Former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow — who went on to play professional football and baseball and to be widely recognized for his philanthropy and motivational leadership — will serve as UF’s university-wide commencement speaker this spring in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. At UF, Tebow, who graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in...

The City of Newberry has partnered with SeeClickFix to announce a new platform, “Newberry FL Connect, ” allowing citizens to report quality-of-life issues and request Newberry services through a mobile app instead of calling or emailing. This includes potholes, visibility issues, potential water main leaks, park issues, code enforcement issues, and many other issues or...

Beth Virnig, Ph.D., M.P.H., has been named dean of the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, the sixth in the college’s 64-year history. Virnig, who joins UF on July 11, currently serves as a professor in the division of health policy and management at the University of Minnesota School of Public...

Santa Fe College partnered with the City of Gainesville to renovate the driving pad at Santa Fe College’s Institute of Public Safety (IPS), creating an environment to train students at IPS entering careers in public safety, as well as current first responders employed by the City of Gainesville. In the fall of 2021, SF entered...

A list of 37 area nonprofit organizations expected to share $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds will be finalized by the Gainesville City Commission at its April 21 meeting. In January, the commission selected the Community Foundation of North Central Florida (Foundation), a local nonprofit that promotes and sustains philanthropy,...

Designed to benefit students at the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management and reduce the 150,000 annual injuries on construction job sites, the brand-new Safety Yard at the University of Florida TREEO Center officially opened April 1. Collaborating with the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning were the Kiewit Corporation, Santa Fe College,...

Haven Hospice held Camp Safe Haven, a program for children and teens who have experienced loss. Youth suffering a loss can often benefit from the development of coping skills to handle their emotions. As such, campers participated in group icebreakers, crafts to facilitate reflection, group discussion, a nature walk, therapeutic drumming circle and a memorial...

It is crucial to get a test result for a pathogen quickly, lest someone continue in their daily lives infecting others. And delays in testing have undoubtedly exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the most accurate COVID-19 test often takes 24 hours or longer to return results from a lab. At-home test kits offer results in...

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Communities Local Energy Action Program (LEAP) has chosen the Alachua County EMPOWER Program to receive technical assistance. Their assistance will advance clean energy-related economic development in the County. Communities LEAP is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to help energy-overburdened communities take direct control of their clean energy future. Partners in...

Grove Street Games will soon be opening at Tioga Town Center. Grove Street Games is a cross-platform game development studio that promises excellence through partnerships with other game publishers and the development of self-published work. Known for their realistic approach to games, they deliver clients requirements effectively and efficiently. Their hand-selected smaller team have the...