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Vol. 1 · No. 19 · Tuesday, May 19, 2026

The Gainesville Ledger

Education

UF search committee names former Alabama president Stuart Bell as sole presidential finalist

The University of Florida’s presidential search committee has unanimously selected Dr. Stuart Bell as its sole finalist to lead the university, concluding a months-long search. Bell served as president of the University of Alabama for a decade before this nomination. The selection must still be confirmed by both the UF Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors before he can be appointed.

Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator · Mainstreet Daily News · WCJB TV20 · The Gainesville Sun

Arts & Culture

Morgan Wallen plays back-to-back shows at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, 5 arrested

Country music star Morgan Wallen made his Gainesville debut with two consecutive nights at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as part of his tour stop at the venue known as The Swamp. At least five people were arrested across the two-night run, with law enforcement maintaining a visible presence on campus throughout the events. During the concert, Wallen also made remarks about former Florida Gators football coach Steve Spurrier.

Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator · The Gainesville Sun

Public Safety

Knife-wielding robber assaults employee at Hawthorne gas station, deputies seek tips

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies are seeking the public’s help after a masked man entered a Chevron station on U.S. Highway 301 in Hawthorne late Sunday night, vaulted the counter, assaulted an employee, and fled with a large amount of cash. Investigators say the suspect was dressed in black and gray and ran northward after the robbery. Authorities do not believe this incident is connected to a separate armed gas station robbery that occurred elsewhere in eastern Alachua County on May 10.

Sources: WCJB TV20 · Mainstreet Daily News

Community

Gainesville riders join global Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride for men’s mental health

More than 60 motorcyclists gathered at Gainesville Harley-Davidson on Sunday, dressed in suits and vintage gear, as part of the worldwide Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, which this year drew over 100,000 participants across 110 countries. The local event, organized for the second consecutive year in partnership with Harley-Davidson, aims to raise awareness for men’s mental health and prostate cancer research. Event organizers Faren Healey and Camden Briscoe, who continued leading the ride despite Camden losing a leg in a motorcycle accident earlier this year, said the experience underscored the importance of community support and encouraging men to speak openly about their struggles.

Sources: WCJB TV20

City

Alachua residents pack city meeting to oppose rumored data center on U.S. 441

Dozens of Alachua residents spent hours speaking out at a city meeting against a potential large-scale data center along U.S. 441, even though the proposal was not on the official agenda. The controversy was sparked by an online real estate listing for a 104-acre former Energizer battery plant near San Felasco Tech City, whose web address referenced a high-megawatt data center development though the listing’s title appears to have since changed. Residents raised concerns about environmental risks and the effect such a facility could have on nearby property values.

Read both sides →

Sources: WCJB TV20

Gainesville commissioners to weigh roam towing ban or nighttime-only restriction

Gainesville city commissioners are scheduled Thursday to choose between two approaches to roam towing: restricting the practice to nighttime hours at large residential complexes or banning it outright. Also this week, the city will kick off the 2026 Journey to Juneteenth with a flag raising at City Hall on Wednesday, marking Florida Emancipation Day.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Education

Florida public schools face closures, enrollment drops and teacher shortages

Florida’s public school system is confronting a deepening crisis marked by school closures, falling enrollment, staffing shortages, and funding pressures, according to reporting from the Gainesville Sun. The situation has heightened anxiety among educators, families, and administrators across the state, with Gainesville-area schools part of the broader statewide picture.

Sources: The Gainesville Sun

Public Safety

Questions mount over GPD’s use of facial recognition technology

The Gainesville Police Department’s use of facial recognition technology is drawing scrutiny over transparency, accuracy, and potential racial bias in how the algorithmic tool is deployed. The Independent Florida Alligator examined the department’s disclosure practices surrounding the technology, raising concerns about how the public is informed when facial recognition is used in investigations.

Read both sides →

Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator

Trenton sex offender arrested for child molestation months after prison release

Gilchrist County deputies arrested Travis Wade Mathis, 36, of Trenton, on charges of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12, months after his release from prison on similar charges. The investigation began after a 911 caller reported a possible sexual battery, and Mathis — a registered sex offender — was taken into custody two days later on an arrest warrant.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Business

Sports

Environment

Community

Homeless count in North Central Florida drops to 613, down from 887 last year

The 2026 annual Point-in-Time count recorded 613 people experiencing homelessness across seven North Central Florida counties — Alachua, Bradford, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy, Putnam, and Union — a significant drop from 887 counted in 2025. Of those surveyed, 414 were staying in shelters and 199 were living on the street. The region has seen a substantial overall decline since 2023, when the count reached 1,006 people.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Christina Grimmie shooting remembered nearly a decade later

A new report revisits the 2016 shooting death of singer Christina Grimmie at an Orlando, Florida concert venue, approaching the tenth anniversary of the event. Grimmie, a rising pop artist known for her television appearances, was killed by a gunman after a performance. The anniversary is prompting renewed reflection on the tragedy and its place in Florida’s history of mass violence.

Sources: The Gainesville Sun

State & National

Supporters rally at Camp Blanding to fight closure of Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy

Backers of the Florida Youth ChalleNGe Academy gathered at Camp Blanding in Starke on Sunday, calling on state officials to reverse plans to shut the program down. The Florida National Guard announced in April that it intends to close the academy during its 50th class, ending a 25-year program that has served nearly 7,000 at-risk teens since opening in 2001. Organizers warned the closure would harm current and future cadets while eliminating dozens of faculty and staff positions.

Read both sides →

Sources: WCJB TV20

From the Magazine

SHOW PREVIEW

Pop-Punk Stacks the Bill at Signal Friday Night

Lifted Riffs, AITA, The 91’s and SWANYX at Signal. Doors 8 p.m., show 8:30, 21 and up.

By Craft Lemon

All Entertainment →

This date in Gator history

2025

Gators beat Georgia 5-2 in Super Regional Game 3 to clinch WCWS berth

On May 25, 2025, the Florida Gators softball team defeated SEC rival Georgia 5–2 in a winner-take-all Game 3 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, clinching a spot in the 2025 Women’s College World Series. Graduate transfer Rylee Holtorf delivered a go-ahead two-run homer to seal the victory, capping a dramatic three-game series. It marked Florida’s 13th all-time WCWS appearance and their second consecutive trip to Oklahoma City.

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