Metro - The Independent Florida Alligator

A girl stares out the window of an Alachua County school bus on West University Avenue.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools unsure of post-Common Core future

By Josephine Fuller | Feb. 7, 2019

A new program has not been decided

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City Commission votes against pay raise for high-ranking officials

By Karina Elwood | Feb. 7, 2019

$19,222 had been previously budgeted for the increase

Lizzie Jenkins, the author of the 1998 book “The Real Rosewood,” speaks Thursday to a crowd of about 85 people at the Matheson History Museum. Jenkins spoke about her aunt who was assaulted during the 1923 Rosewood Massacre as well as her own experiences with racism during the civil rights movement. “What happened to me,” Jenkins said, “I don’t want it to happen to anybody else.”

METRO

Historian tells story of the Rosewood Massacre

By Naomi Cruz | Feb. 7, 2019

More than 100 African Americans were killed in the 1923 massacre

Wendy Thomas, director of the Department of Doing, submitted her letter of resignation to Deborah Bowie, interim city manager, on Feb. 1.

METRO

Gainesville Department of Doing director resigns

By Taylor Girtman | Feb. 7, 2019

Wendy Thomas held the position for two and a half years

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Man accused of trying to run a man over with horse flees deputies on horseback

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 7, 2019

His bond is $12,500

Bruce Blackwell, 77, of Gainesville, spoke in support of the conversion therapy ban. He said after hearing the story of a man who experienced suicidal thoughts after undergoing the therapy, it was up to him to right the wrongs of others.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua County Commission moves closer to banning conversion therapy

By Josephine Fuller | Feb. 5, 2019

A public hearing will be held later this month

Marlon Bruce (left), incumbent Mayor Lauren Poe (middle) and Jenn Powell (right) answer questions Monday during the Gainesville Mayoral Candidate Debate in the Rion East Ballroom in the J. Wayne Reitz Union. Topics ranged from affordable housing to marijuana, and about 50 people attended the event.

METRO

Affordable housing, living wages: What mayoral candidates argued at first debate

By Karina Elwood | Feb. 4, 2019

Only three out of the four mayoral candidates attended the first mayoral debate of the election season Monday night.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Drunk driver blames 119 MDMA pills on wife. Then he changed his mind, police said.

By Tien Le | Feb. 4, 2019

The driver's bond is $86,000

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Unknown man touches two women after walking into their room

By Josephine Fuller | Feb. 4, 2019

He also followed another Simpson Hall resident

METRO

Gainesville ranks as severely unaffordable, survey says

By Lauren Johnson | Feb. 3, 2019

It ranks higher than the state’s living affordability

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

A man said something about his hat. So he stabbed him, police said.

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 3, 2019

LaPastina

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD: Man’s gun stolen after he threatened someone with it

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 3, 2019

A man is accused of pointing a gun at another man and then reporting it missing to police was arrested Saturday.

FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois (12) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Miami, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Florida State head football coach Willie Taggart announced Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, that Francois has been dismissed from the team after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

METRO

FSU drops Francois after abuse allegations surface

By The Associated Press | Feb. 3, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State's head football coach announced Sunday that quarterback Deondre Francois had been dismissed from the team after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced.

Robert Mounts, 77, of Gainesville, filed to run for the District 4 Gainesville City Commissioner position Friday morning, the last day to qualify to run for commission.

METRO | POLITICS

Last minute candidate challenges city commission seat

By Karina Elwood | Feb. 3, 2019

Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos was running unopposed until now

A four vehicle crash on Interstate 75 at mile marker 394 caused seven deaths and a diesel fire Thursday afternoon.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Federal investigation of January I-75 crash begins

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 2, 2019

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to Gainesville Thursday to investigate the January Interstate 75 crash that killed seven.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville baby dies in Marion County crash

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 2, 2019

A 6-week-old Gainesville baby was killed and five others were critically injured Friday in a multi-vehicle crash near Silver Springs.

Georgia Bianchi, 41, and her children Eva Bailey, 9, and Christopher Bailey, 4, look at photos Wednesday by Venezuelan photographer Andres Avellaneda on display in the Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall. The gallery was arranged by various Santa Fe clubs to raise funding for Avellaneda’s U.S. visa application fees.

METRO

Santa Fe College raises money for Venezuelan photographer’s visa

By Christina Moutter | Jan. 31, 2019

Ninety-three photos of Venezuelans marching and crying covered the wall in the Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall Wednesday evening.

Gainesville Police officers look on as Gainesville Fire Rescue workers enter a building on Northwest 13th Street late Tuesday night.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City and county will update emergency radio system

By Karina Elwood | Jan. 31, 2019

The Gainesville and Alachua County commissions decided to update the public safety radio system Thursday night.

Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe speaks to about 100 attendees Wednesday during the 2019 State of the City address at the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in downtown Gainesville. “As we begin to celebrate our city’s 150th anniversary, we commit to learning from our past in order to foster a greater future for ourselves and our posterity,” Poe said. The event also included speeches from Deborah Bowie, the interim city manager, and Ed Bielarski, the general manager of Gainesville Regional Utilities.

METRO

Gainesville officials reflect on 2018 at the State of the City Address

By Karina Elwood | Jan. 31, 2019

As the City of Gainesville turns 150, city leaders recapped 2018 and discussed goals for the coming year at the annual State of the City Address Wednesday afternoon

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Monday, Jan. 28, 2019 that will make post-secondary education more available to students. A goal of the bill is to increase the percentage of people in the Florida workforce with post-secondary education from 49 to 60 percent by 2030. The bill also has a Last Mile program to financially assist students who dropped out of college within 12 credits of their degree.

METRO

Florida Governor wants to overhaul school standards

By The Associated Press | Jan. 31, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he wants to overhaul the state's school standards in the next year.