Monday Feb. 14, 2022 by The Independent Florida Alligator

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 23 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

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Proposed law could keep UF’s presidential search under wraps

Bill would exempt search from public record laws until 21 days before a decision By Elena Barrera Alligator Staff Writer

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

Evangelist Cindy Lasseter Smock, better known as "Sister Cindy" to her more than 360,000 TikTok followers, speaks to a crowd of over 500 students at Plaza of the Americas on Monday, Feb. 7. Smock is a UF alumna who travels to college campuses across the U.S. to proselytize. Read this story on page 8.

‘Our truth is within our hair’: Falling in love with natural hair in Gainesville UF BLACK HAIR EXPO SHOWCASES BEAUTY OF NATURAL HAIR

By Eileen Calub Alligator Staff Writer

As a child, Christina Demps sat on the floor of her parents’ bedroom, her head tipped back as her mother intricately braided her hair. When they could, they sat together on Sundays and prepared Demps’ hair for the next morning. But as Demps grew older, it became harder to find time. “My mom was going to work

around 7 or 8 in the morning and my dad wasn’t doing my hair, so I relaxed it because it was the convenient thing to do,” Demps said. As a 22-year-old health education and behavior senior, Demps has come to fall in love with her natural hair while at UF, she said. “When I went home for winter break in freshman year, I cut off all the dead hair,” Demps said. “Now I love being able to wear my hair in twists, the wash-andgo, or I can wear my puffs or my slick-back bun. I don’t see myself going back to that relaxed state.” Through collaboration, Black

campus leaders like Demps curated the 2022 Dr. Hilliard-Nunn Black Hair Expo, which gives students the opportunity to learn about and celebrate natural hair Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. in Pugh Hall. As some students share the educational opportunities the Black Hair Expo brings, a master loctician discusses how Gainesville residents with natural hair can benefit from going to trustworthy and experienced stylists. The UF Black Hair Expo is a spin-off of the Black Hair Show. The late Dr. Patricia Hilliard-

SEE NATURAL HAIR, PAGE 4

The search for UF’s next president could be affected by a bill that would prohibit part of the appointment process from being accessible to the public. UF expects to start looking for a new president in March, UF spokesperson Hessy Fernandez wrote in an email. The search has been kept under wraps so far, and SB 520/HB 703 would keep it that way. UF President Kent Fuchs announced his resignation Jan. 5 in a campus-wide email and video message. He will remain in his presidential role for the remainder of the year until a new president is appointed. Meanwhile, Florida’s senators and representatives have filed SB 520 and HB 703, which would delay the release of any information identifying a university’s presidential applicant, including meeting recordings that would disclose such information if obtained through a public records request. “I think [the bill] will be exceptionally positive for the Florida university systems,” said Florida Senator Jeff Brandes (R), sponsor of SB 520. “You are going to get a broader pool of applicants. ; Yyou are going to get better applicants who now can apply without fear their previous employer will know.” Brandes believes the bill will provide more transparency. He said the current process is run largely

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

International markets, sushi, pool dates await couples

Gators road trip to Lexington ends in 21-point failure, pg. 16

Gator Party, Change Party released tickets

Kentucky demolishes in awaypg# game Story description finishGators with comma,

Pick your perfect Valentine’s Day date with The Avenue’s recommendations, pg. 14

Student Government executive candidates for Feb. 22, 23 election, pg. 6

by firms who ask applicants to not apply until they reach the final candidates. Presidential searches at most state universities around the country are not subject to public records law, Brandes said. Florida has one of the broadest public records law in the country, and this bill would allow universities to pull from the best applicants in the nation, he said. There will be a 21-day period after finalists are selected when the faculty senate and the student leadership can meet with the potential candidates and help the board make an informed decision, he said. But even with this period, some representatives find the bill to be an unnecessary lack of transparency. “I don’t see a reason to put this all behind closed doors,” said Florida Rep. Evan Jenne (D). Jenne will be voting against the bill’s new proposal. However, he said he voted in favor of its past variations. The bill has been debated each year for at least five years, he said. The last time there was a presidential appointment, accomplished candidates — some from Ivy League schools — were selected, Jenne said. The search for UF’s next president is occurring alongside the state’s gubernatorial election, which complicates things as politicians continue to step over the line and enter academia to politically influence the way students are

SEE PRESIDENT, PAGE 4

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2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Santa Fe College creates new charter school Today’s Weather

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 23

The $2 million charter school will offer Information Technology and Health Sciences programs By Lily Kino Alligator Staff Writer

Santa Fe College is launching a new STEM-focused charter school at the college’s northwest campus in Fall 2023. With a $2 million grant from the State of Florida, the school will offer high school students training in information technology and health sciences, according to a press release. The college received the grant Feb. 2 as part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ $89 million plan to enhance workforce initiatives across the state. SF will use the grant to renovate an existing facility on its campus so students have an up-to-date technology-enhanced learning space, said SF president Paul Broadie II. The college hasn’t yet released details on where the facility will be or how students will be admitted. The school will open its doors in Fall 2023 for students grade nine through 12. Upon graduation, students will leave with a high school diploma, an associate’s degree and at least two industry credentials at no cost to them or their families. Students can then choose to enter the workforce or continue their education, SF spokesperson Jay Anderson said. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for skilled workers, especially in the health science field, said Henry Mack, Florida Department of Education’s Senior Chancellor of Career and Adult Education.

“We want an economy that is preparing citizens for jobs that can withstand disruption,” he said. He hopes the creation of this specialized charter school will combat the needs of the pandemic and beyond. A charter Career Technical Education School is dedicated to meeting a specific economic need where a traditional public school follows a more rigid course schedule, Mack said. Broadie has received repeated requests from the community to infuse CTE more at the high school level, according to the college’s website. Additional programs at SF’s new charter school seem unwarranted to some because SF already has CTE programs that allow Alachua County high schoolers to take college-level courses, Alachua County Public Schools spokesperson Jackie Johnson said. “Unless the programs are dramatically different from what we already offer in the high school in collaboration with Santa Fe, it sounds like there may be some perhaps unnecessary duplication of programs and services,” Johnson said. “We won’t know that until we get more details about what these programs will look like.” Johnson is worried the new programs may take away from or damage the existing successful programs. While students can take dual enrollment courses in addition

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to their high school diploma, Broadie said, they don’t guarantee the student graduates with an associate’s degree. The new charter school will be based on a new model of public education called the P-TECH model, giving students an associate’s degree, relevant work experience and guidance from mentors, according to the P-TECH website. “This model will be able to greatly expand the number of students interested in Health Sciences and Information Technology who otherwise would not be able to qualify within the existing high school dual enrollment format,” Broadie wrote in an email. Only eight students are currently participating in SF’s CTE dual enrollment program, he wrote. But by the end of Fall 2023, Broadie anticipates there will be many students with one foot in the charter school hallway and the other one stepping into the workforce. @lily_kino lkino@alligator.org

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Bill sponsors claim it will improve search candidates PRESIDENT, from pg. 1

taught, he said. “I think universities and colleges need to be given room to breathe,” Jenne said. “Politicians need to stay out of the way of universities and stop trying to overlay their own belief system on an academic institution.” Almost two weeks after Fuchs announced his resignation, gubernatorial candidate and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried wrote a letter to the Board of Trustees. The letter reiterated the concerns faculty members, students, alumni and the general public all express about the ongoing issue. “Allow me to express in the clearest terms,” Fried wrote. “It is absolutely necessary that the search for the university’s next president be fully ethical, transparent, and nonpartisan, free from all political influence.” UF’s ongoing academic freedom scandal garnered national attention about the state government’s influence on the university’s

administration. In October, the university denied three political science professors the ability to testify in a court case against the state. Because four Board of Trustees members have political ties to Gov. Ron DeSantis and donate to his campaign, the decision raised concerns about how much influence the state has over university decisions. If DeSantis is reelected, Jenne said he believes the governor will continue to try and remake the Board of Trustees in his own image while the Democratic candidates opposing DeSantis would try to give some authority back to institutions. Rep. Geraldine Thompson (D), who has voted against the bill every time it’s surfaced, said she believes politics will certainly leak into the appointment process based on the academic freedom issues occurring at the university. The governor replaces the Board of Trustee members as their terms end, which indirectly applies the governor’s influence

on administrative decisions, like presidential appointments, Thompson said. Two new board members will be appointed when Thomas Kuntz and Daniel O’Keefe end their five-year-long terms in January 2023. The chair of the board, who selects a search committee under the guidance of the Florida Board of Governors, has a particularly crucial role, said David Bloom, UF’s Faculty Senate chair. The committee must include at least three members from the university’s board, a member of the Florida Board of Governors and members of the faculty and student body, according to Florida Board of Governors’ regulations. None of the committee members can be drawn from the current president’s cabinet. As they begin the process, the committee will set up criteria for the next president, Bloom said. “The search for and selection of the University of Florida’s next president hold great significance,” UF spokesperson

Fernandez wrote. “The university is taking its time during the planning of that process to make sure that the search is as thoughtful and successful as possible.” But concerns about the potential political influence and lack of transparency during the upcoming appointment persist despite UF’s assurance. Irene Mulvey, president of the American Association of University Professors, released a statement Jan. 25 expressing her concerns on academic integrity and the pending presidential appointment. The AAUP is speaking out because it seems UF is again in a position to stray away from the mission of higher education to serve the common good, Mulvey wrote. “This is yet another attempt to control the truth,” she wrote. “To enable them to make a decision on a new president without any of the requisite and valuable input from the faculty and staff that the new president will lead.”

Local expert loctician advocates for knowing your hair NATURAL HAIR, from pg. 1 Nunn, an African American studies associate professor who died after battling cancer in 2020, created the show. The last hair show was in 2019, and this year’s revival, hosted by The Gator Chapter of the NAACP, is meant to honor Dr. Hilliard-Nunn’s legacy. Hilliard-Nunn was revered in the Gainesville community for challenging racial injustice — as a historian, an advocate, a poet and a teacher. Through her passion for Black history, Hilliard-Nunn made a lasting impact on the students she taught, many of whom felt a genuine connection with her and were taken aback when she died. Demps, the president of women’s empowerment organization SISTUHS, Inc., said she loved Dr. Hilliard-Nunn’s African American studies class her sophomore year. “Being at a predominantly white institution, it is rare that you come across a Black professor,” Demps said. “I think I’ve only had two or three since I’ve been here all four years, so it was a warm feeling to have a Black professor, especially for a class like African American studies.” The expo will showcase the many forms of Black hair through the theme of “Black and Global” — highlighting the diverse backgrounds that Black hair comes from and the various styles that are worn. Naiyla Durand, a 19-year-old environmental science sophomore and Black Hair Expo director, said she hopes that non-Black students at UF will see how versatile natural hair is. “What I want to accomplish most is for the Black student population at UF to feel comfortable in the many forms that their hair can appear in, learn new hair styles they’ve never tried before and the origin behind some of the hair styles,” Durand said. The process of learning to

love one’s natural hair has been a significant journey for many Black students, including Darlesa Richardson, a 22-year-old advertising senior and the president of LADIES Inc., an organization that provides mentorship to young women in Gainesville. For a large part of her life, Richardson had difficulty finding the right regimen to maintain her natural hair. “It’s hard trying to find a combination of products that are for Black hair,” Richardson said. “Especially with social norms of having straight hair and having ‘workplace hair,’ where you usually have a wig, or you flat iron your hair and there’s a lot of hair damage that comes into that.” During the pandemic, Richardson learned ways to style her hair and hopes hosting the expo at UF will allow attendees to appreciate natural hair in a new way. “It’s important to highlight our history as well as our truth, and a lot of our truth is within our hair,” Richardson said. “There’s a lot of stigma that comes with Black hair, with what’s appropriate and what’s not, so it’s important to highlight this part of Black culture and expose it to the Gainesville community to get a different perspective of what Black history entails.” Outside of the UF community, a Gainesville master loctician, has worked tirelessly to help Black residents feel proud of their natural hair. Denisha “Dee” WilliamsonWalker, the owner of Locs By Dee, specializes in locs, a braided hairstyle also known as dreadlocks. Williamson-Walker’s 18-year-old business uses all-natural shampoos, oils and other products that promote hair health. Working in West Gainesville, Williamson-Walker sees a range of clients, from college students to doctors, working at local hospitals. Most of them have attempted to style their hair at home or have been relying on friends and fam-

ily to keep their hair up. If a hairstylist isn’t trained to service natural hair, there could be a myriad of consequences such as hair breakage, hair loss, clogging one’s scalp and finding one’s hair unmanageable, she said. “You run the risk of not falling in love with your hair if you don’t find the proper way to take care of it,” Williamson-Walker said. Similar to Demps, WilliamsonWalker used to have her hair done every Sunday as a child by her grandmother. She credits her interest in the skill from the generations of women in her family who style natural hair. Williamson-Walker stated most instruc-

tors don’t know how to service natural hair unless they have it themselves. “It’s honestly very hard to walk in any other salon where they don’t look like you to trust that they’ve got the type of schooling or education that they need to handle your hair,” she said. Kimberly Brown, a 31-year-old licensed therapist, started visiting Locs By Dee in 2014. Before having her hair styled at Locs By Dee, Brown had a poor experience at a salon that didn’t specialize in natural hair. “They didn’t use the right products on my locs, so it messed with the texture,” Brown said. “A

@elenabarreraaa ebarrera@alligator.org

lot of that product got stuck in between my locs and it took me a couple of months to get it out.” After eight years of getting her hair styled by WilliamsonWalker, Brown said she no longer experiences product buildup and her hair is thriving. Providing a rewarding natural hair journey like Brown’s is what WilliamsonWalker takes pride in most when it comes to her craft. “The best part is someone not thinking that their hair looks good and then they get up and they’re like ‘Oh my gosh,’ they feel like a whole new person,” WilliamsonWalker said. “Helping people is my number one job.” @eileencalub ecalub@alligator.org

Ashleigh Lucas // Alligator Staff

Denisha Williamson-Walker using shampoo on a client's hair at her Locs by Dee salon located at 4040 W Newberry Road Unit 1300 on Friday, Jan. 28.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Editorial

The Alligator stands with The Battalion UF’s COVID-19 policies have left us in the dark

By Alligator Editorial Board

or 50 years, The Alligator has operated as an independent student newsroom. For 50 years, we have amplified our community’s voices, uncovered injustices and shared the truth. Since 1906, we have printed our paper, and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Print journalism is not dead. It’s alive within the heart of student newsrooms. On Thursday, Feb. 10, The Battalion, Texas A&M’s student newspaper, was told by university administration to shut down their print edition. The 129-year-old student publication has been printing their paper since 1893. Texas A&M President M. Katherine Banks has demanded it ceases. If it doesn’t move exclusively online, The Battalion will be stripped of its resources, including their office space and faculty advisor. The university president and administration hopes to transition The Battalion under a new Department of Journalism. Within this shift, a new rule would be implemented, where everything the newspaper publishes “must be approved in accordance with applicable member rules or procedures.” The Texas A&M administration is not only trying to kill the print edition; they are attempting to kill the independence of student journalism altogether. The university’s administration is trying to destroy the roots of justice, accountability and transparency The Battalion has built for centuries. Texas A&M administration is censoring student journalism. That is unacceptable. An attack on one student-run paper is an atLianna Hubbard EDITOR-INCHIEF

Asta Hemenway ENGAGEMENT MANAGING EDITOR

tack on all of us. Student newsrooms are unique in many ways. We are one of the only organizations to cover the universities we attend. We hold accountable the multi-billion dollar entities that are home to our future politicians, scientists, doctors, lawyers and journalists. The Alligator prides itself on its coverage within multiple facets of our newsroom. Yet, most importantly, we value our independence. Fifty years ago, we had our fight for independence. Our students and our reporters fought in court to break away from the university in 1973 and have since maintained our right to publish without university interference. We wear our independence as a badge of honor. It has also been our shield as we’ve held our university and city accountable. It’s our guide as we’ve shaped our coverage. Student journalists suffer the task of producing quality news and balancing a student’s life. We sacrifice countless hours to keep our communities informed. The Battalion operates as a student organization, not an independent entity like The Alligator. Regardless, it still deserves the fundamental respect and rights a newspaper operates within, and that doesn’t include censorship from other entities. Texas A&M administration is ripping into the heart of students who pour themselves into serving their university community. Texas A&M administration is making a tremendous mistake. To the student journalists at The Battalion, we stand with you. We will fight with you. And most importantly, we will continue to strive to serve our community as truthful storytellers: as will you. Anna Wilder DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

Sara Lindsay OPINIONS EDITOR

By Alligator Editorial Board

F has ditched its responsibility to inform the community about COVID-19. The Alligator is not giving up on its

duty. We’ve been reporting on COVID-19 since the pandemic hit in March 2020. Our reporting uncovered UF’s failures to respond to concerns of students, faculty and the greater community. We uncovered problems with UF’s covid dorms, UF testing and careless protective measures. The Alligator has remained committed to providing updated information on changing UF policies and COVID numbers on campus. However, we took down our COVID-19 dashboard Jan. 27. We lacked the data from UF, and in the interest of transparency, we feel that we owe our readers an explanation. At the start of the semester, UF stopped tracking it’s COVID-19 cases. It combined efforts with the Florida Department of Health. The Alligator was told that requests for up-to-date data should be made through the FDOH starting Jan. 1 and that this data would be available on the county COVID dashboard. Our reporters asked Jeremy Redfern, FDOH press secretary, multiple times for UF COVID-19 numbers. His response? Confusion. “They are reported as cases for Alachua County, which we post on CDC’s website.” FDOH has always tracked COVID-19 numbers by county and it doesn’t have a way to tell whether a positive test belongs to a UF affiliate. So, Redfern was unsure why UF Health sent The Alligator to FDOH. At the same time, UF Health has continued meeting with us weekly. UF Health Shands Hospital CEO Ed Jimenez and other UF Health representatives have met with reporters for transparency, updates on CO-

VID numbers and how it is handling the omicron variant. But this isn’t enough. Information for UF-specific numbers have been impossible to obtain since the end of UF Health Screen, Test & Protect. This isn’t OK. When UF announced in December that it was transferring STP services to FDOH and that the UF COVID dashboard would be discontinued, some faculty expressed concern given the omicron surge. Students, faculty and staff have long relied on UF’s COVID-19 numbers reports to remain aware of campus safety. However, others believe that the continuation of the dashboard was unnecessary. We disagree. Robert Cook, a UF professor in the Epidemiology Department, wrote in an email that the data on the dashboard would most likely be inaccurate. This is due to the increase of at-home tests and the possibility of COVID-19 positive people not reporting their positive tests. In January, when omicron cases were at their highest, he believes the dashboard with specific numbers for campus weren’t needed to prove that cases were high. But as reporters ourselves, we believe in UF’s transparency. But Ken Garcia, UF Health spokesperson, shares Cook’s view. Continuing to report numbers would have resulted in incomplete and misleading numbers, he wrote. “Case numbers, even if they could be accurately measured, are far less important than things such as number of hospitalizations and vaccination status,” Garcia wrote. “This is a logical next phase as this pandemic becomes endemic and we maintain the ability to rapidly scale up mitigation measures if necessary.” Health and Environment Reporter Lucille Lannigan contributed reporting to this editorial. Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/opinions.

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 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.

THE GAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Meet your candidates for Student Government’s Spring elections GATOR PARTY, CHANGE PARTY CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING FOR STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER

By Maia Botek Alligator Staff Writer

Students can vote for 50 Senators, the Student Body president, vice president and treasurer in eight polling locations across campus on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23. Here are the candidates representing the executive tickets for the Gator and Change Parties: Gator Party Candidates President: Lauren Lemasters

Lauren Lemasters went from being among 50 students in her graduating class to possibly overseeing a student body of 57,000. The 21-year-old from Jacksonville is studying criminology, psychology and leadership in her fourth year at UF. This year, Lemasters is Chief of Staff to Student Body President Cooper Brown. “In the Chief of Staff role this past year, I’ve gotten to see everything under the sun having to do with the Executive Branch,” she said. While the Gator Party platform won’t be announced until Monday, Lemasters said she wants every student to have an enjoyable experience at UF.. While she has enjoyed her time at UF so far, she understands it’s not the same for every student. Lemasters is also involved with Florida Blue Key, Young Leaders Conference and her sorority Alpha Delta Pi. Lemasters’ mother, Dawn, described her daughter as a supportive leader who does not do things with the goal of being recognized. When she cares about someone or something, she said, Lauren doesn’t change her mind. “There’s that old adage that nice guys finish last,” Dawn Lemasters said. “Sometimes that’s not true. Sometimes the nicest people are the people who can accomplish big things.” Lauren Lamasters said a mentor of hers often asks “what do you give a damn about?” Her answer: the University of Florida. Vice President: Daniel Badell

As a first-generation student, Daniel Badell found his place at UF through leadership programs and involvement on campus with organizations like the Hispanic Student Association. The 21-year-old political science, international studies and economics junior wants to use his role in SG to empower

and further develop these opportunities for others. “The experience that you get here is so unique,” he said. “Not only rigorous academically, but there’s this huge involvement culture of just giving back.” In SG, Badell serves as Transition Division Chair. During his sophomore year, he was the First Generation Affairs Cabinet Director. Badell enjoys the flexibility SG gives him to pursue his ideas, like establishing the First Generation Leadership Program and First Generation Student dorm, which opened in Fall 2021. “I think a lot of times when we do take risks, we’re scared of the outcome,” Badell said. “Nine times out of 10 it’s welcomed and it’s encouraged and you’re empowered to do so, and our administration will be a reflection of that.” Fifteen years ago, Badell and his family fled his birthplace of Cuba to move to the United States. When he arrived at UF during Summer B, he took part in UF’s PROMISE program, which helps first-year students transition to college. There, he found a community. He also joined HSA’s Mentor Leadership Program during his freshman year where he met Kevin Trejos, 22, a master’s of science in management student. “He’s not someone who’s okay with good enough,” Trejos said, “He’s someone who will break the status quo, who will work harder and seek out any opportunity he can to help out other people.” While Badell has focused many initiatives on first-generation and Hispanic students, his role as Transition Division Chair has given him a birds-eye view of issues on campus and expanded his involvement, he said. He worked on creating a task force for the food justice initiative and advocates for administration to hire a director of advising, which affects students’ mental health, he said. Badell also serves as the Vice President for Gators for Israel. In Fall 2021, he joined Florida Blue Key. On Jan. 26, when Badell was announced as the Gator Party’s VP candidate, he reminded students “si se puede,” which translates in Spanish to “yes, it’s possible!” Treasurer: Sierra Kantamneni

On-campus organizations made UF feel like home for Sierra Kantamneni. The 21-year-old information systems junior is running for treasurer to give a voice to the groups that gave her a sense of belonging. Read the rest online at alligator.org @BotekMaia mbotek@alligator.org

Change Party Candidates President: Gabrielle Adekunle

Gabrielle Adekunle wants to remove barriers to access for resources and prioritize safety and sustainability. A 21-year-old junior studying political science and business administration, she’s also the Change Party’s Minority Leader in the Senate. She is a District D Senator and oversees the party’s eight Senators. As a Black, queer and femme individual, she understands what other people have to go through to feel represented, she said. “I’m one of the two Black people in Senate,” she said. “So I understand what it’s like to be a minority in spaces.” Adekunle ran for a class Senate seat with the party in Spring 2021 but did not win. She served as a Summer Replacement Senator in Summer and won the District D Seat in Fall. In Senate, Adekunle has authored legislation like SSB 2022-1002, a resolution that recognizes a Gainesville initiative for zero waste. Adekunle also authored SSB 20221003, a resolution commemorating Black History Month. She is working to create a Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Adekunle advocates for party platforms like increasing the Later Gator Bus Service and expanding SNAP services. UF and Gainesville’s Regional Transit System have been affected by pandemic-related shortages that have decreased these services. Outside of SG, Adekunle founded Take Action Florida, a social justice organization that recently organized a protest for more blue lights on campus. She formed the organization with her freshman year roommate, Catalina Loaiza, a 21-year-old criminology junior. “When I see her, I just know she’s meant to be a leader,” Loaiza said. “This girl is just completely determined to try to fix these situations for so many different types of people, and I think that’s absolutely impressive.” Vice President: Dayanna Peek

Dayanna Peek wants to focus on creating programs and resources for marginalized students. Peek, a 20-year-old international studies and public relations sophomore who uses she/they pronouns, said they want to focus on direct representation and accessibility. “I don’t want to be just a figure lurking in the shadows that only comes out to large scale events,” she said. “I want students to look around, look on campus, and be like: ‘Oh, that’s my Student Body vice president right there.’” If elected, Peek would work to include

more gender neutral restrooms on campus and improve accessibility for students with disabilities, they said. In Fall 2020, Peek was selected as the director of social justice for UF’s InterResidence Hall Association. They helped found the Lavender Living Learning Community, UF’s first gender-neutral housing option, where they are now a Resident Assistant. Peek also helped lead the Writing on the Wall project where students painted words that had been used to harm or marginalize them on bricks, followed by a ceremony and conversation about racism and discrimination. Ryan Wilder, a 22-year-old UF graduate and Change Party founder, asked Peek to get involved with the party in 2020. “The second you meet Day, you have a friend and someone that will fight for you,” Wilder wrote in an email. Peek was selected as the Change Party’s candidate for the Beaty Tower Senate seat in Fall 2020 and ran for a sophomore Senate seat the following year. They did not win either position. Despite the losses, Peek said the party noticed their campaign efforts and wanted them to hold a position on the executive board. In Spring 2021, Peek served as the party’s deputy social media director alongside the party’s current president Cassidy Campbell. Treasurer: Kenya Warner Kenya Warner became involved with the Change Party during her second semester on campus. Her roommate was on its executive board and told Warner about the party’s platform. One of the Change Party’s platform points has been increasing resources for UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center, something that inspired Warner to slate with the party for a Senate seat. The 20-year-old computer science sophomore is originally from Parkland and attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. When Warner came to UF in 2020, she was frustrated with mental health resources on campus, like monthslong wait lists for an appointment with the CWC. “I felt like as a student, mental health is something that needs to be prioritized, especially coming to a top five university,” Warner said. “That was a big reason of me wanting to get involved in student government.” Read the rest online at alligator.org @BotekMaia mbotek@alligator.org

Maura Schaeffer // Alligator Staff

Daniel Badell, Lauren Lemasters and Sierra Kantamneni (left to right) pose for a photo outside of Library West at the announcement of Gator Party’s executive ticket for Student Government on Wednesday, Jan. 26. Badell is running for vice president, Lemasters for president and Kantamneni for treasurer.

Maura Schaeffer // Alligator Staff

Gabrielle Adekunle (right), Change Party’s presidential nominee, addresses a crowd outside the Reitz Union North Lawn on Tuesday, Feb. 1. Beside her is Kenya Warner (left), treasurer nominee, and Dayanna Peek (middle), vice presidential nominee.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 ALLIGATOR 7

Artist pay homage to their mothers in Black History Month event BLACK PAINTERS, POETS SHARED WORK IN VIRTUAL EVENT FRIDAY EVENING By Allessandra Inzinna Alligator Contributing Writer

Artists from poets to painters took to their screens to share work showcasing Black culture and relationships Friday evening. “A Celebration of Black Love, Art and Poetry” gave Gainesville artists and poets an opportunity to display their work during a virtual celebration Feb. 11. The event, sponsored by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, was hosted by the Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, a Gainesville non-profit focused on art promotion and building a socially responsible community. The Zoom event allowed poets, painters and singers to show off their work through performances. Each performer turned on their cameras and recited or displayed their work. Terri Bailey, the founder of the Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, shared her screen to present other local Black photographers and painters who could not make it to the event. The night also featured an open mic. This is the event’s second year, said Bailey, 55. More than 50 people registered for the Zoom event. “Rarely, in my opinion in Gainesville are Black artists and poets celebrated and showcased in a manner that befits them,” Bailey said. The night featured about 12 poets and artists, including 2020 Alachua County poet Laureate E. Stanley Richardson and local muralist Turbado Marabou. Bailey declined to answer questions about how much the event cost. A sponsorship from the city of Gainesville allowed them to pay artists for participating, Bailey said. Carol Velasques Richardson, member of the Alachua County Arts Council, didn’t respond for comment on how much the city of Gainesville paid in its sponsorship of the event.

To kick off the night, Richardson read a poem titled “Brown South.” Riddled with vivid imagery relating to the color brown, the poem paid homage to his southern roots and family members. “Deep flowing waters, brown eyes close thinking beautiful brown southern thoughts,” Richardson said, reciting his poem at the event. Appreciation for Black mothers and women was a common theme throughout the night. Kiara Laurent, a 23-year-old poet, read two pieces. In the first, she detailed the process of her mother braiding her hair. “I found love through hair braiding,” Laurent recited. “Eight hours, three strands, two hands.” Marabou’s artwork and poem displayed the same admiration. He showcased works from his “Goddess Series.” The canvases displayed watercolor and coloredpencil depictions of the divinity of Black women. “We have seen in the last few years, the rise of women standing up — politically, socially, culturally — and taking a very firm stance in places normally would not expect to see the presence of woman,” Marabou said. “And especially a Black woman.” His poem focused on one woman in particular: his wife, Bailey. The two were high school sweethearts before breaking up. When Marabou knocked on Bailey’s door about 15 to 20 years later, the pair reunited. For one of the last poems of the night, he read a tribute to her.

“The wholeness of you I am soul to soul I only wish to sit under your sacred tree.” Wilermine Previlon, a 19-year-old linguistics sophomore, said the focus on Black love instead of trauma made the night special. “There’s a lot of trauma that comes with being Black,”

Courtesy to The Alligator

Turbado Marabou creates art that represents the divinity of Black women.

she said. “It was nice to just focus on the good aspects that people don’t really talk about.” Previlon, an intern for the Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, monitored the Zoom chat and lined up poets for the open mic. She noted that there’s not many spaces available for small artists to get together and collaborate like they did Friday evening. “There’s a lot of stories about people’s moms, love stories to people’s moms, love stories to their spouses, love stories to themselves,” Previlon said. “It was really cool to see everyone talking about Blackness in a positive light.” @ainzinna ainzinna@alligator.com

8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

“Sister Cindy” returns to UF, draws a crowd of heckling students

Her graphic sermons, social media success drew more than 500 onlookers Monday, Wednesday By Fernando Figueroa Alligator Staff Writer

In a long skirt and a blue Tshirt with the slogan “Ho No Mo,” ‘Sister Cindy’ pranced inside a circle of more than 500 students, blocking the walkways of Plaza of Americas in the afternoon of Feb. 7. “Welcome to the ho no mo’ revolution!” she shouted. Cindy Smock, an evangelical street preacher with more than 360,000 TikTok followers, screamed and sobbed through a loudspeaker, while transgender, queer and Soviet Union flags waved in protest. Students cheered for the viral preacher’s graphic sermon criticizing people for teaching “WAP-ism” and urging students to not get a “master’s in oral sex.” Smock has made a national college campus tour shaming students’ sexuality and sharing Jesus’ name. Her travels brought her back to UF, where she studied journalism until 1979 before dropping out. There she met her street preacher husband and even wrote for The Alligator. Two years later, in 1981, she

returned to Plaza of Americas, on a similar Fall semester Monday, bringing her same anti-sex rhetoric and crowd of jeering students. This week, students stood on Plaza benches for at least two days to peer at Smock publicly break down while degrading female students. Opinions about her time on campus differ. Some believe she is advancing bigotry while others say listening to rhetoric like hers strengthens their beliefs. Students are not attending to listen to what Smock has to say, said Aron Ali-McClory, 19-yearold UF Communist Party president. They’re there for entertainment. “I think the university is under pressure as both an institution and as an institution beholden to the republican state government to protect what they call freedom of speech,” McClory said. “Which includes and encompases preachers harassing people.” Students fought fire with fire, or in this case, satire with satire. Throughout Smock’s sermons, students asked for Smock’s pro-

nouns, whether she’s a “top or a bottom” and if she would peg them. Loud-mouthed sermons are nothing new. Religion professor David G. Hackett sees the connection between Smock’s profitable street preaching and Christianity’s changing landscape in the 1500s. Then the idea that the afterlife is set in stone gave the faithful anxiety. As part of the dawn of capitalism, economic success and salvation went hand and hand, Hackett said. Hackett said that economic success meant a higher likelihood of getting into heaven. Smock’s preaching has also brought her profit, through her online notoriety and merch sales. “They’re willing to shape their message to the media to an alarming extent to gain greater market share … and there’s something corrupt about that,” Hackett said, referencing the Smocks. Hackett recognizes the importance of engaging with people who challenge his worldview. Talking to people with different ideologies is difficult, he said. In

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

A crowd of over 500 watch George Edward “Jed” Smock Jr., Sister Cindy’s husband and famous evangelist, simulate sex at Plaza of the Americas on Monday, Feb. 7.

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

UF students await the arrival of Cindy Lasseter Smock, a UF alumna and an evangelist who is famous on TikTok, at Plaza of the Americas on Monday, Feb. 7. fact, he avoids them. “That would take a lot of listening and a lot of willing to tolerate points of view different from your own,” Hackett said. “I think we need to do that.” At one point, Smock talked about what she pegged as a college student’s typical date. “Don’t you dare take that girl to a Mexican restaurant,” she cautioned the crowd. “If you buy her one margarita, she will spread her legs.” University Police Department officers were not present during Monday’s 4-hour-long demonstration. Demonstrators who are not affiliated with UF and are disrupting campus activity by obstructing traffic or using unpermitted loudspeakers will be asked to leave, according to campus policy. In some cases, they may be arrested. UPD did not receive any calls about disturbances, so there was no reason for police to act, Sergeant Chad Holway wrote in an email. “The entire campus is considered a free speech area protected under the First Amendment,” wrote Holway. “So people are free to stand on whatever sidewalk or outdoor area they want and speak to whomever they want.” Other students like Brianna Kessler, a 20-year-old UF horticultural science major, believe Smock and George Edward “Brother Jed” Smock, her husband, are rightfully exercising their freedom of speech and encouraging students to question their beliefs. Smock’s crowd dwindled

slightly by Wednesday, but the cheers continued. “Just because people are cheering doesn’t mean you have to cheer too,” said Layla Slate, a women’s studies junior. Slate called out “Brother Jed” for mentioning students’ breast size in a discussion about what he believes men typically look for in a relationship. The day before, Cindy Smock called Slate a “blood drinking sl** vampire.” “Obviously what they’re saying is a misinterpretation of a lot of stuff,” she said. “It’s very bio essentialist. And it’s insulting.” Because everything on the internet is based on likes and interactions, shocking rhetoric like Smock’s is easy to engage with as lighthearted, Slate said. To Slate, it’s important to tell campus preachers that their actions are not as helpful as they believe. Throughout the demonstrations, the Smocks took turns. While “Brother Jed” was resting on one of the nearby benches during his break, Slate approached him and told him that their rhetoric is harmful. He downplayed Slate’s criticism and accepted some students’ request to take a selfie. ‘Brother Jed’ said he and Smock realize the crowd of students are making fun of them — they don’t care. “Do you realize a lot of her speaking is satirical?” he said. The pair doesn’t mind the hecklers. It gets people listening, liking their posts and buying their merch. @fernfigue ffigueroa@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 ALLIGATOR 9

Gainesville nightlife steals the show

Maura Schaeffer // Alligator Staff

The Sabor Latino Dance Team strikes a final pose after performing at the UF Caribbean Students Association’s annual fashion and talent show at the Reitz Union on Sunday, Jan. 30.

Ashleigh Lucas // Alligator Staff

Drag performer Aysha Dupree dances at #4playnight at University Club on Friday, Feb. 4. The LGBTQ+ bar hosts drag shows most nights of the week.

Jiselle Lee // Alligator Staff

Lion dancers perform at the UF Vietnamese Student Organization’s Lunar New Year show at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 12. The performers are members of JiaTing, Surge and Pi Delta Psi.

Maura Schaeffer // Alligator Staff

Concert-goers watch Roddy Ricch perform at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Roddy Ricch performs at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Tuesday, Feb. 8. Student Government Productions coordinated the performance to kick off Black History Month.

El Caimán UF funds Blockchain Lab 10 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

LAB EDUCATES STUDENTS, COMMUNITY ON BLOCKCHAIN BENEFITS, SAFETY

By Fernando Figueroa Alligator Staff Writer

UF received $270,000 to provide resources to students who want to learn and develop blockchain technology including cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The grant, received on Jan. 25, will fund the development of two undergraduate courses and four free professional courses on Canvas that will be available to the public, said Marko Suvajdzic, associate director and professor at the Digital Worlds Institute. The Blockchain Lab will be housed within UF’s Digital World Institute at the College of Arts and Sciences. Blockchain is a complex technology, and its applications have not yet been fully defined. Some popular applications of the blockchain include cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin and non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, which are typically digital artworks, like Bored Ape. Suvajdzic applied for the grant through the Algorand Foundation Grant Program. “The blockchain lab by its very mission exists to support blockchain related activities both on campus and in Gainesville in general,” Suvajdzic said. Fifty students are already enrolled in Blockchain Innovations in Digital Arts and Sciences. The class has been steadily increasing in size since its inception three years ago and will also be funded with the grant, Suvajdzic said The Blockchain Innovations course was Ramessa Khan’s favorite class this semester. The 21-year-old UF data science senior from Bangladesh said the lab increased the amount of resources at her disposal and allowed her to expand her network. Khan is developing a virtual reality NFT video game that will be accessible to as many people as possible. In her home country, children cannot engage with these new technologies due to lack of resources and an oppressive government, she said. “I want to give a chance for communities — like the one I’m from — to have access to things like this,” she wrote in a text message. Maurice Hendrix, a 21-year-old UF digital arts and sciences senior, said the course teaches students the history and development of blockchain technology without getting too technical.

He took the class in Spring 2020 and has been interested in the blockchain since. “This moment right now that’s happening with NFTs is something we definitely talked about two years ago,” he said. “So it’s kind of crazy because it’s like, dang, I really wish I would have spent a little bit more time learning the … programmatic side of how to actually develop the stuff for the blockchain.” As a musician, Hendrix is disheartened by the money streaming platforms, like Spotify or Apple Music, take from creators. NFTs act as a more direct link between artists and consumers. “It’s just a way to connect the fans and the artist better.” Hendrix said. “It’s just more trustworthy than the current standards of the music industry.” However, Tao Li, an assistant professor of finance, said because blockchain is a new technology there is a general lack of regulation in comparison to traditional markets. Power consumption is another concern with current technologies that use the blockchain. Bitcoin mining is one of the top consumers of energy annually worldwide, Suvajdzic said. To create Bitcoin, it takes 91 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, which is more than what is used in Finland — the nation of about 5.5 million — according to a New York Times article. Older cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, require an immense amount of processing power to add data into the database because all computers must verify the transaction is legitimate. Algorand, however, uses a newer consensus mechanism known as proof of stake, which requires a smaller number of validators making it more efficient, Li said. The company is the “most efficient and greenest blockchain available,” according to a press release by Algorand. Algorand is a green crypto and has committed itself to be carbon negative, Suvajdzic said. He compared Blockchain’s emergence to the birth of the internet; people need to be educated on the new technology. Hendrix also sees the necessity for education in not only blockchain development, but also in its ethical concerns. “The best thing I could suggest is just educate yourself first on what you’re actually getting into,” Hendrix said. @fernfigue ffigueroa@alligator.org

Minca Davis // Alligator Staff

LUNES, 14 DE FEBRERO DE 2022 www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman

Santa Fe College crea nueva escuela autónoma

Santa Fe College lanzará una nueva escuela autónoma centrada en STEM en el campus noroeste de la universidad en el otoño del 2023

Por Lily Kino Escritora del Caimán

Traducido por Marian Hernandez Escritora del Caimán

Con una subvención de dos millones de dólares del estado de Florida, la escuela ofrecerá a los estudiantes de secundaria capacitación en tecnología informática y ciencias de salud, según un comunicado de prensa. La universidad recibió la subvención el dos de febrero como parte del plan de ochenta y nueve millones de dólares del gobernador Ron DeSantis para mejorar las iniciativas de la fuerza laboral en todo el estado. SF utilizará la subvención para renovar una instalación existente en su campus para que los estudiantes tengan un espacio de aprendizaje mejorado con tecnología actualizada, dijo el presidente de SF, Paul Broadie II. La universidad aún no ha publicado detalles sobre dónde estará la instalación o cómo se admitirá a los estudiantes. La escuela abrirá sus puertas en el otoño de 2023 para estudiantes de noveno a duodécimo grado. Al graduarse, los estudiantes se irán con un diploma de escuela secundaria, un título de asociado y al menos dos credenciales industriales sin costo para ellos ni para sus familias. Luego, los estudiantes pueden optar por ingresar a la fuerza laboral o continuar su educación, dijo el portavoz de SF, Jay Anderson. La pandemia de COVID-19 aumentó la necesidad de trabajadores calificados, especialmente en el campo de las ciencias de la salud, dijo Henry Mack, Canciller Principal de Educación Profesional y para Adultos del Departamento de Educación de Florida. “Queremos una economía que prepare a los ciudadanos para trabajos que puedan soportar esta disrupción”, dijo. Él espera que la creación de esta escuela chárter especializada combata las necesidades creadas por la pandemia y mucho más. Una escuela autónoma de educación técnica profesional está dedicada a satisfacer una necesidad económica específica mientras que una escuela pública tradicional sigue un horario de cursos más rígido, dijo Mack. Broadie ha recibido repetidas

solicitudes por parte de la comunidad para infundir más CTE en el nivel de la escuela secundaria, según el sitio web de la universidad. Los programas adicionales en la nueva escuela autónoma de SF parecen injustificados para algunos porque SF ya tiene programas CTE que permiten que los estudiantes de secundaria del condado de Alachua tomen cursos de nivel universitario, dijo Jackie Johnson, portavoz de las Escuelas Públicas del condado de Alachua. “A menos que los programas sean radicalmente diferentes de lo que ya ofrecemos en la escuela secundaria en colaboración con Santa Fe, quizás haya una duplicación innecesaria de programas y servicios”, dijo Johnson. “No lo sabremos hasta que obtengamos más detalles sobre cómo se llevarán a cabo estos programas”. A Johnson le preocupa que los nuevos programas puedan quitarle mérito a los ya existentes o dañarlos, y estos programas ya son exitosos. Si bien los estudiantes pueden tomar cursos de inscripción doble además de su diploma de escuela secundaria, dijo Broadie, no está garantizado que los estudiantes se gradúen con un título de asociado. La nueva escuela chárter se basará en un nuevo modelo de educación pública llamado el modelo P-TECH, que brinda a los estudiantes un título de asociado, experiencia laboral relevante y orientación de sus mentores, según el sitio web de P-TECH. “Este modelo podrá ampliar en gran medida la cantidad de estudiantes interesados en Ciencias de la Salud y Tecnología Informática que, de otro modo, no podrían calificar dentro del formato de inscripción doble existente en la escuela secundaria”, escribió Broadie en un correo electrónico. Solo ocho estudiantes participan actualmente en el programa de doble inscripción CTE de SF, escribió. Pero para fines del otoño del 2023, Broadie anticipa que habrá muchos estudiantes con un pie en el pasillo de la escuela autónoma y el otro en la fuerza laboral. @lily_kino lkino@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 ALLIGATOR 11

How to Place a Classified Ad: Online: w/ major credit card at www.alligator.org/classifieds

In Person: Cash, Check, MC, Discover, AMEX or Visa @The Alligator Office: 2700 SW 13th St. M-F, 8am - 4pm By E-mail: classified@alligator.org Call 352-373-FIND for information. By Fax: (352) 376-4556 Sorry, no cash by mail. By Mail: P.O. Box 14257 G-ville 32604 Credit cards or checks only.

BUY IT. SELL IT. FIND IT. 373-FIND MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Corrections and Cancellations: Cancellations: Call 373-FIND M-F, 8am - 4pm. No refunds or credits can be given. Alligator errors: Check your ad the FIRST day it runs. Call 373-FIND with any corrections before noon. THE ALLIGATOR IS ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST DAY THE AD RUNS INCORRECTLY. Corrected ads will be extended one day. No refunds or credits can be given after placing the ad. Corrections called in after the first day will not be further compensated. Customer error or changes: Changes must be made BEFORE NOON for the next day’s paper. There will be a $2.00 charge for minor changes.

www.alligator.org/classifieds

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St. Francis House is a homeless shelter located in downtown Gainesville. Our mission is to empower families with children to transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency by providing case management, housing, food, training and educational resources in a secure environment. If interested in volunteering please contact the volunteer coordinator at 352-378- 9079 ext 317 or sfhcoor@stfrancis.cfcoxmail.com St Francis House depends on monetary support from individual donors and community businesses in order to provide meals to the homeless and the hungry. To make a donation by mail, please send checks payable to St. Francis House P.O. Box 12491 Gainesville Fl 32604 or our website at Stfrancishousegnv.org

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2-14-22

4 5

CLUE

1. 5. 6. 7.

ACROSS

Evaluate, take stock of Astound Angry Latest DOWN CLUE 1. Unnerved 2. Grasp, understand 3. Raise 4. Reverse

ANSWER

VUYESR AZEAM RAEIT STEENW ANSWER

NEHAKS EALERZI LEAEETV NVETIR

CLUE: ____ ____ was born in Beirut, Lebanon,

BONUS

How to play

and raised in Toronto, Canada.

Complete the crossword puzzle by looking at the clues and unscrambling the answers. When the puzzle is complete, unscramble the circled letters to solve the BONUS. 2022 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

ANSWERS: 1A-Survey 5A-Amaze 6A-Irate 7A-Newest 1D-Shaken 2D-Realize 3D-Elevate 4D-Invert B-Keanu Reeves

Send comments to TCA - 160 N. Stetson, Chicago, Illinois 60601 or DLHoyt@HoytInteractiveMedia.com

answer on page 13

800-227-2345 if interested.

solution on page 13

Release Date: Monday, February 14, 2022 Release Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Los Puzzle Los Angeles Angeles Times Times Daily Daily Crossword Crossword Puzzle Edited Lewis Editedby byRich RichNorris Norris and and Joyce Joyce Nichols Nichols Lewis

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ANSWER PREVIOUS PUZZLE: PUZZLE: ANSWER TO PREVIOUS

02/07/2022 02/08/22

02/14/22

02/08/22 02/14/22

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NOTICE OF ON-SITE/VIRTUAL HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING

The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area announces a hybrid - on-site and virtual public meeting via communications media technology to which all interested persons are invited.

OPERATION CATNIP

DATE AND TIME: February 28, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. ON-SITE John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium, County Administration Building, Gainesville, Florida VIRTUAL: Audio/Video - Cox Channel 12 and the Alachua County Video on Demand Website [link below] www.alachuacounty.us/video Live Broadcast Public Comment Call-In Call 1-800-876-7516

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NOTE: This newspaper assumes no responsibility for injury or loss arising from contacts made through advertising. We suggest that any reader who responds to advertising use caution and investigate the sincerity of the advertiser before giving out personal information or arranging meetings or investing money.

PURPOSE: Regular Business Meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area 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. Due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area will conduct a hybrid onsite and virtual meeting via communications media technology. Public participation for this meeting on-site for this meeting is accommodated, but is limited due to social distancing requirements. On-site public participants are encouraged to wear a facecovering mask at all times. For on-site public comment, participants will be prompted and should follow the direction of the Chair to participate. The public is encouraged to participate in the virtual public meeting. The public may submit comments to the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area through email (escalante@ncfrpc.org) or by calling into the public comment message line when prompted to call during the meeting. Public comment will be taken by telephone for all nonministerial items on which the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area votes. Once public comment is opened for an item under discussion, please call the public comment telephone number. In addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization will open telephone lines for a public comment session for the public to discuss items not on the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area agenda. Virtual Citizens Comment agenda item calls should be limited to transportation planning issues within the Gainesville Metropolitan Area. Duration of the Citizens Comment agenda item may extend as long as calls are received. For all Call-In Comments, Callers will be put in a queue, and prompted when it is their turn to speak. TO AVOID FEEDBACK, CALLERS TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT MESSAGE LINE MUST TURN DOWN THEIR MEETING SOUND WHEN ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION. Both call-in and on-site participants should state their names and limit comments to three minutes. The public is encouraged to submit any written or photographic documents prior to the meeting to escalante@ncfrpc.org. Any questions regarding participation should be directed to the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area Office at 352.955.2200, extension 114. 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. 2-14-22-1-20

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by Fifi Rodriguez 1. HISTORY: did the first Winter Olympics 1. When MEASUREMENTS: How many take place? inches are in a mile? 2. PSYCHOLOGY: What is the extreme fear represent2. ASTRONOMY: What does the ed by aacronym conditionSETI called ophidiophobia? mean to the scientific community? 3. AD SLOGANS: Which company featured this adver3. LANGUAGE: What does the Lattising campaign in the mid-1980s: in prefix “sub-” mean in English?"Quality never goes out4.ofU.S. style"? PRESIDENTS: Who was the only president to serve two noncon4. LITERATURE: Which 19th-century novel begins with secutive terms? the line,5."Whether I shall Which turn out20th-cento be the hero of LITERATURE: movie star penned autobiogramy owntury life, or whether thatthestation will be held by phy “Me: Stories of My Life”? anybody else, these pages must show"? 6. HISTORY: What was the first National Monument proclaimed in the 5. MOVIES: Where were the park bench scenes from States? "ForrestUnited Gump" filmed? 7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Luzon located? 6. ANATOMY: What is the common name for the orbit 8. MOVIES: Which sci-fi movie has in human anatomy? the tagline, “Reality is a thing of the past”? 7. MEASUREMENTS: What does a hygrometer measure? 9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What 8. U.S. was STATES: In which state wasStates’ the movie the name of the United first "Children nuclear-powered of the Corn" filmed? submarine? 10. GAMES: What are the four rail9. LANGUAGE: What does "fair dinkum" mean in Ausroad properties in Monopoly? tralian English? Answers 1. 63,360 10. SCIENCE: What isinches the common name for nitrous oxide? 2. Search for extraterrestrial intelligence © 2022 King Features Synd., Inc. 3. Below or insufficient 4. Grover Cleveland 5. Katharine Hepburn 6. Devils Tower, 1906 7. The Philippines

answers to the left

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

AVENUE RECOMMENDATIONS

The best Valentine’s Day date spots in Gainesville INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, SUSHI, POOL DATES AWAIT COUPLES

ville’s finest markets, gather your ingredients and prepare to cook one of the best Valentine’s Day meals ever.

The Avenue Staff LLove is in the air — and Gainesville is no exception. This Valentine’s Day, the Avenue staff curated a list of ideal date spots around Gainesville to properly celebrate the holiday. Whether you’re meeting up with a last-minute Tinder match or celebrating an anniversary, each of the Avenue staff’s date night selections will put a smile on your face. Chun Ching Market and Zeezenia’s International Market: A romantic trip around the globe By Makiya Seminera

For Gainesville’s home cooks, an intimate homemade dinner for two is sure to impress your valentine. But the true way to dazzle your date doesn’t come from fancy cooking equipment or Michelin-star plating — it comes from the top-quality ingredients available at some of Gainesville’s best markets. Chun Ching Market, a haven for a variety of Asian goods, is located at 418 NW Eighth Ave. Whether you plan to indulge in a do-it-yourself hot pot or butcher a whole squid for a crispy calamari appetizer, Chun Ching has the ingredients you need to make a memorable meal. By strolling down the market’s extensive tea aisle, you and your date can carefully choose a tea flavor that will pair best with the night’s entrée. Couples can finish off their grocery shopping marathon at Zeezenia’s International Market to find authentic Middle Eastern ingredients to enhance any dish. Stocked with vegetarian ingredients like grape leaves and fava beans, as well as a wide selection of locally raised halal meats, Zeezenia’s, located at 2325 SW 13th St, is an essential food stop. After a day of shopping, growling stomachs can find refuge at Zeezenia Kitchen, a seating area at the back of the market that serves Middle Eastern classics like kefta and hummus. After visiting each of Gaines-

Arashi Yama: Sushi with a modern flair By Eileen Calub

Located in Magnolia Parke, Arashi Yama Sushi & Hibachi Lounge is the optimal place to spend a romantic evening with your Valentine’s Day date. Opened in December, the restaurant’s modern interior and relaxed atmosphere sets the mood immediately for an enjoyable night. Once you take a seat, you can fill your table with platters of colorful and creatively arranged sushi. Salmon, yellowtail and eel introduces a medley of flavors that dance on the tongue. If sushi isn’t your vibe, there are plenty of soup and stir fry options to warm the soul during the chilly February weather. Arashi Yama also offers hibachi. Pair your meal with a lychee mojito — one of the restaurant’s most popular cocktails — to brighten your meal. To finish off the dining experience, choose between one of three scrumptious desserts: coconut pineapple ice cream, mochi ice cream or green tea cheesecake. On Valentine’s Day, the restaurant will also be giving away a limited quantity of Godiva chocolates on a first-come first-serve basis. You won’t regret choosing Arashi Yama, where you and your date can enjoy dishes that are pleasing to the eye and the stomach. Arashi Yama is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day.

friends of. Warm fire pits offer a romantic atmosphere of roasting sweet marshmallows fit for a Valentine’s Day treat. Piesano’s Stone Fired Pizza, a polite Italian restaurant, sits feet away from The Standard. No better way to enjoy a night out at the pool than indulging in a takeout meal of meatball and ricotta pizza pie or an Italian sausage calzone. Oh, and don’t forget the complementary oil-dripping Piesano’s rolls that go with it! For football fans, a high-rise swim at a cozy residential complex with a Monday-night game projected on the built-in megascreen is a must-do with your Valentine’s Day date. If watching the game isn’t your style, you can also admire the glowing landscape of Midtown’s strip from the pool deck that looks below. Arcade Bar: Late night Valentine’s Day fun By Alexis Carson

Drinks and pin ball are the perfect way to spend the night with your special someone. Arcade Bar’s convenient location

situated in the heart of Gainesville’s nightlife delivers just that. Ideal for couples 21 and up, the three-story building has all different types of entertainment to impress your valentine. With classic games such as skeeball, arcade basketball and Pac-Man. Losers have to buy drinks! You can go upstairs to the bar and dance floor, dancing the night away. Cutouts of famous celebrities decorate the walls including Kid Rock, Prince and Carrie Fisher dressed as Princess Leia. As the night progresses, couples can move their conversations to the lounge areas, which look like secluded booths located next to the dance floor and the vintage arcade games. Liquid Ginger, Hear Again Records and The Hyppo: A pleasant stroll through downtown Gainesville By Aurora Jiménez Castro

Sushi makes for a great date, a simple sushi roll being fresh and light enough to leave room for dessert. Downtown Gainesville holds the mecca of sushi in

Gainesville: Liquid Ginger. The local spot is a no-frills classic and casual sushi spot, serving a range of meals from a first-rate miso soup to massive sushi boats. Located in the heart of downtown, Liquid Ginger serves as an ideal spot for an early dinner. Less than a block away is your after-dinner treat: Hear Again Records. Wall-to-wall vinyl, both old and new, fill the storefront. This is the perfect place to browse and get lost in with a date, with endless conversation starters and music for everyone. It's a great place to bond and possibly snag a last-minute gift for your Valentine. Finally, you can end your night with dessert at The Hyppo, a gourmet popsicle store, about two blocks away from Hear Again. The small popsicle bar has flavors ranging from the classics like strawberry to unconventional flavors like Mexican Hot Chocolate. Downtown Gainesville serves as the perfect vessel to grab food, shop and enjoy the cool weather this Valentine’s Day.

The Standard rooftop pool and Piesano’s Stone Fired Pizza: Dinner with a view By Jared Teitel

A night under the stars is nowhere more perfect than upon the rooftop of one of Gainesville’s luxury student apartments, The Standard. The apartment building located at the corner of West University Avenue is home to two rooftop pools and jacuzzis with access provided to residents and

Keep up with the Avenue on Twitter. Tweet us @TheFloridaAve.

Ashleigh Lucas // Alligator Staff

A worker at Zeezenia International Market delivers Mediterranean food to a customer on Friday, Feb. 11.

Who will be women's basketball's next head coach?

SEC coaches advocate for interim Finley. Find this story on pg. 15. Scan to follow the Avenue on Spotify

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022 www.alligator.org/section/sports

PERSPECTIVES

Who will be hoops’ new head coach? SEC coaches think Stricklin’s move is obvious PROMINENT COACHES ARE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING KELLY RAE FINLEY

By Caleb Wiegandt Sports Writer

Competing in the SEC under the duress Florida’s women’s basketball program has been through in the past year should be virtually impossible. Despite the noise, Kelly Rae Finley has the Gators not only winning, but thriving. The interim head coach’s trial season is deep into SEC play, and to the surprise of many, the Gators are blowing past expectations in a league they were expected to place 11th in. Florida’s success over the past two months has the team on the verge of locking up its first NCAA Tournament bid in six years. Finley’s path to guiding the program, at least for the time being, is filled with turmoil and controversy. Former head coach Cameron Newbaeur resigned last summer after a woeful four years leading the Gators. A September report made national news as it unveiled the abusive culture Newbauer created in his time in Gainesville. A five-year UF staffer and former associ-

ate head coach, Finley was named the interim solution to the Gators’ problem. Florida athletic director Scott Strickin chose her to lead the troubled program through the ensuing season. Florida’s 2021-22 campaign wasn’t always smooth sailing. Early on, the Gators lost nonconference games to Towson and George Mason. Then came the sudden departure of Lavender Briggs to Maryland via transfer Jan. 20. However, since the start of the new year, Finley has flipped the script, and her Gators are stacking wins. Finley continues to make a case to retain her job, but she’s not the only one; Even opposing SEC coaches, in victory and defeat, have advocated for Finley’s permanent installation. Louisiana State head coach Kim Mulkey is known for her fiery personality. It’s something she’s built a reputation for long before she arrived in Baton Rouge this season. That fire was on display when Florida defeated Mulkey’s then-No. 11 Tigers 73-72 Jan. 23. A game-high 35 points from LSU guard Khayla Pointer wasn’t enough to combat Gators Jordyn Merritt, Kiki Smith and Zippy Broughton combining for 53. In a Feb. 6 press conference, Mulkey

praised Finley with that fire unprompted, calling for her hiring at UF before another job comes knocking for the 36-year-old coach. “I don’t understand why that girl hadn’t been named the head coach yet,” Mulkey said. “I don’t know her, but I know what I see.” Mulkey’s not alone in that sentiment. After getting eked out in the final seconds by Broughton’s heroics Feb. 6, Georgia head coach Joni Taylor also had strong words about Finley. “I’ve been asked a few times what’s the difference,” Taylor said in a press conference clip. “Kelly Rae Finley is the difference.” The gutsy road win over the Bulldogs was the performance that finally vaulted the Gators into the Associated Press Top-25. If not outwardly praising Finley by name, other coaches have lauded her team’s performance and the way she’s put Florida in a position to climb the SEC standings. Finley’s team blistered national powerhouse Tennessee 84-59 Feb. 3. The victory stands as UF’s largest win over a top-10 opponent in school history. The Gators outrebounded the nation’s best rebounding team, leaving Tennessee head coach Kellie Harper perplexed.

“I knew going in this is honestly, watching them play, one of the best teams in the SEC,” Harper said in a press conference clip. “I think they’re that good, and they’re getting better.” Even after a game where the nation’s top team, South Carolina, snapped Florida’s fivegame SEC win streak, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley commended Finley’s body of work. She hinted at a new era coming, one where the Gators become a contender again with each following season. “It’s just a matter of time,” Staley said. “She’s got ‘em rolling.” In Finley’s year as an interim, she has Florida poised to put not just the SEC on notice, but the whole college basketball landscape. Gator fans can finally circle March on their calendars as meaningful again. However, the decision still lies in Stricklin’s hands. After all the losing and irrelevancy, compounded by a scandal, Florida women’s hoops has suffered in recent years. The Gator faithful now wait to see if Stricklin will keep a rare winner on campus. If it were up to Finley’s peers, the decision would already be made. @CalebWiegandt cwiegandt@alligator.org

GYMNASTICS

No. 4 Florida Gymnastics edges out win over No. 5 LSU

The Gators had the third highest team total in the nation this year By Madeline Lawson Sports Writer

A sold-out crowd inside the Stephen C. O’Connell Center saw double when glancing upon the center-hung jumbotron heading to the final rotation. Florida Gators and Louisiana State Tigers were in a dead heat at 148.350. Seniors Trinity Thomas and Nya Reed knew the pressure was on. They knew the score was tied when the Gators rotated to the floor. Florida brought its best when it was needed most. “I wasn’t worried,” Thomas added. A 49.800 floor rotation score, including a perfect-10 from Reed and a 9.975 from Thomas, was the second-highest team score on the floor in program history. UF defeated LSU 198.150197.852 Friday night in a top-five matchup filled with star power. The Gators’ third consecutive home meet with a SEC rival was a hot ticket and celebrated

Florida Women’s Athletics 50th Anniversary. A packed student section played a large part in selling out the O’Dome but not everyone was there just to support the Gators. Some attendees swooned over TikTok sensation and LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne. The sophomore competed in just one rotation, the uneven bars, but stole the hearts of many UF students in the crowd. Her social media presence of 4.8 million TikTok followers and 1.5 million Instagram followers drew in more than just gymnastics fans. Her talent and charm bring in more male spectators during every Tiger road meet as they try to be noticed by Dunne. Signs in the audience invited Dunne out on a date to Gainesville staple Piesanos and even on an upcoming fraternity formal trip. When the Valentine’s Day aspirations were put to rest, all those in attendance got to see a fiery meet. Florida’s been hot all season and the team seems to have a

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knack for breaking records. The Gators earned the third-highest team total in the nation this year. Freshman Leanne Wong earned her second all-around title after having a tremendous night, starting with a career-high 9.900 on vault. After the second rotation, Florida led the Tigers by only one hundredth of a point before facing the beam. Wong was captivating on the beam and tied her career-high with a 9.925. Senior Leah Clapper closed out the event, sticking her landing and winning the apparatus with a 9.950. The drama hit its peak as the night neared an end. Six performances from each team remained as the meet’s results hung in the balance. “I thought it made it just a little bit more fun, to be honest,” Thomas said. Graduate student Megan Skaggs, who elected to return for a fifth season after being granted extra eligibility due to COVID-19,

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took to the floor first for the Gators and put up a 9.900, setting the tone for her teammates. “I actually told [Skaggs] after floor how grateful this team is to have her here with us for another year,” UF Gymnastics head coach Jenny Rowland said. Wong went on to record another career-high on the night, a 9.975 on floor. Reed posted her second perfect 10 on floor this year after attacking her tumbling passes with tremendous power and height. She told UF assistant coach Adrian Burde it wouldn’t be her last. “I can’t get complacent, I want another one,” Reed said. “I also [told Burde] I want to be a national champion on floor as well.” The Tigers didn’t go down without a fight and kept it close until the very end. Freshman Aleah Finnegan earned a careerhigh 9.900 on floor while freshman KJ Johnson tied her career-high with a 9.950. Florida nearly went off course

early in the evening, after an off-night from freshman Sloane Blakely led to her first three scores being dropped. The Frisco, Texas, native closed out on floor for the Gators, but her run served as a victory lap as the win was already secured. “Sloane is very determined,” Reed said. “She is a fighter.” Blakely had fun on the floor and put on a show that scored her a career-high 9.950. She left on a high note with something to build off of as she looks forward to the next meet. “I believe my athletes when they say ‘I got this,’” Rowland said of Blakely’s confidence before her floor routine. The Gators will hit the road Feb. 18 to take on another elite SEC opponent, No.10 Kentucky. The meet is set to begin at 6 p.m. and will broadcast on SEC Network.

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

@MadsLaws mlawson@alligator.org

16 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2022

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Florida hoops gets trampled by No. 5 Kentucky Gators road trip to Lexington ends in 21-point failure By Jesse Richardson

Ohio State Nov. 24. Florida reeled off a short spurt of high-quality wins, but three consecutive losses to No. 15 Alabama, No. 9 Auburn and No. 12 LSU dampened their hopes for a postseason campaign. Florida head coach Mike White said he felt a lack of consistency from his squad throughout the matchup. “The biggest key to the game for us was starting the game with less urgency and less communication level than needed,” White said. The seventh-year head coach believed his team fell behind in the frontcourt, playing catch-up with the consistent Kentucky offense. Florida (45.1%) outshot Kentucky (46.3) and managed to win the turnover battle. The Wildcats commanded every other statistical category; however, including rebounds, points in the paint and steals. All seemed lost within the first five minutes of action when the Wildcats raced out to a 20-8 advantage. UF senior forward Colin Castleton notched three-consecutive baskets, including two mid-range jumpers, to keep the Gators within reach, but the rest of the squad

Sports Writer

Saturday afternoon was an Oscar Tsheibwe extravaganza. The 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound center made it clear that Lexington, Kentucky is his territory, claiming a game-high 19 boards and dominating the paint to the tune of 27 points. Tsheibwe was the story of the game notching his 19th doubledouble of the season. Florida (16-8, 6-6) was blown out by No. 5 Kentucky (21-4, 102), 72-55. The loss snapped a fourgame win streak and now fall to 1-9 against top-25 ranked opponents in 2022. Friday, the team was placed among the “First Four Out” for the NCAA Tournament according to bracketologist Joe Lunardi. The 21-point loss Saturday places Florida on the outside looking in. They will need a major late-season turnaround to reignite their tournament hopes. The Gators have been on a roller coaster of emotions throughout the season. They downed an atthe-time No. 20 FSU Nov. 14, then guard Tyree Appleby placed a dagger heard around the world against

struggled to score early. Eventually, the Gators would claw back with a 15-2 run, ignited by 3-point buckets from forwards CJ Felder and Anthony Duruji. Mid-range efforts by guards Kowacie Reeves and Brandon McKissic would also fall to cut the overbearing deficit. To Florida’s dismay, the glimmer of hope left just as it arrived. Kentucky found its footing again and returned to running the offense through Tshiebwe. The Wildcat big commanded both the paint and Castleton for all 40 minutes, rebounding misses and cashing in numerous second-chance baskets. Castleton recognized Tshiebwe as one of the best centers in the country and highlighted the importance of second-chance points. “[Rebounds are] everything. Extra possessions, extra time in a game and more opportunity to score the ball,” Castleton said. “[Tshiebwe] does a good job of that. He’s probably the best rebounder I’ve ever played against.” The 22-21 score, with 6:37 remaining in the first half was the closest it got. The conference rivals traded haymakers before heading to the locker room. Kentucky reen-

Sammy Harrison // Alligator Staff

Before heading north to face Kentucky on Saturday, Colin Castleton led UF to victory over UGA Jan. 9 with 13 points and nine rebounds. tered Rupp Arena with newfound energy. Florida forgot to refuel its gas tank. The Wildcats launched a 14-6 run while keeping the pressure down low, making it impossible for Florida rebounders to outreach the everlasting grasp of Tshwiebe. A win over Kentucky became a daydream, but Florida would find small embers of momentum with more 3-pointers from Penn State

transfer Myreon Jones late in the game. Florida continues a two-game road trip with a venture to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and will broadcast to the SEC Network. @JesseRich352 jrichardson@alligator.org

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