Kat Tran

Staff Writer

Kat Tran is a second-year journalism major and is the City & County Commission reporter for Fall 2023. They are also interested in a pre-law track (entertainment law). You can find them daydreaming about rainbows, unicorns, and sunshine in their free time. Currently, they are recovering after seeing Lana Del Rey live.

Nathan Wydra dances as the opening act to Happy Kiss Pole Fitness’ Jingle Jam and Showcase on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.

Diego Perdomo

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Gainesville pole dance studios find an empowering community, sisterhood with each other

By Kat Tran | Dec. 5

An array of colors reflect off of the Happy Kiss Pole Dance Studio as the studio’s dancers twirl and glide into a split. The crowd watching them immediately erupted into a roar of cheers. These are the sounds of an uplifting Gainesville community that has found one another through solidarity and respect for the artful skill of pole dancing

Shannon Ahern

NEWS

Gainesville mayor to send letter to Biden administration advocating for ceasefire in Gaza

By Kat Tran | Nov. 17

Gainesville community members, including those a part of the Jewish Voice for Peace organization, urged city commissioners to adopt a resolution in support of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Shannon Ahern

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commission passed open-container ordinance to revert back to pre-pandemic wording

By Kat Tran | Oct. 29

In a 4-3 vote Thursday, the City Commission decided to officially ban the public consumption and possession of alcohol and create an entertainment district — designated spaces for public drinking in Downtown Gainesville and Grove Street.

Courtesy to The Alligator

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville to redevelop a joint space with the Knot Climbing Gym

By Kat Tran | Oct. 23

The Gainesville City Commission voted 6-1 Oct. 19 to approve The Knot Climbing Gym’s proposal to redevelop the old RTS Administration and Maintenance facility to the south of Depot Park.

Diego Perdomo

METRO

Gainesville Sister Cities: Supporting Israeli and Palestinian communities

By Kat Tran | Oct. 16

For the past 26 years, the city of Gainesville has fostered international connections with its local government by partnering with the cities of Kfar Saba, Israel and Qalqilya, Palestine through the Sister City Program of Gainesville, Inc. With the recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the program is needed now more than ever, according to Gainesville officials.

Manna Robertson

METRO

New state-appointed GRU board sets precedent in U.S. history

By Kat Tran | Oct. 9

In a crowded Gainesville City Hall on Sept. 4, a historical precedent was set as the new governor-appointed Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority board met for the first time. At the meeting, board members established meeting times and location and sought a direction for the future of Gainesville's utilities.

Commissioner Reina Saco stands outside Gainesville City Hall on Sept. 28, 2023.

Adriel Bolocon

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Reina Saco: From refugee to the Gainesville City Commission

By Kat Tran | Oct. 2

Bringing a fiery passion and fierce drive for justice within the Gainesville City Commission, Reina Saco, a 33-year-old city commissioner, carries many identities — notably, her first-generation Cuban background.

Kate McNamara

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UF Student Government, Gainesville City Commission discuss transport, housing in special Senate meeting

By Vivienne Serret and Kat Tran | Sep. 20

The Gainesville City Commission requested a special Senate meeting with UF’s Student Government. They met Sept. 19 to discuss transportation and traffic safety concerns as well as student housing and sustainability issues.

Shannon Ahern

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commission votes to implement downtown entertainment district, open-container alcohol ordinance

By Kat Tran | Sep. 17

The City Commission voted 4-3 Thursday to reinstate the open-container alcohol ordinance, which prohibits public consumption of alcoholic beverages. In addition to the first ordinance, which will bring back open container restrictions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City Commission voted 6-1 to create an entertainment district for downtown Gainesville.

Shannon Ahern

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commission considers repeal of open container alcohol ordinance

By Kat Tran | Aug. 23

The Gainesville City Commission voted 4-3 last Thursday to revert the city’s open container ordinance back to how the city regulated alcohol prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This bans open-canned alcohol outside businesses, as well as parks and streets.