares to deliver a basket filled with items graduate students can’t afford because of university fees on Nov. 19, 2015. The 27-year-old UF political science PhD student said GAU wanted to make the $720 fee real and visible in a creative way.

NEWS | CAMPUS

GAU: UF grad assistants protected by gender identity discrimination in the workplace with new UF contract

By David Hoffman | June 16, 2017

Between stern talks, moments of relief and poking fun at Gov. Rick Scott, the Graduate Assistants United labor union and a UF bargaining team made progress on their monthslong negotiations Thursday.

About 50 members of UF's Pride of the Sunshine marching band participate at a live-audition of America's Got Talent in Jacksonville in January. The whole marching band was filmed in Gainesville in January at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to be featured on the show during promotional advertising.

NEWS | CAMPUS

UF’s Pride of the Sunshine featured on America’s Got Talent

By Catie Wegman | June 16, 2017

Growing up, Howard Lin always watched America’s Got Talent.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD searching for Uber driver police say groped passenger

By David Hoffman | June 15, 2017

Police are currently searching for a Gainesville Uber driver accused of groping his passenger, a woman in her 20s.

Frank Rubio pitches during Florida’s 2-0 win over Miami on Feb. 25, 2017, at McKethan Stadium.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators see eight players selected in 2017 MLB Draft

By Dylan Dixon | June 14, 2017

The three-day, 40-round, 1215-pick marathon that is the MLB Draft came to a close on Wednesday afternoon with a total of eight Gators selected by major league clubs.

Tyler Dyson allowed three runs on four hits through 2.0-plus innings in Florida's 3-2 loss to Kentucky on Saturday. He didn't record a strikeout in his shortest outing of the season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators finding offensive groove ahead of College World Series

By Jake Dreilinger | June 14, 2017

Once the rain subsided and Game 3 of the NCAA Gainesville Super Regional was ready to resume, the Gators turned to an unlikely hero to keep Wake Forest’s red-hot offense at bay.

Kelly Barnhill pitches during Florida's 5-0 win against Georgia on April 8, 2017, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.

SPORTS

Alligator Awards: Who was Florida’s best female athlete of 2016-17?

June 14, 2017

In this edition of the Alligator Awards, we debate which UF female athlete was the best of the 2016-17 season. Sports writers Andrew Huang, Morgan McMullen and Spencer Thompson join alligatorSports editors Dylan Dixon and Jake Dreilinger in a roundtable discussion to debate the five nominees. Debates will go in alphabetical order by the writer’s last name.

El Caimán