Metro

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METRO

Hurricane Idalia leaves minimal effects on health and emergency facilities

By Jinelle Vazquez | Sep. 3, 2023

As concerned Gainesville residents spent last week huddled around their TVs to follow Hurricane Idalia's path, first responders prepared for the worst. Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 storm in Florida's Big Bend region Aug. 30. Although earlier projections predicted a direct hit to Gainesville, cities such as Cedar Key, Steinhatchee and Perry suffered the brunt of the storm's 125 mph winds and 7-foot water surges.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

GPD arrests 5 people after a 5 month drug trafficking investigation

By Jordan Ramos | Sep. 2, 2023

A local drug trafficking organization known as “Billy Blood” was dismantled by the Gainesville Police Department’s Drug Task Force unit. The organization was responsible for selling fentanyl, cocaine, molly, marijuana and prescription medications, according to a GPD press release. 

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METRO  |  K-12 EDUCATION

Buchholz High School ranked No. 54 in Florida

By Alissa Gary | Sep. 1, 2023

Buchholz High School was ranked No. 54 best high school in Florida and No. 1 in Alachua County Public Schools by US News & World Report for the 2023-2024 school year. The school was also ranked No. 822 out of 17,680 public high schools in the country, putting it in the top 5%. 

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

A Gainesville man led police on a high-speed chase after a domestic violence call

By Jordan Ramos | Aug. 31, 2023

 A Gainesville man led police on a high speed chase — endangering a woman who flew out of his car — after police received a domestic violence call Wednesday. 

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Remembering David Flagg – former Gainesville mayor, Florida House representative

By Zoey Thomas | Aug. 31, 2023

When he wasn’t jumping from planes as an 82nd Airborne lieutenant, the Gainesville native, history buff and diehard Gators football fan served as a Gainesville city commissioner and mayor-commissioner from 1985 to 1988, followed by two terms in the Florida House from 1988 to 1992. During his time in office, he championed natural resource protection and gun safety legislation. He died Aug. 21.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville man arrested after high speed chase

By Jordan Ramos | Aug. 28, 2023

A Gainesville man led police on a high-speed chase through the city, resulting in his arrest at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, according to an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office police report.  Police also found drugs.

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METRO  |  CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City officials hold press conference ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia

By Ella Thompson | Aug. 28, 2023

City officials held a press conference at 5:30 p.m. Monday to discuss city operations and provide safety tips about flooding and power outages as Tropical Storm Idalia approaches the west coast of Florida. Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward was joined by City Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut, city manager Cynthia Curry, city attorney Dan Nee, Gainesville Regional Utilities general manager Tony Cunningham and a handful of the city’s emergency response team. 

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METRO  |  K-12 EDUCATION

ACPS expands afterschool meals program to Metcalfe Elementary School

By Alissa Gary | Aug. 28, 2023

Metcalfe Elementary School will become the 37th site to offer free meals to students on campus after school beginning Sept. 5. The After School Meal Program, or supper program, feeds students during after-school activities.

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METRO  |  K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools closed ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia

By Alissa Gary | Aug. 28, 2023

Alachua County Public Schools will close Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for Tropical Storm Idalia, according to an ACPS press release.

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METRO  |  ALACHUA COUNTY

Alachua County seeks to expand drug rehabilitation efforts

By Ella Thompson | Aug. 28, 2023

In Alachua County, emergency services responded to 1,451 overdose calls in 2022. The previous year there were 1,405 overdose calls with 62 fatal overdoses. In an effort to combat overdoses, Alachua County and the city of Gainesville have implemented multiple services to assist people with addictions seeking help and recovering addicts like the now 51-year-old farmer who requested anonymity.

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METRO  |  ALACHUA COUNTY

Students across Gainesville struggle with food insecurity

By Jinelle Vazquez | Aug. 28, 2023

The food insecurity rate in Alachua County has remained higher than the overall rate in Florida since 2014. A 2021 report from the city based on USDA data identified 11 food deserts — low-income areas where a substantial number of residents have low access to a supermarket or large grocery store — in Gainesville. 

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Taking a look at the data: UF’s sexual assault cases over the past five years

By Jordan Ramos | Aug. 28, 2023

At UF and surrounding campus areas, rape and sexual assault has fluctuated throughout the years. There have been 67 reported cases of rape and sexual assault on UF campus and six for the surrounding campus areas in the past five years, according to data from the UF Crime Map.  

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

UF Midtown favorites The Rowdy Reptile and Fat Daddy’s to be replaced by Lil Rudy’s

By Alexandra Burns | Aug. 28, 2023

After 12 years of business, The Rowdy Reptile and Fat Daddy’s — located at Midtown on the corner of University Avenue and Northwest 17th Street — announced Aug. 25 they will be closing their doors and reopening under new ownership. 

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

On-campus exposure brings off-campus success to local restaurant owners

By Zoey Thomas | Aug. 27, 2023

Chef JJ is one of several local restaurants that Chartwells Higher Education, UF’s dining partner since May 2022, brought to campus since launching the Florida Fresh Dining brand in July 2022.  The brand was founded with a pledge from Chartwell to invest in local businesses — including launching the Taste of Gainesville section of the Reitz Union, which opened Summer 2022 and features two local eateries per day in a pop-up setting.

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METRO  |  BUSINESS

Opus Coffee celebrates grand opening at Row location

By Zoey Thomas | Aug. 25, 2023

Plastic cups of nitro cold brew circulated at a new Opus Coffee cafe Friday, carried by caterers offering free samples to eager coffee drinkers.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Ocala man arrested for sexually assaulting 9-year-old girl

By Jordan Ramos | Aug. 23, 2023

The Gainesville Police Department arrested an Ocala man Monday for sexually assaulting his girlfriend's 9-year-old daughter. Nathan Everett Pierson, 28, was charged with sexual battery of a person under 12 and lewd or lascivious molestation, according to a GPD arrest affidavit. He is being held at the Alachua County Jail. Pierson’s bond has not been set yet and he has a no contact order with the little girl. 

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The Alligator introduces new website that tracks crimes on UF campus

By Isabella Douglas | Aug. 23, 2023

On the bottom right side of The Alligator website, users will find a new widget that directs them to ufcrime.com. The website features an interactive map of the university, displaying the last 90 days' worth of crimes that have occurred on campus, along with any available court records.

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METRO  |  CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Rosewood man found guilty of hate crime against Black historian

By Valentina Sandoval | Aug. 23, 2023

David Emanuel, a 62-year-old Rosewood resident, was convicted on six counts of federal hate crime charges July 26 for a racially motivated attack in September 2022, according to court records. Emanuel, who was  Marvin Dunn's neighbor, reportedly yelled the N-word and nearly hit the professor and five other Black individuals with his truck on Dunn's property in Rosewood. 

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METRO  |  POLITICS

Rep. Kat Cammack files late financial disclosure

By Sophia Bailly | Aug. 23, 2023

U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), who serves Florida’s third congressional district and represents Alachua County, failed to submit her annual financial disclosure on time for the second year in a row. Cammack submitted her financial disclosure Aug. 17, 94 days after the May 15 deadline, according to the clerk of the House’s records. 

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METRO  |  K-12 EDUCATION

Gainesville families choose to educate children from home

By Alissa Gary | Aug. 23, 2023

About 1.3% of students in Alachua County were registered for home school from 2021 to 2022. Across Florida, home schooling rates have risen since 2015. The sharpest increase was in 2020 — during the pandemic — with a 35.2% change, according to a Florida Department of Education report.