Monday, Jan. 23, 2023

UF transgender community reacts to gender-affirming care audit

Report due Feb. 10 at DeSantis office’s request

By Amanda Friedman Alligator Staff Writer

In light of the DeSantis administration's memo requesting information on the number of students receiving gender-affirming care through university resources, UF's transgender community is left worried about the future of treatment options.

Treatment that could be considered genderaffirming care provided through UF Health, the university’s medical network, includes hormone therapy, hair removal, voice therapy, urology, OBGYN services, surgical procedures and mental health services. UF Health is staffed with nationally recognized endocrinologists who aid with gender-affirming hormone therapy, according to UF Health.

Andrea Slaven, a 34-year-old UF geomatics junior who identifies as transgender, began receiving hormone therapy through the UF Stu-

dent Healthcare Center in fall 2021. She’s concerned about the fate of UF’s gender-affirming care services.

“[UF Health] helped me through one of the toughest times of my life so far,” she said. “I can't speak highly enough of the services they provided.”

The memo requests the number of encounters for gender confirmation treatment starting from Jan. 1, 2018. This includes how many first-time patients sought treatment and the facilities to which they were referred, as well as the number of patients diagnosed with gender identity disorders and at which stage of treatment they were diagnosed.

DeSantis’ administration also requested the number of individuals prescribed puberty blockers, hormones or hormone antagonists and those who underwent medical procedures, broken down by age. It also asks for

UF reports diversity spending LGBTQ-owned Micanopy business forced out by commissioner, owner alleges

REPORT MANDATED IN DECEMBER

By Alissa Gary Alligator Staff Writer

UF reported over $5 million in total funding for diversity, equity and inclusion and critical race theory initiatives — projected as approximately 0.14% of its annual budget, according to a statemandated audit released to The Alligator Jan. 18.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ December memo, issued by Chris Spencer, director of the Office of Policy and Budget, demanded Florida universities describe all DEI and CRT spending and all faculty and

Gators men’s basketball has developed into elite defensive team

staff involved in the report.

Faculty members weren’t asked to compile data themselves. Rather, the information was gathered centrally by university administration, said Amanda Phalin, president of the UF Faculty Senate.

Phalin wasn’t surprised after seeing the report, she said. All the information listed on the report was publicly available prior to its release, she said, and she’s supportive of the listed initiatives.

“It seems like we are treated by elected officials as if we need to be constantly questioned and monitored and perhaps pun-

CONCERNED WITH SAFETY, RESTLESS MOMMAS CLOSES

By Jack Lemnus Alligator Staff Writer

Joy Drawdy once admired the charm of small-town Micanopy. She loved its history and quaintness ever since she’d visited as a child from her home in Gainesville.

In June 2022, she and her wife opened a business in downtown Micanopy called Restless Mommas, a gift shop selling clothes and crafts made by LGBTQ artists and people of color. They immediately made friends with the surrounding shop

owners.

Business was good, Drawdy said, and they connected with their clientele.

“In that time, it was overwhelmingly supportive,” she said. But she grew unsettled as more people in the community warned her to be careful.

They didn’t consider moving until they’d heard secondhand from friends and customers that Micanopy Commissioner Mike Roberts had made derogatory comments about their sexuality and presence in Micanopy.

This wasn’t the first time his views toward LGBTQ people have aroused concern, however. Around

10 years ago, Roberts made various Facebook posts with statements like “being homosexual is a sin,” and “I just feel sorry for these people. A eternity in Hell is their reward.”

Roberts declined to comment on the allegation that he drove out the business or on his views on LGBTQ people when reached by phone.

His latest comments were only the most recent in a series of events that made Drawdy and her wife feel targeted due to their sexuality, she said.

Shortly after moving in, their landlord received a letter from the town commission deeming the

Kamryn Bailey // Alligator Staff Lady Ettie waves to onlookers while walking in a parade around the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Read more in The Avenue on pg. 6.

Pandemic learning losses lead to reading struggles

STUDENTS

LOST 9 WEEKS OF FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS

By Emma Behrmann Alligator Staff Writer

Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced students and teachers into remote learning, data shows more students are struggling to read and comprehend grade-level texts in Florida due to instructional gaps.

The Florida Standards Assessment annually assessed public school students’ mastery of the grade-level curriculum in grades three through 10. Scores range from a level one to a level five, in which the Florida Department of Education defines a level one as inadequate and highly likely to need substantial support; a level three as satisfactory and a passing score; and a level five as mastery.

This is the only data that will show pandemic losses because the state implemented a new progress monitoring testing model called the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking based on a new set of standards.

In 65 of the 67 school districts, the percentage of third-grade students who scored a level one on the English Language Arts assessment increased since the start of the pandemic.

Alachua County Public Schools follows this statewide trend. ACPS’ percentage of students performing at the lowest achievement level in third-grade ELA increased seven points from 2019 to 2022.

But Paige Pullen, UF College of Education literary officer and research professor, said pandemic losses can be recovered.

“It is not too late to teach them,” Pullen said. “But they will require explicit systematic instruction in foundational literacy skills to be able to catch up.”

Third grade is a milestone year in most states for education, according to research by the National Conference of State Legislatures. “Instruction typically shifts from learning to read to reading to learn,” Pullen said.

Grades K-2 focus on learning to read, and students are taught fundamental literacy skills rooted in phonics, an instructional approach that teaches the systematic relationship between letters and sounds and how to form words.

Phonological awareness, which sets the stage for decoding, blending and, ultimately, word reading, develops from age 4 to 9, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education.

When schools shifted to remote learning in the fourth quarter of the 2019-2020 school year, students, especially those who didn’t have access to stable internet or technology, lost nine weeks of instructional time learning these foundational literacy skills.

First grade is a critical year for students because it is when they become fluent readers, ACPS Director of Curriculum Kevin Berry said. At the beginning of the year, students learn individual sounds, and by the year’s end, students can read passages fluently.

The third-graders who took their first statewide assessment in spring of 2022 and are struggling to read were first-graders who lost this key instructional time in 2020, Berry said. The change to virtual instruction occurred at the point when students usually learn how to read embedded texts, a fundamental skill to begin reading to learn.

“Those students who were in second grade last year or third grade last year … had … a really significant impact to their literacy because of the change in instruction,” Berry said. From the adjustment to virtual learning to pandemic-related absences, these changes led to instructional loss.

And when students returned to the classroom, safety protocols such as mask wearing and limited smallgroup instruction continued to impact students’ learning experience.

“If you’re wearing masks, children can’t see the shape of your mouth,” Pullen said, which is important to learn how to make and articulate sounds.

Such instructional interruptions continued for over a year and a half. However, students can still recover and receive support.

In ACPS, COVID-19 relief funds and partnerships introduced new intervention programs. The district has seen results in its K-2 students through their performance on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, an assessment that evaluates foundational literacy skills.

The district attributes the literacy success in the younger grades to the implementation of the University of Florida Literacy Institute Foundations as part of the K-2 core phonics curriculum. UFLI is one of ACPS’ primary partners in its quest to increase student literacy.

Learning to read can be broken down into two buckets: decoding, or word recognition, and language comprehension.

The UFLI Foundations curriculum focuses on decoding, Berry said. Language comprehension is taught

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through a program called Benchmark Advance that provides students with social studies- and science-based texts to focus on vocabulary, comprehension and content.

Third- through sixth-grade students also read Benchmark Advance texts, but core phonics isn’t a part of ELA curriculum.

This year, the district has incorporated UFLI Foundations as an intervention for struggling students in third through fifth grade. Schools have staff with special training to incorporate this curriculum into smallgroup instruction.

Core phonics instruction like UFLI Foundations will not make up for everything, Pullen said. “They need to then apply those phonics skills … to real reading,” she said. Students should read text at their appropriate reading level; practice making words; and connect reading and writing daily.

ACPS’ interventions and tutoring programs aim to do this.

“It’s really looking at what the specific students need and then designing a program around what that looks like,” Berry said. “We have district-level teams that help support schools with what that instruction looks like.”

In addition to incorporating foundational literacy skills into its intervention blocks, ACPS offers high-dosage tutoring, which provides small-group or individualized tutoring to work on specific skills students lack.

Although third-graders who took the FSA last year received some interventions, they didn’t have access to curricula like UFLI that has been implemented with additional COVID-19 recovery funding.

The success of these interventions has yet to be evaluated with student scores on an end-of-year assessment like the FSA.

“There will continue to be outcomes that are different than what we would hope for,” Berry said. “But we are excited about the different additional levels of support that we are able to provide.”

@emmabehrmann eberhmann@alligator.org

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Craig Lowe, Gainesville’s first openly gay mayor, dies at 65

Lowe known as LGBTQ rights, environment advocate

By Siena Duncan Alligator Staff Writer

Former Gainesville mayor Stuart “Craig” Lowe was known for his quiet personality, but he never hesitated to proudly defend the issues he cared about most.

“I’m proud to be a member of the LGBT community, and on a day-to-day basis it doesn’t impact the way I conduct my job,” Lowe said, “except that I do seek to uphold equality for all people of all backgrounds and faiths in discharging my duties as mayor.”

Lowe died in Gainesville Jan. 14 at 65. He was the District 4 city commissioner for seven years, then the first openly gay mayor from 2010 to 2013. He’s survived by his brother Allan Lowe and a legacy of protecting human rights and the environment alike.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Lowe graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in soil science. He received his zoology master’s degree from UF in 1989 and lived in Gainesville until his death.

While in office, Lowe championed LGBTQ rights. Gainesville became the fifth city government in Florida to include gender identity in its anti-discrimination policy in 2008, during which Lowe was a commissioner.

Thomas Hawkins, a former city commissioner who served when Lowe was mayor, remembers Lowe as a fierce defender of human rights. As the city’s first openly gay elected official, Lowe took it upon himself to protect LGBTQ residents in Gainesville, Hawkins said.

“He really represented a community in addition to just himself,” Hawkins said.

When fellow commissioner Ed Braddy — who later defeated Lowe in his second mayoral election — claimed the policy would burden businesses by giving people special privileges, Lowe disagreed.

“There is nothing special about being able to get a job, have a home, to be able to go to a restroom or to get the same credit privileges that anyone else does,” Lowe said.

That same year, when the city faced a referendum to remove both the phrases “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” from the policy, Lowe was the voice of reason. He was able to steer the conversation away from personal attacks and focus on the issue at hand, Hawkins said.

“He would bring things back to the nuts and bolts of what needed to be decided,” Hawkins said.

The referendum vote failed by 58%, and Gainesville kept the policy. Larger cities like Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville followed suit and included “gender identity” in human rights ordinances, but not for several years.

Lowe was also passionate about environmental issues, and used his education to his advantage as an elected official. While he was mayor, the commission approved the development of Sweetwater Wetlands Park.

The area is now a popular hiking spot for Gainesville residents. He also developed land use codes for tree protection and passed analysis requirements before development of sensitive natural areas.

Lowe’s interest in the environment always came from a genuine love for the outdoors, said Jeanna Mastrodicasa, a former commissioner who worked with Lowe for six years.

He often went to rural places she had never heard of to see nature. He also liked to vacation by the Canaveral National Seashore, a nature preserve near Cocoa Beach.

Many of Lowe’s fellow commissioners saw him as a friend, Mastrodicasa said. He was a person who liked to listen rather than speak — she noticed he paid close attention to what other people liked to talk about.

She and Lowe both went to the University of Georgia. Although he didn’t closely follow any sports, he went out of his way to check scores so he could say “Go Dogs” to her at the right times, she said.

“It was always kind of great,” she said. “Because it was really just him humoring me more than anything.”

Lowe was there for her during many major events in her life while they worked together. He was at her wedding, and her twins were born during the time he served. He seemed to care more about policy than any of the glamor of politics, she said.

“He never liked attention,” she said. “He just was a quiet guy who liked making our community a good place.”

But he had a good sense of humor that the outside world didn’t get to see very often, said Lauren Poe, who worked with Lowe as a commissioner before serving as mayor from 2016 to 2022. Poe cherishes the memories he has of Lowe relaxing and getting to be himself in settings where there was less pressure.

“He was usually pretty serious in his public role,” Poe said. “But it was not difficult for him to put a smile on my face and make me laugh.”

Lowe ran for mayor twice, once in 2010 and again in 2013. His coworkers would of-

ten call him “Landslide Lowe” to poke fun at how he won the 2010 election with just 50.17% of the vote after a runoff with Don Marsh.

However, in the midst of his reelection campaign in 2013, Lowe was arrested for a DUI charge. Right before election day, he reached a deferred prosecution agreement. He lost with 45% of the vote.

His challenger, Braddy, was elected mayor that year instead. Lowe didn’t return to city politics after that. He managed the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Gainesville chapter for several years before it closed in 2015, and then he retired.

Lowe will be remembered for his inclusive policy, love of nature and strong sense of self. A mural of him in rainbow colors commemorates him at University Club, Gainesville’s LGBTQ nightclub.

@SienaDuncan sduncan@alligator.org

Monda

Aundre Larrow // Alligator Staff Craig Lowe speaks to his supporters in his campaign office after losing the mayoral race to Ed Braddy in 2013.

Discriminatory comments

Pride flag they’d displayed on their store as a zoning issue and requested its removal.

Despite neighboring businesses flying American and “Police Lives Matter” flags, they complied with the ordinance.

Drawdy soon learned of a private conversation Roberts had criticizing the owners’ sexuality.

For weeks, Drawdy said she heard variations of the same story from about 30 people in the town of roughly 660. She became more and more unsettled.

“In such a small town, we couldn’t escape. We couldn’t do business,” Drawdy said. “It was all anybody was talking about.”

Weeks later, when they learned of Roberts’ comments, Drawdy said she started to notice people in trucks pull up in front of Restless Mommas and rev their engines before skidding away.

Then came the spiteful Facebook comments as more residents became involved.

Drawdy not only felt threatened, but she also worried for the safety of her family, she said. In mid-December, Drawdy, along with two or three other business owners, took the issue to Town Hall. After multiple exchanges with Town Administrator Sara Owen, Drawdy was told the issue would be addressed in the Town Commission meeting Jan. 10.

But Owen stopped returning her phone calls, Drawdy said. Days before the meeting, Drawdy’s neighbor, America Gordon, called to ask if Roberts’ behavior would be formally put on the agenda. Town leaders told Gordon it wasn’t a town issue.

“I really thought that they would say, ‘Yeah, of course that’s not OK,’” Drawdy said. “The fact that they didn’t – it was our last breath.”

For months, the Drawdys wanted to wait it out and keep silent, but they continued to feel more unheard and unsafe each day, and they feared escalation.

On Jan. 8, the Drawdys decided to leave town.

Two days later at the Town Commission meeting, there were more attendees than usual. About 25 people packed the roughly 10-by-20-foot room, many in support of the Drawdys.

In attendance was Holiday Russell, an attorney and owner of Two Parrots Gallery in Micanopy.

“I certainly don’t have a sense that this is a bigoted town,” Russell said during the meeting.

But Russell believes there’s validity to Drawdy’s concerns.

“They’re not ones to make stuff up,” he said after the meeting. “They’re not ones to be bombastic or dramatic.”

Toward the end of the meeting, when it was clear the commission wasn’t going to address Roberts’ comments, Micanopy resident Deborah Hart brought up the issue. Considering many of the other commissioners didn’t know about the allegations, they voted to open public comment.

“To have two women invest in a business in this town — that helps us all — be discriminated against because they’re gay is not OK,” Hart said.

Already aware of the issue, Roberts explained he never meant to discriminate against anyone. A self-employed insurance agent, Roberts said the allegations were a misunderstanding of a conversation he had with a client while discussing Medicare.

During the exchange, the client asked him if he knew the women who’d just opened a shop downtown, to which he responded, “Do you mean the two lesbian women who bought a business downtown?”

As the tension boiled in the room, Commissioner Jiana Williams tried to rein in the situation.

Singling out someone based on their sexual identity is by itself problematic, she said, but his actions weren’t indicative of the town or the council.

“I do feel like we have to be mindful of the words that come out of our mouths at all times,” Williams said.

Again, Hart asked why this was left off the agenda.

The issue was brought to her by various constituents, Owen said, but it wasn’t added to the agenda.

“This was not town business, so there was no reason to put it on the agenda,” Owen said. Based on the information Drawdy provided to her, Roberts was “acting in his personal capacity,” she said.

Roberts wanted to approach the Drawdys but was instructed by his attorney not to because they had acquired legal counsel, he said.

The atmosphere continued to curdle as more attendees voiced their opinions. One woman said Hart was trying to lump the entire town into the categories of “racist” and “homophobic.”

Russell rose to speak and, as an attorney, stressed skepticism in all cases, but he acknowledged people were hurt nonetheless. He suggested the commission consider voluntary discrimination sensitivity training.

But Roberts wasn’t receptive to that idea.

“You know the most discriminated person sitting in this room?” Roberts asked. “[They are] disliked by whites, Blacks, reds and yellows — [it’s] the fat people of this world.”

The room responded with silence, save a few chides from the audience. The public comment section would end soon after, without a concrete resolution.

Russell left the meeting unsatisfied with Roberts’ responses.

“I didn’t come in here and identify [him] as the fat commissioner,” Russell said. “In my view, he doesn’t get it… If it’s not

intentional, then he’s ignorant.”

One point of agreement by the audience and commissioners was that Roberts’ behavior doesn’t reflect the entire town. Despite the intention behind one man’s comments, however, Micanopy is still short a local business.

For resident Carol Young, 78, the town administrator’s argument that this wasn’t Micanopy’s concern was unacceptable.

“I think it is town business when you run people off,” Young said.

As the town continues to debate, the Drawdys will spend the next few weeks moving the remnants of Restless Mommas to Gainesville, where they own another business. In their Gainesville store, they’ve set up a corner with mementos they call their “little Restless Mommas,” as homage to that closed chapter in their lives.

Some of their peers say they would understand if the Drawdys harbored resentment toward Micanopy, but Joy Drawdy doesn’t feel the same. She said she simply didn’t want to risk the safety of her and her family. Drawdy still nurtures affection for the town and her old neighbors.

She recalled when a group of people sporting pro-Trump apparel entered Restless Mommas and began perusing the store. When she sparked a conversation with them, they thanked her for her work and said they had LGBTQ relatives.

It was moments like these, Drawdy said, that reminded her of the common humanity that comes before identity, ideology and class.

As their friends reassured them, if Roberts had gotten to know the Drawdys, things might have played out differently.

@JackLemnus jlemnus@alligator.org

Alachua County to evaluate school crosswalk after parent concern

By Lauren Brensel Alligator Staff Writer

Seven cars drove through the intersection of Tower Road and Southwest 51st Boulevard before April Hulbert, her husband and her two children could cross.

“Still waiting,” she said.

The Hulberts are a five-minute bike ride from Kimball Wiles Elementary School, but the couple rides with their children — not for exercise, but for safety.

The intersection near Kimball Wiles is one crosswalk at the center of the Alachua County Public Works Department’s research on crashes in the area. In the past five years, there have been 13 crashes within 200 feet of the corner — two of which involved crosswalks or pedestrians, said Thomas Strom, transportation engineering manager.

Because of Hulbert’s concern, the department will evaluate the intersection for two to three weeks, looking at nearby traffic signs and sight distance. Depending on the findings of the evaluation, pavement markings may be redone or more signs or a flashing beacon may be added.

“It just becomes so disturbing and alarming,” said Hulbert, 40. “I'm like, ‘Are you asking that someone has to die first before you handle this matter?’”

The evaluation hasn’t been scheduled yet but will take place during school hours, Strom said. Because the crosswalk is near two school zones, the department plans to evaluate the area during both of the schools’ peak hours when most people will be on the road.

Though Strom receives five to 10 crosswalk-related concerns a year, he said, Hulbert’s is the second he’s received this month.

“Typically, when schools start to get back in session, more folks get on the roads,” Strom said. “So, we do seem to get more requests and calls during those times.”

While crossing Hipp Way to get to his bus stop near Criswell Park, a 5-year-old was killed Jan. 20.

The crosswalk that will be evaluated is near both Wiles and Kanapaha Middle School. While a crossing guard is present for Kanapaha’s hours, there isn’t one there during Wiles’, Hulbert said.

Staffing in law enforcement is

an issue itself, said Art Forgey, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office public information officer. But adding another crossing guard would be a budgetary issue.

Some parents, like Kimberly Griffin, a 51-year-old retired Air Force officer, are concerned about students who stay after school for clubs.

Twice a week, Griffin walks to pick up her son from his extracurricular at Wiles. Despite having the right of way at the crosswalk, she said, many drivers don’t yield.

“I don’t know if they’re going to see a little fourth grader, third grader [or] first grader trying to cross that road,” she said.

Rose Gleichowski, a health coach and mother of two students at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, has enforced a different route for her family for 20 years to avoid the traffic by Wiles and Kanapaha: going out from 91st Street to Archer Road.

That way, her teenage drivers can avoid the two-school zone area. Because the schools have different hours, she said, it’s difficult to determine when the school zone hours are in place.

Walking or biking to schools like Wiles or Kanapaha should be encouraged more when it’s safe to do

so, Gleichowski said. But if her children were in those schools now, she said, she would have to walk or bike with them.

“I don't know that we're doing anything to increase the safety except people screaming and yelling,” she said. “But it doesn't seem like anything is actually being done about it.”

Each year, the county’s public works department looks to install two new flashing beacons, Strom said. Most often, the department looks for locations close to parks, bus stops and schools.

“I would think that [the crosswalk] would be a good candidate,” Strom said, “but as far as saying that we have plans to do it at that particular location at this time, I really wouldn’t be able to.”

Besides the intersection of Tower Road and Southwest 51st Boulevard, parents like Hulbert are also worried about traffic situations in nearby neighborhoods. Her kids bike through one community where drivers have to inch out over the crosswalk to leave, and most times, she said, drivers ignore the stop sign.

“It seems that these people from the neighborhood — even though they see all these children around at this time — somehow they're kind of

unaware,” she said.

In 2019, when Melissa Hamilton’s son was 12 years old, he was hit by an SUV while biking to Kanapaha along 91st Street and 46th Boulevard.

Hamilton’s son was with two other friends when a driver in the intersection waved the children onto the road. Her son led the way — he was halfway through the crosswalk, Hamilton said, when another driver hit the back of his bike, sending him flying. The two other boys weren’t hit, and Hamilton’s son didn’t sustain any major injuries.

“For a little while they had a sheriff in his car parked out there,” Hamilton said, “just to scare drivers and let them know, ‘Oh there’s a cop present, so I should follow the traffic laws.’”

But that was never a constant, she said.

In an effort to effect change, Hulbert said, she asked ACSO for police presence to return, but it hasn’t happened yet.

“My children should be able to ride their bicycles less than a half a mile to their school safely,” she said. “But they really aren't.”

Courtesy to The Alligator Outside of the Restless Mommas gift shop in Micanopy, Florida.

Need for data unclear

manizing and alienating trans people,” said Noon, who identifies as transgender.

the number of those who received any degree of mental health counseling prior to their services.

The memo notes that responses shouldn’t contain personally identifiable or protected health information.

UF Health’s spokespeople didn’t respond to requests for comment on the memo in time for publication.

Gender dysphoria describes the anxiety an individual may experience when their biological sex doesn’t match their gender identity, according to UF Health. Gender-affirming care is a form of health care that treats transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals struggling with gender dysphoria.

Without her UF health insurance, Slaven said she would have to seek more expensive treatment through organizations like Planned Parenthood. Although she currently works part-time at UF RecSports, affording more expensive treatment would require her to work a second job, which would be difficult with her rigorous school schedule.

Slaven believes actions, like the memo taken by the DeSantis administration, reflect how threatened some are by the existence of transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.

“Once somebody who is trans is able to get a degree from a great school, start a business or get to a position of power, it's inspiring for younger queer folks,” she said. “The administration can't have that.”

While it remains unclear how the DeSantis administration plans to use the requested information, the audit concerns “governing institutional resources and protecting the public interest,” according to the memo.

Throughout DeSantis' governorship, Florida has made headlines regarding controversial legislation, such as banning Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care and barring minors from receiving gender-affirming care to treat gender dysphoria.

Alex Noon, a 23-year-old second-year UF law student and president of OUTLaw, the law school’s LGBTQ organization, is frustrated with the language sprinkled throughout the request.

“The language that is used in the memo is purposely outdated for this purpose of dehu-

The use of “sex-reassignment treatment” instead of “gender confirmation” emphasizes their biological sex instead of their expressed gender identity, perpetuating the idea that there is no difference, Noon said.

Using the phrase “subjective sense of identity” to define an individual’s gender suggests a transgender person's gender identity is subjective and doesn’t need to be acknowledged by others, Noon added.

Noon fears the DeSantis administration will use the data to attack transgender health care by withholding funding from universities that make gender-affirming care accessible to students.

This possibility could be dangerous for transgender students who come from unsafe home situations where they are denied treatment. University health care services may be the first opportunity for many transgender people to receive the treatment they need, he said.

He hopes that UF would double down on providing gender-affirming care services for students, considering UF Health has continued its Youth Gender program through DeSantis’ repeated attacks on transgender health care for minors, he said.

However, Noon said he has little to no doubt that UF would limit student access to gender-affirming care to appease the DeSantis administration.

“At the very, very least, there are going to be way more hoops to jump through,” he said.

As much of the memo focused on mental health services, Noon said he could see UF implementing a required amount of behavioral therapy for patients before they are able to receive treatment.

Noon receives gender-affirming care from the Equal Access Clinic, a UF Health Family Medicine branch that serves all of the Gainesville community. He warned that if UF restricts its transgender health care services, groups other than students – such as low-income people – may also be impacted.

Noon is also concerned about the increased transphobia Florida universities might see due to the DeSantis administration singling out transgender students with this request.

“With trans people, privacy is safety,” he said. “To lose any ounce of privacy can quick-

ly become super unsafe.”

Noon said he wants UF to condemn this memo as a political move from the DeSantis administration.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, who has heavily advocated for LGBTQ rights throughout her career, said she’s alarmed by the memo and finds the lack of explanation for wanting the information provided by the DeSantis administration unethical and unsettling.

She’d prefer Florida universities collectively ignore the memo in an effort to protect their transgender students’ access to health care services.

As suicide rates and violence against transgender people climb, she worries how the memo may threaten the safety of transgender students on campus.

“We've seen an onslaught of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in Florida, specifically transphobia, coming out of the governor's office,” she said. “There's no safe place for trans people in Florida at this point.”

UF won't speculate

plished graduates.

ished,” Phalin said. “We have taken all of the money and resources that our elected officials have allocated to us, and we have given them an extremely high return on that investment.”

The university submitted an initial draft of the report to the Florida Board of Governors before the Jan. 13 deadline to ensure it adhered to the state’s requests, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan said. The state government hasn’t provided direction on how their report will be used by the state, and Roldan said the university would not speculate on the state’s intentions for the report.

The state’s demand for the report filled Phalin with confusion and frustration, she said, given that UF has boasted high rankings, quality research and accom-

Instead, Phalin imagines the government’s interest in diversity spending stems from politics.

“These are divisive cultural issues that politicians can use very easily to make people angry, to make people upset,” Phalin said. “But it doesn't have anything to do with what we actually do at the university.”

The state ordered universities to turn in reports by Jan. 13. UF totals $5,333,914 in DEI and CRT spending, $3,381,330 of which is provided by the state.

DeSantis has been speculated as a candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination, and emphasis on the culture war is at the top of his ticket. At his second inauguration, he proclaimed, “Florida is where woke goes to die!”

Florida has already made headlines for its controversial

policies on K-12 education, including House Bill 7 or the “Stop WOKE Act,” and for DeSantis’ recent appointment of conservative activist Christopher Rufo to the Board of Trustees at the New College of Florida.

Most recently, DeSantis blocked public high schools from teaching a new Advanced Placement African American history course, calling it historically inaccurate.

When The Alligator reached out to the Florida Department of Education for comment, a spokesperson replied with only a link to a Jan. 6 tweet from Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. The spokesperson didn’t reply to follow-up questions.

“Florida’s colleges and universities should concentrate on providing students with a world class education, not indoctrinating them with critical race theory or other anti-historical nonsense,” Diaz wrote in the tweet.

History chair Jon Sensbach

With the outcomes of the audit unclear, Slaven is confident her community will persevere.

No matter what the DeSantis administration does next, transgender students statewide will continue fighting to express their gender identity and maintain access to gender-affirming care, she said.

“I know that we've always existed and will continue to exist regardless of what laws are put in place,” she said. “We're a resilient community and will always figure out a way.”

was unclear on Diaz’s definitions of “indoctrination” and “anti-historical nonsense.” Still, he said he was confident the UF history department isn’t violating state law or expectations.

“I don’t know of any professor who sets out to indoctrinate students,” he said. “Discussion of different points of view in history is the only way to teach history, the only way to understand it. We feel comfortable that that’s what we do.”

Funding for DEI activities listed in the report included 10 general education courses in anthropology, art history, education, geography, linguistics, theater and women’s studies.

The 11 other universities that constitute the Florida university system joined UF in complying with the state. The University of Central Florida reported more than $4 million in spending, of which about half was state-funded, and Florida Atlantic University listed just under $1 million,

@amandasfriedman afriedman@alligator.org

of which about two-thirds was state-funded.

David Canton, UF’s director of African American studies, is unsure of the state government’s intentions. But he imagines it will neither increase nor decrease the budget for DEI spending, he said.

“Do I see them increasing it?” he said. “No. But not cutting it. Cutting it will lead to problems. That organizes faculty, and we have a union here. So you don't want to do that.”

Kevin Bird, a history professor and instructor at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, finds diversity initiatives critical to the university, he said.

Diverse perspectives are important to understanding life’s complexity, he said.

“I think it adds a tremendous amount,” Bird said. “And I would hate to be less diverse and less insightful.”

Eskamani mentioned providing the DeSantis administration with this information is a slippery slope that may put the privacy and accessibility of other types of medical care at risk.

Alissa Gary contributed to this report.

Ashleigh Lucas // Alligator Staff Gov. Ron DeSantis makes a guest appearance at the Florida v. Georgia football game in Jacksonville to shake hands with crowd members Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022.

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023

www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

FESTIVALS Hoggetowne Medieval Faire entertains tens of thousands

Faire in town for one more weekend

By Loren Miranda Avenue Staff Writer

Each night before his weekend performances, 42-year-old David Doyle rolls four pink, fuzzy hair curlers into his beard, curving the shape until it coils just right.

Doyle, a full-time aerial acrobat and co-owner of Laugh Now LLC, is performing at The 36th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire for all three weekends of its duration. Newly located at 9409 SW Archer Rd, the annual Faire began Jan. 14 and ends the weekend of Jan. 27.

Stepping through the arched stone gates, Faire attendees are transported into the Dark Ages, immediately greeted by a soft harp melody and the magnetizing smell of deep-fried delicacies.

“It’s a very magical place,” Doyle said. “[Having] fun in a little fantasy world for the day can really help you out… It’s all about getting people out of their lives and letting them be free for the day.”

Although the Faire only rolls into Gainesville once a year, Doyle

and his business partner, Angie Austin, perform all year long. The duo traveled to seven states last year, following Renaissance fairs around the country.

The pair together are the High Flying Fools, a traveling comedy duo specializing in ring flying, aerial acrobatics and sketch shows.

Doyle — also known as Pester during performances — quit his 9-to-5 job in 2011 to pursue performing full-time. He had been juggling his career at Carnegie Mellon University as a computer services assistant and his comedic passion for 10 years before the switch, and he said he appreciates the community Renaissance fairs create, both for the attendees and the performers.

“It’s a very accepting environment,” Doyle said. “It’s more of personality of a character instead of a physical look of a character.”

Austin, better known as SoSo during their performances, agrees. The jester said they appreciate the unique casting versatility that re-

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naissance entertainers are offered — unparalleled even to community theater where gender, race and age are often factors in casting.

“It’s the place where you can be whatever you want to be,” Austin said. “Even though I’m a 5-foot, barely-anything-else, very femme-looking person, I can be whatever I want to. If I want to be a 6’2 bodyguard, I can be.”

Before becoming a co-owner of Laugh Now, Austin was a hospital clown. When they met Doyle in 2009, they booked the gig and then realized they’d better learn aerial acrobatics.

Now, Austin is on the Renaissance Entertainers Services Crafters United Foundation’s board of directors. As the program committee’s co-chair, Austin is dedicated to assisting fellow Renaissance fair performers who may not have access to health insurance or primary care visits.

“The community looks out for each other,” they said.

The culture created at the Faire attracts an expected 30,000 attendees over the course of its three-week run. Some fair-goers dive in on their costuming, with knights armoring in chainmail next to fairies and elves donning

intricate face paint to fully engage in the festivities.

Dressed in a flowery spring fairy ensemble, Meghan Short, a 30-year-old payroll account manager, sported a costume worth over $750.

The cosplayer’s dress was designer, with a delicate floral pattern lining its way up to her iridescent eyeliner, which painted intricate flowers on her face. She plans on attending at least three Faires this year to make all the effort spent worth it, she said.

“I love that people just dress up and they don’t give me weird looks,” Short said. “I love a chance to be extra.”

Many of the dedicated fairgoers enjoy immersing themselves in the fantasy that the festival brings, from the carefully hand-crafted artisanry that lines the aisles to medieval dining fit for a king at Ye Olde Domino’s.

Sunshine Andrei, assistant Cultural Affairs Manager for the City of Gainesville’s parks and recreation department, has been coordinating the Medieval Faire for six years, helped coordinate the event for two years prior and has been a participant in the fair’s Living Chess Board for over 26 years.

Andrei was an acrobat with the Gainesville Community Playhouse’s “Barnum” before joining the troupe, where she battles with swords while mixing tumbling skills with contortionist dance. A retired theater kid at heart, Andrei said she views the Medieval Faire as one really big show.

As soon as this fair closes Jan. 29, Andrei will begin filling out paperwork and securing the site for next year. With over 200 volunteers, 87 contractors and an anticipated 30,000 attendees, the preparation for this year’s Faire took about a year to complete.

But Andrei did it with a smile on her face.

On Faire days, Andrei dashes around the campsite ensuring that amidst the “live dragon” exhibits, live action role-playing and war horse rides, everything runs smoothly. Hearing people laugh and enjoy themselves, she said, is her favorite part.

“Knowing that all the work that we’re doing is bringing so much joy to people gives me goosebumps,” Andrei said. “That’s the reason I do it every year.”

The team raised $75,000 for to fund 15 children’s dreams. Read more on pg. 11. Scan to follow the Avenue on Spotify

Florida men’s golf hosts Dreams Come True event

Kamryn Bailey // Alligator Staff

A knight faces his opponent at the opposite edge of the ring and prepares for a battle at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

Kamryn Bailey // Alligator Staff

Standing at the center of the maypole activity, a worker at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire gives directions to the crowd Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

UF professor, doctor releases second medical thriller novel

‘MISFIRE’ WAS RELEASED JAN. 3

By Lauren Whiddon Avenue Staff Writer

Dr. Tammy Euliano has loved fiction writing since she was young — but her dreams of becoming a novelist were put on the back burner once she decided to be a doctor.

After her mentor, J.S. Gravenstein, suggested the two write a mystery novel together, Euliano’s childhood passion rekindled.

“I thought, ‘That’s bizarre, but OK,’” Euliano said.

Gravenstein died in 2009, but Euliano made sure her mentor’s suggestion came to fruition. In 2021, she published her debut novel, “Fatal Intent,” which told the story of fictional anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey and her investigation of the unusual deaths of multiple elderly patients.

The 56-year-old UF professor of anesthesiology, anesthesiologist and author released her second medical thriller novel Jan. 3: “Misfire,” the sequel to “Fatal Intent.”

Set in Alachua County, the novel explores Downey’s investigation of a new implantable defibrillator that misfires — causing the very heart rhythm problem it was made to resolve. To make matters worse, the character’s beloved Great-Aunt Irm previously received the implant.

Downey eventually discovers the misfires are deliberate attacks, and amid disappearances and murders, she must protect patients and her loved ones.

“If you like mysteries and thrillers and you want to read something set in your own hometown, then you might enjoy ‘Misfire,’” Euliano said.

Euliano works three days a week at UF Health Shands Hospital, caring for surgical patients, looking after women in labor and

teaching medical students and residents — all while saving her Fridays to write. She stopped her research in 2013 and left her administrative duties to allow herself more time to write.

Euliano hopes “Misfire” helps inform readers on the role of anesthesiologists, she said, as some media depictions of anesthesiology are inaccurate. For example, she often sees CPR performed incorrectly and paramedics stopping chest compressions to transport a patient in TV and movies, she said — both of which are medical inaccuracies.

While she has extensive experience in academic writing, fiction writing was

more challenging than she expected it to be, Euliano said. It took her six years to develop her debut novel into a work she was proud of, she said.

“Got a bunch of rejections,” Euliano said. “It was a very iterative process, and so I iterated far less with ‘Misfire.’”

“Misfire,” she said, took over a year for her to write.

Patricia Gussin, a physician, book publisher, editor and author, said “Misfire” pushes readers to become invested with a central plot concerning health — a basic human need.

“She has the advantage of being a physician and having firsthand information

about what goes on behind the medical doors,” Gussin said.

J.D. Allen, a 56-year-old crime fiction author and Euliano’s critique partner, or a writer who exchanges manuscripts with another writer to give and receive feedback, said her knowledge of the similarities between Euliano and the novel’s protagonist makes the story more realistic.

“If there’s deep, underlying technical knowledge the author has that comes through in the character, it makes it much more interesting reading,” Allen said.

Much of the personal experience Euliano includes in her stories comes from her days at the hospital, which she has since reduced in order to further her novelist career.

“My husband keeps saying, ‘Wait, this is your hobby. It’s not supposed to be work,’” Euliano said. “But you know, it can’t be just a hobby or you won’t get anywhere.”

Euliano’s decision to write medical thrillers comes from her love of reading thriller novels, she said. With medical mysteries, she gets to discuss ethical dilemmas in health care for a less familiar audience.

With “Misfire,” Euliano said, she’d like to inform readers that people need to be careful about how medical devices are regulated and do their research before committing to anything.

Euliano is now working on the third book of the Kate Downey Medical Mystery series. She’s also writing other standalone mystery novels, she said.

“The excitement of somebody reading my book and calling me…or someone posting something on a review about how they stayed up all night,” Euliano said. “It just gives you goosebumps.”

@zarintismail zismail@alligator.org

Muralist husband and wife duo brightens Gainesville’s artistic landscape

ART Jesus and Carrie Martinez painted over 160 murals across the city

By Amanda Rubio Avenue Staff Writer

Up and down the streets of Gainesville, avid restaurant-goers and nightlife aficionados often stand near colorful murals that have taken charge of the city’s eclectic art scene.

From alligators to Tom Petty, the murals strive to represent Gainesville and artistically bring the aspects that define the city to life. There’s just one common factor: the hands behind them.

Gainesville locals and full-time artists Jesus, 46, and Carrie Martinez, 50, are the co-founders of Visionary FAM, a mural production company that has graced the walls of various Gainesville businesses with more than 160 murals.

“We love our community, we love Gainesville,” Carrie said. “We’re not some artists just floating into town and then leaving.”

The business traces its roots back to Visionary CrossFit, a gym, art gallery and event space founded by the couple in 2014. The space provided its patrons with a comfortable and creative space to exercise while admiring the art that was plastered on its walls — including that of the business owners.

Visionary Crossfit closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jesus and Carrie’s reputation had already been established in Gainesville. Full-time mural painting came

naturally.

The couple founded Visionary Fine Art Murals in April of 2015, and they’ve been painting murals for businesses throughout the Gainesville area ever since.

Jesus and Carrie understand the effort that goes into running a business. By attracting people to places via bold murals, they’re dedicated to helping local businesses be successful, Carrie Martinez said.

Visionary FAM has painted murals for many popular locations around Gainesville including restaurants like Mi Apá and Flaco’s and locations crucial to Gainesville nightlife such as Simon’s, Downtown Fats, White Buffalo and Vivid Music Hall.

John Pop, 33, an operating partner at Vivid Music Hall, said he recalls asking other businesses about their respective murals and hearing the same name more than once.

“They’ve just done so much of Gainesville,” Pop said. “[They’ve] become a Gainesville staple.”

Visionary FAM’s most recent project can be found at UF Health Rehabilitation Hospital, where the duo adorned the walls of the hospital’s courtyards with a total of six murals representing Florida’s rich wildlife — including vivid interpretations of turtles, manatees and more.

Long-time Floridians, the couple sought to highlight the abundant nature that defines the state. This project allowed them to tap into the flora and fauna of Florida, the state they

proudly call home, Carrie said.

Michael Hoffer, the hospital’s director of plant operations, described the courtyards as dull and uninviting before Visionary FAM was able to animate the space with their bold and vibrant artwork.

“They provided us with a lot of examples of their work throughout the community. We were just very happy with the way they presented themselves to us,” said Hoffer, 44.

Visionary FAM has captured the attention of the city’s inhabitants — including fellow local artists.

Julie Santana, 36, an artist and the creator of Twoeleven Art, said she came across Visionary FAM’s murals while driving around Gainesville when she first moved to the city.

“The idea that it’s a husband and wife, I think, is super awesome,” Santana said. “It’s very rare that you’ll see a husband and wife, especially in the art world, come together and work together to create a piece.”

The couple’s creative range is remarkably broad, and their artistic flexibility is very admirable, Santana added.

Visionary FAM’s latest venture is a roadside billboard-style mural for a regenerative farm in Newberry. But they won’t stay away from Gainesville long.

“We just go in there and do what we do: create magic,” Carrie said.

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Author and anesthesiologist Dr. Euliano holds her books “Fatal Intent” and “Misfire,” the newest of the Kate Downey medical mystery Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.

DeSantis meddles in university politics — again

Recent memos show attempt at ideological control

It’s hard to not to see UF these days as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political playground.

Unfortunately, his actions have led to sudden, apparent reactions that could lead to serious consequences for the UF community.

Two DeSantis administration memos have placed these concerns front and center as member schools of the state university system seek a path forward.

Most recently, UF told The Alligator it was complying with a mandated state audit of gender-affirming health care — collecting data concerning students receiving “hormones” and “sexreassignment treatment.”

UF also released an audit of critical race theory and diversity initiatives this month, per a December memo that demanded all organizations and classes involving “diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory” be categorized and described by budget to the Executive Office of the Governor Office of Policy and Budget.

A coalition of the presidents of Florida’s 28 public colleges — including Santa Fe College’s Paul Broadie II — also weighed in, writing a letter rejecting an educational framework that “compels belief in critical race theory or related concepts such as intersectionality.”

The college presidents have decided to pander to the governor rather than show the necessary respect due to their faculty, students and staff. DeSantis is attempting to turn higher education in Florida into political theater, prioritizing his own national profile as a culture warrior over the needs of students and Floridians in general.

At UF, the effects of these audits are still unknown, as the university refuses to speculate on what the collected data will be used for and the Florida Board of Governors fails to provide a clear explanation to our reporters.

The Alligator’s Editorial Board is concerned about the lack of explanation behind both requests and how they may affect the livelihood of the community we serve. We believe in transparency and will continue to hold these agencies accountable.

Abstaining from speculation, it still is our job to ask why the information is requested. Though not out of left field from a state that has launched a war on “woke, leftist liberalism,” some worry tangible effects could materialize from the audits.

Even before the two most recent memos, the DeSantis effect has already been apparent throughout his tenure as governor.

Last July, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and the “Stop W.O.K.E.” Act were put in place. These bills represent a far-right DeSantis movement that other red states have begun to emulate. The legislation remains highly contested in the public eye and continues to display significance on a level beyond primary institutions.

Specifically, the implementation of the “Stop W.O.K.E. Act’’ has already shown its impact. With their livelihoods liable to what “indoctrination” means to right-wing politicians, professors in Florida are forced to carry on every day with low morale and fear of retaliation for promoting diversity of thought.

Ironically, it’s those right-wing politicians who most speak in favor of free speech and open discourse at “leftist college campuses,” while trying to shut down any conversations that either upset or confuse them.

Much is uncertain right now in Florida’s public education system, in both secondary and post-secondary schools.

We won’t stop reporting on the issues that matter, but it’s on the UF community to pay attention.

Alan Halaly EDITOR -INCHIEF

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

The threat of DeSantis’ transphobic memo

Icame out as transgender in 2015, at just 11 years old. Then, there was minimal discussion of transgender individuals — especially transgender youth — in the media as compared to today.

When I came out to my friends and family, I was the first transgender child many of them had ever met. Finding those who initially accepted my identity was a challenge, and beginning my transition was even harder.

My parents couldn’t find a therapist in our area who specialized in gender dysphoria or LGBTQ identities, so I saw a therapist with no LGBTQ experience.

When we decided medical treatment was my next step, it took over a year to find a medical provider for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and subsequently begin treatment. My point in all of this: I struggled to find adequate resources for support and treatment early in my transition.

But once I did find these resources, gender-affirming treatment was lifesaving for me.

Without it, I wouldn’t be here today.

Florida universities, such as UF, already provide gender-affirming care to their student populations. These universities also conduct research on transgender health care, which has allowed gender-affirming care to become more accessible.

This greater accessibility has broken down many of the barriers I experienced during the start of my transition. It’s important for universities to have a continued interest in providing and studying genderaffirming care for the transgender populations as a whole.

Universities and their associated health care organizations are saving lives. And when access to gender-affirming care is restricted, the health and lives

of transgender people are put at risk.

A few days ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis requested data on individuals receiving gender-affirming care at Florida’s state universities. Hearing of this wasn’t shocking in the slightest to me — but it is extremely concerning.

Prior to his request, DeSantis enabled the Florida Board of Medicine to restrict genderaffirming care to minors. His infamous “Don’t Say Gay’’ bill requested data on diversity program spending at state universities, which allowed him to block the teaching of AP African American Studies.

DeSantis has also appointed predominantly conservative trustees to the board of New College of Florida. The culmination of these actions has made it abundantly clear DeSantis is attempting to gain control over the lives and narratives of minority groups in Florida, and educational institutions are his battleground.

In DeSantis’ memo, he requests information on how many individuals sought or received gender-affirming treatment at universities. The memo further requests this data be broken down into different treatment types, different ages, whether patients had any behavioral health services and names of other facilities patients visited before or after starting treatment with the universities.

The memo doesn’t request identifying information about the individuals. Regardless, collecting sensitive medical data about a vulnerable group that has been at the center of negative conservative political discourse is undeniably disturbing.

What is especially alarming about the request is the lack of direction for the data’s usage.

The implementation of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill proved that DeSantis’ administration isn’t afraid to take advantage of gray areas in legislation.

It’s also apparent state resources are used by his administration as political capital to further his ideologies — as was seen when DeSantis threatened Disney’s tax district after the company publicly disagreed with the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

It seems a similar situation is at hand here, and I foresee the data compiled will be used to further DeSantis’ mission to restrict gender-affirming care within the state. Similar to the situation with Disney, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the threat of taking away state funding was used to punish universities that don’t abide by his requests.

In a better world, this data would be collected just for the purpose of developing unbiased statistical models that could be used to improve transgender health care.

But it’s ignorant to believe this data is being collected for unbiased use. DeSantis’ history with the transgender population has repeatedly proven his only goal is to silence our communities into fitting his transphobic beliefs and biased narratives.

Universities and their associated health care organizations that provide gender-affirming treatment and care are saving lives.

When access to gender-affirming care is restricted, the lives and mental health of transgender people — including mine — are at stake.

Veronica Nocera ENGAGEMENT MANAGING EDITOR

Aurora Martínez DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Selin Ciltas OPINIONS EDITOR

Audino is a 19-year-old UF data

13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.

Tyler

science freshman.

The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.

Tyler Audino UF Student

Lynne Sladky // Associated Press

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after being sworn in to begin his second term during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

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The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area announces a public meeting to which all interested persons are invited.

DATE & TIME: February 6, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.

PLACE: John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium, County Administration Building, Gainesville, Florida

PURPOSE: Regular Business Meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by visiting our website at www.ncfrpc.org (click Metropolitan Transportation Planning) or may be seen posted at 2009 NW 67th Place, Gainesville, Florida one week prior to the meeting.

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status, religious status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Michael Escalante at 352.955.2200, extension 114, at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting. 1-23-1-20

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HIV ANTIBODY TESTING

Alachua County Health Dept. Call 334-7960 for app’t (optional $20 fee)

Alcoholics Anonymous 24-hour hotline #352-372-8091 www.aagainesville.org No dues or fees

by Fifi Rodriguez

1. MUSIC: Which band sang the theme song to TV's "Friends"?

1. MEASUREMENTS: How many inches are in a mile?

2. ANATOMY: What is the only bone in the human body that isn't attached to another bone nearby?

2. ASTRONOMY: What does the acronym SETI mean to the scientific community?

3. LITERATURE: What is the setting for the "Anne of Green Gables" novel series?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin prefix “sub-” mean in English?

4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms?

4. TELEVISION: Who plays the lead role in the sitcom "Mr. Mayor"?

5. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the Spanish Steps located?

5. LITERATURE: Which 20th-century movie star penned the autobiography “Me: Stories of My Life”?

6. HISTORY: What was the first National Monument proclaimed in the United States?

6. HISTORY: How long did the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, orbit the planet?

7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Luzon located?

7. AD SLOGANS: Which restaurant chain advises customers to "eat fresh"?

8. MOVIES: Which sci-fi movie has the tagline, “Reality is a thing of the past”?

8. SCIENCE: What is the only form of energy that can be seen with the human eye?

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What was the name of the United States’ first nuclear-powered submarine?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: With which animal do humans share 98.8% of their DNA?

10. MOVIES: Which movie features the famous line, "I see dead people"?

answers below

1. In October 2022, Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were charged with multiple felonies in Ohio for allegedly cheating in a tournament of what sport?

1. Tommie Aaron, brother of Hank, hit how many home runs in his seven-season Major League Baseball career?

2. Bill Chadwick, the NHL’s first U.S.-born referee and later a broadcaster for the New York Rangers, went by what nickname?

2. American ballet dancer Jackson Haines (1840-75) is famous for his innovations in what sport?

3. The name for the Albuquerque Isotopes Minor League Baseball club was inspired by a fictional team from what TV comedy series?

3. In March 2012, what New York Yankees relief pitcher suffered an open dislocation of his ankle while at a trampoline jump center?

4. Jim Covert and Ed Sprinkle, two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020, spent their entire playing careers with what NFL franchise?

4. Whose resume includes head football coaching jobs with the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Volunteers, USC Trojans, Florida Atlantic Owls and Ole Miss Rebels?

5. What traditional Japanese martial art is literally translated as “the way of the sword”?

6. Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated what mixed martial arts superstar in a 2017 boxing megafight in Las Vegas?

5. American professional pool player Jeanette Lee is known by what nickname?

7. What Croatia-born basketball player won three NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls from 1996-98 and was the 1996 NBA Sixth Man of the Year?

6. Though he was born in the Soviet Union, former light-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu represented what country during his pro boxing career?

Answers

1. 13. He hit eight of them in his 1962 rookie season.

2. The Big Whistle.

3. The Simpsons.

4. The Chicago Bears.

5. Kendo.

7. What 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion retired from racing in 1988 and went on to a career in broadcasting until his death in 2007?

6. Conor McGregor.

7. Toni Kukoc.

© 2020 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023 www.alligator.org/section/sports

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida finishes road trip with pair of tight matchups

BOTH GAMES WERE DECIDED BY 2 POINTS, INCLUDING THE PROGRAM’S 1,500TH VICTORY

By Brandon Hernandez Sports Writer

The Florida Gators are quickly establishing their national brand as a defensive power. They’ve held opponents to less than 40% from the floor through 10 of their last 12 games.

Florida followed up its win against Missouri Jan. 14 with a two-game road trip. It went into the stretch with a threegame winning streak.

However, wins haven’t come easy for UF.

The Gators (11-8, SEC 4-3) won one of the two games — each being decided by two points. They’re ranked 13th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Florida started the trip in College Station, Texas, against the Texas A&M Aggies Jan. 18. This was the second meeting between the teams.

Graduate student guard Myreon Jones — who made his first start of the season — hit a 3-pointer three and a half minutes through the game after Florida shot 0-7 to start.

The offense spiraled after that.

The first half marked the Gators’ worst shooting performance so far this season. They went 2-26 from the field against TAMU through 20 minutes of play.

UF trailed 23-12 at halftime; it shot 7.7% and made only one of 11 shots from behind the arc.

“We were getting the looks we wanted,” Jones said.

“Missing shots killed us, so in the second half, we had to make a bigger run than we should have.”

Florida flipped the script in the second half and went on a 7-0 run midway through the half to bring the deficit to single digits.

Gators head coach Todd Golden said his message to the team was to be aggressive in the final half and not to be afraid to fail.

“I thought our attitude and our mentality was better that way in the second half,” Golden said. “We still weren’t that efficient, but we scored 40 points in the second half, so obviously, we were a lot better.”

The Gators steadily climbed back, outscoring Texas A&M 37-27 through 19 and a half minutes. A 3-pointer by freshman guard Riley Kugel brought Florida within one point.

Gators sophomore forward Alex Fudge fouled Texas A&M sophomore guard Wade Taylor IV to send him to the free-throw line with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Taylor made both free throws, and the Aggies led by 54-49. UF graduate student forward Colin Castleton got blocked from behind by TAMU junior forward Andersson Garcia under the basket. Garcia threw an outlet pass to wide-open senior guard Tyrece Radford to extend the Aggies’ lead to five.

Florida still had a chance to tie or win the game after TAMU turned the ball over but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity.

Florida inbounded the ball to Jones approximately 30 feet away from the basket. He was double-teamed by the Aggies, forcing him to shoot a heavily contested shot. The

Florida guard Myreon Jones drives toward the basket in the Gators’ 82-75 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.

game ended, and UF lost 54-52.

The Gators shot 26.2% from the floor — its worst field goal percentage in a game all season. Texas A&M shot 35.5% from the field.

Golden said both teams have an identity of defending

MEN'S GOLF WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida men’s golf team holds Dreams Come True event Florida catches break amid SEC struggles

A DREAM FOR NOAH

By Alyssa Britton-Harr Sports Writer

Lymphoma patient Noah Kramer, 6, was in good company Jan. 21 at the Guy Bostick Clubhouse — surrounded by the UF men’s golf team with a colorful array of toys to choose from.

Noah's mother, Gabbie Kramer, said their support meant everything.

"The support that we receive from the community around us is what continues to give us the motivation to drive forward through all the hard times,” Gabbie Kramer said.

The Florida men’s golf team has collaborated with Jacksonvillebased nonprofit Dreams Come True since the Fall 2022 season. The team raised $75,000 during its season to send Noah and 14 other children on a Carnival Cruise.

While the team could only get to know some of the children it raised money for, the players wanted to be part of at least one event.

Noah, with whom the team interacted Jan. 21, was 3 years old

when he was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. He received his first round of chemotherapy during Christmas of 2019; each chemo cycle was 21 days, and he was inpatient for a minimum of five days every time.

Noah is finally cancer-free after several rounds of treatment.

Following a presentation about his journey with cancer, Noah talked with some of the players, ate cake and spent time with them.

Noah was adopted by Jason and Gabbie Kramer in 2019 at 3 years old. Eight months later, one of his teachers noticed a hard lump on Noah’s jaw. He was initially diagnosed with an infected lymph node, experiencing days of high fevers and pain before the swelling began to spread down his neck and under his chin.

He was sent to countless doctors and underwent several blood work trips to the emergency room. The doctors said Noah had atypical mycobacterial disease, causing him to have his lymph nodes removed.

However, just two days after Noah's lymph node removal, he was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma called

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anaplastic large cell lymphoma. His diagnosis came 63 days after the swelling began.

The organization made up for a lot of the time Noah’s parents and their family spent alone, she said. The COVID-19 pandemic struck during Noah’s chemo treatment, so he didn’t have much of a support system.

The men’s golf team donated a portion of the donations to the Kramers Jan. 21. The funds will send Noah and his family, including his four adopted siblings, on a cruise in March.

“Our family just feels incredibly loved, incredibly blessed and so humbled for this opportunity,” Gabbie Kramer said.

It felt special as an athlete to be able to have opportunities like this, Gator senior Fred Biondi said.

"It means a lot to us,” he said. “I know for everyone here, it is the least we can do for them.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org/secition/sports.

@abrittonharr abritton-harr@alligator.org

GATORS EARNED BOUNCE-BACK WIN TO END SEC LOSING STREAK

By Austin Stirling Sports Writer

The Gators are in the midst of their lowest point of the season. Florida dropped four out of its last five games, all against Southeastern Conference opponents.

UF was scheduled to play two games against SEC teams with the opportunity to get back in the win column last week. It took on the Tennessee Lady Volunteers on the road Jan. 19.

Florida got off to a hot start in Knoxville and entered the second quarter with a three-point lead. Aggressive attacks to the basket and high defensive intensity anchored the Gators’ early run. They held the Lady Vols to just 4-23 from the field and 1-8 from 3-point range in the first.

However, Tennessee dominated after the opening quarter. The Lady Vols took the lead early in the second quarter and never looked back. They outscored the Gators 62-41 in the final three quarters.

Senior guard KK Deans and junior center Ra Shaya Kyle spearheaded the scoring for Florida, contributing 13 points each. Kyle also grabbed 10 rebounds to give her a double-double.

The Gators were inefficient on offense; they shot 32.8% from the field. Their inability to make shots throughout the contest hindered Florida’s ability to keep the game close.

Tennessee was the more physical team on the glass. The Lady Vols grabbed 18 offensive rebounds. They scored 20 secondchance points, which allowed them to cruise to a comfortable 18-point victory.

The loss to Tennessee handed Florida its fourth straight defeat, dropping its record to 12-7 overall and 1-5 in the SEC. The outcome of this game was a familiar feeling for the Gators. Early leads and the inability to close became a pattern for Florida during its four-game skid.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/secition/sports.

@austinstirlingg astirling@alligator.org

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Jiselle Lee // Alligator Staff

Florida's elite defense

wards clashed throughout the entire game.

ward was taken out of the game, while the Bulldogs climbed back into the game.

Mississippi State followed seven straight Florida points with a 9-1 run itself.

and being physical, so both squads found it hard to score.

“Buckets are hard to come by,” Golden said. “That leads to these low-scoring, grind-it-out kind of games where you can make two field goals in the first half and still be in the ball game.”

Florida traveled to Starkville, Mississippi, to finish the road trip and face off against the Mississippi State Bulldogs Saturday.

The matchup was headlined by the battle between Castleton and MSU redshirt senior forward Tolu Smith. The two 6-foot-11 for-

The Gators’ ball movement at the top of the key created open shots past the perimeter. UF finished the first half with 10 assists and went 5-12 from three. It averages 12.2 assists per game.

UF held the Bulldogs to 34% shooting and didn’t allow a 3-pointer on five attempts early in the half.

Mississippi State, however, closed in on Florida’s lead. It scored seven unanswered points before halftime to keep the deficit in the single digits; the Gators led 33-24.

Florida executed poorly on offense after Fudge hit his head on the court. The for-

Florida led 61-59 with 43 seconds remaining. MSU forward Cameron Matthews threw the ball out of bounds with a chance to tie the game.

The Gators missed an opportunity to ice the game when Kugel launched an unsuccessful 3-point attempt. They found themselves defending on the last possession of the game to save the game.

The Bulldogs attempted two shots from under the basket with 11 seconds left. Castleton contested both shots, and the Gators won the game 61-59. It marked Florida's first win in Starkville since 2017.

Castleton expected Mississippi State to attack the basket and wanted to be a pres-

ence at the rim, he said.

“I think I hit the ball four times,” Castleton said. “They got the offensive rebound, and I just tried to hit it as hard as I could to get it away until the clock hit zero.”

The victory against Mississippi State marks the Gators’ 1,500th win in program history.

The Gators held the Bulldogs to 39% from the floor. Mississippi State became Florida’s 10th opponent in its last 12 games to shoot less than 40% from the floor.

UF will return home to host the South Carolina Gamecocks at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

bhernandez@alligator.org