>A pair of oversight boards advanced proposals late last month to force students to prove their legal immigration status to attend universities or colleges across the state.
>That means undocumented students, like “Dreamers,” will effectively be banned from the University of Florida, Tallahassee State College and the state’s other 28 colleges.
Newberry is a city located in the southwest corner of Alachua County Florida. The population was 7,342 as of the 2020 census, up from 4,950 at the 2010 census.
Neberry's growth has been swift, and much of its success is thanks to the fact that this town is in Alachua County - where Gainesville and the University of Florida's modern, progressive approach has helped pave the way for Newberry's advancement. Despite this, Newberry's right wing leaders continue to bash Gainesville and UF in their small town media appearances, and the town recently elected a far right-wing mayor who is a lobbyist for the fringe group known as the John Birch Society.
Today, cheap homes, Wendy's Restaurants and Wawas are being built over wild spaces and historic sites. Many think that Newberry is a perfect example of growth gone wrong.
>Under Florida law, the governor can issue a “line-item” veto, meaning he can veto specific portions of the budget while signing the rest. In the federal system, a president must sign or veto the entire legislation.
Local line items that were vetoed:
Under the new law:
>An attorney sent a letter to Alachua County commissioners asking them to investigate whether a music festival held in Melrose last March complied with its county-issued permit.
>Attorney Anthony Sabatini, a former Republican state lawmaker and current Lake County commissioner, sent a letter to Alachua County commissioners last week on behalf of neighbors in the Melrose area, questioning whether the WildFlowers Festival’s use of the space fell outside the scope of the approved application.
>Alachua County commissioners approved a temporary use permit for the event in February, allowing the festival to take place. The approval came over the objections of some Melrose residents who said the event would disrupt their community.
>The festival drew approximately 2,000 people in March.
>
Sabatini said publicly available application materials appear to reveal discrepancies in the manner in which the festival occurred.
>“If you go back, it was presented to basically be agricultural tourism, and it’s not that at all, so it’s just a total abuse of the system, and it should be revoked,” Sabatini said.
>Sabatini’s letter includes a list of requests for the county, including an investigation into the March event and the preservation of all records related to the issuance of the permit.
>Sabatini said he will discuss next steps with his clients, but if the county takes no action within 30 days, they will file a lawsuit for nuisance.
>
This change is part of President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” that focused on finding waste, fraud and abuse in numerous federal programs.
>“These payment error rates are further proof that state accountability is severely lacking in SNAP,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.
>
The Florida Policy Institute, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, called the change a "massive cost shift" from the federal government to the state.
>“Now, unless Florida lawmakers act to raise revenue to preserve SNAP and make up for the loss in federal funds, we will see a cut to SNAP program eligibility or benefits, or cuts in other areas of the state budget,” said Holly Bullard, FPI’s chief strategy and development officer.
About the Art Collective
Art Collective is a curated artist initiative launching inside The Oaks Mall, transforming a 3,000+ square foot retail space into a vibrant gallery and creative hub.
The vision for this project is rooted in a simple idea: art can connect people, foster understanding, and bring light into unexpected places.
This space will feature curated exhibitions, artist programming, workshops, and opportunities for artists and the public to connect.
About the Initiative
The Art Collective at The Oaks Mall is operated by Bayko of Duval, Inc. (Art Collective, Curated Art Project of Art by Lale), and led by Lâle Gerger, an award-winning artist.
This pilot program invites contemporary visual artists to participate in a professionally curated gallery activation within an active retail environment.
Rather than waiting for audiences to seek out galleries, this project places art directly into everyday community spaces — expanding access, encouraging new collectors, and strengthening the regional arts ecosystem.
>Monday's ruling scuttles restrictions now in place or planned for the federally funded and state-run Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 23 states. President Donald Trump's administration has not said whether it will appeal to a higher court.
>
“The federal defendants and the states may have a genuine desire to improve the health of SNAP households by encouraging healthy choices at the store, and they can take lawful steps to meet those goals,” she wrote. “But what they cannot do is violate the law and their own regulations along the way.”
Greetings Alachua county residents!
I'm a student at the University of Florida doing a project on High Springs Florida in collaboration with Droptop Challenger. I'm looking for High Springs Florida residents or those with a past history there to interview.
I want to ask questions about its history, what people like about it there, and how they imagine the future of High Springs Florida. It'll be at least 5 questions and will be done privately.
>The Florida Theatre in downtown Gainesville is getting renovations, but owner Bill Bryson said the building is not for sale.
>A Bosshardt Realty listing shows the Florida Theatre is available for lease with an option to purchase. Bryson said the listing is old, and he is not selling the building.
>Bryson said he listed the property last year to gauge interest, but is not selling the theater and is taking steps to have the listing removed.
>The building had been in decline until recently, when renovations received a financial boost from the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Area.
>Bryson said the facade project should be complete within the next two or three months.
>Property records show the just market value of the Florida Theatre doubled from 2024 to 2025 to $1.2 million.
UPDATE: The owner says it isn't for sale.
It's listed with Bosshardt Realty. Photos are from the listing page.
The Florida Theater recently received a $95,000 grant from the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area. That money is being used to fund the renovations currently in progress.
>Friends of Natural Areas Incorporated submitted a petition for an administrative hearing with the St. Johns River Water Management District regarding the district’s approval of UF’s landscaping initiative.
During the announcement of the project, the university said the trees will be cut to make way for storm drain systems to prevent flooding issues.
The plan also says a majority of the trees — 96 — will remain, and that five of the 30 trees set to be cut down are heritage trees that have ecological or historical value.
>The property was given to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida by Alachua County officials in 2020 for charitable purposes. The nonprofit is now trying to sell the space.
>According to the deed, the new owners are not supposed to sell the property until 2030 unless they determine it is in their financial best interest and/or the sale continues programs that serve Alachua County youth
>Former employee Valerie White said she fears the club may be looking to sell the property to a housing developer. She emphasized the importance of youth services in Gainesville.
>“I fear that, like a lot of places in Gainesville, it’s just going to be turned into more homes, more housing, it’s not going to be a place where kids can run outside, discover that I’m really great at football or that I’m really fast so I should run track,” White said.
>Deputy Tyler Oliver, a School Resource Deputy and lead firearm instructor, said teachers know their schools and hallways well, and are especially useful since they’re on campus throughout the day.
>“Nobody knows these school’s better than teachers that work here, they’re in out of these hallways everyday,” Oliver said. “They’re the first line of defense.”
>Bradford County Schools already have School Resource Deputies, including Oliver, but officials say having school staff trained and equipped with firearms adds another layer of protection.
>Oliver said in most situations, staff members could be the first to encounter a threat on campus, which could reduce response time.
>A 2019 law directed state funds to participating sheriff’s offices to cover screening and training costs for each guardian.
>Guardians are anonymous by design, but said off camera that they participate to protect students.
>The current group of new guardians in Bradford and Union counties is in the training phase now.
As part of a continuous effort to provide new and innovative ways to communicate with residents, Alachua County announces the launch of its Community Hub. This online resource is designed to encourage residents to stay informed and engaged with important county initiatives, projects, and services.
The Hub serves as an easy-to-navigate landing page that leads to microsites that provide information on a wide range of topics, including transportation, animal services, economic development, the county’s budget, public safety, environmental protection, food access, career opportunities, and more. The site will be regularly updated with new microsites highlighting other projects and services.
Modeled after the county’s Strategic Guide, the site organizes information into clear, user-friendly sections that explain complex topics. Residents can review timelines, images, project details, helpful links and other resources.
“This platform is designed to increase transparency and improve community engagement by giving residents a convenient place to access information and follow projects,” said Andrew Caplan, the county’s public information officer.
Residents can also subscribe to specific microsites to receive updates and notifications as new information is added.
For more information, contact Alachua County Communications Director Mark Sexton at 352-283-2317 or msexton@alachuacounty.us.