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Vol. 1 · No. 90 · Thursday, July 30, 2026
State & National
A ticket sold at a Florida lottery retailer near Sarasota claimed the $800 million Mega Millions jackpot. Store employees were reportedly instructed not to discuss the winning sale.
Sources: The Gainesville Sun
Public Safety
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Tony Perryman on Tuesday on 12 counts of sexual battery involving two child victims. The children disclosed the abuse to a relative, who contacted law enforcement, and investigators determined the abuse had continued over multiple years. Perryman, who had provided care for the victims and lived in close contact with them, was booked into the Alachua County Jail.
Sources: WCJB TV20 · Mainstreet Daily News
Public Safety
Two men approached a woman at around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday on SW 39th Way, produced a firearm, and took her clothes and money during what she had arranged as an online marketplace sale. A Gainesville Police Department K-9 team tracked the suspects and recovered the bag of stolen clothes, but the two men were not found. Police are urging residents to meet online buyers and sellers in well-lit public places and to contact Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867 with any information.
Sources: WCJB TV20 · Mainstreet Daily News
Education
More than 20 Alachua County Public Schools teachers have been moved to different schools fewer than two weeks before the August 10 start date, forcing them to pack up classrooms and prepare for entirely new student rosters on short notice. Parents have voiced frustration on social media, with some threatening to remove their children from affected schools. Concerned parents say the district’s staffing needs should have been addressed earlier in the summer, and some teachers have declined to speak out publicly over fears of professional consequences.
Sources: WCJB TV20
Two Alachua County races — for State Representative District 21 and County Commission District 2 — qualify as Universal Primary Contests because all candidates share the same party affiliation, meaning every registered voter may participate and the August 18 winner takes the seat permanently, with no general election runoff. Several non-partisan races, including Gainesville Mayor and School Board seats, could also be decided on that same date if any candidate clears 50 percent. A local voter and Gainesville Iguana contributor explains the rules and urges residents to treat the primary as a decisive election rather than a preliminary one.
Sources: The Gainesville Iguana
In Brief
In Brief
Gilchrist County Sheriff’s deputies and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission searched Ginnie Springs after Jason McCrary, 50, was reported missing in the water around 7 p.m. Sunday while swimming with a group. His body was recovered Monday, and investigators believe the death was accidental, though the medical examiner will conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause.
Sources: WCJB TV20
In Brief
In Brief
In Brief
In Brief
A former Department of Energy policy advisor is cautioning that data centers are already putting significant pressure on Florida’s electrical grid, particularly during the current heatwave. Florida Power and Light’s CEO, speaking on a quarterly earnings call, said a recently passed state law shielding ratepayers from data center costs would actually attract large-scale investment and give companies confidence to build in Florida. The two perspectives highlight a growing tension between the state’s push to attract data center development and concerns about grid reliability and electricity costs for ordinary customers.
Sources: WCJB TV20
In Brief
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