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MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 23

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UF welcomes more than 15,000 to the class of 2025 THE AVERAGE GPA FOR ADMITS WAS 4.51

By Alexander Lugo Alligator Staff Writer

UF invited 15,220 applicants to become Gators on Friday. The number of applicants continues to grow each year, with 52,513 applications this year, compared to 49,401 applicants last year. UF also accepted more applicants this year, outpacing last year’s accepted cohort of 14,561. Of those accepted in 2021, 3,248 will start in Summer B and 11,972 will start in Fall. The number of admits for the Pathway to Campus Enrollment program, or PaCE, decreased this year to 3,607 compared to 3,719 last year. Meanwhile, the Innovation Academy welcomed 624 admits, roughly the same number as last year. The average GPA for admits was 4.51 along with an average SAT score of 1392 and an average ACT score of 31. UF expects 6,400 students to enroll, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. A full breakdown of the diversity of students will be available next week. Last year, incoming freshmen attended Preview — UF’s orientation event — virtually. But the university is still unsure whether it will be held virtually this year too, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldán said. It’s also unclear whether classes will be in person this Fall. However, UF officials began discussing plans for Summer B classes to be held in person with normal capacity levels this year. The university will consider its decision based

on vaccine and virus conditions at the time. It’s unclear if Summer Preview events will be in-person, following the university’s classes. Lana Gabryluk, a 17-year-old senior at Lake Nona High School in Orlando, said she jumped out of her chair with excitement and called her mom, a UF alumna, as soon as she found out she got accepted to UF for Fall. Gabryluk lives in Orlando and wants to major in electrical engineering at UF. “One of the main things I’m really looking forward to is actually just finally having a school experience again because I haven’t been in person since basically sophomore year,” Gabryluk said. “I’m just excited to have a new start and be at UF.” Chloe Oakes, an 18-year-old senior at Bishop Moore Catholic High School in Orlando, said she started crying when she found out she got in. The first person she broke the news to was her mom, who is a UF alumna. “Going to UF has just always been my dream, even when I was really little,” Oakes said. “I practically grew up on the campus.” Zoe Schuler, a 17-year-old senior at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, got her decision Friday and committed to attending UF in the Fall. She wants to major in applied physiology and kinesiology. “I’ve always been a Gator since my dad went there,” Schuler said. “I feel like if I would’ve gone anywhere else it wouldn’t have felt like home.” @alexlugo67 alugo@alligator.org

ELECTION NIGHT

Wynton White (left) and Amy Nicholas (right), Change Party's candidates for Student Body president and treasurer, watch a live stream of the UF Student Government election results on Feb. 24, 2021. Gator Party won the executive ticket. Chasity Maynard // Alligator Staff

Gator Party wins executive ticket for the second year in a row and gains GATOR WON 46 SEATS IN SENATE, AND CHANGE WON THREE Alligator Staff Report The Gator Party won its second executive ticket and maintained a majority in Senate Wednesday. There were 6,650 total ballots cast, Supervisor of Elections Haley Price announced on a livestream Wednesday. Student Body President-elect Cooper Brown and Student Body

Vice President-elect Faith Maniti won with 4,629 votes, or 69.78% of the vote. Student Body Treasurerelect Giovanna Mompremier won with 4,515 votes, or 68.85%. Gator won 46 Senate seats. The Change Party won three seats in the College of the Arts, College of Design, Construction and Planning and a graduate seat. The veterinary medicine seat was a tie because no one voted for the seat. Gator currently holds a supermajority in Senate with 81 senators, according to the Senate roster. Change holds five seats, the Inspire Party

holds one and there are two independent senators. Brown will be the first Pathway to Campus Enrollment (PaCE) student to serve as the Student Body President. The parties usually convene in the Reitz Union to watch the results; however, this year, the UF SG Facebook page live-streamed it because of COVID-19. Brown said he had a special and intimate watch party with his mom and his close friends. About two hours after results

SEE SG, PAGE 3

Families of UF students killed on West University Avenue file lawsuits for wrongful death MAGGIE PAXTON’S AND SOPHIA LAMBERT’S FATHERS FILED THE SUITS WITHIN A DAY

By Anna Wilder Alligator Staff Writer

The families of Sophia Lambert and Maggie Paxton — two UF students who died in pedestrian crashes on West University Avenue about a month apart — filed wrongful death lawsuits against the drivers and car owners on Tuesday and Wednesday. Andrew Yaffa, one of the main attorneys representing both families, said the cases involved drivers who were violating a variety

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT In on the trend

Cycling Story description is surging finish in Gainesville. with comma, Readpg# more about how residents and students are staying in shape, pg. 12

of laws and regulations. The lawsuits are seeking over $100,000 in damages. Lambert’s case also lists Uber as a defendant, as one of the drivers was on a Uber Eats delivery trip at the time of the crash. Yaffa noted that the road itself –– University Avenue –– is part of a larger pedestrian safety problem. “Clearly we need to take action to ensure that we make this road safer,” Yaffa said. “And that’s what we’re attempting to do, while at the same time hold the drivers responsible for their actions,” Yaffa said. Since Lambert and Paxton’s deaths, advocacy groups such as Florida Not One More and Gators Against Student

Pedestrian Deaths have advocated for safer roadways, lower speed limits and other traffic safety devices. City, state and UF officials have discussed solutions, and police have instituted a program for more traffic enforcement. According to court records, James Paxton, Maggie Paxton’s father, filed a wrongful death suit against 53-year-old Miguel A. Figueroa on Wednesday afternoon after police found Figueroa’s car that reportedly hit Maggie and fled the scene where she died. Figueroa, an Alachua County resident, did not immediately respond to The Alligator’s requests for comment. Paxton, an 18-year-old UF natural resource

West University Avenue

Gainesville could gain control over a portion of the road, pg. 5

Santa Fe College vaccines

Some Santa Fe community member received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, pg. 4

conservation first-year student in Kappa Kappa Gamma, died Dec. 9. That evening, she was at Midtown, a popular plaza across the street from campus that students visit with restaurants and bars before heading to her dorm around 10:50 p.m. According to the police report and court records, Paxton was crossing University Avenue on the crosswalk at the intersection with Gale Lemerand Drive when a speeding BMW hit her and fled the scene. By the time police and emergency personnel arrived, Paxton had died due to injuries from the crash. According to the complaint, police found

SEE SUITS, PAGE 5

2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021

Today’s Man jumps from Weather Millhopper Bridge NO OTHER PEOPLE WERE INJURED, POLICE SAID

By Michelle Holder Alligator Staff Writer

Editors note: This story includes descriptions of suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or the Alachua County Crisis Center at 352-264-6789. A 48-year-old man from Myrtle, Mississippi, died by suicide after he jumped from the Millhopper Road bridge into oncoming northbound traffic on I-75 Feb. 25, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash due to vehicle impact from a 2019 Kenworth truck tractor.

No other people were injured, Alachua County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Sgt. Frank Kinsey said. At 3:35 p.m., the 911 communication center operator received a call about a disturbed and upset person on the bridge, Kinsey said. The center received several calls after, and an ACSO officer was sent to the scene before the man jumped. Kinsey said the first ASCO officer saw the man standing atop the bridge and tried to talk to him, but he jumped and landed on I-75. All northbound I-75 traffic lanes were closed from about 4 p.m. until 7:40 p.m. while officials investigated the scene, Kinsey said. Traffic was directed to 39th Avenue to get the cars off the interstate. This traffic homicide will be a thorough and lengthy investigation, said Florida Highway Patrol Troop-

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 23

NEWSROOM:

By Emil Munksgaard Grosen Alligator Staff Writer

A 3-year-old boy died after he was hit by a truck Feb. 24 The boy was hit by a truck driving southbound while crossing Northeast 15th Street on a toy scooter around 6 p.m.. Following the crash, the boy was rushed to UF Health Shands Hospital in critical condition, according to a Gainesville Police Department press release.

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B Public Affairs Officer Patrick Riordan. @michellecholder mholder@alligator.org

He died as a result of his injuries shortly after arriving there. Two Alachua County Sheriff's Office deputies who arrived at the scene performed CPR and lifesaving efforts on the boy, according to the release. When Gainesville Fire Rescue arrived, they took over. As of Feb. 25, GPD is investigating the incident as a traffic homicide and has not provided information to The Alligator about any arrests. GPD spokesperson Graham Glover said there was no more information available including details about the driver, vehicle involved or the child’s identity.

Rape reported at UF frat house UF NOTIFIED STUDENTS OF THE ASSAULT VIA EMAIL

By Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writer

Editors’ Note: This story includes mention of sexual assault. UF sent out a public safety alert about a reported rape at a fraternity house that occurred last weekend. On Feb. 26, UF issued a timely warning email to notify the campus community of the incident, which

took place at an unknown fraternity house Feb. 20. Because the Campus Security Authority did not provide more information, UF has been unable to take action, according to the alert. The university is required to send out “timely warning messages” under the Clery Act — a federal law that requires universities to notify students and faculty of campus threats, such as sexual assault and gun violence. UF provided the victim with support and resources, the email

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read. “The University of Florida strongly believes that no person is responsible for harm inflicted by another person,” the email read. “Sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are prohibited and will not be tolerated.” As of 7 p.m. Feb. 28, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said he does not have any additional information and the University Police Department is working on tracking the incident.

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Students casted total of 6,650 ballots SG, from pg. 1 were announced on the evening of Feb. 24, Alligator reporters saw Brown and other Gator Party members maskless in a crowd of about 50 people at an event at Downtown Fats, a Gainesville bar. Brown declined multiple requests from The Alligator to join their watch party, writing in a text that it would be a “really small and intimate” event, and he, Maniti and Mompremier “don’t feel comfortable having reporters there.” The party’s platform advocated for a “safe, responsible” in-person graduation ceremony for students. During the SG Executive Debate, Brown also said he advocated for in-person programming once a COVID-19 vaccine is available. It was an honor to be elected, he said, and he plans on getting to work the day after the election. “This is not a win for me,” Brown said on a phone call after his victory. “This is a win for the Student Body, and we’re going to make that clear throughout the next year.” His first priority is implementing the traffic safety plans from the party’s platform, as well as putting together a team for SG cabinets, Brown said. Maniti said she cried when the

results were announced, and she’s still processing their win. “It is just a title at the end of the day,” Maniti said. “I’m so excited and so blessed, so grateful for this opportunity to be able to just continue my work.” Price said 1,146 ballots were cast Feb. 23. Last Spring, before the COVID-19 shutdown, 7,091 ballots were cast on the first day of SG election day voting, and 11,128 ballots were cast in total. Election results were scheduled to be broadcasted at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, but a delay pushed the time back to about 10 p.m. Price did not answer an email about why the results were delayed. Gator’s 17-point platform advocated for traffic safety measures, conservation area protection, changes to the Counseling and Wellness Center and an increase in accessibility for student services, among other things. Students who voted for Gator said they valued the party’s leadership capabilities, its emphasis on keeping base tuition costs low and the party leaders’ overall judgment. Minority parties Change and the Union Party combined on the last day of slating to create a stronger party and increase the chances of

Chasity Maynard // Alligator Staff

Grace Shoemaker and her brother Sam Shoemaker work on homework during the Change gathering to await Student Government election results on Feb. 24, 2021.

seizing a win against Gator. Ultimately, Change was unsuccessful, as Gator maintained the executive ticket and a majority in Senate. Change’s platform advocated for increased sustainability measures on campus, pedestrian safety structures for University Avenue, accessible opportunities for first-generation and international students and changes to the Counseling and Wellness Center. The party gathered on the top floor of the Rawlings Hall parking garage to witness the election results come in on Change’s field director Valerie Sheehe’s laptop. After losing the executive ticket and most of the Senate seats, a few members cried as they hugged one another. Wynton White, Change’s Student Body presidential candidate, thanked everyone who was present, including his running mates, Student Body vice presidential candidate Matthew Rodriguez and Student Body treasurer candidate Amy Nicholas. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result that everybody wanted tonight. But this isn’t over. This is just the beginning,” he said. “And I want all of you guys to go home and be really proud of what you guys did because it was very special. A lot of sleepless nights for a lot of people.” White said he plans to go home, take his dogs Thirty and Shiesty out and then get something to eat. “I’ll take a little nap, and we’ll move forward from there,” he said. “I’m gonna keep on using my voice and my platform.” Change filed a complaint contesting the election results Wednesday because of “shady” behavior, White said. He claimed fraternities and sororities forced members to vote. “We contested the results because we expected what would happen,” White said. The SG Election Commission heard Change’s complaint Thursday, which stated that three fraudulent balloting practices occurred during the election this year. The complaint was dismissed unanimously by the commission. First, a screenshot of the Kappa Delta sorority Facebook group

Julia Cooper // Alligator Staff

Students line up to cast their votes at the J. Wayne Reitz Union voting station on Feb. 23, 2021. showed a member stating that SG would come to pick up absentee ballots from houses, which Change argued was an unfair advantage. Price wrote in an email to Ryan Wiele, the election commission chair, that no one from her team picked up ballots and the complaint was dismissed. Change also provided screenshots of other sorority group chats and Facebook groups where members told those in the sorority to request absentee ballots to be sent to sorority houses. Change argued that having absentee ballots sent to places where people don’t live is voter coercion, and having sorority members collect and deliver absentee ballots would compromise the privacy of voting. This complaint was dismissed because the commission concluded there was no evidence to show Price had violated any election codes, and students should be able to request their ballots to be sent to any location they believe to be most convenient for them. The commission also determined that an investigation was not necessary and validated the election results. Gator also defeated the Keg Party, which is a new party this Spring. Keg advocated for student stimulus checks, increased alcohol availability on campus and rental electric scooters.

Keg Student Body presidential candidate Michael Ackerman grinned and shook with anxiety as he listened to the results. When Gator won, he and Student Body vice presidential candidate Braeden Allen said they were somewhat disappointed. But Ackerman said he was happy with the results and that he had fun with the campaign. He said if Keg comes back next election, it will begin campaigning earlier and recruiting Senators. Allen said people showed interest in joining the Keg Party for the next election cycle. “That quote, genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Our campaign was like the opposite,” he said. “It was all inspiration, and yet we didn’t have to work that hard.” @CarolinaIlvento cilvento@alligator.org @abbeyhasebroock ahasebroock@alligator.org @sofecheverry secheverry@alligator.org @alexlugo67 alugo@alligator.org @Vantonshchuk vantonshchuk@ufl.edu

Slow your roll! at the Florida Museum

Be a part of something

GIVE Blood.

FREE for UF students with a valid Gator 1 Card.

BIG Photo by Photography 35

Over 1,000 people gathered to form one of the largest human blood drop formations in the country. LifeSouth’s North Florida district needs just as many donors per week to meet the need of our community hospitals. Be a part of something big and give blood today.

Esta es una exhibición bilingüe.

For more information, call 888.795.2707 or visit www.lifesouth.org.

Connecting our donors to our patients

4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021

Santa Fe community receives second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 235 EMPLOYEES, RETIREES AND STUDENTS AGED 65 OR OLDER WERE VACCINATED

By Juliana Ferrie and Manny Rea Alligator Staff Writers

The Alachua County Department of Health administered second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to some members of the Santa Fe College community Feb. 26. The event took place in Santa Fe’s gymnasium on the Northwest Campus from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Recipients were given their first dose Feb. 5, and in total, 235 people aged 65 or older were vaccinated at the first event, Director of Human Resources Lela Frye said.

“It was wonderful because people were so appreciative of the opportunity,” Frye said. Among the recipients were employees, retirees, students and “the expanded SF family” — relatives of Santa Fe community members who live in the same household and meet the criteria for vaccination, she said. In addition, about 20 faculty and students providing frontline patient care also received the vaccine, she said. Santa Fe office receptionist Bonita Reddig, 73, said she got the vaccine to protect herself and her husband who had a liver transplant in 2000 that left him immunocompromised. He has since received both of his doses at UF Health Shands Hospital. “I feel confident that everything is going to be okay now,” Reddig said. “Maybe we can meet with the grandkids again.”

Terry McMahan, 71, came with Donna Waller, 76, a retired Santa Fe political science professor. McMahan said he patiently waited to be eligible for the vaccine after the first doses were administered mid-December. “It’s a greater sense of safety,” McMahan said. Members of the UF Student Health Care Center at Santa Fe also showed up to bring awareness to the renovated facility. The center — which was rebuilt and reopened days before the pandemic closed campus in March 2020 — offers free services to college students who may typically be low-income, Dawn Blizzard, a program assistant, said. It has served five to 10 students a day, four days a week since August. Santa Fe President Paul Broadie mingled with vaccine recipients and staff. Recipients bided their time with a paperfilling, phone-browsing and solitaire-playing observation period. Although some had never met Broadie before, they were eager to thank him as they left. “We couldn’t be happier giving our employees the opportunity to be vaccinated against this dreadful pandemic and have some sense of safety and security,” he said. Retired army military police Col. Bob Quint, a 67-year-old Santa Fe adjunct professor, lost his 91-year-old father to the virus Jan. 22. He contracted the virus from a doctor’s office and died within seven days, Quint said. “This is not something that’s going to go away, it’s only going to get worse if we ignore it,” Jo Quint, Bob’s 66-yearold wife, said. “I would tell anybody that they need to get vaccinated. It’s not worth your life.” The couple, now married 44 and a half years, received their second doses Feb. 26. Santa Fe biology professor Greg Jones said the vaccine provides a safeguard for himself and his in-person students.“A lot of them are apprehensive,” Jones, 61, said. “Anytime they feel a bit of a cough or a sniffle, they’re worried that they may contract the virus. It puts everybody on edge a little.” Under 65 but with respiratory issues, Jones said he made administrators aware of his situation and was eventually able to schedule an appointment. “Santa Fe’s always had a long tradition of taking care of their people,” Jones said. “It’s one of the things that makes working at Santa Fe as nice as it is.”

Chasity Maynard // Alligator Staff

Janée Gilliam, a nurse for the Alachua County Department of Health, injects Linda Tyson, 65, a Sante Fe biology professor, with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine Feb. 26, 2021 at Santa Fe College. “The college has done us a great service,” Tyson said about the vaccine distributions.

@juliana_f616 jferrie@alligator.org @ReaManny mrea@alligator.org

Grocery store may be built in East Gainesville following City Commission vote EXPERTS AND ACTIVISTS SAY IT COULD STRENGTHEN FOOD SECURITY IN THE AREA By Alan Halaly Alligator Staff Writer

Some East Gainesville residents may no longer have to travel across the city to shop at a grocery store thanks to a newly approved city initiative. On Thursday, Commissioner Gail Johnson, policy experts and community activists proposed a plan for the city to look into creating a community grocery store in East Gainesville, where several neighborhoods qualify as food deserts. The commission unanimously passed the plan. “It’s time for us to fully commit to economic development on the east side of town after years and years of stonewalling and saying no,” Johnson said. The USDA defines a food desert as a low-income area where a substantial number of residents have low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. In Gainesville,

there are 11 census blocks where a majority of households are without a vehicle, yet residents are located more than a half-mile from a supermarket, a USDA Food Access Research Atlas report showed. East of Southwest Sixth Street, the only USDA-approved grocery stores are a Publix, a Walmart and a Winn Dixie. The new proposal will prompt GRACE Grows, a community garden organization targeting homelessness, to move forward with a community engagement project to gauge resident opinion on the ideal location and model for the grocery store. If the project continues to garner support and moves forward, it is expected to take about two to three years to complete, Johnson said. The plan passed unanimously with Commissioner Harvey Ward absent during the vote. Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos voted against a part of the proposal that would prompt city consideration of $3 million to $5 million funding for the community grocery store. Johnson said she got the funding estimate from the Evans Center, a similar community store in Palm

Bay, Florida, which cost about $3.5 million to create. But Hayes-Santos expressed concerns over committing to using that amount of money before the city considers more details. “As far as budgeting a certain amount at this time — I’m not ready to do that,” Hayes-Santos said. “We need to figure out what model we’re going to use and budget accordingly.” There aren’t many existing models to help the city decide what is best for East Gainesville, Mayor Lauren Poe said. One community grocery store in Baldwin, Florida, is government-owned. Another in Chicago, Illinois, resides in a public housing complex and created jobs for local residents. “I’m cautiously enthusiastic,” Poe said. “Because of the talent we have directly involved with the local food system, I have a high degree of confidence that we can figure it out.” Erika Clesi, a policy fellow with the Office of the City Clerk, said the limited grocery options in East Gainesville indicate a lack of access to affordable and nutritious food in those areas.

The city’s food insecurity rate was close to 14% in 2018 but rose to almost 17% in 2020 due to problems posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Clesi’s policy research. The proposal will also have city staff conduct an economic leakage study, which will look into spending outside of East Gainesville that drains wealth from the area. Commissioner Hayes-Santos pointed to how much of the issue with food insecurity in Gainesville has to do with zoning that prevents grocery stores from being built in certain areas. An item was added to the proposal to look into zoning issues before it was approved. Commissioner Gigi Simmons said there are deeper, psychological impacts of not having access to a grocery store. She encouraged Johnson and the policy team to speak with a sociologist to get more insight. During public comment, a handful of residents expressed their support for the grocery store. One resident likened food deserts to “food apartheid,” saying the issue is rooted in racial disparities.

Currently, the city is developing a master food security plan with several initiatives such as mobile farm stands and increasing support for the city’s community garden program. The grocery store proposal was added to the growing list of efforts. Commissioners argued over which of their initiatives should take priority during this fiscal year and decided there should be a mix of long- and short-term solutions. They agreed County support is essential to the completion of these projects. Civic Collaboration Specialist Karissa Raskin, who builds citycommunity partnerships, said she would need extra staff to work on so many different projects. However, she said some of these initiatives may go hand-in-hand to develop a sustainable community-driven model for a grocery store. “I think the opportunity to take the knowledge that we’re gaining from one project and building it into the planning stages of the other — to me, they’re linked,” Raskin said. @AlanHalaly ahalaly@alligator.org

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 ALLIGATOR 5

Gainesville will take over control of a stretch of West University FDOT AGREED TO BEGIN TRANSFERRING RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ROAD

By Jack Prator Alligator Staff Writer

The Florida Department of Transportation will transfer control of a section of West University Avenue near UF campus to the city of Gainesville. City and county officials met with department representatives Feb. 22 at a meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization, a joint operation between Gainesville and Alachua County Commissions for transportation planning in and around the city. Jim Hannigan, an FDOT district traffic operations engineer who

manages the county’s state roads, said the department is willing to hand over control of the stretch of West University Avenue from 34th to 13th Street, but is waiting on the city’s request for a section of the road to continue the transfer process. Gainesville City Commissioner and MTPO chair David Arreola exchanged excited glances with the other commissioners in the room upon hearing this news. Gaining jurisdictional control over the state road has been a priority for Gainesville for the past month. “That is something I am very glad to hear,” Arreola said. Hannigan listed some of the “low-hanging fruit” measures FDOT has implemented since efforts arose to make the road safer after the deaths of two UF students less than two months apart, including

tree trimming to increase visibility on the road and retiming traffic signals to slow vehicles. Longer-term changes such as a speed limit reduction won’t be implemented until the summertime, he said. Starting March 1, FDOT will pave special emphasis crosswalks with more striping to make pedestrians more visible, Hannigan said. Other future plans include redesigning crosswalks, adding temporary speed tables, which are raised sections of roads that intend to slow traffic, and lowering the speed limit to 25 mph. Two raised crosswalks on West University Avenue with pedestrian signals will be added near Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and west of 13th Street. These crosswalks — which are meant to stop cars while pedestrians cross high foot traffic areas — should be completed in the summer.

A cyclist crosses West University Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.

Chasity Maynard // Alligator Staff

“We’re chopping up University, state road 26, into short blocks, and that’s going to have the effect of making motorists basically stop more often,” Hannigan said. The temporary speed tables will be 21 feet long and raised about 3 inches above the rest of the road. Hannigan said they should be installed before UF’s Fall 2021 semester starts. He said FDOT is required by law to do an engineering assessment of a road before it can reduce the speed limit. “Putting up a sign does not change somebody’s speed. Period,” Hannigan said. “You have to make them want to change.” This can be done, he said, by reducing the driver’s comfort in driving over a certain speed. For this reason, the speed limit on West University Avenue won’t be lowered until the temporary speed tables are installed and drivers slow down. Commissioner Reina Saco expressed worry that if the temporary speed tables are installed when students aren’t on campus, it could skew the results of the speed limit assessment. Hannigan said even with less congestion on the road, the speed tables should be enough to warrant lowering the speed limit. “Regardless of whether there are students in there or not, University Avenue carries a lot of traffic,” he said. Hannigan said the Gator STEP program, a recent push for greater enforcement of traffic laws around UF campus, has shown that nearly 100 people are still speeding “after months of public outrage and weeks of enhanced enforcement.” GPD issued 84 speeding tickets from February 15 to 22, according to Gator STEP data released by the GPD. “All lowering the speed limit means is that you can issue more tickets, and that doesn’t slow people down,” Hannigan said. Hannigan told Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe that FDOT was not working on a street redesign plan,

The suits seek over $100,000 in damages SUITS, from pg. 1 parts of the BMW that had been left in the roadway. The parts, witness statements and surveillance footage led investigators to the BMW. It took investigators over two months to find Figueroa. Figueroa was identified as the owner of the car, but police have not determined who was driving the car when it hit Paxton. After getting a warrant to look for the car, investigators found the blue 2003 BMW positioned between rows of cars at a car shop he works at, the complaint read. Investigators found the BMW with blood and damage on the passengers’ side hood at Best Motor Works & Sports, an auto repair shop located at 65 SE 10th Ave. in Gainesville, according to the complaint. As of Sunday evening, Figueroa — whose previous citations include driving his vehicle unsafely, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt — has not been arrested, according to court

records. Just a day before, Lawrence Lambert, Sophia Lambert’s father, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Uber, Uber’s subsidiary Portier LLC and the drivers and owners of the cars involved in his daughter’s death. Lambert, an 18-year-old UF theater firstyear in Delta Phi Epsilon sorority, died following a two-car crash Jan. 16 that hit her and four other UF students she was with on the sidewalk. The five students and driver of the car that hit them were hospitalized. Benjamin A. Piper, a 28-year-old Uber Eats driver, was speeding in a 2007 grey Honda Civic eastbound on University Avenue to pick up an order, according to the complaint. Boris Stoyanov, a 19-year-old UF architecture sophomore, was driving a 2015 white Honda accord westbound and turning left onto Buckman Drive. Yaffa said Piper was trying to beat a light that was changing, and Stoyanov violated the right of way when he made a left-hand turn in front of Piper. The two cars collided, causing Piper’s

vehicle to skid out of control, hit a pole, Lambert and her friends on the sidewalk. Lambert was thrown more than 30 feet through the air and hit a brick bench, according to the complaint. She died shortly after she was transported to the UF Health Shands Hospital. Yaffa said Uber Eats drivers and delivery drivers tend to rely on an app to direct them to delivery and pickup locations they’ve never been to. That can be dangerous, especially when they are distracted by the app, he said. “Many times they’re not focused on the roadway and where they’re going, they’re looking at the app to figure out how they can get there as quickly as they can,” Yaffa said. “The quicker they deliver the food, the bigger the tip.” Uber declined to comment on the pending litigation but sent a general statement that said the company is committed to road safety and continuing to build products and raise awareness about practices that can lead to safer streets for all — regardless of the mode of travel.

which is outside his own responsibilities. FDOT owns very little sidewalk space near the businesses lining West University Avenue, so redesigning the road to prioritize pedestrian traffic would require having fewer lanes, Hannigan said. These changes would create traffic jams on UF football game days. “We very much appreciate the short- and mid-term solutions that are being offered, but it will not solve the long-term challenges that we have on that corridor,” Poe said. Saco also asked if the road could be made into an “enhanced penalty zone,” which adds $50 to speeding tickets written within the zone. The legislative process in making the zone requires evidence that crashes are caused by speeding, Hannigan said. Most crashes on University Avenue have been caused by one car entering another’s right of way, he said. Alachua County Commissioner Anna Prizzia said moving traffic from West University Avenue might divert it to Williston and Waldo roads. She said there have already been safety issues in the area, mentioning a hit-and-run in December that killed a cyclist at a crossing near Hawthorne Trail. “I don’t want to push that problem out to our eastern community and end up with deaths over there where we don’t have the power of the university and the power of student organizations to organize around an issue,” she said. Mayor Poe said these additional road changes would cost more than the MTPO can spend and more than what FDOT would likely be able to fund. He recommended holding a countywide town hall to discuss a transportation surtax. “We clearly have emerging transit challenges,” Poe said. The MTPO did not move forward with the tax. Its next meeting is set for April 26. @jack_prator jprator@alligator.org

Yaffa said both families are devastated with the loss of their daughters and know that the drivers made critical errors and decisions that led to their daughters’ deaths. However, he said they believe University Avenue, a location where students are traveling all the time, is not safe. Yaffa said Paxton and Lambert are not the first to lose their lives on this street, but the families and their lawyers are committed to making the changes necessary so that nobody else does. The FDOT will hand over control of a stretch of the road to the City of Gainesville, from 34th to 13th street but is waiting for the city’s request for a section of the road to continue. Starting Monday, FDOT will pave special emphasis crosswalks to make pedestrians more visible. “These are senseless deaths that were totally preventable,” Yaffa said. “There’s no reason why another student or another family has to lose their life or suffer this loss.” @anna_wilderr awilder@alligator.org

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 www.alligator.org/the_avenue

MUSIC

Local band Driveaway releases ‘Summer Song’ THE BAND SAYS THEIR NEW SINGLE SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER By Katie Delk Avenue Staff Writer

Gainesville band Driveaway is all about moving forward. From their recent song “Is This Letting Go?” to a song in progress with a chorus that echoes “let it go,” Driveaway makes it clear that progress guides them. The band is signed to UF student-run record label Swamp Records. In “Summer Song,” which was released Feb. 26, Trenton Ropp sings, “I’m holding on too tight, I’m sinking in plain sight.” Most of the lyrics originate in their personal prose, bassist Tanner Ropp, Trenton Ropp’s brother, said. “Summer Song” draws on lines from Trenton’s two-page journal entry last summer.

“If the lyrics feel scary for me to read them out loud to someone, then it’s the right direction to go,” Trenton said. For him, the “Summer Song” lyrics were embarrassing in conversation. “But singing them is just so different,” he said. While Driveaway moves forward with motifs, the new song is a minimalistic melody. A lot of the songs begin with a strong drum pulse, Trenton said, but the drums weren’t working in this one. So, for “Summer Song,” they muted them. The result is mostly acoustic, with less synthesizer than they usually use. The guitar part was done in one take, guitarist Kyle Tapley said, with one note. Rather than adding extra production, Tanner said they just wanted the song to be good and catchy, like “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, Tapley added. The electronic ending of the song was originally a joke, Trenton said.

“This thing that I’m like, ‘Oh, what if we just put this crazy dance beat under this acoustic guitar,’ and then it ends up being the most cathartic part of the song,” he said. “It’s a big release.” The trio recorded the song in their twostory house. Often, they departed to their rooms with their guitars to process ideas individually. But with guitars and chords lined up in the closet outside the living room, the trio worked there. Tapley and Trenton built soundproof wood panels with Home Depot nursery insulation and placed them in the room’s corners. Trenton formed a cave with the panels and sang in them, creating a better sound, he said. With all their equipment in one place, they spat out words, collabing and ad-libbing. Their ad-libs ranged from whoops to Tapley saying, “Oh, my mom’s here. I gotta go.” The words are still in the song, but are pitched down, Trenton said.

“It was a lot easier for creativity to flow around just cause all the tools needed were just already set up everywhere,” Tanner said. As Swamp Records’ co-branding director, 21-year-old UF advertising senior Cam Hunter has aided Driveaway’s social media since 2019, and they have become friends through that time. For months, Hunter said Trenton has sent audio files of “Summer Song” to get their opinion. Hunter said it’s their favorite Driveway song yet. “I think it has a really good chorus that a lot of people will be able to really vibe with,” Hunter said. “I love the guys’ personal connection with the song.” Hunter said they can imagine people blasting the song in their car with the windows down. Listeners can enjoy themselves as they drive away to a new place. “Summer Song” is available on all platforms now. @katie_delk kdelk@alligator.org

MUSIC

Grammy-winning artist Nella takes Phillips Center stage IT WAS THE VENEZUELAN ARTIST’S FIRST IN-PERSON SHOW SINCE AUGUST

By Heather Bushman Avenue Staff Writer

In her latest single, “Solita,” Marianella Rojas proclaims, “Canto lo que vivo, vivo lo que siento” – “I sing what I live, I live what I feel.” This sentiment is at the core of her songs and her ethos – honesty, connection, undeniable vulnerability and a true love for music. It shows up in the highest of highs, like her triumphant 2019 debut album “Voy,” and in the lowest of lows, like the halting of all her touring activities following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is steadfast and unchanging through seasons of massive unpredictability and upheaval. It is the epicenter of the Venezuelan singer’s work – to sing what she lives, to live how she feels. Rojas, known professionally by the mononym Nella, took the Phillips Center stage Friday with this transparency in tow. The Latin Grammy-winning artist performed in her first in-person show since August as part of the “UpStage at the Phillips Center” series, organized by UF Performing Arts.

The UpStage series sees artists and audience members all gathered on the Phillips Center stage for an up-close and personal performance and a “jazz club atmosphere.” Friday’s show was performed live to a limited-capacity audience and livestreamed for those watching at home. Sam McKee, a marketing and communications specialist with UFPA, said Nella’s set was “pure magic.” “Nella’s talent is totally undeniable,” McKee said. From an early age, Nella said she knew music was the path for her. She grew up taking cues from the pop juggernauts of the day, singing hits from artists Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera to Celine Dion, but decided that she would pursue jazz in hopes of becoming “the next Ella Fitzgerald.” Nella moved from her hometown of Isla Margarita to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, at the age of 17 to study music, a decision she had also made early on. She said attending a university, being not just a performer but a true student of music, had always been a priority. While studying in Caracas, one of Nella’s teachers recommended she apply to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Berklee, notoriously intense and competitive, is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world – which

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is exactly why Nella said she wouldn’t be applying. “This is just for geniuses. I don’t think I’ll be able to be accepted,” she said. But she thought wrong. After flying to Boston for an audition and interview, Nella was accepted. She didn’t attend the school until two years after her acceptance, though, when her parents could afford to send her to Boston for only one semester. They told her there was no guarantee of future semesters, but just the promise of one was enough for Nella. “Before they finished the phrase, I was already on the airplane with my bags,” she said. One semester turned into two, two turned into four, and Nella graduated from Berklee in 2015. While there, her musical focus shifted from jazz and R&B to the sound of the Andalusia region and her traditional Venezuelan roots. With constant collaboration from Javier Limón, producer and artistic director of the Mediterranean Music Institute at Berklee, Nella has infused Venezuelan folklore with classic Latin instrumentation. Though her production does have touches of modern influence, Nella’s songs are undoubtedly rooted in tradition. As reggaeton music continues to dominate the airwaves, Nella said the other styles of Latin mu-

sic have taken a back seat to this more pop-centric sound. Though it has opened the door for Latin visibility in the United States, Nella said there is so much more to offer. “I think that we should take advantage of that and show this other palate of colors,” she said. Among this other palate is Nella’s 2019 debut album “Voy,” which was released to critical acclaim and earned her a Best New Artist win at the 2019 Latin Grammy Awards. With an album that didn’t follow the Top 40 format, she said it was an honor just to be nominated among her more radio-ready contemporaries. The win, she said, was “incredible,” and proved there was a place for her traditional sound in the modern music landscape. After embarking on a 2019 tour across the U.S., on-the-road activities came to a standstill with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the year 2020 wasn’t entirely lost – Nella joined Sony Music Latin and began working on her next full-length album. The first taste of the next record, “Solita,” leans more toward modern R&B production, but still maintains the essence of Latin music. Translating to “alone,” the track tackles the isolation of quarantine living, but instead of approaching the situation through the lens of pessimism, Nella

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chose to celebrate the newfound opportunity to rediscover who she is. “Some days were hard, but it was also a beautiful time to be with myself,” she said. But after getting reacquainted with herself in isolation, Nella said she’s ready to reconnect with her audience. Though her music is entirely in Spanish, she said the relationship she has with the crowd overpowers the language barrier. “It’s beautiful to see that people really connect even though the lyrics are not their language,” she said. @hgrizzl hbushman@alligator.org

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Several new faces made their appearances on Florida’s football team this spring as early enrollees. Read the team’s impression of the newcomers, pg. 11

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MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 ALLIGATOR 7

Family-owned UF apparel store Gator Mania goes out of business JENICE BUSHNELL AND HER DAUGHTER LISA BLUM, REMEMBER THE LAST 27 YEARS OF THEIR FAMILY BUSINESS

By Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writer

After 27 years of selling UF merchandise to fans, students, families and tourists, Gator Mania closed its doors at Butler Plaza for the final time. Gator Mania was one of the last local family-owned UF merchandise stores in Gainesville. In the last year, the city has seen the closing of many other staple businesses near the university, such as The Swamp restaurant and Daybreak Pleasant Street. This week, the store is auctioning off all of its merchandise and store fixtures, which include shelves and racks that hold items, through Kincaid Auction Realty, a service in Lakeland. Gator Mania and Kincaid held an in-person live auction on Feb. 20 and 21, where about 80 bidders visited the store to participate. The business released a preview for the merchandise online Feb. 19. Online auctions will continue throughout the week until everything has been claimed. Winners can pick up their items at the store this week until the auction’s end. As of Feb. 23, the online auctions received more than 430 bidders. Gator Mania’s owner, Jenice Bushnell, said more than 75% of all merchandise has been sold; however, there is still a large number of items such as clothing, accessories and home appliances to sell. Store fixtures, such as shelves, racks, fans and security tags sold out on Feb. 22. In 1995, Bushnell and her ex-husband opened their first Gator Mania kiosk at The Oaks Mall. By the time their store reached its peak popularity at the mall, they had 10 kiosks, each of which sold different categories of UF merchandise — men’s clothes, women’s clothes, baby clothes, Nike products, home appliances and more. In 2005, Bushnell became the sole owner of the store, and Gator Mania found its permanent location in Butler Plaza.

Randy Kincaid, founder of Kincaid Auction Realty, said the COVID-19 pandemic has been very hard on small businesses like Gator Mania. His company has held around eight auctions with small businesses that were directly affected by the pandemic. Kincaid has been almost exclusively holding online auctions for the past two years. “We have very few live auctions anymore, but we thought there would be a lot of attention and attraction by the local residents because Gator Mania is located right here at the University of Florida,” he said. Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a statewide stay-at-home order in April, and Gator Mania had to shut down as a non-essential business. After the lockdown, the store owed three months of rent with no sales to pay for it. “We weren’t the only ones affected by COVID,” Bushnell said. “Money was real tight for a lot of our normal customers as well. Instead of coming in and maybe buying three or four different items, they would only buy one, or maybe they couldn’t come in and buy anything at all.” The cancellation of many UF events also affected Gator Mania’s sales.. The business got a small Paycheck Protection Program loan to cover payroll for eight weeks. But, it still had no sales after the University Athletic Association canceled its 2020 Orange & Blue Debut game and UF canceled student graduations, tailgating parties, parents’ weekend and homecoming. Gator Mania also relied on the surplus in sales during football season to hold the business over during its typically slower months: January, February and March. “When we came out of Christmas, and we didn’t have any savings, we knew we couldn’t continue,” Bushnell said. “We were still in the pandemic. We were still working with shortened hours, and there was no end in sight. Since the store’s relocation in 2005, Bushnell’s oldest daughter, Lisa Blum, has been an operations manager at Gator Mania. Blum said she’s worked at Gator Mania her entire life. “I grew up there,” she said. “Even when I was a 6-year-old kid, on game days I was in

Courtesy to The Alligator

Lisa Blum, Jenice Bushnell and Randy Kincaid stand in front of their family-owned Gator Mania store with a 12’ fiberglass alligator. the back hallway pricing shirts.” Blum, 32, began working full-time at Gator Mania after she began dual-enrollment at Santa Fe High School in her junior year. She worked there throughout college, graduating from UF with a master’s degree in information systems and operations management in 2011. “I loved working with my mom,” she said. “I think that’s been the hardest part of closing because my favorite part of my job was getting to work with my mom and my

two kids.” Blum’s 5-year-old son Blake and her 2-year-old daughter Grace came to work with her every day until they started school. For more than two decades, Gator Mania has been a community staple. Although the family-owned business closed its doors once and for all, Bushnell and her family will have a generation of memories to keep forever. @jiselle_lee jlee@alligator.org

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8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021

Wigs, false eyelashes and hair bundles available in new Oaks Mall vending machine THE MACHINE IS A PART OF A SMALL BUSINESS FROM JACKSONVILLE

By Lucille Lannigan Alligator Staff Writer

Mia Thomas loves to feel beautiful in bright, expensive wigs. She wants college students in Gainesville to feel the same at an affordable price. On Feb. 13, the 23-year-old Edward Waters College student opened a vending machine that sells wigs, hair bundles and false eyelashes in the Oaks Mall, Tomika Kay, Thomas’s assistant, said. She chose Gainesville to make her products more accessible and affordable for other college students who may struggle to get high-quality hair, Kay said. Lacefront wigs can be expensive. Wigs are $39 each, hair bundles are $10 and false eyelashes are $10. The machine’s opening comes as Thomas celebrates the anniversary of her business, Gurl U Cute Inc. Hair Boutique, in Jacksonville, which she opened after struggling to purchase wigs in the past, Kay said. Thomas bought her first bulk

shipment of hair for $5,000 and sold out within the first two weeks of opening her business, Kay said. Soon after, she incorporated false lashes into the business and now gets her products from a vendor in India. Thomas decided to begin selling her products in a vending machine. On the vending machine’s first day, Thomas sold 40 sets of lashes, Kay said. She plans to return twice a week to check on the machine and keep track of sales. Reggiena Priest, 21, noticed the machine when she went to Oaks Mall Feb. 13. When she passed by a second time, she said Thomas approached her to talk about her business. Thomas didn’t sound confident, so Priest wanted to help promote her. Priest took a picture of Thomas, wearing a long, blonde wig next to the machine, and posted it to her Facebook, where it soon gained attention and was shared in several Facebook groups. The original post has more than 1,500 shares and over 889 reactions on Facebook. “It’s 2021,” Priest said. “I know we’ve been knocked down. It’s time for us queens to be suc-

cessful. We’re going to be successful all year.” Coming up with the design for the vending machine involved hiring a graphic designer, and Thomas herself took the images on the machine, which show her modeling colorful wigs and hairstyles using her product. The machine is bright purple and has the name of her business in cursive, gold font on the side. Thomas’s focus isn’t only on her business. In addition to studying criminal justice, she recently completed real estate school and works as a bond agent for her own bail bond office in Jacksonville called Get Me Out Bail Bonds LLC. “This girl is a powerhouse,” Kay said. “She’s doing all of that by herself.” Thomas’s next goal is to open about 10 vending machines throughout Florida and Georgia, Kay said. Thomas also hopes to have a franchise, where she will help others open their own vending machines. “She wants to help other people put shoes, clothes,…whatever they’re passionate about and love to do all in a vending machine so

Julia Cooper // Alligator Staff

A Gurl U Cute Hair Boutique vending machine sits near the entrance of Oaks Mall in Gainesville on Feb. 18, 2021. The vending machine is filled with wig bundles and false lashes. they can help pay for their college,” Kay said. The vending machine sits at the center of the mall and you can’t miss it, Priest said. Thomas and Kay are excited to see continued support and social media

posts as people “come get cute” –– her business’ motto –– at the machine. @LucilleLannigan llannigan@alligator.org

Eastside High School alumni band members carry on distinctive high-energy style THE GROUP’S GOAL IS TO INFORM OTHERS ABOUT THE BAND’S RICH HISTORY THROUGH PERFORMANCE

By Alan Halaly Alligator Staff Writer

A bad hip, a job, kids and more than 30 years without playing her alto saxophone didn’t stop 52-year-old Diana Obradovic from marching with high kicks. “It was a reminiscent, nostalgic feeling,” the Eastside High school class of 1986 alumna and LaCrosse resident said. “Some of these people I hadn’t seen in 28 years.” Obradovic is a member of the Eastside High School Richard E. Parker Alumni Band striving to carry on the legacy and cultural style of the school’s first band director, Richard Parker, who taught at the school from 1970 to 1990. Parker was the mastermind behind the band that people came from all over to see perform. He strived to mimic high-energy bands at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), such as Florida A&M University’s Marching 100, fusing traditional formations and songs with Black pop culture. Since Parker’s death in 2016, former band members have come together every few months to honor and educate people about the marching band’s old style and community impact through performances at community events and street parades. Toward the end of Parker’s career, former students said administration instructed him to turn away from the HBCU style and toward corps style, which is more standardized across U.S. high school marching bands. Parker retired shortly after, taking his distinctive style with him. Obradovic said she’s had three kids go

through Eastside’s band program at the same time, but she misses the old marching style and Parker’s original arrangements. “For years, I’ve followed along with my kids’ band experience,” Obradovic said. “I heard murmurings in the crowd of: ‘What are you doing? What’s going on? Oh, this is so sad that you guys aren’t dancing anymore.’” Parker’s caring attitude and high expectations for students both in and out of the band room made a positive impact on their lives, said Cathy Norman who founded the alumni band in 2017. Eastside, the school almost all East Gainesville students are zoned to attend, has an award-winning band program. Norman said students at the school, which opened to serve the students of the allBlack student population after the closing of Lincoln High School, found a sense of community in the band. Alumni are finding ways to mentor students, provide support and carry on the legacy of the culture from when they attended the school. The school’s former students also founded an alumni association in December, through which they hope to provide mentorship and scholarship opportunities to current high school students. Norman said the school’s band while under Parker was “the heartbeat” of East Gainesville and Alachua County. An alumna of the Class of 1983, she said she wanted to do something special to honor her former band director when the school planned to dedicate part of a road near the school in Parker’s name in March 2017. She thought back to when she and other alumni played for Parker’s retirement cer-

emony in 1989 — he grinned, stood up and cheered repeatedly: “That’s my band!” Norman decided to get the band back together, inviting all of Parker’s former students to come and perform at the street dedication ceremony — this time without Parker at their side. “Some of us hadn’t picked up our instruments maybe even since high school,” she said. “But once we did, the rest was history.” Since that first performance, the alumni band has played many times at the school, at Parker’s wife’s home and in street parades. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has made performances harder to coordinate, she said it makes them even more excited to perform again when the time is right. Aside from having more students aware of the cultural influence of Eastside’s band, Norman said she’d like to see more of Parker’s style infused back into presentday performances. Joseph Hughes, Eastside High School’s current band director, said Parker still remains influential today, as he wrote the school’s fight song, “Ram Jam,” and their alma mater. Students are excited to learn about Parker’s legacy, he said, continuing his best traditions while also modernizing the band. Even those who didn’t attend the school have fond memories of the band when Parker directed it. Byers Hickmon, a 59-year-old Navy Junior ROTC instructor at the school, said when he attended Santa Fe High School in the city of Alachua, everyone in the county came to see Eastside perform. “It picked everybody up,” Hickmon said. “The whole city, county and commu-

nity.” Mildred Parker, Parker’s 88-year-old wife, said her husband’s performance style was what drew crowds. “The style he used was one that most people could identify with,” Mildred Parker said. “He was the only one doing it. But that was Richard.” Another time the band came together was at the East Gainesville home of Mildred Parker; they surprised her with a street performance. “Late one evening, they came to the front of my house,” Mildred Parker said. “Then I had lots of comments from the neighborhood about how they enjoyed it. It was really a wonderful tribute.” Norman recalled the last time she saw Parker at his home in 2016, which was close to when he died. “I said, ‘Mr. Parker, would you play that one more time for me?’” she said, referring to the alma mater he wrote decades before. After fumbling through the first try, he teased her by playing the song seven more times until he did it perfectly, which was exactly the number of times he would make his students re-rehearse music. To Norman, the group is honoring Parker’s legacy in the best way it knows how — through the magic of music. “Every time we’re about to play it starts out cloudy,” Norman said softly, smiling under her mask branded with the school’s ram mascot. “But when we start, the sun always comes out. It’s like he’s smiling down at us from heaven.” @AlanHalaly ahalaly@alligator.org

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solution on page 10 Release Date: Monday, March 1, 2021 Release Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2021

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MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021 www.alligator.org/sports

BASEBALL

After a rough start, Florida is starting to look the part of unanimous No. 1 UF’S FIVE-GAME WIN STREAK FEATURES HOT BATS AND CLUTCH PITCHING

By Ryan Haley Sports Writer

Courtesy to The Alligator

Jacob Young rounds the bases against the University of Miami.

Florida’s dugout swarmed Jacob Young while he ran down the basepath following his walk-off single Sunday versus Samford as a refreshing energy swept through Florida Ballpark’s air. North Florida and Samford won’t be mistaken for top competition, but the Gators played like the team pundits expected. The Gators are off to a nearhistoric start at the plate. The team batting average stands at .316, with 99 hits in just eight games. The team has an on-base percentage of .397. The Gators haven’t batted over .300 in a decade, and the highest onbase percentage recorded since 2007 is .393 (2009). Young, a third-year left fielder, demonstrates just how historic Florida’s bats can be. He extended his hitting streak to 26 games Sunday. His .395 batting average leads the team, and he averages just under two hits

a game (1.875). “He’s just a really good baseball player,” head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said after Sunday’s game. “There’s a reason we led him off [in the batting order], flipped him and Jud. He’s certainly off to a great start.” Jud Fabian carried his momentum into the weekend series. After an abysmal start to the year, Fabian batted .375 (6-16) the past four games with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Fabian felt the pressure to perform early in the season but worked hard with his coaches to settle into the season, O’Sullivan said. “It just takes a little bit of time, but he’s certainly seeing the ball a lot better than he did early on,” O’Sullivan said. The offense excelled against Miami, though. Florida needed more than that. The pitching needed to come alive and quickly. The starters did exactly that against Samford. Tommy Mace continued his excellent form Friday and struck out a career-high 11 in six innings. He allowed only three hits and didn’t let a single run cross the plate as he now holds a 2-0 record with a 0.82 ERA in

his two starts this year. The third weekend starter, second-year southpaw Hunter Barco, drew the most ire and concern after Miami. The 3.1 inning, eight-run debut raised a few eyebrows, especially when Barco had just a 1.40 ERA a year ago. Barco retired 12 consecutive batters between the first and fifth innings. He set a career-high in strikeouts (10) and surrendered just four hits and a walk in five innings. Florida’s weekend rotation combined for 27 strikeouts against just nine hits in their 16.2 innings on the mound. The Gators failed to answer every question over the weekend. The bullpen continued to struggle. The Bulldogs scored at least four runs in the final four innings twice. Junior pitcher Franco Aleman had another tough outing that included more walks than outs Sunday. However, the offense appears here to stay. If the pitchers continue to scratch the surface of their potential, Florida will look more like the alpha dog it was advertised to be. @ryan_dhaley rhaley@alligator.org

FOOTBALL

Fresh faces in The Swamp FAMILIAR NAMES LEND THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON THE TEAM’S EARLY SIGNEES

By Ryan Haley Sports Writer

Many high school seniors spend their final semester worried about prom or the remaining days before graduation. For 12 of the newest Gators, however, their spring months will consist of long workouts, grueling drills and their first-ever chance to practice in a Florida football helmet. The early enrollees from the 2021 class have only been working with the team for a week, but several of them have already made an impression.

The next weapon at tight end?

Nick Elksnis, a three-star tight end from Jacksonville, Florida, already looks the part of a Division I tight end. Listed at 6 feet, 6 inches and 237 pounds, coaches believe Elksnis is playing like one as well. “He’s a big, strong, physical guy,” tight end coach Tim Brewster said. “He’s got a maturity about him.” The 15th-ranked tight end in his class, Elksnis made the All-First Coast first team in 2019 and 2020, with 61 catches for 1,181 yards and 13 touchdowns across the two seasons.

“I couldn’t be more excited about a young guy than I am him,” Brewster said. After the decommitment of five-star transfer Arik Gilbert Sunday, the tight end room will sorely miss star Kyle Pitts. Kemore Gamble and Keon Zipperer each saw time in 2020, but Elksnis could see the field if he continues to impress.

A new age in the secondary?

The Gators recruited a five-star corner and two four-star safeties in 2021, the biggest positional victory for the 13th-ranked recruiting class. Cornerback Jason Marshall and safety Corey Collier Jr. both together in high school and both drew Brewster’s attention after a few days of practice. “They’re extremely athletic and you can see their coverage skills,” Brewster said. “They’re obviously going to make an impact on our defense.” With four 2020 starters lost to the professional ranks, Marshall and Collier, along with safety Donovan McMillon, could find a path to the field with a great spring.

A new defensive attitude

Returning linebacker Mohamoud Diabate hasn’t just been impressed by one specific early enrollee. He’s been impressed by the energy all of them bring. “The thing I like about this young group is they’ve all been coming out and [attacking],

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every rep,” Diabate said. “They’re attacking every rep, every workout. They really want to be great.” Diabate mentioned defensive lineman Justus Boone and corner Jordan Young. Boone, an edge rusher from South Carolina, weighs in at 6 feet, 4 inches and 265 pounds, and Young is a 6-foot three-star recruit from nearby Tampa. Their relentless approach endeared the enrollees to Diabate quickly. “I have a great deal of respect, and I love all of them,” Diabate said. “I’m really excited to see what they do this season and the years to come.”

a guy who can hold the point.” Grantham, however, acknowledged that Watson will have to lose weight, to get in shape for SEC football. Once he gets to playing weight, though, fans may see a talent they weren’t expecting based on the scale. “You’re going to see a guy that will be able to make some range plays and maybe get from point A to point B a little bit better than you may anticipate right now,” Grantham said. @ryan_dhaley rhaley@alligator.org

The big man on campus

Nobody can mistake new defensive lineman Desmond Watson. He weighs 432 pounds, after all. The freshman’s size remains a hot topic. Head coach Dan Mullen joked Watson needed to lose the weight of a 13-year-old. However, Diabate praised the freshman’s work in the weight room to slim down. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham had a different first impression of Watson — one that had nothing to do with his weight. “He’s really a good athlete,” Grantham said. “He’s really got quick feet. He’s got the ability to change direction. He’s obviously going to be

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Dan Mullen celebrates after beating Georgia last season.

For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/sports

12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2021

HEALTH & FITNESS

Indoor cycling flourishes during pandemic UF STUDENTS CAN TAKE CLASSES AT A VARIETY OF LOCAL BUSINESSES

By Karina Wilson Sports Writer

Sweat rained from pores as riders pedaled to their commands. Over upbeat music that floods the room, Melissa Baker shouts “The finish line is yours, push it.” Heavy breathing signals the end of the ride. Bikers, flooded with endorphins, descend from their spinning bicycles. A stationary bike provides plenty of adrenaline. The popularity of indoor cycling, also known as spin, has taken over Gainesville. Many residents and students have taken it up as a hobby. People try out cycling because it’s trendy but ultimately stick with it because of the community aspect, Lauren Fox, a 21-year-old UF animal science senior said. “Everyone’s on their own bike, but you ride together as a team, hitting the beats and doing all the fun choreography.” Fox has cycled since March 2019. She picked up the hobby in Tampa, 25 minutes from her hometown of St. Petersburg. She recently enrolled in classes at CycleBar, located at 3597 SW 32nd Court Suite 40. CycleBar Gainesville’s soft opening was Feb. 10. Its grand opening and ribbon-cutting have yet to be announced, however, the studio is open for classes. Co-owner Henna Diaz said CycleBar is unique because of its mu-

sic-driven rides. The facility offers a different experience than going to a traditional gym, she said. Diaz said “We really want to create a community. It’s not just a workout.” The ride isn’t strictly a cardio workout as CycleBar incorporates high-intensity interval training into its rides, she said. It also includes an upper body segment with weights provided on the bikes. CycleBar is beginner friendly and all fitness levels are welcome, Diaz said. Riders are encouraged to go at their own pace. After class, riders are emailed their statistics and the music playlist. CycleBar also provides complimentary biking shoes, lockers, snacks, showers, and cold, lavender towels are given out after completion of the workout. “We want people to walk through the doors, and we want to know their name,” Diaz said. “We want you to get to know your instructors.” Noemi Martinez, a 21-year-old UF marketing junior began classes at CycleBar in January. Indoor cycling is a great way to socialize and stay fit, she said. “The cycling classes are really fun because of the instructors and loud music,” Martinez said. “They’re also a great way to get a full-body workout in.” Cycling studios are more comfortable than a traditional gym, Melissa Baker cycling instructor and GroupFit manager at Gainesville

Health and Fitness (GHF) said. Baker said GHF places a projector at the front of the class that displays scenery from around the world. “It takes them out of their own head,” she said. “It puts them into this thing that they can really focus on which makes the workout go so much faster.” GHF recently added a Les Mills program, fitness classes and highintensity interval training workouts, called ‘the Trick,’ she said. The Trick is a choreographed routine that’s immersive, Baker

said. It turns the ride into a cinematographic experience. At GHF, the stationary bikes tell riders their speed, rpm, watts, gears, heart rate, time and miles completed. Classes last anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes, she said. Baker said cycling is easy on your joints. The ride is a total body workout. “You come out of the room feeling good, sweaty and feeling like you really accomplished something,” she said. Isabella Bahr, a 20-year-old UF political science sophomore, takes classes and works at Define Carrollwood, a spin studio in Tampa. “I like to call it a dance party on

a bike, which makes it a fun and efficient workout burning hundred of calories in only 45 minutes,” she said. Bahr said she began cycling the summer before her senior year of high school and hasn’t stopped since. She’s thrilled to have a CycleBar studio in Gainesville. For some, indoor cycling is a journey of self-discovery. “I honestly use cycling as a form of therapy,” Fox said. “It is such an effective way to relieve stress and get out any unwanted emotions.” 45 minutes. That’s all it takes. @kk_rinaa kwilson@alligator.org

Ashley Hicks // Alligator Staff