City commissioners ask School Board to reconsider Citizens Field purchase amid contamination

Gainesville city commissioners voted Thursday to formally inquire whether Alachua County school leaders would still consider purchasing Citizens Field, despite known ground contamination at the site. The school board had voted earlier in the week to explore options related to rebuilding the stadium. City staff noted the contamination stems from a former dump north of the property and residual heating oil from a storage tank removed in the 1980s.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

UF Veterinarian Performs First Rhino Cataract Surgery in the US at Walt Disney World

A University of Florida veterinarian successfully restored a rhinoceros’s eyesight by performing what is believed to be the first cataract surgery on a rhino ever conducted in the United States, with the procedure taking place at Walt Disney World. The roughly 4,000-pound patient came through the historic operation with its vision recovered.

Sources: The Gainesville Sun

UF-developed AI tool uses MRI scans to distinguish Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s earlier

University of Florida researchers have developed a platform called NeuroPACS that applies artificial intelligence to MRI scans to help physicians more accurately differentiate between Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia. The technology repurposes imaging already ordered in routine care — typically used to rule out strokes or tumors — to proactively support neurological diagnosis. Researchers say the tool is aimed at improving accuracy when overlapping symptoms make early diagnosis difficult.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Gainesville man indicted on federal hate crime charge in AIPAC office shooting plot

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has indicted Forrest Kendall Pemberton, 27, of Gainesville, on hate crime and firearm charges. Prosecutors allege he armed himself with an AR-15 fitted with a silencer and surveilled an AIPAC office in Plantation, Florida, intending to kill Jewish employees. If convicted on the hate crime count, Pemberton faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Teen arrested for pointing gun at student at Gainesville High during summer school

A 15-year-old was arrested Wednesday at Gainesville High School after pointing a gun at another student as summer school let out, according to Gainesville Police Department. The victim’s family says the incident was not isolated — his mother had filed a police report just the day before over ongoing death threats, including people showing up at the family’s home. Relatives are now speaking out about what they describe as inadequate school safety protections.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

Opinion piece argues UF should not revive ‘Gator Bait’ cheer

A Gainesville Sun column makes the case against restoring the ‘Gator Bait’ cheer at University of Florida athletics events, a phrase that has drawn criticism over its historical associations. The piece argues the cheer should remain retired rather than be brought back.

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Sources: The Gainesville Sun

DOJ moves to revoke citizenship of Florida residents through denaturalization

The Trump administration is pursuing denaturalization proceedings against Florida residents, seeking to strip them of U.S. citizenship through the Department of Justice. The effort is part of a broader federal push to revoke naturalized citizenship from individuals the government has targeted, raising questions about the legal process and scope of such actions.

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Sources: The Gainesville Sun