UF students dig up 400-year-old Potano-Timucua pot at campus-area mission site

University of Florida students uncovered a ceramic pot created by the indigenous Potano-Timucua tribe roughly four centuries ago during fieldwork at an archaeological site near campus. The site, now a wooded area, is believed to contain the remains of a Potano village, and researchers from the Florida Museum of Natural History say previous digs there have also yielded glass beads, animal bones, and stone tools.

Sources: WCJB TV20

UF-led team wins DOE Genesis Mission grant to build AI-driven materials discovery platform

A University of Florida-led research team was selected from more than 5,000 applicants to receive a U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission grant for developing an autonomous AI platform to accelerate the discovery of stronger, more heat-resistant materials. The project combines electron microscopy, AI, and physics-based modeling to analyze experimental data more than 100 times faster than current methods, targeting materials needed for aerospace, energy, and nuclear applications. UF is partnering with the University of California Santa Barbara and industry partner Thermo-Fisher Scientific for the first phase.

Sources: UF News

Gilchrist County man indicted on 14 federal child pornography counts

A federal grand jury in Gainesville has indicted Bryan James Shuping, 58, of Gilchrist County, on 13 counts of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child pornography. Shuping had previously been arrested in 2025 after officers found nude images of underage males on his phone following an incident at a grocery store, and he had also faced a 2024 arrest for secretly recording someone in a University of Florida restroom. A jury trial is scheduled for September 2.

Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · WCJB TV20

Gainesville woman fatally struck by pickup truck near Chiefland

A 43-year-old Gainesville woman died Wednesday night after being hit by a southbound pickup truck on US-129 near Chiefland in Levy County. The driver, a 70-year-old man, struck the woman as she was walking along the rightmost part of the southbound lane around 9:30 p.m. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Tampa man arrested after undercover sting targeting child sex predators in Columbia County

A 35-year-old Tampa man was arrested on June 30 following a joint undercover operation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Tampa Police Department aimed at individuals seeking to sexually exploit minors. Investigators say Jose Portal engaged in sexually explicit conversations and sent explicit images to detectives he believed were children, and had arranged to meet one child in Columbia County and another in Tampa. Authorities found evidence on his phone after his arrest, and Portal — already on federal probation for a prior offense — confessed to the crimes.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Armed robbery draws heavy law enforcement to SW Gainesville neighborhood

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an armed robbery at the 700 block of SW 70th Terrace, where three suspects wearing all black and face coverings fled the scene. Authorities were actively tracking the suspects as of Tuesday evening. Officials confirmed no shots were fired and no fatalities occurred, and are asking anyone with information to call the non-emergency line.

Sources: WCJB TV20

Sumrall remains undecided on starting QB heading into fall camp

Florida football coach Jon Sumrall addressed reporters at SEC Media Day without committing to a starting quarterback, indicating the competition remains open. Observers noted that Sumrall’s straightforward, candid style is emerging as a defining characteristic of his program.

Sources: The Gainesville Sun

Florida SNAP enrollment dropped 19% in less than a year under federal legislation

New figures from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities show Florida lost roughly one in five SNAP participants between July 2025 and April 2026, following the passage of federal legislation that included stricter work requirements and reduced eligibility for certain lawful immigrants. The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics warned that the cuts will disproportionately harm children, who account for nearly half of all SNAP recipients, citing effects on their ability to focus and succeed in school.

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Sources: WCJB TV20