News

At a special workshop on Sept. 16, Alachua County staff presented more information to further reinforce its recommendation to deny Plum Creek’s sector plan, this time on the topic of environmental impacts. Chris Bird, director of the Alachua County Environmental Department, said the development proposal by forestry company Plum Creek has generated dialogue across the...

For some vacant properties in Gainesville, the Halloween season can be a treat. At least two costume companies have taken out short-term leases and set up shop in otherwise-empty locations around town. Halloween Megastore opened in an old furniture store on the corner of 13th Street and 23rd Avenue at the beginning of September. Simply...

The University of Florida College of Journalism has announced a lineup of acclaimed speakers, titled The Innovators Series, that will be free and open to the public. “The Innovators Series will bring six leaders in the information industries to the University of Florida over the next two years whose inventive outlooks have propelled them to the leading...

To the casual observer, it may seem that Gainesville has been buzzing about some controversial river named after a fruit for the past three years. As “Plum Creek” has become a buzzword in the local government and business communities, the issues surrounding the proposed development — and perhaps even the fact that Plum Creek is...

At the first UF Eye Opener Discovery Breakfast of the academic year on Sept. 10, UF President Bernie Machen gave a variety of updates on the general state of the institution, including addressing UF’s stagnant rank in the most recent U.S. News and World Report list. Here’s a list of the highlights. On-campus assaults: Machen...

Standing on stage in the Hawthorne High School auditorium, Steven Lachnicht held up a three-ring binder about six inches thick. “This is the one we’ve analyzed,” he said. “It’s as heavy as it looks.” At a Sept. 2 public hearing, Lachnicht, director of the Alachua County Growth and Planning Department, announced that county staff released...

Tall flags and colorful ribbons fluttered in the breeze against the backdrop of newly installed aqua glass panels, and hundreds of people pressed toward the doors of the building. Many in the crowd wore hospital badges, white coats and stethoscopes, and a few wore in-patient bracelets. Hospital administrators, employees and even patients gathered Sept. 3...

A local nonprofit has received its third grant from the U.S. Department of Labor — this time, in the sum of $1.1 million. The Institute for Workforce Innovation applied for and won the funding for its chapter of YouthBuild, a program which helps young people complete coursework for high school diplomas and GEDs and provides...

It’s no secret that out-of-towners flock to Gainesville for fall football weekends and that hotel rooms in the Swamp vicinity get scarce. It’s also no secret that this town is budding with innovation and business opportunities, attracting more corporate travel. A lineup of five new hotels slated to take root in the area over the...

As promised at an early July meeting, the Alachua County Commission has rolled out four public hearing dates on the topic of Plum Creek. Announced the morning of Aug. 25, the meeting schedule is as follows: Sept. 2, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Hawthorne High School auditorium (21403 SE 69th Ave., Hawthorne) Topic: General...