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Vol. 1 · No. 43 · Saturday, June 13, 2026
Public Safety
A 68-year-old Alachua woman died Friday afternoon after a sedan struck her on County Road 241 near Northwest 83rd Lane, according to Florida Highway Patrol. The driver, a 22-year-old woman from Jacksonville, remained at the scene, and the pedestrian was pronounced dead there.
Sources: The Gainesville Sun · WCJB TV20 · Mainstreet Daily News
City
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1451, which affirms the authority of the state-appointed board overseeing Gainesville Regional Utilities and blocks the city from reclaiming control — overriding a voter-approved ballot initiative from last year that had already been paused by a court challenge. The GRU Authority approved its fiscal year budget alongside the signing, including a 2% water rate increase and a 1.75% wastewater rate increase. City leaders condemned the measure as an entrenchment of an unwanted state takeover, while supporters argued it provides stability and benefits customers.
Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · WCJB TV20
Education
The Frazer School, a private Gainesville institution, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Northern District of Florida on Friday. Current school leaders sent a letter to former owner James Schrader demanding $5 million, alleging he diverted money raised for Frazer into a separate venture, Newberry Christian Community School.
Sources: The Gainesville Sun · WCJB TV20
City
Nine candidates have filed to run in three Gainesville city commission races that will appear on the August 2026 ballot. A second source confirms the field also includes candidates for Alachua County commission seats, though detailed candidate information is behind a paywall.
Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · The Gainesville Sun
In Brief
In Brief
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office charged Tony ‘Travis’ Slater, 44, with child molestation after a forensic interview and medical investigation by the Gainesville Child Protection Team. The five-year-old victim told investigators that Slater touched her inappropriately while she was asleep, and her account has remained consistent across multiple retellings. Slater denied the allegations when interviewed by detectives.
Sources: WCJB TV20
Gainesville Police arrested Al-Jareau Banks on Thursday after he shot his roommate in the hand during an argument at their apartment. The dispute reportedly began over missing food items and escalated when Banks fired at the victim, claiming he believed the roommate had drawn a weapon. Officers searching the victim’s room found only BB guns, none matching the firearm Banks described.
Sources: WCJB TV20
In Brief
In Brief
In Brief
Families experiencing homelessness gathered at the United Way of North Central Florida on Friday for the Summer Family Homelessness Resource Fair, which aimed to connect attendees with shelter, employment, and other support services. Among those attending was a mother of five who had spent her first night homeless at a local park just the day before, having relocated to Gainesville from Louisiana after leaving an abusive relationship. The fair came as local shelter options remained limited, with the Saint Francis House closed and other shelters reportedly not accommodating families.
Sources: WCJB TV20
A Gainesville family without health insurance is asking for community assistance to purchase an automatic wheelchair for their 15-year-old son Santi, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The family, originally from Chile, moved to Gainesville seeking treatment for Santi, who can no longer move his arms or legs independently and relies on a wheelchair to attend school and get around. The new chair is priced at approximately $40,000, which the family says is beyond their means.
Sources: WCJB TV20
In Brief
In Brief
From the Magazine
SHOW PREVIEW
Lifted Riffs, AITA, The 91’s and SWANYX at Signal. Doors 8 p.m., show 8:30, 21 and up.
By Craft Lemon
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