Alan Halaly

Staff Writer

Alan Halaly is a first-year journalism and Spanish major and the East Gainesville Beat Reporter. This is his second semester on staff, and he previously worked as a news assistant on the Metro desk. He's excited to use this semester to shine a spotlight on underserved communities in Gainesville.

Robert Thomas, 43, stands in front of his tent behind the old fire station in downtown Gainesville where he says it’s “more peaceful” on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Thomas doesn’t know what he’ll do if the SPARC arts center is built, but says he’s willing to fight for the people camped out on the property.

Walter Harwood

METRO

Future uncertain for Gainesville’s South Main Street homeless encampment

By Alan Halaly and Lucille Lannigan | June 18

The Old Fire Station, where about 15 people live in tents outside, has been vacant since 2018, and in February 2020, the city commission invited proposals for how to use the space. In April 2020, UF Center of Arts proposed replacing the Old Fire Station with a community center for wellness, arts and cultural engagement, but current residents have largely been left out of the conversation.

Reyhan Kepic, 18, a senior at Gainesville High School and the editor-in-chief of the school’s yearbook points at a computer screen as she explains the layout of a page spread in the GHS yearbook on Monday, April 12, 2021.

Julia Cooper

METRO | PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A look at Gainesville High School’s strategy to document a year marked by COVID-19

By Alan Halaly | June 7

At the beginning of the Fall semester, the staff had one outstanding task — documenting a year of Hyflex classes spent wearing masks and on Zoom.

Dayanna Peek, a UF international studies freshman, speaks at a GoDDsville Dream Defenders event bringing awareness to Florida House Bill 1 on Friday, April 2, 2021.

Chasity Maynard

METRO | POLITICS

Gov. Ron DeSantis signs sweeping protest bill into law: How will it impact Gainesville?

By Anna Wilder and Alan Halaly | Apr. 21

In Gainesville, a college town where the median age is about 26, organized demonstrations occur frequently. Although Gainesville protests almost never descend into violence, some students and local activists are worried about the precedent the legislation will set.

Aubrey Bocalan

METRO | POLITICS

East Gainesville pastor joins Black clergymen to lobby against Florida Senate vote-by-mail bill

By Alan Halaly | Apr. 7

Vote-by-mail drop boxes can alleviate the stress of commuting to a precinct for voters of color, those in low income communities, disabled people and those in quarantine, the clergymen’s letter to Florida lawmakers read.

Kimberly Brown, 30 (left), sprinkles fertilizer around newly planted daises as her 7-year-old daughter, Bella Smith (right), waters a garden plot behind her on Monday, March 29, 2021. They spent the day at Reserve Park for the second Gainesville Black Garden Network meeting since the group formed in February.

Julia Cooper

METRO

‘It’s my therapy’: Black Gainesville residents find community in gardening

By Alan Halaly | Apr. 3

Community gardens like the one at Reserve Park are part of a citywide effort to increase food security since the first one was built in 1998. Each garden is equipped with a hose and a handful of plots that belong to other residents who applied to get one from the city.

Larry Wang, 29, (left) and Shirley Ai, 28, (right) sit at Depot Park as they listen to speakers during a vigil on Saturday, March 27, 2021. The vigil followed a march from Bo Diddley Plaza, which was held to raise awareness about increasing anti-Asian violence and remember the victims of the shootings that killed eight people in Atlanta.

Julia Cooper

METRO

More than 200 protestors call for action and solidarity at Stop Asian Hate march

By Alan Halaly and Jiselle Lee | Mar. 29

In response to the three Atlanta mass shootings and upward trend in hate crimes, more than 200 protestors marched down Main Street from Bo Diddley Plaza to Depot Park Saturday afternoon to condemn the ongoing violence and stand in solidarity with victims.

Aleidys Lopez (right), 19, a sustainability studies and women's studies sophomore shields her face from the sun with a "Save Bright Futures" sign as she and three other protestors march down University Avenue on Friday, March 26, 2021. The protest was held to raise awareness about Senate Bill 86, which was amended on Tuesday.

Julia Cooper

METRO

Amended Bright Futures bill passes in subcommittee, worrying high school seniors and families

By Alan Halaly and Carolina Ilvento | Mar. 29

Students and families questioned their future plans and finances when the bill was first proposed and are still worried about funding not being guaranteed for students.

Peggy Golston, 63, (left) and Brendel Lovette, 67, (right) picket at the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Precinct 30 polling place to show their support for Desmon Duncan-Walker, the District 1 Gainesville City Commissioner-elect, on Tuesday, March 16, 2021.

Julia Cooper

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Voters elect an incumbent and a newcomer to City Commission. What's next?

By Alan Halaly and Jack Prator | Mar. 22

Johnson and Duncan-Walker, whose swearing-in ceremonies have not yet been planned, have continually fought against the construction of luxury student housing in the city’s historically Black neighborhoods.

Iris Wang, 6, (left) watches Minmin Jin, 43, a Gainesville resident (right), light a candle in front of Turlington Plaza Saturday, March 20, 2021. The two stood with a large crowd commemorating the tragedy in Atlanta and calling attention to racism against Asian Americans.

Faith Buckley

METRO

‘Invisible for too long’: Gainesville’s Chinese American community mourns victims of Atlanta spa shootings

By Alan Halaly and Jiselle Lee | Mar. 21

Following the lead of United Chinese Americans, a nonprofit Chinese cultural and heritage organization that planned vigils across the nation Saturday, the Gainesville Chinese American community participated in four simultaneous rallies at street intersections and a subsequent vigil at Turlington Plaza.

Ashley Hicks

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Voters weigh in on District 1 City Commission candidates ahead of election

By Alan Halaly | Mar. 15

Gigi Simmons faces Desmon Duncan-Walker in the March 16 municipal election to represent District 1, which encompasses most of East and downtown Gainesville. Some of the major issues currently facing the district are economic development, food insecurity and COVID-19 relief.

Stevie VanAusdale, a 30-year-old UF PhD student and mental health professional who spoke at the rally, brought her two daughters, two-year-old Aria and one-year-old Maya whose shirts read “Tiny Changemaker.”

Alan Halaly

PHOTO

Picture of babies at the women's march

By Alan Halaly | Oct. 17

Stevie VanAusdale, a 30-year-old UF PhD student and mental health professional who spoke at the rally, brought her two daughters, two-year-old Aria and one-year-old Maya whose shirts read “Tiny Changemaker.”

Marchers carry signs with messages such as “Just Biden my time! Kama-long with me!” and “I am tired of still marching” in support of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Alan Halaly

PHOTO

Picture of protesters marching with signs

By Alan Halaly | Oct. 17

Marchers carry signs with messages such as “Just Biden my time! Kama-long with me!” and “I am tired of still marching” in support of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Amanda Foreman, a 19-year-old UF animal sciences sophomore, marches alongside Alachua County protesters down Main St. to Bo Diddley Plaza.

Alan Halaly

PHOTO

Picture of a protester marching down Bo Diddley Plaza

By Alan Halaly | Oct. 17

Amanda Foreman, a 19-year-old UF animal sciences sophomore, marches alongside Alachua County protesters down Main St. to Bo Diddley Plaza.

Alan Halaly

Future uncertain for Gainesville’s South Main Street homeless encampment

A look at Gainesville High School’s strategy to document a year marked by COVID-19

Gov. Ron DeSantis signs sweeping protest bill into law: How will it impact Gainesville?

East Gainesville pastor joins Black clergymen to lobby against Florida Senate vote-by-mail bill

‘It’s my therapy’: Black Gainesville residents find community in gardening

More than 200 protestors call for action and solidarity at Stop Asian Hate march

Amended Bright Futures bill passes in subcommittee, worrying high school seniors and families

Voters elect an incumbent and a newcomer to City Commission. What's next?

‘Invisible for too long’: Gainesville’s Chinese American community mourns victims of Atlanta spa shootings

Voters weigh in on District 1 City Commission candidates ahead of election

More articles »

Picture of babies at the women's march

Picture of protesters marching with signs

Picture of a protester marching down Bo Diddley Plaza

More media »