January 5, 2022 by The Independent Florida Alligator

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 17

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UF classes to remain in-person with no mask or vaccination requirement SOME STUDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS AND SAFETY IN CLASSES

By Lucille Lannigan Alligator Staff Writer

As the first day of UF Spring 2022 classes rolls in, some students worry about safety with inperson classes and no mask mandates amid rising COVID-19 cases. UF Health Screen, Test & Protect discontinued its COVID-19 data dashboard Dec. 31. The oncampus COVID-19 data is now only available through the Florida Department of Health. “Requests for up-to-date data starting Jan. 1 should be directed to the Department of Health,” Ken Garcia, UF Health spokesperson, wrote in an email. Some university campuses across the country prepared to go online for the start of the semester. Private universities such as Harvard, Howard and the University of Miami plan to teach classes remotely for a portion of the Spring. In contrast, students and faculty at UF brace for in-person classes. The decision for classes to remain in-person was made in consultation with UF Health experts and following guidance from the Florida Board of Governors, Gar-

cia wrote. He added that testing is being expanded at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium beginning Jan. 5 but did not elaborate. Last Friday, UF sent out a campus brief detailing information about the university’s response to the rising COVID-19 cases across Florida. The email encouraged students and employees to get tested, vaccinated — including the booster shot — and wear a mask. Previously student and staff testing services were provided under UF Health Screen, Test & Protect but transferred to the Student Health Care Center. Garcia wrote in an email that UF Health Screen, Test & Protect was part of the initial emergency response to the pandemic. The university has now moved to the next phase of its response by transitioning services to local and state health infrastructure, he wrote. Testing and the weekly health screener remain available to students, faculty and staff. These changes caused concern in the past week as students who attempted to sign up for COVID-19 testing before the start of classes were met with a limited number of testing blocks. As of Jan. 4, there are more available testing blocks. Brendan Wernisch, a 20-yearold UF chemical engineering ju-

SEE COVID, PAGE 4

Melanie Peña // Alligator Staff

Alachua County Public Schools mandates masks for employees THE REQUIREMENT SEEKS TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AFTER THE RISE IN COVID-19 CASES OVER WINTER BREAK

By Emma Behrmann Alligator Staff Writer

DeSantis issued an executive order to ban mask mandates. Alachua County defied these rules and established a mask mandate for the beginning of the school year. Then, in September, ACPS filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Health to challenge the surgeon general’s rule that limits mask mandates in public schools and allowed parents to opt their students out of wearing a mask. Now,

Alachua County Public Schools will require employees, volunteers and visitors to wear masks when they return from winter break on Jan. 4 due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases. ACPS has been monitoring the rise in cases in Alachua County, ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said. In the last two weeks, county COVID-19 cases increased from 677 to more than 2,000, contributing to Florida’s nearly 300,000 cases this past week. ACPS announced the change in mask requirements for staff Sunday in an update for families on its website. As people head back to Alachua County, ACPS felt that mandating masks for everyone except students was an appropriate step to combat the spread of COVID-19, especially the omicron variant, Johnson said. She hopes the mandate will be temporary. ACPS cannot mandate mask-wearing for students, due to a Florida law, but strongly encourages students to wear masks. The school district and state government struggled in a legal battle over masks for months. Back in July, Gov. Ron

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

Story description finish with comma, pg#

What happened in sports over break? Gator football, basketball struggles, pg. 12

Melanie Peña // Alligator Staff

City event planner retires

Ended 14 years dedicated to local arts, pg. 5

County animal shelter quarantining dogs Deadly canine virus infected three, pg. 2

there is a new state law in which public schools cannot impose mask mandates for students, and an opt-out form is no longer required for families that prefer their child not wear a mask, ACPS’ website states. “The state legislature has taken away the option for requiring masks for students and quarantines for students,” Johnson said. “But we still have some options for requiring masks for employees.” Students who test positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms must stay home until they receive a negative test and are asymptomatic, orthey receive written permission from a medical professional or 10 days have passed since the onset of their symptoms. However, state limits have made direct-contact quarantining optional. If a student comes within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes, quarantine is recommended but no longer required, according to the surgeon general’s emergency rule. This mask mandate for employees, visitors and volunteers is an effort to protect students, staff and families, Johnson said. This month, the Alachua County Health Department will offer vaccinations at ACPS elementary and middle schools. Students at least 5 years old are eligible for their vaccine. @emmabehrmann ebehrmann@alligator.org

2 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

Alachua County Animal Shelter quarantines Today’s Weather dogs, three infected with canine virus THE SHELTER IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING DOGS FOR TWO TO FOUR WEEKS

By Namari Lock Alligator Staff Writer

Alachua County Animal Shelter has quarantined more than 60 dogs since Dec. 31 after three dogs were infected with a deadly, incurable canine virus. The facility announced it will close dog adoptions and will not be accepting owner-surrendered dogs for the next two-to-four weeks, according to a news release from Alachua County. The dogs that have been in contact with the distemper virus will be kept in isolation as the shelter monitors them for infection. All of the dogs the shelter must accept, including those that are unowned or considered a risk to public safety, are being housed in a separate area away from those in quarantine. Distemper initially looks similar to viral infections seen in humans, causing dogs to develop a fever, nasal discharge, coughing and vomiting. When the virus reaches the nervous system, it can cause dogs to twitch, seize, convulse or develop partial to complete paralysis, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. It is incurable and often fatal — those that survive usually have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage. The facility isn’t capable of housing and treating dogs with

canine distemper virus (CDV), Animal Resources & Care Director Ed Williams said. The three dogs that tested positive were euthanized. “We need to go for at least two weeks without anybody becoming symptomatic and without any new positive test results,” Williams said. “So every time we get a new test result or we get a new dog that’s symptomatic, it moves that clock out further.” It can take up to six months to treat an animal with canine distemper virus, Williams said. There is no cure for the distemper virus and while a dog is receiving supportive care, the virus is transmittable. Dr. Lance Baltzley, CEO of Newberry Animal Hospital Group in Alachua County, specializes in veterinary medicine. While every dog can be at risk of canine distemper virus, a disease that invades the animal’s nervous, gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, puppies and dogs that are unvaccinated against CDV face a higher risk, Baltzley wrote in an email. The shelter euthanizes wild animals, like raccoons, that are found with distemper virus to stop the spread. “The interactions between wildlife animals and our pets can expedite the spreading of the virus. Although more commonly transmitted through a cough or sneeze, the disease can be spread through shared objects such as toys or drinking bowls,” Baltzley wrote.

Makiya Seminera // Alligator Staff

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 17

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Baltzley wrote the easiest and most effective form of protection against distemper is vaccine immunity. CDV vaccines are available from any licensed veterinarian or local animal hospital and puppies should receive at least two vaccines by 16 weeks old. The shelter has a proactive response plan for when dogs get a virus like this to maximize lifesaving and minimize spread of the virus. It checks what cages or kennels the dogs were in at the shelter and how long they stayed, Williams said. Then the shelter looks to see what other dogs were in that area at that same time. Those dogs that were potentially exposed are then put into a quarantined area. The facility advised those who adopted dogs in December to watch for symptoms. The shelter also offers distemper testing in its parking lot. The shelter asks Alachua County residents to notify it about stray dogs so the shelter can document the stray, check lost reports and arrange for the dog to be scanned for a microchip. The shelter is also asking residents to help foster stray dogs until their owners can be found by housing the dogs for a few days or more, reaching out to friends and family or other shelter and rescue groups who can help. “We’re just trying to minimize to the extent we can,” Williams said. “The shelter was already full when this happened and we’re trying to prevent unnecessary euthanasia just for space.” Cats and other small pets such as bunnies, hamsters and guinea pigs are not at risk for infection by canine distemper virus, so the shelter will remain open for cat adoptions. @namari_l nlock@alligator.org

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4 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

Shortened winter break may cause mental burnout for UF students Campus organizations to offer ways for students to prioritize mental health By Allyssa Keller Alligator Staff Writer

For Kristen Louder, a 21-year-old UF dance junior, winter break meant the opportunity to step away from the stage, sit in her room and just breathe. Her last semester was filled with long, exhausting hours running from event to event. “I feel like it’s definitely important to have a break now more than ever, cause I’m a dance major, and we dance with masks on 24/7,” Louder said. And yet, the chance for her and other students to enjoy this time away from the stress of campus life was cut short by a decision to reduce the length of winter break made by UF several years prior. Louder said that several people she knew are also experiencing mental burnout now due to the lack of breaks. “So, with just that short amount of break, I don’t feel like it was enough time for everyone to recuperate and get themselves together for the next semester,” she said. The reduced break is part of the natural calendar shift for the university, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. To create a UF calendar, the university developed 13 years worth of calendars ahead of time to ensure that official UF dates can be adjusted accordingly for each term. “This year’s break is the one that shifts back from the gradual lengthening we have

experienced the last few years,” Orlando wrote. Moving forward, UF Faculty Senate has approved changes to the academic calendar that would allow for a longer Fall and Spring break, Orlando wrote. This change would start to take effect in the 2024-2025 academic year. Fortunately, there are various ways for incoming students to take care of their mental health as the Spring semester starts. Students can become involved with campus groups focused on improving mental health. SKY at UF is one organization out of many others at the university dedicated to bettering community mental health. Vignesh Subramaniam, the operations and finance director of SKY, said the organization offers happiness retreats for students, faculty and staff. The retreats typically last for 10 to 12 hours over the course of two days. Key mental health techniques like yoga, meditation

and breathing exercises are heavily emphasized at SKY. “It’s very hard to get back to the routine like super quick [after break],” he said. Subramaniam recommends that students take a different moment each day to take a step back, take a deep breath and practice mindfulness. Another key area on campus for students to improve their mental health is UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center — a program that helps students cope with change through shortterm counseling, group and couple’s therapy and other services. CWC provides students with access to clinical case managers that work to connect students with mental health resources that fit their personal needs. Students looking to alleviate their anxiety can call the CWC for a brief consultation. @allygatorkeller akeller@alligator.org

Makiya Seminera // Alligator Staff

UF cut COVID-19 data dashboard COVID, from pg. 1

Makiya Seminera // Alligator Staff

nior, tried to sign up for testing on New Year’s Eve. Like previous semesters, Wernisch went to schedule a test through ONE. UF. This time there were no appointments available. “I wanted to feel safe returning to classes with the spike going on,” Wernisch said. “I thought it was important for my peers, classmates and friends.” He decided to get tested at a local CVS pharmacy. It’s important, he said, that with UF’s large population, students and faculty aren’t spreading the disease unchecked around campus and to the outside community. “In my eyes, we were more prepared at the start of school in Fall 2020 than we are now, and I would expect that UF would be able to meet the moment and proactively make decisions about increasing testing when cases are already increasing,” Wernisch said. Wernisch expressed that he would have liked for classes to be online for at least two weeks.

“It reduces the risk of the second half of the semester being online,” he said. “I don’t think that we’re following the same guidance that we have been following previous to oOmicron, and now it’s a time more than ever when we need to bring that back.” Brian Iuchyk, an 18-year-old UF accounting freshman, said he’s not feeling very optimistic about the start of the semester. He believes that not enough is being done to protect the general student body and would like to see mask mandates in certain places, testing requirements and eventually a vaccine requirement. “I want to feel like someone in the administration cares,” Iuchyk said. While UF was unable to provide comment on questions about testing availability, the campus brief said the university is “prepared to ramp up testing capacity quickly as needed” and that “as the pandemic evolves, our response to it will evolve as well.” @lucillelannigan llannigan@alligator.org

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022 ALLIGATOR 5

City celebrates new year with fireworks, music but some stay home 300 ATTENDED THE ANNUAL CONCERT AND FIREWORKS SHOW IN PERSON

By Namari Lock Alligator Staff Writer

While some Gainesville residents spent their last night of 2021 indoors with loved ones, COVID-19 didn’t hold back other residents who were determined to start 2022 with a bang. Anahied Davenport, 30, and her family spent their first New Year’s Eve in Gainesville at home. Her 3-year-old daughter is unable to get a vaccine yet, and her husband is waiting for organ transplants. This was the best way to celebrate, she said. “He’s listed out of Shands for a heart and a liver so we don’t have the luxury of being anything except extraordinarily careful,” Davenport said. Being from Illinois, fireworks were never a holiday staple for Davenport. However, she still got to see some thanks to her next-door neighbors. “My next-door neighbor set off many, many fireworks,” Davenport said. “I was a little bit worried initially when I woke up at 2 o’clock.” Davenport said her family has always been the type to stay in for the holidays. “Some people are older and tired, some people have kids, some people are waiting on organs in a global pandemic,” Davenport said. Though many families like Davenport’s stayed inside for New Year’s Eve, Gainesville put on an

outdoor celebration. Nearly 300 attendees and 15 livestream viewers chanted from ten to one as the clock ticked down. White sparklers shot 10 feet high from the foot of the stage as the air filled with bubbles. A band played a cacophony of rhythms and led the crowd in a countdown. The crowd buzzed noisemakers as Gainesville entered 2022 at Bo Diddley Plaza. The city’s annual two-part New Year’s celebration commenced with a fireworks show at Depot Park and a live concert at Bo Diddley Plaza Friday night. The City’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs coordinated the family-friendly, free night of fireworks and live music. The city also live streamed each event on Facebook, allowing participants to enjoy the festivities from home. City Commissioner David Arreola said he and his girlfriend enjoyed going to the event in person together. “What I love about it is you get to sort of see just the diversity of people who call Gaineville home,” Arreola said. “All ages and all ethnicities, everyone just enjoying the space and celebrating the new year.” Sparks in the Park at Depot Park began at 5 p.m. A DJ played music varying from the Beatles to the Black Eyed Peas as families waited for the sunset. The park provided spray painted circles about 6 feet apart on the lawn for each family to set up their blankets and chairs without intruding in other groups’ space and following social distancing guidelines.

At 6:30 p.m., there was an orchestrated firework show, launching each blaze in sync with the music playing, at Depot Park. The crowd watched the dazzling display burst into the night sky from over the main pond, accompanied by songs such as “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen and “Firework” by Katy Perry. Over 40 viewers were watching on the livestream when families cheered and shouted as the fireworks peaked and ended at 7 p.m. Families were able to go to the Bo Diddley Plaza for the Downtown Countdown. As part of the plaza’s Free Fridays Concert Series, the city hosted this live concert as a New Year’s Eve special. Each artist played timeless songs, such as “New York, New York” and “I Can See Clearly Now.” The crowd kept track of the countdown through a digital clock hung above the stage, displaying the time down to the second. David Ballard, the City of Gainesville’s former event coordinator, organized the Downtown Countdown. “The entertainers, musicians and the people that I have worked with just made my job easy,” Ballard said. “We have wonderful local musicians in this town and I always said I would hire the best musicians I can find.” According to Ballard, in years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the crowd would brim the plaza for events like the countdown with thousands of people attending. Attendance this year was low, Ballard said, but many had the option to

Asta Hemenway // Alligator Staff

watch the events at home on the livestream which nearly 20 people were watching consistently through the night. Jazz singer Decyo McDuffie opened the show with the Larry Newcomb Quartet at 9 p.m. McDuffie, a 22-year-old entomology graduate student at UF, said he loves how his passion for music allows him to establish a bond with the community. “To be in a college town, but also be connected at the same time to the actual Gainesville community and the older folks … really makes me feel special that I can bring those two worlds together and do my thing,” McDuffie said. Couples slow-danced together and children chased each other around the plaza, enjoying the warmhearted atmosphere created

by the musicians. King Eddie and the Pili Pili Band also took the stage to bring the crowd into the new year with reggae classics. Both bands played at the venue earlier in the year and event organizers thought that combined they would give a great concert that would leave the audience pleased. The night concluded around 12:30 a.m. by wishing everyone a ‘Happy New Year’ and also congratulating Ballard on his retirement. “It’s been a great pleasure for me to build that program, Free Fridays, for the last 14 years,” Ballard said. “I could have retired sooner but the timing was right.” @namari_l nlock@alligator.org

Gainesville events coordinator retires after more than a decade David Ballard served the community for 14 years and plans on returning to playwriting By Melanie Peña Alligator Staff Writer

After years of studying theater, puppeteering and coordinating renaissance fairs, David Ballard eagerly searched for a job in Gainesville. “Find jobs in the arts in your town,” read the popup ad on Ballard’s computer in 2007. After quickly typing in his zipcode, one job popped up: Gainesville events coordinator. It was the last day to apply. Believing the job could be fun, he submitted the application. But as months passed by, he forgot about the position. Until he received the call. The 69-year-old spent his life following his love for the arts, and after 14 years of bringing this passion to Gainesville, Ballard is retiring. For most of the past two months, Ballard was on leave. After the city requested he return to in-person holiday events and work, heBallard decided the risk of catching COVID posed too high of a threat. “I was able to work from home for some time and got permission from the employee health services but they decided that we want everybody to come back,” Ballard said. “I weighed the risk of that and said ‘you know, I can retire.’” Ballard announced his retirement at the

city’s annual New Year’s concert Friday. As the countdown to midnight began, a photo of Ballard flashed on the livestream. The city’s coordination staff captioned the portrait “Happy Retirement David!” “It seemed like the right time to do it. I kind of liked that the countdown to midnight was actually the countdown to my retirement as well,” he said. Over the course of his 14-year career, Ballard strengthened multiple Gainesville programs and community events. He directed theater performances for young audiences and created signature events such as the performing arts festival Jest Fest. “Bringing laughter and joy to people is what it’s all about,” Ballard said. Ballard recruited talent from all over the world for Jest Fest, including The Flying Wallendas and Parisian professional entertainer Arsene Dupin. This high level of talent was available to Gainesville for free. Dupin, 64-years-old, recalled how intricately organized the event had been. To this day, many performers in the field still wish Jest Fest was around after it was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic as well as a tTax gGrant from the Alachua County no longer being available.

“To be quite honest, I don’t think I’ve seen any festivals better than Jest Fest,” he said. Ballard’s projects wouldn’t have become a reality without the help of Suzanna Mars, city production coordinator, photographer and social media manager. Together they were an event-producing team. Mars said Ballard was able to attract acts of that caliber because they could feel his enthusiasm and his love of arts and performers. “We knew what it takes to put on a successful show,” Mars said. One of Ballard’s first projects was the Free Fridays concert series —, a rebranded version of the previous series called Let’s Go Downtown. By publicizing and promoting the event extensively since 2007, Ballard increased attendance from 30 people to thousands. Together Ballard and Mars transferred the concert series online to continue music events through the COVID-19 pandemic. After teaching themselves how to live stream on social media, they resumed the concerts on the Free Fridays Facebook page. Prior to the pandemic, the concert series hit its peak at 20,000 in-person attendees per year but as the pandemic threatened safety, the concert series took a pause and went online. “He’d [Ballard] always sign off and he’d say ‘We’ll see you next spring for more Free Fridays fun.’ We didn’t know that we wouldn’t

see them next spring,” Mars said. Due to Ballard and Mars’ broadcasting efforts, the event grew and Free Fridays saw 2,000 in-person attendees and more than 200,000 online viewers worldwide. AltogetherAll together, Ballard was able to put on more than 300 of these shows over 14 years. Bo Diddley Plaza Program Coordinator Nigel Hamm and Bo Diddley Plaza Ambassador Jonathan Gaunt were in charge of Ballard’s responsibilities while he was on leave and will continue to run Free Fridays. “For the first year, there won’t be too many changes. We might add more than one band per show and also have some outside agencies curate some events,” Hamm said. While Ballard is retiring from the position, his work in the arts will continue. He’s excited to return to what he studied in college and what first attracted him to the theater and performance field: playwriting. “I’ve already been writing again so now I’ll be able to write full time,” he said. His colleagues look forward to the creative work he will dedicate time to during his retirement. “It’s at a time of his life where he’s full of creative possibilities that he’d like to expand,” Mars said. @MelanieBombino_ mpena@alligator.org

6 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

Graduate Students still have little voice in SG

One-tenth of senate seats belong to graduate students — none are filled By Allessandra Inzinna Alligator Staff Writer

In UF Student Government, a new semester brings with it a new legislation season in which graduate students have had little to no say. The Graduate and Graduate Family Housing senate seats have remained vacant throughout the entire Fall semester and now leading into Spring. Following the Fall 2021 elections, both the Graduate and Family Housing seats remained vacant. Seven total votes were cast for only write-in candidates. All 10 senate seats set aside for graduate students are vacant. Without distinct representation, graduate students lack the legislative ability to address their concerns. Senator Spencer Gorelick (Change, District D) is a graduate student but was not elected to specifically represent graduate students like himself. That, however, hasn’t stopped him from speaking about the lack of representation in the senate through public comment. “It seems that grad students are often forgot about when it comes to a lot of measures taken by the university,” Gorelick said. “Even though we provide so much to this university as researchers, as teaching assistants and even as students and student leaders.” From burnout to the planned demolition of Maguire Village and University Village South to potential rent hikes for on-campus housing to mental health and expensive graduate fees

— graduate students are facing stress. But Gorelick said SG can help ease the weight of those burdens. “SG can help a lot in that way, even if it’s not doing anything concrete, also just the advocacy aspect of it,” he said. “Standing up and saying as student leaders, we’re not going to accept this.” Throughout the Fall semester, less than five graduate students applied. None of the applicants were chosen to fill those seats. Majority Party Leader John Brinkman (Gator, Sophomore) argued that not a large enough number of students applied for a senate seat, making it difficult to compare them to their peers and be sure they’re qualified candidates. “Personally, I don’t want to give a Senate seat to just one person who comes in here. I would like to see multiple people apply,” Brinkman said in an Oct. 25 meeting. “I want very qualified people to come in here and be in Senate and be willing to work and make good change for their prospective college.” Gorelick doesn’t agree. “I think that’s a completely ridiculous argument when you have a tenth of the Senate that remains unfilled,” he said. Bryn Taylor, communications chair of the Graduate Assistants United labor union, believes that SG should fill the seats with qualified and motivated candidates, regardless of how many apply. “You’re not gonna get people knocking

down your door for these positions. I mean, graduate students are swamped with stuff, Ph.Ds, families — things like that,” she said. “So I mean, we have a hard enough time getting people to be active with the union.”

Taylor doesn’t believe graduate students have a clear idea of what SG can do for them. She suggested better outreach, such as emails explaining what exactly representatives are working on. “It’s hard for me to want to get involved if I don’t know where I fit in,” Taylor said. @ainzinna ainzinna@alligator.org

Kate McNamara // Alligator Staff

COVID-19 Update: County cases more than double in a week, Shands hospitalizations rise By Lucille Lannigan Alligator Staff Writer

UF’s weekly average of reported COVID-19 cases increased throughout December. On Dec. 22, the seven day average was 68 after staying below 15 most of November, according to the UF Health Screen, Test & Protect testing dashboard. UF has 845 students, staff and affiliates currently in quarantine as of Friday. On Dec. 31, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Alachua County reached 57, with 19

patients in the ICU and seven on a ventilator, according to the Alachua County COVID-19 dashboard. New cases in Alachua County totaled 2,072 the week of Dec. 31. UF Health Shands Hospital COVID-19 hospitalizations reached 60 on Tuesday, according to Ed Jimenez, UF Health Shands Chief Executive Officer. Of these 60, four were receiving treatment in the ICU. Jimenez said fewer patients in the ICU demonstrates the mildness of the Omicron variant. “So I think everybody has probably read something out there that says it’s less severe,” Jimenez said.

“If a definition of less severe is that a patient doesn’t need the ICU then this would confirm that.” Sixty percent of recent hospitalizations are unvaccinated people, and of these people, 40% are at an increased risk for getting severely ill from COVID-19, Jimenez said. In about three weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations at Shands rose, he said. He believes overcrowding is something UF Health has to keep an eye on. In November, Shand’s weekly average of hospitalized COVID-19 patients didn’t reach 11. As of Dec. 24, that number has more than doubled, reaching an average

of 23, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We’ve gone from small numbers to 60,” Jimenez said. “Shands, as you know, is this major hospital that serves our local community as well as serves the state,” Jimenez said. “So when we absorb 60 more patients, it will crowd out other patients.” Healthcare workers are frustrated over the debate on vaccination, Jimenez said. “The evidence is clear,” Jimenez said. “The vaccine can lessen the impact of the virus, and so it strikes

some providers that had the unvaccinated people been vaccinated, would they really be spending an overnight in the hospital?’” UF is offering COVID-19 testing through the Student Healthcare Center. UF Health is offering walkin vaccinations on the first floor of Shands, the first floor of Medical Plaza and the first floor of Springhill. Alachua County is offering walk-up vaccinations at various local pharmacies. @lucillelannigan llannigan@alligator.org

EL CAIMÁN

Las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Alachua requieren que sus empleados usen mascarillas TRADUCIDO POR MARIAN HERNANDEZ

Por Emma Behrmann Escritora de El Caimán

Las escuelas públicas de Alachua requerirán que sus empleados, voluntarios y visitantes usen mascarillas cuando regresen de las vacaciones de invierno este martes, dado el repunte de casos de COVID-19. ACPS (Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Alachua) han estado monitoreando el aumento de casos en el condado, dijo Jackie Johnson, portavoz de las escuelas del condado Alachua. Durante las últimas dos semanas, los casos de COVID-19 aumentaron de 677 a más de 2,000, lo que contribuye a los 300,000 casos de Florida esta última semana. ACPS anunció el cambio con respecto

al requerimiento del uso de mascarillas a su personal este domingo en una actualización para las familias en su página web. Al las personas regresar al condado, ACPS sintió que requerir las mascarillas a todos, excepto a los estudiantes es un paso apropiado para combatir la propagación de COVID-19, especialmente del variante Omicron, dijo Johnson. Ella espera que el requerimiento sea temporario. ACPS no puede requerir que sus estudiantes usen mascarillas, dada la ley del estado, pero los animan a usarlas. El distrito y el gobierno estatal lucharon entre sí en una guerra legal con respecto al uso de las mascarillas durante meses. Este pasado julio, el gobernador Ron DeSantis emitió una orden ejecutiva prohibiendo el requerimiento de las mascarillas. El condado de Alachua desafió estas reglas y estableció un requerimiento de mascarillas para el comienzo del año escolar. Entonces en septiembre, ACPS presentó

una demanda contra el Departamento de Salud de la Florida desafiando la regla del Cirujano General que limitaba los requerimientos de mascarillas en las escuelas públicas y permitía que los padres decidieran si sus hijos llevaban mascarillas o no. Ahora hay una nueva ley del estado que no permite que las escuelas públicas impongan requerimientos de mascarillas, y las familias que prefieren que sus hijos no las usen ya no necesitan un formulario para que los estudiantes puedan optar por no usarlas, afirma la página web de ACPS. “La legislación nos ha quitado la opción de requerir mascarillas y cuarentenas de los estudiantes,” Johnson dijo . “Pero todavía tenemos algunas opciones para poder requerir mascarillas de nuestros empleados.” Los estudiantes que den positivos al COVID-19 o tengan síntomas deben quedarse en casa hasta que reciban el resultado negativo y sean asintomáticos, reciban un permiso escrito por un profesional de la

salud o hayan pasado 10 días desde que comenzaron a sentir síntomas. Sin embargo, limitaciones del estado han hecho que las cuarentenas luego del contacto directo sean opcionales. Si un estudiante llega a seis6 pies de distancia de alguien que tenga COVID-19 por al menos 15 minutos, la cuarentena es recomendada pero ya no es requerida, de acuerdo con la regla de emergencia del Cirujano General. Este requerimiento de mascarillas para los empleados, visitantes y voluntarios es un esfuerzo para proteger a los estudiantes, al personal y a las familias, dijo Johnson. Este mes, el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Alachua va a ofrecer vacunas en las escuelas públicas primarias y secundarias. Los estudiantes de por lo menos cinco5 años de edad ya son elegibles para recibir la vacuna. @emmabehrmann ebehrmann@alligator.org

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022 ALLIGATOR 7

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME TO QUIT! Smoking can cause a higher risk of getting lung and chest infections, and using e-cigarettes can increase your odds of developing respiratory disease by 95%. Tobacco Free Florida oﬀers in-person or virtual Group Quit sessions for all Florida residents. Upon class completion, participants are eligible to receive free nicotine replacement therapy such as gum, patches, or lozenges.* Start the year oﬀ right and make a plan to quit all forms of tobacco. For more information on Group Quit classes, contact:

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8 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

UF graduate student wins $25,000 award in Deep Space Food Challenge Hope Hersh’s contribution to the space food race could make it to Mars one day By Maia Botek Alligator Staff Writer

Hope Hersh’s space bread is one small step for baking, one giant leap for extraterrestrial dining. The UF doctoral student led one of 18 U.S. teams selected as winners in the Deep Space Food Challenge to each receive a $25,000 prize. All 18 teams are invited to participate in the second phase of the challenge, which will feature a kitchen demonstration for NASA. No date is currently set. The challenge, hosted by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, sought tasty solutions to preserve nutrients in food for years-long journeys to Mars and beyond. Hersh, a 27-year-old UF plant molecular and cellular biology doctoral student, worked on the project with advice from her doctoral adviser, pProfessor Mark Settles. “Dr. Settles was getting his blood drawn one day and had this brilliant idea,” Hersh said. “He was looking at the blood bags and was like, ‘Hhmm I wonder if we can grow living organisms in

those.’” The bags, also known as Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene bags, or FEP bags, are multifunctional, tolerate extreme high and low temperatures and allow gas to flow between the plastic membrane, which preserves the cells inside. For space bread, this meant a process of making and baking bread with minimal tools and an environment where yeast could rise. From there, the two developed a way to grow algae in the bags and in Fall 2020, they discussed the idea of baking bread in a similar way. “We can store and combine ingredients, allow the dough to rise within the plastic bag, and then throw the whole bag in the oven and bake the bread,” Hersh said. “Doing the most simplest things here on Earth is much more complicated when you’re in space, and we had to take all of that into consideration.” Hersh declined to answer questions regarding the project funding. Settles, who taught horticultural studies for almost 20 years, left UF earlier this year to

become a civil servant at NASA’s research center. Hersh continued the project and applied for the Deep Space Food Challenge in January independently while leading a team of undergraduate students. Though Settles has no monetary stake in whether the technology is adapted and was not a formal member of Hersh’s team, he said he had an academic interest in seeing how her project would develop. They share an interest in space and learning how to improve the nutritional value of extraterrestrial food. “I think Hope’s concept is the one that’s closest to actual implementation if it were to be followed up with the food systems group,” Settles said. “Many of the other ones have much more complicated, futuristic-looking solutions.” Settles, in part, credits the pandemic baking phenomenon, a trend which saw the rise of easy and accessible recipes posted online. Hersh and Settles were inspired by the New York Times’ “no-knead bread” and converted the recipe into laboratory measurements for the project.

Courtesy to The Alligator

Hersh needed to address factors like baking time, temperatures, ingredients and equipment available at the space station. Hersh plans to re-invest the prize money into the project to continue solving challenges like finding the best supplier of the bags.

“We were both in shock at the time because $25,000 is a lot of money,” Hersh said. “I just want to contribute to science. I want to contribute to adventuring in space and discovering new things.” @BotekMaia mbotek@alligator.org

New UF/IFAS extension office facilitates agricultural research in Newberry THE OFFICE INCLUDES A NEW KITCHEN, LABORATORY AND 300-SEAT AUDITORIUM

By Allyssa Keller Alligator Staff Writer

Newberry’s agricultural history started with watermelon. The new UF/IFAS and Alachua County Extension Office continues celebrating its agricultural heritage and fondness for summer fruit. UF/IFAS cut the ribbon on the 22712

W. Newberry Road location Nov. 30. The office is a modern version of the old campus, said Joy Glanzer, who had previously served as a Newberry city commissioner in the planning zone. The UF/IFAS Extension Office contains new additions such as a kitchen, laboratory and 300-seat auditorium, according to the Alachua County Facebook page. The kitchen has already been used to host cooking classes, Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe said. Eventually, the updated auditorium will be used to host

Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff

the two to three international conferences that IFAS typically holds each year. The new office will also have an extension agent on site to answer farming or livestock questions, Marlowe said. Originally a mining town, the city made its living off phosphate, Marlowe said. After World War I, Newberry could no longer sell the material. It had to find a new solution. The city found its land was perfect for growing watermelon and tobacco. “Newberry was struggling to find an industry and we found that in watermelon,” Marlowe said. This love for watermelon has persisted. To this day, Newberry boasts the longest continually running watermelon festival in the United States, Marlowe said. “When we say Newberry’s an ag town, it’s not just because we’ve done agriculture, it’s cause we’ve done it well,” Marlowe said. From the conception to the ribbon cutting, the project took about two to three years. Most of the planning occurred between Alachua County and UF/IFAS. “The city of Newberry was involved in things like utilities, wastewater, sewer, water, electricity, those kinds of things,” Marlowe said. Marlowe says that Newberry contributed $1 million to the Alachua County Equestrian Center and $300,000 to purchase the land IFAS was on, making the city’s total financial contribution

around $1.3 million. “We think we’re right in the epicenter of an area that is primed for agricultural research,” Marlowe said. There are three international airports located less than two hours away from Newberry. Next door to the extension office lies the Alachua County fairgrounds and Newberry’s plans for an agricultural technology research park. It is still a few years before the proposed ag tech park next door can become a reality. However, Glanzer, 66, says that the park will generate attention for Newberry and introduce development agricultural companies to the area. “It’s just a beautiful marriage [between the new office and the Agricultural Technology Research Park],” Glanzer said. She said the extension office was needed because the old campus was so dilapidated. “They just needed to modernize their space and make it a viable place for people to come to learn, get educated and experience all things to deal with agriculture,” Glanzer said. She hopes the new office will attract more agricultural professionals to the community. “Anything that can count to a small community really helps to highlight who we are and what we do here,” Glanzer said. @allygatorkeller akeller@alligator.org

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solution on page 10 Release Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2022 Release Date: Tuesday, December 7, 2021

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10 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022 ALLIGATOR 11

B’z Gelati: Where the buzz began

A UF graduate kickstarted Gainesville’s staple gelati truck By Elena Barrera Alligator Staff Writer

Brandon Grabhorn steps back to admire his work, an artistry belonging to a category of its own. A blank canvas transformed to a masterpiece. His canvas: a rising, self-started business. His masterpiece: gelati. As graduation quickly approached, Grabhorn was left with the big question every college senior grapples with — “I’m getting my degree, now what?” During winter break of his senior year at UF, he came up with the idea for his now thriving business, B’z Gelati, a food truck serving Italian ice layered with ice cream. “I knew I just loved working with people, and having that human-tohuman interaction,” Grabhorn said. “I love feeling like I’m having an impact on the world.” Grabhorn graduated Spring 2018 with a business degree. He hit the ground running to bring his business idea to reality with the help of his mother. By the summer, they had a name, a logo and a food truck business model decided. The final task was to perfect the gelati. Choosing the flavors and perfecting the recipes to set them apart took months. They homemake the ice cream with honey to combine with their homemade Italian ice. Most other gelati businesses tend to use soft serve or custard, Grabhorn said. With a product in place, it was time to bring it to the Gainesville community.

“It was so nerve-racking,” he said. “At first it was like ‘Oh my gosh I hope they like this.’” In the beginning, Grabhorn and his mother had an idea for the flavors, but a big factor in deciding the menu is the customers. They put out flavors, and if they don’t sell then they won’t bring them back, Grabhorn said. If a flavor keeps selling, it stays. “At the end of the day we’re doing this to make people happy; that’s why I chose a dessert option cause most people that come up to an ice cream shop, they’re happy or about to be happy,” he said. “We’re putting smiles on people’s faces.” Grabhorn pushed to operate on UF campus more to serve students, one of his target customers. His business was given the opportunity to set up at the Reitz Union every Wednesday this year. The family-owned company first started working at UF’s football and baseball games. For the last six months, the food truck parked itself in the Oaks Mall parking lot Wednesdays through Fridays, and at Depot Park every other weekend. But B’z Gelati’s typical source of revenue is made through working at events or catering. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it threatened the business. B’z Gelati’s primary revenue source came from events, sports games and catering, which were canceled in response to the virus. To make up for this, Grabhorn adapted. “We ended up becoming like an ice cream food truck during COVID, and went neighborhood to neighborhood,” Grabhorn said. As the challenges of the pandemic

started to subside, another problem rolled into town. Jeremiah’s Italian Ice opened a storefront in Butler Plaza Oct. 26. Many good artists’ work comes from good inspiration, and Grabhorn’s gelati is no different. Growing up in Orlando, where Jeremiah’s originated, he fell in love with Jeremiah’s product as a child and eventually took inspiration from it for his own business. Grabhorn is looking at Jeremiah’s opening as a positive. A problem with B’z Gelati’s product is that a lot of people just do not know what it actually is, he said. “They say ‘What’s B’z Gelati?’ They think it’s gelato, which is like European ice cream,” Grabhorn said. “[Gelati] is the layering of Italian ice with ice cream.” Having another company promoting the same thing can raise awareness and further understanding, he said. Jeremiah’s is an established, nationwide company, but Grabhorn feels confident they are different enough to avoid any major hits from its opening in Gainesville. Looking forward, a goal of B’z Gelati is to make the business model easy to franchise. “We want to lay a foundation so other people that have some money and want to be their own business owner can take our model and take it to other college campuses,” he said. “We believe in this model and reaching people and meeting them where they’re at and creating a great experience for their events.” Starting out, only Grabhorn and his mother manned the trucks, but now he has a handful of employees.

Courtesy to the Alligator

“I really enjoy it; it’s a really laid back atmosphere,” said Branyon Skinner, one of Grabhorn’s employees. “It’s been really cool to get to see some of the regular people, and he does a lot of events on campus so I get to see a lot of my friends and people I know.” Grabhorn is the housing director at Kappa Phi Epsilon, the UF Christain fraternity Skinner is a member of. The sports management junior knew his boss prior to working for him and always told Grabhorn if he needed help to let him know. Last Spring he finally took Skinner up on his offer. In addition to Skinner, Grabhorn has five or six other regular employees, most of which are members of Kappa Phi Epsilon, Skinner said. “It makes it very easy on him

because all his employees literally live under the same roof, which makes it very easy to coordinate,” he said. Since its startup, the business has steadily grown and is starting to get too big for just him and his mother, Grabhorn said. The next steps for the familyowned business are still undecided, but Grabhorn is pleased with the name he has built for himself. “It’s been a slow but very rewarding grind and a great experience,” he said. Some artists choose brushes and paint, but for this UF alum, an ice cream scooper and gelati is all he needed to make his mark. @elenabarreraaa ebarrera@alligator.org

CWC sees increased demand for services this Fall due to ongoing pandemic CWC BEGAN REWORKING ITS OPERATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE HIGHER DEMAND, LEAVING STUDENTS TO FIND OUTSIDE HELP

By J.P. Oprison Alligator Staff Writer

Following a nearly two-year long pandemic, UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center saw an increase in demand for services last semester. However, limited staff left students searching elsewhere. Ernesto Escoto, the CWC director, said as of Dec. 10, the number of clients at the CWC had risen 24% compared to Fall 2020, and the number of appointments is up about 10%. While stress, anxiety and depression have been the most common concerns for years, Escoto said social isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic made these issues more prevalent, especially last Fall. “That speaks of the negative impact that the pandemic has had on people’s lives in so many different ways,” Escoto said. The center added 10 counselors to its Consultation and Referral Team in Summer 2020. Though the CWC took measures to accommodate more clients, demand for services continues to outpace the CWC’s capacities. Michaelina Barker, a 21-year-old UF College of Law student, sought ADHD testing during a CWC consultation. Barker called the center to schedule a consultation at the beginning of Fall. After waiting two weeks for the consultation, staff told her they weren’t offering testing at the time. The waitlist for ADHD testing was closed, Barker wrote, as the center had students on the list from last Spring.

While she got an appointment with a counselor the following week for non-ADHD-related counseling, she still sought testing. “The best thing the CWC could do is be more transparent about its availability,” Barker wrote. If the CWC had told her earlier it didn’t offer testing, she might’ve made an appointment with another provider sooner, Barker said. The other provider had its own wait time. She didn’t get an appointment until October and didn’t receive a diagnosis until late November. Barker still appreciated CWC’s efforts to help her find a local provider who could offer testing. Escoto said one way the CWC used to combat limited staff and resources was group counseling, which was used

Melanie Peña // Alligator Staff

more since the pandemic began. Escoto said there are about five students per group and runs roughly 100 groups and workshops annually. In the 2020-21 fiscal year, the center served 565 students in 92 different groups. The groups are just as helpful as individual services, Escoto said. Juan Pachon, a 22-year-old UF food and resource economics senior, returned to the center over Fall after a good experience in summer. Pachon knew there were long wait times at the CWC. Slots get taken during the semester, so if a student needs help in the middle of the semester or toward the end, it can be hard to get it. It wasn’t a problem for Pachon, as he made an appointment within the first few weeks of September. While Pachon said the CWC seems to have limited staff and capacity for providing services, he doesn’t think the center needs to improve. His therapist was attentive. When they realized Pachon was doing better, appointments were every two weeks instead of weekly. “That’s something that they actively try to do if they see that the person is doing well to try to open up spots,” Pachon said. With the CWC’s limited capacity, Pachon said UF should offer other services, like something similar to the Alachua County Crisis Center’s walk-in appointments, so students have other options. Pachon isn’t sure UF is distributing its resources enough or making them as accessible as possible as students have to find the resources themselves. “Unfortunately, some people might not have that agency when they’re going through their own mental health illness,” Pachon said. “That’s where the gap exists with UF and the general student body.” @joprison joprison@alligator.org

12 ALLIGATOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2022

UPDATE

Here’s what happened in Gator sports over winter break DARK DECEMBER FOR GATOR FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL

stands of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium all preseason but Jones failed to live up to expectations. When Richardson took his first snap against FSU, he immediately took control of the Florida offense. Interim head coach Greg Knox kept the ball on the ground with senior Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis to let Richardson manage the offense to a three-point victory. Florida football will return in Fall 2022 with new head coach Billy Napier plus his plethora of assistant coaches. Richardson is also expected to return under center.

By Declan Walsh and Jesse Richardson Alligator Staff Writers

While UF students enjoyed nearly a month away from their coursework in Gainesville, its student-athletes continued their schedules through the holiday season. As Florida’s winter-sports teams near the start of conference play, these are the biggest storylines from over the winter break.

coach Danny Manning led Maryland to a surprising victory over UF at the Barclays Center. The Gators begin SEC play Wednesday against Alabama unranked and squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble with a NET ranking of 44. Women’s basketball continues surprising start after off-season turmoil

For a school that often holds its student athletes to the lofty Gator standard, expectations for the longsuffering UF women’s basketball team were nearly non-existent at the start of the year. The Gators have spent the last three seasons chained to the cellar of the SEC and have spent the offseason dealing with allegations of abuse levied against former head coach Cam Newbauer. But UF has gotten off to its best start in years, entering conference play last Monday with a 10-3 record. The Gators dominated Florida St. in a 14-point rivalry win, bested NCAA Tournament regulars Dayton and pulled away from TCU for a quality road win. Even in defeat the Gators look markedly improved from last season, holding a fourth-quarter lead against No. 13 Georgia before falling by four on Sunday. Florida will return to action Thursday against Ole Miss from the O’Connell Center.

Men’s basketball suffers December setback after strong start

3-INT performance results in fitting end to Jones’ UF career

With suffocating defense and devastating ball movement, Florida’s team of misfit transfers channeled the Mike White philosophy into top-15 success. The Gators dominated lesser competition with 35-point victories against Milwaukee and Troy, snapped a seven-game losing streak against Florida St. and bested Ohio St. on a gamewinning three from Tyree Appleby. UF entered its road matchup against Oklahoma ranked 14th in the country, but as the calendar turned to December, Florida’s hot start chilled into characteristic mediocrity. Coach White’s team suffered its first loss of the season against the Sooners, shooting a putrid 17% from beyond the arc. Previously winless Texas Southern pulled off a shocking upset against the Gators in a 6954 victory five days later, and interim

The Gators escaped rivals Florida State thanks to a whiffed onside kick by FSU kicker Parker Grothaus. The ball innocently fell to the turf and Grothaus bent down in shame as over 88,000 fans in Orange and Blue erupted to celebrate the 24-21 victory. Despite already declaring his entry into the transfer portal, Jones was selected to start in Florida’s Gasparilla Bowl defeat. Jones’ erratic performance furthered Gator nation’s frustration towards the junior quarterback, who completed just 38% of his passes against the Knights. Jones was handed the keys to the offense by former head coach Dan Mullen after waiting behind Gator phenom Kyle Trask. The anticipation for the junior echoed through the

dwalsh@alligator.org jrichardson@alligator.org

Declan Walsh // Alligator Staff

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