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Vol. 1 · No. 36 · Friday, June 5, 2026

The Gainesville Ledger

Education

UF’s sole presidential finalist Stuart Bell faces Board of Trustees interview Wednesday

Dr. Stuart Bell, the only finalist to lead the University of Florida, will be interviewed by the UF Board of Trustees at 2:30 p.m. next Wednesday, with a vote on his nomination expected the same day. Bell, who most recently served as president of the University of Alabama, visited campus to field questions from students and staff, with diversity, equity and inclusion emerging as a central topic. If confirmed by both the UF Board of Trustees and the Florida Board of Governors, he would become UF’s 14th president.

Sources: WUFT News · WCJB TV20

Environment

Florida drought eases while hurricane season risks remain historically low in June

The area of exceptional drought in Florida has shrunk by half, though recent rainfall totals may not yet be fully reflected in current drought assessments. Separately, historical data shows that June hurricane strikes on Florida are uncommon, with only six recorded since 1851 and none exceeding Category 2 strength. Forecasters are also tracking the potential for an early tropical storm development this season.

Sources: WUFT News · The Gainesville Sun

City

Local officials weigh revenue losses from proposed $250,000 homestead exemption

Columbia County commissioners and Alachua County officials are examining the financial impact of a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027-28 and $250,000 the following year. A provision that would have replaced lost local revenue — originally included in the governor’s proposal — was stripped out by state lawmakers, leaving officials uncertain how municipalities would cover the shortfall. The Hawthorne mayor has also weighed in against the broader property tax elimination push, and Columbia County board members said they are considering early budget preparations in case voters approve the amendment.

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Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · WCJB TV20

City

State attorney drops enforcement of gun sale waiting periods, including Alachua County’s

State Attorney Brian Kramer notified Alachua County commissioners Thursday that his office will stop prosecuting violations of gun sale waiting periods, including the county’s own five-day requirement. Kramer cited a federal court ruling that found mandating a waiting period beyond the time needed for a background check is unconstitutional. One of the plaintiffs in that federal case had purchased a shotgun at a Newberry firearms dealer.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

In Brief

Education

In Brief

Public Safety

High Springs man sentenced to 20 years for 2021 bat killing

A judge sentenced Christopher Knight, 21, to 20 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the 2021 death of a 58-year-old High Springs man. High Springs Police say Knight and possibly others entered the victim’s backyard on Northwest 179th Place and beat him with a baseball bat; the man later died at a hospital. Investigators say the attack occurred during a period of violent incidents in the Patricia Gardens neighborhood, and authorities continue working to identify others involved.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Alachua County deputies arrest Gainesville man found with fentanyl and cocaine

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped a man riding a bicycle in Gainesville after detecting the smell of marijuana and took him into custody following a brief struggle. A search of Darrell Johnson, 52, turned up 14 grams of fentanyl — packaged individually in a manner consistent with distribution — along with 5.3 grams of cocaine. Johnson is being held at the county jail on a $60,000 bond.

Sources: WCJB TV20

In Brief

Business

In Brief

Sports

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Arts & Culture

In Brief

Environment

Gainesville approves $3.5 million restoration of Bivens Arm Marsh

City commissioners have signed off on a $3.5 million project to restore Bivens Arm Marsh, which will remove invasive vegetation and replant roughly 1,700 aquatic species including lily pads. The work is required as wetland buffer mitigation tied to the Southwest 62nd Boulevard road project and will also replace the existing boardwalk. Construction is expected to wrap up by spring 2027.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Florida’s 2026-27 budget slashes environmental funding by nearly 40% from 2022 levels

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s budget is being cut to $2.45 billion, a reduction of roughly 40% compared to 2022 funding levels, according to an analysis by the Florida Springs Council. For the first time in over a decade, the Florida Forever land conservation program received no new funding despite a state law requiring at least $100 million annually, while $225 million from the Florida Wildlife Corridor fund is being redirected to agricultural easements. The budget was finalized during a Special Session over Memorial Day weekend with a single committee meeting held late Sunday night and no public comment accepted.

Sources: The Gainesville Iguana

In Brief

Community

Pride Community Center settles into NW Gainesville building, seeks renovation funds

The Pride Community Center has moved into its permanent location at 1204 NW 10th Ave. and is preparing for a public opening, with a capital campaign that has raised $120,000 toward facility renovations. Installing a wheelchair ramp is the top structural priority, and the organization is seeking contractors, accessible-design experts, and donors to unlock matching funds. A schedule of north central Florida Pride events runs throughout June, including gatherings at First Magnitude Brewing Company and Heartwood Soundstage.

Sources: The Gainesville Iguana

Gainesville’s volunteer-run Free Grocery Store reflects on six years of mutual aid

The Free Grocery Store, a volunteer-operated mutual aid project launched in 2020 out of the Civic Media Center, has provided free food to hundreds of Gainesville residents weekly by coordinating donations, sorting, and distribution with help from local organizations including Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, Food Not Bombs, and several area farms. One of its founding organizers is departing Gainesville at summer’s end and reflects on the project’s evolution through pandemic protocols, volunteer burnout, and the freezing of SNAP benefits that drove increased demand. The organization continues to operate walk-up pantries and is currently seeking donations of baby food, formula, and packaged staples for the summer.

Sources: The Gainesville Iguana

In Brief

State & National

Florida’s HAVEN Act, creating silent domestic violence alert system, signed into law

Florida Governor signed the HAVEN Act into law, establishing a secure digital pathway that allows domestic violence survivors to silently summon emergency services via a generated phone number and PIN without alerting an abuser. The law also standardizes the legal definitions of dating and domestic violence so survivors of dating violence can access the same state resources, including the Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program. A feasibility study on the technical infrastructure is due by the end of January, with the law taking effect July 1.

Sources: The Gainesville Iguana

UFF-UF leader urges public workers to mobilize against new Florida union law SB1296

A co-president of the United Faculty of Florida at UF is calling on public-sector union members to join their unions and sign recertification cards in response to SB1296, a recently passed Florida law that tightens the rules for union survival. Under the new law, a union seeking recertification must win votes from a majority of all eligible workers — not just those who cast ballots — meaning abstentions would effectively count as votes against the union. The piece argues this change, combined with a 2023 law requiring 60% dues-paying membership, threatens the continued existence of public employee unions statewide.

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Sources: The Gainesville Iguana

In Brief

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