Animals

Dr. Joe Cicero, a UF research scientist, hands a tarantula to attendee Mark Xby in the booth for the UF Entomology and Nematology Outreach Program during the Endangered Species Awareness Day at the Lubee Bat Conservancy on Saturday. It was the first time Xby had held a tarantula.

Donation boxes pop up throughout the county when December rolls around, and events such as on-site toy drives begin lining calendars. Here are a few organizations operating toy drives in Alachua this year.

Henry A. Moore

Holiday Toy Drive

By Henry A. Moore | 10:46am

Donation boxes pop up throughout the county when December rolls around, and events such as on-site toy drives begin lining calendars. Here are a few organizations operating toy drives in Alachua this year.

Protestors of the death penalty sit outside Florida State Prison and pray in opposition to the execution of Mark Allen Geralds. Geralds was executed in Raiford on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Bayden Armstrong

BaydenArmstrongGeralds-16.jpg

By Bayden Armstrong | Dec. 9

Protestors of the death penalty sit outside Florida State Prison and pray in opposition to the execution of Mark Allen Geralds. Geralds was executed in Raiford on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Reverend Phillip Egitto speaks with Abraham Bonowitz outside Florida State Prison in opposition to the execution of Mark Allen Geralds. Geralds was executed in Raiford on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Bayden Armstrong

BaydenArmstrongGeralds-19.jpg

By Bayden Armstrong | Dec. 9

Reverend Phillip Egitto speaks with Abraham Bonowitz outside Florida State Prison in opposition to the execution of Mark Allen Geralds. Geralds was executed in Raiford on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

Solutions by The State News