The Alachua County School Board approved a divided 3-2 plan Tuesday that keeps Irby Elementary as a pre-K through second-grade campus while consolidating grades three through eight at Mebane Middle School. Board members Sarah Rockwell, Tina Certain, and Thomas Vu backed the compromise after roughly two hours of debate over multiple grade-configuration options, while Leanetta McNealy and Janine Plavac voted against it. The vote followed earlier controversy when a version of the presentation was shared with teachers, some of whom criticized the process as confusing and lacking transparency.
Read both sides →
Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator · WCJB TV20 · The Gainesville Sun · Mainstreet Daily News
A new documentary produced by the University of Florida and airing on PBS chronicles space biologist Rob Ferl’s 2024 journey aboard a Blue Origin rocket, tracing the years of plant research that preceded the mission. The film focuses on the behind-the-scenes work of UF’s Space Plants Lab rather than the launch itself, offering viewers a closer look at what drives scientific inquiry in orbit.
Sources: UF News
A University of Florida study has overturned more than a century of conventional wisdom by finding that bacterial blotch — a persistent disease that reduces yields, shortens shelf life, and renders crops unsellable — is caused by a complex of multiple bacteria rather than a single pathogen. The UF/IFAS research team used DNA analyses to identify the broader microbial picture behind the disease. The findings are expected to improve diagnostic tools and lead to more effective, sustainable treatments for mushroom growers across the country.
Sources: UF News
A teacher at Terwilliger Elementary School in Alachua County has filed a complaint alleging their contract was not renewed in an unfair manner. The educator contends the dismissal was unjust, according to a report by The Gainesville Sun.
Read both sides →
Sources: The Gainesville Sun
