Residents, commissioners push back on Boys and Girls Club plan to sell Gainesville site

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida CEO announced plans to sell the organization’s 51st Street property in Gainesville, drawing opposition from residents who spoke at a Tuesday Alachua County Commission meeting. The county transferred the property to the nonprofit in 2020 for charitable purposes, and the deed restricts resale until 2030 unless the organization determines it is in its financial interest or the sale continues programs serving county youth. Community members expressed concern the site could be sold to a housing developer, putting an end to decades of youth programming there.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

Alachua County commissioners clash over proposed immigration resolution

Two Alachua County commissioners, Marihelen Wheeler and Anna Prizzia, publicly disagreed at a Tuesday meeting over a proposed immigration resolution stemming from a petition by the Gainesville Immigrant Initiative. The initiative asks the commission to, among other things, declare opposition to ICE offices in Gainesville or Alachua County and reaffirm commitments to immigrant safety and inclusion. The matter was originally raised in April, deferred in May, and is now slated for reconsideration in the fall.

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Sources: WCJB TV20

Board of Governors to vote July 1 on Bell as permanent UF president

The Florida Board of Governors rescheduled its vote on Dr. Stuart Bell’s permanent presidency at the University of Florida to July 1, after the board chair had initially postponed the vote over concerns related to UF trustees’ chair Mori Hosseini. In the interim, UF trustees unanimously named Bell interim president on Monday, replacing Dr. Donald Landry, with that role set to begin July 1. Board chair Alan Levine indicated he was satisfied following what he described as productive conversations with UF trustees.

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Sources: WCJB TV20 · WUFT News

UF Housing Project Faces Funding Risk Amid Dispute with Board of Governors

A disagreement between the University of Florida and the state Board of Governors is threatening the timeline of a campus housing project, with millions of dollars potentially at stake. The nature of the dispute and the specific project involved were not detailed in available reporting, but the conflict could jeopardize funding if delays continue.

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Sources: The Gainesville Sun

Pre-trial hearing set for man charged in 2024 Ginnie Springs killing

Fisher Watts, accused of fatally shooting Koty Stewart at Ginnie Springs on Memorial Day 2024, is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Wednesday in Gilchrist County. A judge previously rejected Watts’s Stand Your Ground self-defense claim and on Monday denied a motion to expand the jury from six to twelve members. The trial is currently set to begin the week of July 6.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Apopka woman sentenced to 27 months for defrauding elderly Gainesville-area residents

A 40-year-old Chinese national residing in Apopka was sentenced Tuesday to 27 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a scheme targeting elderly victims across Florida, including a senior at a Gainesville assisted living community. Xin Liu traveled to at least six locations in late July 2025 to collect money from fraud victims, with the total attempted take exceeding $95,000, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Florida AG subpoenas CVS Health over alleged pharmacy competition violations

Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a civil investigative demand against CVS Health Corporation, demanding documents to determine whether the company’s Caremark pharmacy benefit manager is reimbursing CVS-owned pharmacies at higher rates than independent local pharmacies for the same drugs. Uthmeier noted that the three largest pharmacy benefit managers, including Caremark, collectively control roughly 80 percent of all U.S. prescriptions. The investigation is aimed at assessing whether CVS is unfairly manipulating the healthcare marketplace at the expense of patients and smaller competitors.

Sources: The Gainesville Sun · WCJB TV20

Faith leaders welcome Alligator Alcatraz closure but vow continued advocacy

Florida faith leaders, including Gainesville-area clergy who signed a multi-page letter last October requesting access to minister at the Everglades detention camp, are celebrating its reported closure while cautioning that the broader struggle is far from over. Rev. David Williamson noted that requests for interfaith access largely went unanswered, with only the Catholic Church permitted to conduct Mass while other denominations were effectively blocked. The faith coalition is now directing its efforts toward state lawmakers, pressing for further action on immigrant detention conditions.

Sources: WCJB TV20