Early voting opens in Alachua County with 14 days before Nov. 3 election

Alachua County residents can cast ballots early through November 1, with polling available on both weekends before Election Day on November 3. Supervisor of Elections Kim A. Barton noted the county will offer 14 days of early voting across multiple locations and dates. Congressional seats along with state and local offices will be decided in the November 3 election.

Sources: WCJB TV20

UF archaeologist wins $245,000 State Department grant for Peruvian artifact preservation

University of Florida anthropology professor Gabriel Prieto received a $245,000 grant from the U.S. State Department’s Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation to conserve roughly 2,000 to 2,500 ancient artifacts held at the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology, and History at the University of Trujillo in Peru. The work, conducted in partnership with the Peruvian university, focuses on pre-Hispanic cultures including the Chimú, who built the largest urban site in ancient South America. The grant will also support new research opportunities for UF graduate and undergraduate students, including an existing study abroad program tied to ongoing excavations.

Sources: UF News

UF lands $2.3M federal grant to expand autism specialist training in North Central Florida

The University of Florida has been selected for a five-year, $2.3 million federal grant through the LEND program, which trains a broad range of professionals — from counselors and psychologists to educators and physicians — to work with children who have neurodevelopmental disabilities. The award places UF among a nationwide network of training sites and is expected to increase the number of providers able to conduct diagnostic assessments and deliver behavioral support in schools and communities across the North Central Florida region.

Sources: UF News

UF engineering professor to present AI risk-attitude research at major conference

University of Florida professor Eric Jing Du is researching whether large language models exhibit consistent, built-in attitudes toward risk — a dimension largely absent from current AI safety testing. His team tested models on repeated medical triage scenarios with erased memory and found the models produced remarkably consistent assessments, suggesting an internal mechanism beyond simple probability. The work will be presented at the NeurIPS conference in December 2026 and aims to make risk-tolerance benchmarking a standard step before AI deployment.

Sources: UF News

UF researchers board parabolic flights to study cells in microgravity

Six University of Florida researchers and trainees flew aboard parabolic aircraft over Zurich, Switzerland in early September, experiencing brief periods of weightlessness to observe how human cells behave in microgravity. The experiments, organized through UF’s In-Space Biomanufacturing Innovation Hub, focused on potential therapies for cancer, heart disease, and muscle conditions, as well as the development of ultraviolet-protective compounds. Researchers from the College of Pharmacy, the Wertheim College of Engineering, and UF/IFAS all participated in the flights.

Sources: UF News

Gainesville man charged after allegedly pointing revolver at victim’s head

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested 26-year-old Nathaniel Cantwell on Monday after he allegedly threatened a person with a revolver during an argument at a home on Southwest 4th Road. Cantwell reportedly forced the victim into his vehicle, pointed the firearm at their head, and later physically pinned them down when they refused to return the gun. He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and hindering communication with law enforcement.

Sources: WCJB TV20

VA contract redirects funds to create 18 transitional beds for homeless veterans in Gainesville

A Veterans Affairs contract has reallocated funding to support 18 shelter beds for veterans experiencing homelessness in Gainesville. The new facility is designed to serve as transitional housing while veterans seek longer-term housing solutions.

Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator

Florida Board of Education bars undocumented students from postsecondary, dual enrollment

The Florida Board of Education has approved a policy prohibiting undocumented students from participating in postsecondary and dual enrollment programs. The decision represents the latest in a series of state-level restrictions on higher education access for undocumented individuals.

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Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator