Monday, March 25, 2024

Alachua County primary election season reflects low voter turnout, lack of faith among Republicans

DATA SHOWS OVERALL DECLINE IN LOCAL ELECTION PARTICIPATION

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp & Diego Perdomo Alligator Staff Writers

Nearly deserted Alachua County polls defined the 2024 presidential preference primary election March 19, highlighting low voter turnout and persisting racial disparities.

Alachua County Republican presidential preference primary voter turnout displays an overall decline since 2004, falling below the 2024 state average turnout of approximately 21.2%.

As state ballot counts are finalized, the 17 remaining presidential preference primaries will take

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

place nationally spanning the end of March through the beginning of August. The chosen Democratic and Republican candidates will be finalized prior to the November general presidential election.

The state's unofficial returns for the presidential preference primary were finalized March 23, and official returns are slated to be certified April 2 by the Florida Election Canvassing Commission.

President Joe Biden was automatically listed as the state’s Democratic presidential nominee prior to the preference primary election day, leaving only registered Republicans with the choice to weigh in on their party candidates.

Aaron Klein, Alachua County supervisor of elections communications and outreach director, said Florida is a closed primary state,

meaning constituents could only vote for candidates aligning with their registered political affiliation.

“Folks are often surprised when they don’t receive a vote-by-mail ballot because they’re not registered as Republicans for this election,” Klein said.

Multiple voting options were made available to local constituents, including mail-in ballots, early voting and attending the precincts on election day, he said.

According to the Florida Division of Elections, 4,081 Alachua County constituents voted by mail and 2,012 voted early.

Florida presidential preference primaries have historically seen a lower turnout than general presidential elections, according to the

SEE PRIMARIES, PAGE 5

Gen Ed humanities courses must include the ‘Western canon’ under new state law

By Zoey Thomas Alligator Staff Writer

How can a course called Chinese Religions or Haitian Culture and Society incorporate readings from the “Western canon”?

Florida university faculty have until July to figure it out.

A new Florida law requiring all humanities General Education core courses include “selections from the Western canon” will take effect Fall 2024. The requirement was added to Florida statutes in May as part of Senate Bill 266, the same sweeping education reform bill that cut state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

To ensure universities are enforcing new standards, the bill mandates faculty committees review Gen Ed courses and report them to the state for review every four years beginning July 1.

While UF’s diversity program cuts inspired national attention when announced last month, the Western canon requirement has just recently stirred quiet confusion among faculty responsible for its enforcement.

What is the Western canon?

The UF Gen Ed Committee has been tasked with defining the “Western canon” at the university level. At the committee’s March 1 meeting, it released a definition of the canon as “foundational works that shaped the development of Western civilization or played a significant role in shaping Western thought” — including texts, film and visual arts.

The committee is avoiding explicitly defining the “Western canon” due to the complexity of the term and its history, said member and UF assistant instructional professor Angela Bacsik.

“Our current practice is to ask faculty proposing courses to explain to the committee which ‘Western canon’ materials they plan to use in their course,” she wrote in an email to The Alligator, “so that we can help them meet the requirements."

Benjamin Hebblethwaite finds the requirement “madly hilarious” and is confident his Haitian Culture and Society class, which satisfies a Gen Ed requirement for both humanities and social and behavioral sciences, won’t be affected, he said.

“I think there are people on this campus, there are legislators, who view the ‘West’ in a sort of racially limited context,” the UF associate professor said. “But I’m curious, what would you propose [Haiti] to be if it’s not Western?”

One important text in Hebblethwaite’s class is the “Black Code,” a French legal document that governed enslaved people in the colonial world. Hebblethwaite considers the code “one hundred percent Western” despite not showing the West in the positive light he thinks politicians envisioned, he said.

Hebblewaithe has turned in his syllabus to department administration and will soon have to fill out a survey on his course’s contents, he said. Though he thinks he can

Madilyn Gemme // Alligator Staff

on pg. 2.

Today’s Weather

Pilots and local residents descend on Gainesville for annual fly-in

MILITARY JETS, CIVILIAN PLANES OFFER AN INSIDE LOOK INTO THE AVIATION WORLD

By Daniel Bednar Alligator Staff Writer

Dreary weather couldn’t stop legendary vintage warbirds, sleek military jets and unique private airplanes from buzzing the skies over Gainesville during its annual fly-in.

Hundreds of residents flooded the ramp area at Gainesville Regional Airport for the eighth annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day March 23, an event that gives the public a rare glimpse into the world of aviation.

This year’s event focused on promoting women in the aviation community and honoring Commander Lt. Col. Richard “Spad” McSpadden, a renowned aviator who tragically died in an October 2023 plane crash.

McSpadden was the commander and flight leader of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team and served as senior vice president of the Aircraft Owner and Pilots’ Association’s Flight Safety Institute.

“Richard was a good friend of our Gator Fly-In. He was here and supported us and celebrated us,” said Pam Landis, the fly-in event coordinator.

Just one week before the fatal crash, McSpadden emailed Landis, expressing excitement about this year’s event and confirming his hotel booking. On March 23, an aerial salute for fallen aviators, known as a “Flown West” ceremony, honored his legacy.

The event saw children of all ages experience the world of flight for the first time. This year especially focused on inspiring young women to get involved in the aviation world.

“It's always been a very male dominated world and we're just so happy that we're seeing more and more young ladies that are getting involved in this for so many years,” Landis said. “Yes, women are pilots, women are mechanics, women are air traffic controllers. We're happy to celebrate them this year.”

Andrew Pavao, an Alachua resident who works in Gainesville, brought his 4-year-old daughter to the fly-in to expose her to aviation because her grandfather was an Air Force mechanic.

“We wanted to come here and see some of the planes, and get her comfortable with other machinery,” Pavao said. “I think it's a good experience for little kids to see the magnitude of some of the airplanes.”

Among the airplanes on display was a North American P-51 Mustang from the Commemorative Air Force, a rare warbird credited with leading

Have an event planned?

the U.S. to victory in World War II.

“This airplane is the airplane that allowed us to escort the bombers all the way into Germany during World War II and get the air advantage,” said Larry Lumpkin, the airplane’s sponsor and coordinator.

The crew of a P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance airplane from Naval Air Station Jacksonville offered tours of the usually classified cabin, giving the public a look at the Navy’s “submarine hunter.”

Hundreds of people saw the radar screens, computers and sonobuoy stations that allow the Navy to track down foreign submarines. The airplane has also been the focus of media attention for unsafe intercepts by Russian and Chinese fighter jets.

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@Danielbednar5 dbednar@alligator.org

UF graduate students balance parenthood with PhDs

SOME STRUGGLE TO FIND RESOURCES

By Delia Rose Sauer Alligator Staff Writer

Bridget Newell glanced down beside her, her son’s forehead barely appearing at the corner of her computer screen. An action figure was in his hand. She asked him to go play while she answered a few questions. It’s a familiar scene.

Being a parent and a Ph.D. candidate at the same time is synonymous with having a full plate. However, graduate students at UF make it work.

Newell, a 35-year-old UF Ph.D. student in curriculum and instruction, has had to learn how to balance her responsibilities as a mother and a student. She has two sons, 11 and 5 years old.

Newell gets to spend more time at home now that being a graduate student is her full-time job. Her schedule is more catered to what she needs to get done, like having Fridays open to take her sons to the doctor. She said she’s lucky she has a spouse who can carry most of the financial burden.

“I just have more flexibility in how I choose to work and when I choose to work,” she said.

But it’s not always easy. If she focuses more on her research or classes for a few days, she has to order takeout instead of cooking.

NEWSROOM:

Engagement Managing Editor Editor-In-Chief

Digital Managing Editor

Metro Editor Enterprise Editor

University Editor

Opinions Editor

El Caimán Editor

the Avenue Editor

352-376-4458

Claire Grunewald, cgrunewald@alligator.org

Aidan Bush, abush@alligator.org

Jackson Castellano, jcastellano@alligator.org

Valentina Sandoval, vsandoval@alligator.org

Ella Thompson, ethompson@alligator.org

Alissa Gary, agary@alligator.org

Peyton Harris, pharris@alligator.org

Eluney Gonzalez, egonzalez@alligator.org

Jared Teitel, jteitel@alligator.org

During her first semester, many of her classes were in the evenings. She missed dinner time with her sons and husband multiple times a week because she had a class from 4 to 7 p.m. She said having more classes available during the day could be helpful for graduate students with families.

As a mother and a student, she’s learned to compromise. She recognizes choosing higher education is a sacrifice, but she’s glad that her sons get to see more of her, she said.

Michelle Commeret, a 41-year-old UF Ph.D. candidate in curriculum and instruction, also teaches multiple courses during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. She has three daughters: ages 13, 11 and 8. She didn’t know any specific resources for graduate students who have families. She knew family housing could be helpful for a lot of graduate students, but it didn’t make sense for her family.

“There wasn't really a lot of space for parents that have more than like one or two [kids],” Commeret said. “So I didn't even really entertain that for very long.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@_delia_rose_ drosesauer@alligator.org

Assistant Sports Editors

Multimedia Editor

Bennett Solomon, bsolomon@alligator.org

Krisha Sanghavi, ksanghavi@alligator.org

Alyssa Britton-Harr, abrittonharr@alligator.org

Ben Nielsen, bnielsen@alligator.org

Copy Desk Chief Bari Weiner, bweiner@alligator.org

Sports Editor Editorial Board

DISPLAY ADVERTISING

Advertising Office Manager

Sales Representatives

Sales Interns

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Claire Grunewald, Aidan Bush, Jackson Castellano, Peyton Harris

352-376-4482

Cheryl del Rosario, cdelrosario@alligator.org

Sophia Handley, Avery Brennan, Madison Kahn, Cooper Lanigan, Lela Myers, Skyler Prieto, Elyza Navarro

Erin Stone, Jessica Cohen, Indya Benjamin, Molly Maksimovich

352-373-3463

Classified Advertising Manager Ellen Light, elight@alligator.org

BUSINESS

352-376-4446

Comptroller Delia Kradolfer, dkradolfer@alligator.org Bookkeeper Cheryl del Rosario, cdelrosario@alligator.org

Administrative Assistant Ellen Light, elight@alligator.org

ADMINISTRATION

352-376-4446

General Manager Shaun O'Connor, soconnor@alligator.org President Emeritus C.E. Barber, cebarber@alligator.org

SYSTEMS

IT System Engineer Kevin Hart

PRODUCTION

Production Manager

Namari Lock, nlock@alligator.org

Publication Manager Deion McLeod, dmcleod@alligator.org

Got something going on?

to see it on this page? Send an email with “What’s Happening” in the subject line to engagement@alligator.org. To request publication in the next day’s newspaper, please submit entries before 5 p.m. Please model your submissions after the above events and keep them to 150 words or fewer. Improperly formatted “What’s Happening” submissions may not appear in the paper. Press releases will not appear in the paper.

Uplifting womanhood: What Gainesville women are doing to create meaningful connections

WOMEN SHARE INITIATIVES FOR JUGGLING RESPONSIBILITIES, PUSH FOR BALANCE AND RELATIONSHIPS

By Nicole Beltrán Alligator Staff Writer

When Shereka Nicole immersed herself into the obstacles of motherhood, she felt overwhelmed, yet an aspiration still flourished. She wanted to provide other women with the guidance and confidence she had been missing throughout her journey.

“Just knowing that every day, your focus should be yourself because once you put yourself first then you can support everyone else around you,” she said.

The 40-year-old mother started the business Premier Moms in 2018. Since then, she’s helped dozens of mothers build their lives through mentorship, training and community.

Beyond the resources the city offers for female wellbeing, Gainesville women like Nicole have taken an approach of their own, pushing to connect deeper within their circles and strive for individual relationships with other women rather than relying on across-the-board solutions, she said.

After conducting research through focus groups and interviews for a year, Nicole said a pattern she’s seen in many women is their devotion toward serving everyone in their lives besides themselves.

“One of the biggest challenges is getting them to understand that you need to put yourself first,” she said. “They’re used to doing stuff for everyone else.”

Premier Moms touches on multiple areas present in womanhood like finances, cooking, health and relationships. The program is also flexible to focusing on more specific topics based on member’s interest.

The program has worked doing conferences, special events and diaper drives and overall aims to assess the specific needs of mothers and all women.

Nicole’s experience as a cancer and sexual assault survivor has led her to heavily advocate for health and empowerment initiatives, she said. She also believes the help she provides can be expanded through partnerships with similar goals.

“It’s a continual growth process because anytime you’re working with families, you truly need the partnerships and the resources to make a change,” Nicole said.

A member of Premier Moms who’s benefited from the resources is 25-year-old UF psychology junior and single mother Tineka Benjamin.

Benjamin joined the program in 2018. She had been interviewed for an Alligator article and spoke about limited resources for UF student parents, and Nicole reached out to her after reading it.

“It [the program] sort of helped me to have a path and like a sense of direction,” she said.

Benjamin had college credits that carried over from high school and received a full-ride scholarship to UF for Summer 2017.

She was thrilled to start her professional college career, but saw three to four years of schooling turn into seven after being a single mother changed her priorities, she said.

“I was so committed to finishing and then life just sort of turned upside down with all of the responsibilities that came with being a new mom,” she said.

Despite returning home from UF and enrolling online to make time for herself and her son, Benjamin still felt the guidance from Premier Moms from afar through Zoom sessions and social media interaction, she said.

Benjamin’s experience raising her son and

finding relationships within Premier Moms has led her to develop a healthier mindset, she said.

“Even though things don’t necessarily happen in the timeframe that we want it to happen, every step matters,” she said.

Beyond motherhood, women like 45-yearold Venezuelan Sirelys Valera are placing their best foot forward to break down workforce challenges like financial intricacies and language barriers.

Valera is a tax preparer at Liberty Tax Service on Tower Road and Michael Turner CPA. She notices a pattern of financial confusion mixed with a lack of language accessibility among immigrant women.

“A lot of people arrive here and are very lost, so I’ve had the opportunity to guide them through that process,” she said.

Experts work to manage invasive species across Florida

By Kylie Williams Alligator Staff Writer

Invasive species create potential dangers for the economy, human health and the environment

Florida is experiencing a boom in new residents, but it’s not just humans moving to the Sunshine State.

The state is home to roughly 500 non-native species, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida’s subtropical climate, multiple ports of entry and rampant animal trade makes the state a global hotspot for invasives, the FWC reports.

UF researchers are monitoring some of the most high-profile non-natives, especially those that could be harmful to Florida. However, some Floridians find benefits in their new neighbors, and have advocated for certain species to stay.

Silver Springs Monkeys

In the 1930s, a commercial boat captain named Colonel Tooey released about six rhesus macaque monkeys on an island

in Silver Springs. The Colonel’s goal was to draw more tourists to the area, as macaques were considered an exotic oddity. However, macaques are also excellent swimmers — soon after their release, the monkeys swam off the original island and began to breed.

Now, there could be up to 400 macaques in Silver Springs, UF Wildlife Ecology and Conservation professor Steve Johnson estimates. Johnson has closely studied the macaques for almost a decade, in an effort to gauge the species’ potential impact on the environment.

Macaques eat native plant species and could be a threat to native birds, Johnson said. Macaques are also carriers of the Herpes B virus, which can be fatal to humans. Contracting the disease from a macaque is unlikely, Johnson said, but the repercussions would be severe.

“It’s very low risk, but potentially very high consequences,” he added.

In the early 2000s, hundreds of rhesus macaques were removed from Silver Springs and sold to biomedical research facilities. The removal sparked public controversy and was ended in 2012, leaving the species mostly unmanaged.

At Silver Springs State Park, visitors are advised to keep their distance from the monkeys. Public areas in the park are sometimes closed if a macaque is spotted, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Press Secretary Nikki Clifton wrote in an email statement.

“The Florida Park Service posts signs and flyers to educate visitors about wildlife and reminds them to keep a safe distance and not to feed them or try to touch or capture them,” Clifton said.

Captain Rob Manley, who offers boat tours of the Silver River, said he often sees rhesus macaques on his charters. For many tourists, the possibility of seeing the monkeys is the whole reason they come to Silver Springs, Manley said.

Removing the monkeys from Silver Springs would negatively impact Manley’s business, he said. However, his reasons for wanting to protect the macaques goes beyond that. Monkeys have become synonymous with Silver Springs, Manley said, and are a part of the park’s landscape.

“I fell in love with this place, and I don’t want to hurt it,” he added. “The monkeys are part of it. And I don’t want to hurt them either.”

Among W-2, W-4 and W-9 forms, Valera said she makes sure she carefully explains the differences. She also teaches clients the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.

As a notary, Valera has been able to guide people through the process of filling out forms and can also officialize documents, she said.

Valera has transferred her work skills into Latina Women’s League, where she volunteers. The organization has allowed her to help a larger group of residents in need but also let her connect with other women, who have been able to help her.

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

The redbay ambrosia beetle is tiny, at only two millimeters long. Yet the miniscule insect could threaten Florida’s multimillion dollar avocado industry. The beetle was first detected in Florida two decades ago, UF Forest Entomology professor Jiri Hulcr said.

The beetle is a vector for a disease called laurel wilt, which has decimated the population of native redbay trees in Florida. Redbay trees are important for Florida’s environment, Hulcr said, and their loss could create a cascade of damage.

Avocado trees are in the same family as redbays, and are also susceptible to laurel wilt. Once the beetle infects a redbay tree with laurel wilt, native insects can then spread the disease to avocado trees. In Florida, more than 300,000 avocado trees have already been lost to laurel wilt.

One of Hulcr’s main concerns is the possibility that the redbay ambrosia beetle — and laurel wilt disease — could spread to other parts of the world.

The number of avocados grown in Florida is small compared to the amount grown in Mexico, where avocados are often called “green gold.” If the beetle reaches Mexico, Hulcr said, a multibillion dollar industry could be decimated.

“Our interest is to help our friends in these other countries to be educated about this disease and to do surveillance for potential invasions,” Hulcr said. “We really need to work across the border on this.”

At UF’s Tropical Research and Education Center, Entomology and Nematology professor Daniel Carillo works with local avocado farmers nearly every day. Trying to maintain an avocado grove infected with laurel wilt is expensive, Carillo said, and some growers have left the industry to switch to a new crop.

Laurel wilt is the most pressing concern to the industry, Carillo said, but there’s hope growers will be able to adapt to the disease. Experts and farmers have gotten better at detecting laurel wilt early on, and have developed tactics to reduce its spread.

“[Farmers] feel more comfortable in their ability to manage the disease,” Carillo said. “They are certainly committed to avocado production.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org. @kyliewilliams99

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle

Karis Dunnam // Alligator Staff

Melanie Peña // Alligator Staff

New curriculum

WESTERN, from pg. 1

convince administrators Haiti truly is the “heart of the West,” he worries for faculty in Asian studies, he said.

Losing Gen Ed status would decrease registration numbers for already-struggling humanities classes, Hebblewaithe said. Just three students enrolled in his Haitian Culture class this semester.

“We rely on Gen Ed designations to attract students,” he said. “So stripping that would be like canceling class.”

The West as a comparison

Yuan Zhang, a UF Ph.D. student in the Department of Religion, taught Chinese Religions in the Spring. The introductory class on main Chinese religions, including Buddhism and Confucianism, satisfies the humanities Gen Ed requirement.

To Zhang, “West” is an ambiguous term she avoids using because it makes her feel uncomfortable to do so, she said.

“The ‘West’ is a term only valid in comparison with the East, right?” Zhang said. “For example, South America, how they under-

stand ‘East’ or how they understand ‘West’ is probably different from how, let’s say, Indian people understand, or Chinese people.”

Most students know nothing about Buddhism before her class, Zhang said. She references familiar European philosophers like Plato alongside Buddhist philosophies to help students understand concepts they already know — like free will — from different perspectives, she said.

Zhang adjusted her syllabus by adding a few details relevant to SB 266 with the support of her advisor. But she hasn’t thought about how the Western canon requirement may impact the class moving forward because she doesn’t plan to teach it again, she said.

Kenneth Sassaman, a UF anthropology professor who teaches the class Indigenous Values, doesn’t think legislators anticipated classes on Native American or ancient Egyptian cultures predate the Western canon by a millenia, he said.

“To reduce it down, to say, ‘Oh, every class needs to have the Western canon,’ it’s like saying to a doctor, ‘every patient needs to take an aspirin,’” he said.

Reading Western philosophy

isn’t necessary to compare Western worldviews to Indigenous ones, Sassaman said. Students already know the Western way of thinking because they live it every day, he said.

“When we talk about healing in class, I ask the students, ‘If you get a cold, what do you do?’ Most of them that are willing to raise their hand, say, ‘Oh, well, I go to the doctor and I get a prescription,’” he said. “Do you have to read René Descartes to understand that concept? I don’t think so.”

UF’s ongoing emphasis on “classical” education

Though the canon requirement comes from the state, not the university, it mirrors UF’s own Western civilization momentum.

The university founded the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education in 2022 and received $30 million in state appropriations for the center the following year. The center aims to educate students in “core texts and great debates of Western civilization and the Great Books.”

As universities cut liberal arts nationwide, UF’s investment in humanities faculty has created a “bit of buzz” in higher education, said Hamilton Center professor Jeffrey Collins. The political theory specialist is excited to be on the

ground floor of a program reinforcing the value of the textual traditions he loves to teach, he said. Collins is “all for” the Western canon emphasis and trusts UF to enforce the mandate constructively and inclusively, he said. He doesn’t teach “Western Civ” classes as “heritage history” valorizing Europeans, he said. Instead, he makes space for discussing both the achievements and shortcomings of Western texts in his classes.

In his office, Collins keeps several copies of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s syllabus from his time as a Morehouse College social philoso-

phy professor in 1961. The Civil Rights leader taught Aristotle, Hobbes and Locke — the same readings Collins uses in his own classroom.

“Nobody was saying Martin Luther King was an uncritical celebrant of the product of Western civilization,” Collins said. “You obviously need to correct it and move beyond it to some extent … but he didn’t not teach it.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@zoeythomas39 zthomas@alligator.org

Gainesville green burials save thousands of dollars compared to conventional burials Green burials could provide more affordable option as traditional funeral costs rise

By Bailey Diem Alligator Staff Writer

Burial costs have always been high. Green burials may change the narrative.

Nigel Rudolph, a public archaeology coordinator for the Florida Public Archaeology Network, has noticed the trend in the cemeteries he’s worked in.

“We have seen historically that burial costs and expenses involved with burials have been very high and unaffordable,” he said. “We see that expressed in the materials that were used in the headstones themselves.”

Some ethnic groups, like the African American community, have especially struggled with affordability, he said.

“If you look at the socioeconomics of African Americans, particularly in Florida, throughout history, even into modern times, those really nice burials and really nice cemeteries are often way outside of their ability to pay for,” Rudolph said.

Many relied on help from fraternal organizations like the Freemasons or Woodmen of the World to afford headstones beginning in the late 1800s. Others buried their loved ones without a headstone, which they would add after they’d saved up enough money, he said.

The trends are still seen today and many burial practices are for profit, Rudolph said.

“Throughout time and throughout history, burials and mortuary practices have really been a capitalistic thing, right?” Rudolph said. “It’s about making money.”

While they are often known for their environmental benefits, green burials could provide a more affordable option for many as conventional burial costs continue to rise.

To Carlos Gonzalez, executive director of Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, the site

is “definitely a unique environment.”

“It’s a special place to a lot of people,” he said. “People who have loved ones buried there, people who enjoy the space for passive recreation.”

While “green burial” is an umbrella term, Prairie Creek specifically considers its burials “natural,” Gonzalez said. As such, there are several tenants the cemetery follows. People are allowed to use biodegradable materials, but the cemetery does not accept embalmed bodies or use grave vaults or liners, he said.

“We are a completely natural burial entity and so, as a conservation cemetery, that means that we have a conservation easement to protect the space in perpetuity from development,” Gonzalez said.

There were an estimated 443 green burial cemeteries in the United States and Canada as of Dec. 13, 2023, according to data from the Green Burial Council. Of the 333 certified by the GBC at that time, only 11 were considered conservation cemeteries.

With a green burial, people can save money by choosing to have loved ones buried in materials they already own, as opposed to buying them from a funeral home. Some choose to use quilts or shrouds that have been passed through their family, Gonzalez said.

“They don’t have to buy something through a funeral home or through a third party,” he said. “That’s just one way that people can help with costs if that’s something that’s important to them.”

To avoid additional costs, some may choose not to utilize funeral homes at all, instead conducting “home funerals” and caring for their own deceased loved ones prior to their burial or cremation, Gonzalez said.

“You’re doing everything basically free of that expense, and it’s completely legal in the

state of Florida,” he said.

By bypassing costs often deemed necessary for conventional burial practices, green burials can significantly cut the cost, Gonzalez said.

“All they would have to pay for would be the cemetery services and for us, it’s just $2,000,” he said. “With conventional cemeteries and funeral homes, average cost for a plot I think started around $5,000.”

While inflation has risen faster than funeral costs, the prices have continued to rise, according to a 2023 news release from the National Funeral Directors Association. The median cost of a “funeral with casket and burial” has increased 5.8% in the past two years, rising from $7,848 to $8,300. The median cost of a funeral with cremation has risen 8.1% from $5,810 to $6,280.

To Gonzalez, ensuring that green burials remain affordable is extremely important to the cemetery’s mission.

“Affordability definitely is key to making sure that people have access to this option,” he said. “Something that our founders and supporters have always wanted to make sure continues was that this was an option that was within reach for the widest segment of our population.”

The number of burials at Prairie Creek has risen since 2020, Gonzalez said.

“We’re definitely seeing a trend there of people going towards natural burial, whether it be something that is related to costs or to them wanting to limit their impact on the environment,” he said.

The cemetery completed between 70 and 80 full body burials in 2020, Gonzalez said. It saw a steady increase in the following years, with 130 to 140 in 2021, 150 in 2022 and about 160 in 2023, he said.

Darrell Adams, a 60-year-old Gainesville resident, had his father, Dwight Adams, buried at Prairie Creek when he died five years ago at age 85.

Dwight Adams was passionate about the environment and was involved with acquiring the land where Prairie Creek is, Darrell Adams said. Between this and Dwight Adams’ involvement in local environmental organizations, it made sense for him to have a natural burial, he said.

“My dad was really involved with the Sierra Club for years,” he said. “He was the chairman of the local chapter and he actually made plans that that’s where he wanted to be buried.”

While affordability wasn’t a large factor in the decision, Darrell and his father thought the costs of conventional practices were unnecessary, he said.

“With a conventional burial, you have a casket that costs money and you sometimes even have a vault that the casket goes in, and it costs more money,” he said. “You’re just paying for all of this crazy stuff to entomb you. The philosophy of it didn’t appeal to my dad.” @BaileyDiem

Karis Dunnam // Alligator Staff

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Voter turnout

Florida Division of Elections, and the lack of a democratic ballot March 19 lowered local turnout further.

While Alachua County precincts officially closed at 7 p.m. on election day, their operations did not. Klein said doors remained open to anyone who joined the line prior to closing time in accordance with state law, ensuring precincts were accessible to those facing challenges casting their ballots.

He highlighted the high concentration of students in Alachua County, a factor that poses similar voting challenges across areas containing major colleges and universities.

“What tends to happen is a significant population of student voters will come to their election day polling place and realize that their address is not updated,” Klein said.

While the issue of incorrect addresses can be fixed on election day, he said updating voter registration information entails a call to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections office, a process that slows precinct lines and causes an influx of calls, creating a voting barrier for all locals.

“It slows down the process for that voter to be able to enter into the polling place completely and cast their ballot,” he said.

The UF Reitz Union is particularly vulnerable to this type of holdup as a student-populated precinct, he said.

In addition to challenges faced by the Alachua County student voter population, racerelated voting disparities persist into 2024,

according to a public records request from the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections office.

Alachua County white voters maintain an active status at a rate higher than their demographic proportion. While comprising approximately 59% of the population, white voters make up 68% of all active registered voters. Outside of American Indian, no other defined racial or ethnic group is registered at a rate higher than their demographic percentage.

In light of increased lack of faith in both state and national election transparency, Klein encouraged the local community to monitor the presidential preference primary proceedings.

“We are certainly used to scrutiny,” he said. “We’re really comfortable with the public being involved in the process of conducting an election.”

However, candidate rivalries and increased polarization have raised concerns regarding poll worker safety, he said.

“It’s something we’re definitely paying attention to for 2024 because we know things can get a bit heated during presidential election years,” he said.

Following recent election threats in Duval County and the Leon Supervisor of Elections advocating for poll worker safety, poll worker information is now exempt from public records requests under Florida statutes as of 2023.

Voting should be taken seriously regardless of political affiliation, said Lizabeth Doebler, a poll watcher for the Alachua County Republican Party in the recent presidential preference primary.

“There’s so much that can go wrong,”

she said. “It’s important that you can trust your votes are counted, that the people that are there working the polls are doing what they’re supposed to do.”

According to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections, poll workers interact with and assist voters in casting ballots on election day while poll watchers only monitor election proceedings to ensure equitable results on behalf of a candidate or political party.

Doebler, a registered radiologic technologist who also served as a poll watcher in 2020 and 2022, monitored the recent presidential preference primary at the Alachua County

Agriculture and Equestrian Center precinct.

Voter turnout seemed to dip compared to the elections she observed in past years as a poll watcher, she said.

“It was low,” she said. “I think everybody knew the people that were going to be the nominees for the presidential election.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@rylan_digirapp rdigiacomo-rapp@alligator.org @diegoperdomoaq dperdomo@alligator.org

Roller derby team becomes a space for UF graduate students to skate stress away

STUDENTS FIND A COMMUNITY IN A COMPETITIVE SPORT

By Delia Rose Sauer Alligator Staff Writer

Moving on a set of skates is not unusual to the members of the Gainesville Roller Rebels. With helmets and heavy padding on their elbows and knees, they look like a cavalry in armor. Each skater has an infectious passion and, more importantly, a clever nickname.

The Gainesville Roller Rebels is a roller derby team that was established in 2007 and has become a way for community members to not only stay active but also build confidence. The league prides itself on its inclusivity to women, nonbinary and transgender people.

New skaters can enroll in classes and then transition into being part of the derby team, become volunteers or be referees.

Right now, the league is trying to find a permanent practice space. It has practiced in schools, basketball courts and outdoors. Sometimes, members carry heavy tiles to indoor practice spaces to have a smooth surface to skate on.

However, skaters often get their wheels caught on the tape used to hold the tiles down. League members want a bigger space so they can continue working on building a larger community of skaters in Gainesville.

In a sport often viewed as aggressive and overly competitive, the Roller Rebels are all about community.

Pauline “Sic O. Spellcheck”

Cline is a 30-year-old member of GRR’s board of directors. She fell in love with roller derby after watching the 2009 film “Whip It” starring Elliot Page. After moving to Gainesville in 2019, she decided to search for a roller derby team. She participated in GRR’s new skater class, a 10-week program that teaches rookie skaters how to move on wheels and the basics of roller derby. She was hooked immediately, she said. She went from being an inexperienced new skater to having a leadership position in the league.

“When I joined in 2019, I really was a totally different person,” Cline said. “I’m so much more confident in myself and my own voice.”

GRR provides a “very specific space where women and queer individuals and non-binary individu-

als can be themselves and find their confidence in sports,” she said.

GRR is continuing to grow.

Cline said the pandemic led to the team losing a lot of players. Because Gainesville is a “transitional place,” meaning members come and go to university, the team’s size fluctuates often. Last year, it had almost 30 new members join.

Emily Vu, nicknamed “Satan’s Little Hellper,” signed up for the new skater class in Fall 2023 and joined the derby team as a rookie in January 2024.

Because of GRR, the 25-year-old UF Ph.D. student in the genetics and genomics program said she’s not afraid to fail. Derby practices often consist of falling, tripping and getting knocked down. It’s a lesson she’s taken with her when she’s not wearing padding or a helmet, she said.

“Whatever experiment or anything that you are afraid of failing at, you can just get back up and do it again,” she said.

Julieth Gómez, a 32-year-old UF biomedical engineering Ph.D. student, goes by the derby name “Neurotoxica.” She joined the new skater class in Spring 2023 when signup was free for graduate students. Originally from Colombia, she said she was grateful for the community she found on the team.

Her research can get stressful, so she often looks forward to practicing. “I don’t even look forward to anything else at this point,” she said.

She found the team’s positive attitude encouraging, especially when she was learning about how the sport works.

“They never make you feel like a disappointment,” she said. “They’re going to celebrate every tiny victory that you have in the team.”

“Tyrannosaurus Wrecks” or “TWrecks,” also used GRR as a way to stay active and meet new people after moving to Gainesville in August last year. Their real name is Hannah Munro, and they’re a 29-year-old UF veterinary student. They’ve enjoyed the judgment-free zone, especially while they work their way up the ranks of the team.

Munro said it gives students like them a space to work on something other than research and classes.

“We’re all suffering through this together,” they said. “It’s fun to not think about school.”

While they love skating, it’s not always easy to balance a busy week with finals and going to prac-

tice. Nonetheless, they make it a habit to go to practice when they can.

“You’re working your body and not your brain,” they said.

Even with the bruises on their tailbone after the number of tumbles they can take during practice, Munro wants new members to see that the sport that can appear intimidating is a lot of fun.

Lauren Goboff, a 27-year-old UF occupational therapy Ph.D. student, goes by “Daisy Me’Rolling” when she’s in a helmet and a pair of skates. She had been interested in roller derby since high school. While looking for something to do outside of her grad program, she stumbled upon GRR’s new skater classes.

She got involved and enjoyed the company so much that she now has a derby wife, or a person you’re closest with on the team. The relationship may be platonic, but the commitment feels as if they’re truly together ‘til death do them part.

She and her derby wife are both graduate students. She and other graduate students on the team have to balance essays, papers and exams with their derby practices.

“At the end of the day, real life still exists outside of the rink,” she said.

In her eyes, she’s simply applying what she’s learning in her classes.

It’s not just about people who “strap wheels on your feet and run into each other,” Goboff said. “It’s really become an important part of all of our lives.”

Ashley C. Hicks // Alligator Staff Sign displayed at Madison Street Baptist Church in Starke, Fla. during presidential primary elections on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Courtesy to The Alligator

‘It’s a sitcom until it’s not’: ‘White’ approaches debut at Hippodrome

THE PROGRESSIVE, COMEDIC PLAY EXPLORES SERIOUS TOPICS, OPENS MARCH 29

By Bonny Matejowsky Avenue Staff Writer

Some say art imitates life. For other’s it’s vice versa. But “White,” the Hippodrome’s latest production, looks at it both ways.

The 2018 play hits the mainstage at 8 p.m. March 29 and runs until April 14.

Written by Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames, the production combines a contemporary retelling of Frankenstein with a real-life controversy that took place in the Whitney Museum of American Art.

In 2014, a performance art piece by Joe Scanlan, a white male artist, was featured in the Whitney’s Spring Biennial. The work was not a painting or a sculpture, but rather, a Black female character named Donelle Woolford. Scanlan created this character with the idea his artwork would be more interesting if someone of a different cultural background took credit.

During a Biennial that featured only eight African American artists out of 103 artists and collectives, Scanlan was widely criticized for his characterization of Woolford and the power imbalances in play.

The Yams Collective, a group of African American artists involved in the Biennial, referred to Scanlan’s piece in the context of an art exhibition as “a troubling model of the black body,” and ended up withdrawing from the exhibit.

“I was struck by the audacity,” Ijames said

FOOD

in an interview with Alison Scaramella Baker. “I understand to a point the desire to be provocative and push boundaries. I get that part of the impulse, but I was just so curious about how it would happen.”

Intrigued by Scanlan’s thought process and Woolford’s characterization, he drew from his theatrical background to create a show unafraid of addressing and unpacking the systemic inequalities present in the art world.

Chasity Hart is a 32-year-old singer, writer

and actress from Fort Lauderdale who plays three characters in the show.

The protagonist, Vanessa, is hired by a white artist to create an artistic persona and take credit for his work. She and the artist construct the character Balkonaé Townsend, a bold political artist who Hart describes as an “urban queen” and “fabulousness defined.”

“[Vanessa] is on a journey to find herself and understand her Blackness and embrace it without the views of society,” Hart said.

Of all the productions she’s been in, the

vulnerability expressed in this show is unique, Hart said.

“You’re literally watching somebody go through the journey of figuring out who they are,” she said. “It’s almost like a therapy session in your face, but not the traditional form of therapy.”

Though the material is challenging, Hart said, the play tackles it with satire and surrealist humor.

In the script notes, Ijames added, “This play should feel like a sitcom until it’s not.”

“I hope [‘White’] sparks conversation or makes [the audience] take a look at themselves,” Hart said. “Hopefully it makes them a little bit more conscious of how they engage with people who are different from them.”

Nick Bublitz, a 32-year-old associate artistic director at Orlando Shakes, plays the white artist, Gus.

“What sets this [show] apart is the way that we’ve approached the work,” Bublitz said. “It’s been very thoughtful and intentional.”

The director of the Hippodrome production of “White”, Ryan Hope Travis, is a 38-year-old filmmaker, actor, theater-maker and writer with extensive experience working in productions.

However, Travis said he’s never directed a play so unapologetic in its presentation of race, appropriation, class and gender identity.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/the_avenue.

@bonnymatejowsky bmatejowsky@alligator.org

Gainesville celebrates Taste The World International Food Festival

THE FESTIVAL OFFERED HOME-COOKED MEALS FROM CHEFS AROUND THE WORLD MARCH 23

By Alexandra Burns Avenue Staff Writer

Nestled beneath a canopy of trees and twinkling lights, Gainesville residents came together to indulge in a comforting taste of home from cultures around the world.

More than 150 Gainesville residents and food enthusiasts gathered at First Magnitude Brewery Company March 23 to celebrate Taste The World International Food Festival. Greater Gainesville International Center organized the event with the help of the Sister City program of Gainesville, working to bring together a silent auction and 10 home chefs to share cultural dishes from

across the globe. All proceeds from the night went directly to promoting the GGIC mission.

Lauren Poe, GGIC executive director and former Gainesville mayor, said the event was aimed to bring the city together and raise money to allow GGIC to continue its goal of elevating and empowering the international community.

“Part of our mission is to celebrate all of the different cultures that make up Gainesville,” Poe said. “Food is something that brings people together and allows people to sit down and break bread with folks that don’t already know and maybe learn something new and different about our neighbors.”

To kick off the festival, home chefs donated their time in the brewery’s courtyard to set up a buffet-like line of tables with pots and pans containing dishes from home. Each table showcased items from the chef’s cul-

ture, including flags and items like Russian mother dolls.

Tickets were $50 for adults and $25 for students.

As part of Poe’s partnership with Zero Waste Gainesville, a city initiative supporting environmentally sustainable practices, attendants were encouraged to bring their own plates and utensils to contribute to a cleaner environment. Those who brought their own dishware were able to choose from a collection of international keychains Poe collected while traveling.

“We’re working … to make this a zero waste event,” Poe said. “The best way to do that is bring your own and take it back with you and wash it so there’s no waste to the landfill or even recycling.”

As people walked through the line of tables, they were encouraged to try a range of desserts, breads, sauces, salads, meats and rice dishes from

countries like Russia and Brazil.

Steven Kalishman, the executive director of the Sister City program of Gainesville, joined the festival as a home chef and brought a Russian meat pie, a famous Russian dish featuring ground beef, mushrooms and onions inside a puff pastry.

Kalishman said he felt the event was important to the national community and promoted the mission of Sister Cities Gainesville, which works to create international partnerships with local governments and communities in Palestine, Kfar Saba and Brazil.

“We’re connecting all of the neighbors in Gainesville with our international community and also promoting Gainesville to the world as a global city,” Kalishman said. “We actually are an international city where 15% of our population was not born in the U.S., and that doesn’t even include the 10,000 stu-

dents, faculty [and more].”

Other home chefs at the event brought dishes such as Italian pizzelle cookies; American cornbread; the traditional Kuwait rice dish, machboos; and the Brazilian black bean and meat dish, feijoada.

Laila Sakhoury, a UF family youth and community science graduate and GGIC board member, attended the festival with her friends and brought the traditional Palestinian dish mujadara, which contains lentils, fried onions and rice.

“I wanted to support and represent Palestine,” Sakhoury said while sporting a Sonic Liberation Front t-shirt, representing the Palestinian radio company.

Read the rest online at alligator. org/section/the_avenue.

@alexaburnsuf aburns@alligator.org

Courtesy to The Alligator

Nick Bublitz portrays Gus and Chasity Hart portrays Vanessa in a performance of “White.”

El Caimán

www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman

Programa de educación de Alachua y múltiples condados para migrantes proporciona recursos de educación, salud para trabajadores migrantes

EL CONSORCIO DE 13 CONDADOS HA AYUDADO FAMILIAS MIGRATORIAS

DEL NORTE-CENTRO DE FLORIDA DESDE 1965

Por Eluney Gonzalez Esritora de El Caimán

Ya que la temporada de sandías está en pleno auge y la temporada de arándanos no muy lejos, los trabajadores migrantes comienzan sus rutas de trabajo estacional recorriendo los condados del nortecentro de Florida. Sin embargo, no vienen solos: sus familias, que dependen del ingreso que proporcionan estos trabajos, acompañan a los trabajadores mientras migran.

Según Victoria Gómez de la Torre, supervisora del programa educativo para migrantes de Alachua y múltiples condados [Alachua Multiple-County Migrant Education Program], la migración constante puede tener efectos perjudiciales en el logro educativo de los niños que siguen a sus familias de condado en condado y de estado en estado.

Gómez de la Torre dijo que este programa tiene como objetivo

satisfacer las necesidades de los niños en educación como en áreas que pueden obstaculizar su desarrollo si se manejan incorrectamente, como la nutrición y la salud.

“No puedes enseñar o educar a un niño que no tiene comida en

casa, que está enfermo, que tiene problemas”, dijo Gómez de la Torre. “Intentamos proporcionar referencias a servicios médicos, referencias a servicios sociales y luego, obviamente, nos enfocamos en las necesidades académicas”.

Desde que el gobierno federal creó el MEP a nivel nacional en 1966, el programa ha evolucionado en el norte-centro de Florida como un consorcio de 13 condados, que incluyen: Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Marion, St. Johns y Union. Una colección similar de condados también sirve a la región del Panhandle de Florida, pero el consorcio de Alachua y múltiples condados es el más grande del estado.

El programa identifica posibles familias migrantes durante la inscripción escolar. Si una familia indica una ocupación relacionada con la agricultura, la pesca, la ganadería o el procesamiento de alimentos, entonces esas familias son referidas a Gómez de la Torre, quien realiza entrevistas y cuestionarios para determinar si califican como parte de la población a la que sirven.

“Nuestro programa es el que determina si una persona califica para un programa o no”, dijo Gómez de la Torre. “No depende de la escuela decidir, ‘Oh, él viene de México o de Venezuela, así que es un migrante’. Puede ser un inmigrante, pero para calificar para el programa, hay criterios específicos en cuanto a lo que hacen”.

Según el sitio web del MEP de

Alachua, un niño migrante se define como “uno que tiene menos de 22 años y no tiene un diploma de escuela secundaria, que se mudó, ya sea por su cuenta o con un padre, guardián o cónyuge a través de fronteras del distrito/estado en los últimos 36 meses con el fin de obtener/buscar empleo temporal o estacional en actividades de agrícolas, pesqueras o de procesamiento de alimentos”.

Gómez de la Torre dijo que uno de los desafíos para los inmigrantes latinoamericanos era el papel de los padres en la educación, especialmente los trabajadores inmigrantes que culturalmente tienen una idea diferente de cómo funciona la escolarización.

“En Latinoamérica, la escolarización es responsabilidad de la escuela”, dijo Gómez de la Torre. “Entonces, el trabajo de la familia es poner comida en la mesa y techo sobre sus cabezas y el trabajo del maestro es educar a los niños … Tratamos de hacerles entender que aquí es más o menos 50/50, tienen que estar muy involucrados en su educación”.

Lea el resto en línea en alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

@Eluney_G egonzalez@alligator.org

Alachua Multi-County Migrant Education program provides education, health resources for migrant workers

THE 13-COUNTY CONSORTIUM HAS ASSISTED MIGRANT FAMILIES IN NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA SINCE 1965

By Eluney Gonzalez Alligator Staff Writer

With Florida’s watermelon growing season in full swing and blueberry season not far behind, migrant workers begin their routes of seasonal work throughout the counties of north central Florida. They do not come alone, however — their families that depend on the income these jobs provide accompany the workers as they migrate.

For the children that follow their families from county to county and state to state, constant migration can have detrimental effects on their educational attainment, according to Victoria Gomez de la Torre, the 63-year-old program supervisor for the Alachua Multi-

County Migrant Education Program.

Gomez de la Torre said this program aims to meet the needs of the kids both in education and areas that may impede their development if mishandled, such as nutrition and health.

“You can't tutor or educate a child who does not have food in the house, who is sick, who has issues,” Gomez de la Torre said. “We try to provide referrals to medical services, referrals to social services and then obviously focus on the academic needs.”

Since the federal government created the MEP nationwide in 1966, the program has evolved in north central Florida as a consortium of 13 counties, including: Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Marion, St. Johns and Union. A similar collection of counties also serves the Florida panhandle, though the Alachua MultiCounty consortium is the largest in the state.

The program identifies potential migrant families during school registration. If a family writes down an occupation as related to

Mantente al día con El Caimán en Twitter. Envíanos un tweet @ElCaimanGNV.

Women’s tennis

agriculture, fishing, dairy or food processing, then those families get referred to Gomez de la Torre, who conducts interviews and questionnaires to see if they qualify as the population they serve.

“Our program is the one that determines if a person qualifies for a program or not,” Gomez de la Torre said. “It’s not up to the school to decide, ‘Oh, he came from Mexico or Venezuela, so he's a migrant.’ He might be an immigrant, but to qualify for the program there's a specific criteria as to what they do.”

According to the Alachua MEP website, a migratory child is defined as one who is “under the age of 22 without a high school diploma, who moved, either on his/her own or with a parent, guardian or spouse across district/state lines in the last 36 months for the purpose of obtaining/seeking temporary or seasonal employment in agriculture, fishing or food processing activities.”

Gomez de la Torre said one of the challenges for Latin American immigrants was

Florida freshmen spark on-court success and off-court friendship. Read more on pg. 11.

the role of the parents in education, especially for immigrant workers who culturally have a different idea of how schooling works.

“In Latin America, schooling is the responsibility of the school,” Gomez de la Torre said. “So the family's job is to put food on the table and a roof over their heads and the teacher's job is to educate the kids … We try to make them understand that here it’s about 50/50, you have to be super involved in their education.”

While many migrant agricultural workers tend to be Hispanic immigrants, Laura Ritonia, the program’s 62-year-old academic coordinator for middle and high schoolers, said the MEP is not the same as the English Second Language program and maintained that many MEP beneficiaries are not immigrants at all.

Read the rest online at alligator.org.

@Eluney_G egonzalez@alligator.org

Síganos para actualizaciones

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caimán, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff

Migrant Education Program building pictured on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

Your vote DOES matter: The importance of voting in local elections

Walking through Turlington Plaza, in between the chaos of students scrambling to arrive to class on time, you will undoubtedly be asked to sign a petition, join a political movement, or maybe even register to vote. To the average student, the nuisance of being approached despite wearing headphones outweighs the merit of exercising one’s civil duties, as there is a growing sense of voter apathy amongst younger generations.

As a political science enthusiast, I often find myself nagging my less politically adept friends to update their voter registration and quizzing them on their governmental knowledge and more often than not I get the same response: “Why should I care? My vote doesn’t matter.”

This is false.

Your vote does matter, especially in local elections. Local elections encompass all the elected officials directly within our community — from county commissioners to the sheriff. The people elected in local elections have a direct hand in dictating the operations of everyday life in Alachua County.

March 19 was not a local election but the presidential preference primary for Florida. In Alachua County there are 154,287 active voters, including 44,315 registered Republicans; however, only 8,502 of these Republicans voted. Specifically, in precinct 31, which encompasses most on-campus residents, only 14 people voted. Turnout numbers are decreasing; in the 2020 presidential preference primary for Alachua County, turnout was 26.62%, while turnout March 19 was only 19.20%.

Local elections are much more important than most people think, possibly even more so than federal elections, because local officials are linked to your community personally. It is also easier for local positions to be held accountable due to them being directly within your area. Specifically students have the unique opportunity of being youth voters, a continuously underrepresented group. The 18-29 age group consistently has the lowest turnout rate, across the board. That means student voices aren’t being heard in elections. Meanwhile older age groups vote in more significant numbers.

There is a common misconception that

due to “so many” people voting, a singular vote cannot change the course of an election, this too is false. Specifically in local races, like the Nov. 16, 2021 special election with no higher order races, turnout was only 13.08%. That specific race was for a City Commissioner seat at-large with five candidates. Cynthia Moore Chestnut won with 5,406 ballots cast in her name; however, there was only 563 votes between her and the second slated candidate, Matt Howland. Commissioner Chestnut continues to serve the Gainesville community as a commissioner and was recently voted last December to become the mayor pro-tem.

But what even is the City Commission?

In Gainesville, the City Commission includes seven members: the mayor, two commissioners elected at-large and four elected by district. The City Commission handles legislative duties within the community and creates committees focused on specific issues. For instance, within the county administration, an advisory committee is centered on obtaining affordable housing options within our community. From establishing safe crosswalks and

managing funding for the RTS Bus System, to grants toward arts and beautification projects, our local elected officials make crucial decisions on things impacting you directly.

Your vote is your opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard. It is your way to make a direct difference in your community by helping you choose leadership that aligns with your values. The next election including local officials will be the Primary Election Aug. 24, 2024.

The deadline to change your registration is July 22, 2024 with early voting occuring Aug. 5 to Aug. 17, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. A full list of early voting locations can be found closer to the election at: https://www.votealachua.com/Elections/ Upcoming-Elections.

Morgan Vanderlaan is a UF political science and English freshman.

My love letter to involvement culture at UF

Upon stepping foot on campus at UF my freshman year it became clear how much being involved mattered. As a part of introductory conversations, people very quickly began asking, “What clubs have you joined?”

As I prepare to finish my junior year, the involvement culture surrounding the student body isn’t just a freshman year fad. Before I could even realize it, these questions have quickly become, “What organizations have you been accepted to?” or even worse, “Have you received any internship offers?”

For a while, I, like many students, felt overwhelmed and somehow constricted by the over 1,000 student organizations on campus. Sometimes having so many options can feel like having none at all.

Instead of joining student involvements I was genuinely interested in, I joined the organizations that I thought would be a good answer to all those questions from my peers.

As a freshman in college, unsure of what I wanted to make out of my career, this experience helped me to start to truly define what I wanted to gain from the involvement culture at UF.

As I became more comfortable on campus, I stepped outside my comfort zone and decided to join student organizations that I could have as much passion for as my peers did their involvements, rather than merely joining a club for the sake of saying I’m in it.

It was only after I realized that all of the positions I felt the most content in involved storytelling that I changed my major to journalism.

Over time, I began to see why these college students were so willing to commit themselves to essentially free work through their involvements, even amid extreme course loads. As college students, we spend so much time in classrooms studying information and so little time actually putting the material into practical use. It can be extremely fulfilling to get even a taste of real world applications of the skills in your field.

The hustle and bustle of involvement culture can sometimes get tiresome and lead to burnout. I am often left wanting more, comparing myself to my peers or wondering what else I could be doing to propel myself forward or stand out in the workforce.

However, I would argue that now is the perfect time for college

students to feel this way. Experiencing burnout during college in an attempt to navigate your passions seems preferable to facing it after entering the real world post graduation. Contributing to organizations by doing what I love has not only given me the opportunity to find the career path I want to pursue, but also given me practical experience to chase that dream after college.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, students who complete paid internships are about twice as likely to land a job after graduation compared to those who do not. Internships and involvements act as a security blanket to enhance one’s employability and pave the way for a successful transition from academia to the professional world.

Coming from a small high

school of about 500 students and limited opportunities for extracurricular involvement, becoming a witness to the involvement culture at UF was truly a culture shock to me. I first found it daunting how the people that surrounded me were my age and had so much drive. Now, I find it motivating.

Many successful figures have advised against being the smartest person in a given room, and luckily this is what everyday feels like as a student at UF with involvement culture.

Sabrina Castro is a UF journalism junior.

Sabrina Castro opinions@alligator.org

Morgan Vanderlaan opinions@alligator.org

©2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited

Patti Varol

● ROOMS FOR RENT - MELBOURNE, FL

Furnished, utils incl & parking. Motel Riders on the Storm - Call 321-462-0222 4-22-24-9-1

APARTMENT FOR RENT

Furnished 1BR / 1 Office. Heat / air not central, 10 mins from campus - 409 SE 14th Pl. Asking $800. Grad Students Preferred. Call 352-213-5942 4-22-9-1

●UF Surplus On-Line Auctions● are underway…bikes, computers, furniture, vehicles & more. All individuals interested in bidding go to: SURPLUS.UFL.EDU 392-0370 4-22-24-15-10

11 Motorcycles/Mopeds

SAVE YOURSELF $1,000 or more.

NEW PIAGGIO LIBERTY 150 SCOOTER

2023 Silver Blue. Perfect. 6 miles. Private seller. See long ads on Florida4sale and/or Craigs List Gainesville for photos and more.

OCALA 816-500-3767 3-25-24-2-11

● ● ● ● ● SCOOTER ● ● ● ● ●

Graduating!! 2022 Genuine Buddy 50 International Scooter Italia (Italian Green / Cream). Title In Hand. Asking $2,000 Low 440 Miles. 954-260-2803 4-1-24-2-11

12 Autos

The surf's up at "Pawn Beach" we're all making the scene. If you're in need go see Rich, Best Jewelry and Loan's got the "green".

523 NW 3rd Ave 352-371-4367 4-22-15-13

JOIN OUR TEAM!

Girls Place is hiring part time and full time team members. Part time program counselors. Part time mental health counselor. Full time program director. Visit www.GirlsPlace. net/employment/ for more information. 4-8-24-4-14

IN SEARCH OF PHOTOSHOP PRO who can remove squirrel from background for a high quality screen print. $100. Contact Jim Reilly 352-359-4419, springtimepainter@gmail.com 3-25-24-2-14

The American Cancer Society Road to Recovery Volunteers Needed!

3-25-9-15

NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction? New, energy efficient windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & FREE quote today. 1-888-993-3693. You will be asked for the zip code of the property when connecting. 3-25-9-15

● ● TAX PREP ● ● Get Your Best Refund

You Deserve It! Call Cheryl - 352-328-7260 4-8-24-6-15

15 Services

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER?

STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-967-1158. Have zip code of property ready when calling! 3-25-16-15

Don't Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again! Our home warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. We stand by our service and if we can't fix it, we'll replace it! Pick the plan that fits your budget! Call: 1-888-521-2793 3-25-13-15

Planning to liquidate stereos, TV's, instruments and tools?

See Rich At Best. He'll give cash for your jewels.

523 NW 3rd Ave 352-371-4367 4-22-15-15

WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION:

A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-866782-4060. Have zip code of service location ready when you call 3-25-16-15

PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for a quote or inspection today 1-877-644-9799. Have zip code of property ready when calling 3-25-16-15

16 Health Services

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Need CPR Training?

(352) 727-4733 www.GatorCPR.com

CNA Prep Classes from GatorCNA.com 4-22-24-15-16

USERS!

Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit. Call 844-958-2473. 3-25-39-16

Alcoholics Anonymous

24-hour hotline #352-372-8091 www.aagainesville.org

No dues or fees

YOU MAY QUALIFY for disability benefits if you have are between 52-63 years old and under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now! 1-888-222-180 3-25-9-16

18

19

20 Events/Notices 20

Submit your ad today! www.alligator.org/classifieds

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

DATE & TIME: April 1, 2024 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 MetropolitanTransportation 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.

3-25-1-20

21 Entertainment

24 Pets

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

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

1. LITERATURE: What is the name of the kingdom in "The Princess Bride"?

2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: In British royalty, what is King Charles' family name?

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

3. TELEVISION: Which TV sitcom features Sheldon's catchphrase "Bazinga!"?

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

4. U.S. STATES: Which U.S. state is home to the Awatovi Ruins, a national historic landmark?

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

5. HISTORY: According to a WWII government slogan, what sinks ships?

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

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

6. GEOGRAPHY: What is the name of the small principality that lies between Spain and France?

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

7. ANATOMY: Which part of the brain controls hunger?

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

8. LANGUAGE: The Latin word "caput" refers to what part of the human anatomy?

9. SCIENCE: Which color has the longest wavelength in the visible spectrum?

10. GAMES: What are the four railroad properties in Monopoly? Answers

1. 63,360 inches

2. Search for extraterrestrial intelligence

10. FOOD & DRINK: What is the primary alcohol used in margaritas?

3. Below or insufficient

4. Grover Cleveland

5.

1. Pitcher Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player to play on Major League Baseball club, debuted in 1964 with what team?

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

2. The Cresta Run is a natural toboggan track located in what Swiss mountain resort town? (Hint: It hosted Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948.)

2. Bill Chadwick, the NHL’s first U.S.-born referee and later a broadcaster for the

3. George "Punch" Imlach won four Stanley Cups (1962-64, '67) as head coach of what NHL team?

4. In 2021, Formula 1 held its first race on the Jeddah Corniche Circuit located in what country?

5. Who was the first three-time winner of golf's Masters tournament?

6. Warren Beatty starred as Joe Pendleton, backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, in what 1978 film?

7. In 2014, thieves stole nine World Series rings, two MVP plaques and other memorabilia worth over $1 million from a Little Falls, New Jersey, museum dedicated to what Baseball Hall of Famer?

HOCKEY

Florida men’s club hockey secures first national championship in history

THE GATORS WON SIX CONSECUTIVE GAMES IN THE AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Shaine Davison Sports Writer

For a school where football is king, Florida hockey is not necessarily on the radar. At a southern school where football gamedays convert the entire campus into a massive orange and blue celebration, a successful hockey program isn’t expected, especially when the team must trek to Jacksonville to even get on the ice.

However, within that team, there’s a sense of community and support, as well as success. Florida hockey overcame two tournament losses in January and February to record its first national championship in program history.

Throughout those games, the Gators faced multiple northern teams whom they had no mutual opponents with, posing lots of uncertainty for the team’s fate in nationals.

The Gators traveled to West Chester, Pennsylvania, to compete in the Amateur Athletic Union Division II Championships March 8-13, playing six consecutive games against Neumman, Anna Maria College, Mass Maritime Academy, Alabama-Huntsville, High Point and Florida Atlantic.

The tournament did not come without its challenges. During the quarterfinal game against Alabama-Huntsville, the Gators trailed 4-1 going into the third period.

“The energy was just not there,” assistant captain Parker Mara said. “We were just everywhere. Everybody was down and really didn't think that it was possible to come back.”

The team couldn't crack Alabama Huntsville’s talented goalie through two periods, unable to find the back of the net.

The locker room was emotional, frustrated at not being able to get past the Huntsville netminder.

However, the team recollected itself, pulling its emotions together.

WOMEN'S TENNIS

March 13, 2024.

A couple of minutes into the third period, Mara took the puck from Alabama-Huntsville, charging all the way down the ice. He passed to sophomore Zach Zelmanski, preparing to drive to the goal. When Zelmanski returned the puck to Mara, he headed straight for the goal, shooting the puck through the goalie’s grasp.

“It simply was that very first goal and it just completely switched. It was like night and day,” junior defenseman and club president Matthew Brkljacic said.

It was the first of five straight goals for the Gators. Mara scored two of his three goals in the third period, propelling UF to the semifinal.

“Parker was just incredible in that game, not only scoring goals but playing physical, playing well defensively, keeping his teammates motivated,” head coach Frank Pasquale said. “He was exceptional in that game.”

In addition to Mara, freshman Michael McCoy had an incredible performance in the tournament. He led the team and the entire tournament in scoring. However, he wasn’t

as impactful in the Fall, Pasquale said. McCoy sustained a serious injury in the Fall, causing him to miss time and slow him down.

Prior to the national tournament, Florida fell short in the Savannah Hockey Classic and the College Hockey South Division II conference tournament earlier in its season. The Gators won the Savannah tournament in the 2022 and 2023 seasons and were looking to earn a third consecutive title. However, they lost against arch-rival Georgia in the finals.

Then, they placed fifth in the Southern Conference tournament, losing 5-4 in overtime against Clemson. They blew a 3-0 lead.

“We were caught off guard,” Brkljacic said. “I don't think we took them seriously enough. And they proved it in that game. In that locker room after the game, morale was really low because we had nothing to show for this season.”

Heading into the national tournament, the team was fueled with a sense of redemption and was eager to get out onto the ice.

However, the team was unsure about

playing the Northern teams, unable to gauge how the round-robin games would pan out.

Florida shut out Neumann University in its first game 7-0.

And as the tournament went on, the energy would get more intense, Mara said.

In the final game of the tournament, Florida earned its national title.

The championship game against in-state rival Florida Atlantic went back-and-forth since puck drop. At the end of the second period, Florida led 5-3. Either team had a shot.

With only a couple minutes left in the third period and Florida leading 7-4, Florida Atlantic coughed up the puck to junior Quinn Shepard who passed to freshman Kegan Lampinen, snapping the puck into the empty net. The team, now with a four-goal lead, began to sense the victory, smiling earto-ear.

When the final buzzer went off, it was pure joy and excitement.

The five on the ice threw their sticks, gloves and helmets with exhilaration while the rest of the team hopped over the bench onto the ice, dog piling and celebrating their first national championship in program history.

“One of the coolest things I've ever seen and something that I will always remember,” Mara said.

Florida closed out its season March 24 in the SEC Tournament, where the team beat South Carolina 6-5 in the championship game.

Even though Pasquale said the team is losing key players, a freshman goalie and high-performing freshman defenseman and forwards make the future look promising.

Mara is one of the players leaving after the season. He graduates in the Spring, but he said he spent his best years playing hockey for UF.

“These were some of the best years of my life playing hockey,” he said. “Talking about what we won this year will always be something that we can do for the rest of our lives.”

@shainedavison sdavison@alligator.org

Malwina Rowinska, Qavia Lopez’s mutual love of tennis opened doors to friendship

THE PAIR HAS PLAYED 11 DOUBLES MATCHES TOGETHER

By Max Bernstein Sports Writer

In the Florida Gators’ women’s tennis matchup against the University of Georgia March 8, Florida freshman Malwina Rowinska was

seconds away from a victory. After winning the first set, the second set was in a 6-6 tiebreaker, in which Rowinska trailed 7-6.

Rowinska’s first serve faulted. She went to shake it off, looking to grab the Gators' first point of the overall match. She took a deep breath and went up for her second serve. It again hit the net. The frustration was palpable. Rowinska couldn’t even raise her

head, turning around and holding her face as she walked over to the fence. But then, someone dashed from the other side of the court, coming up behind Rowinska. It was Florida freshman Qavia Lopez.

Lopez grabbed Rowinska, telling her teammate and friend to breathe. Rowinska, despite being beside herself in disappointment, embraced Qavia.

Even in the moments that seemed the most dim for Rowinska, Lopez had her back. And that has been the case ever since the first day they met.

Rowinska, who goes by the nickname “Malwa,” is a native of Warsaw, Poland. She had a prolific junior career, winning four junior National Championships and achieving a career-high ranking of No. 51 by the International Tennis

Federation.

However, Rowinska struggled with adjusting to a foreign country while also dealing with the pressures of being a Division I athlete.

“Coming from such a small country as Poland to America, it was a crazy experience,” Rowinska said. “Everything was so new for me, and at first, I couldn’t find

Gabriella Aulisio // Alligator Staff Florida Ice Hockey Club celebrates its first National Championship win on Wednesday,

Freshman friendship

my place.”

Rowinska wasn’t the only one who had a learning curve.

Lopez, who is nicknamed “Q,” came to UF with all of the hype in the world. She was the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2023 class and chose Florida over other highly prestigious programs such as Pepperdine and UCLA.

However, she had yet to be a part of a team, which served to be a challenge for the Delray Beach, Florida, native.

“It’s definitely a change,” Lopez said. “You have to learn to work together, and you're a lot louder on the court cheering on your teammates.”

For Lopez and Rowinska, their friendship started before they hit the court together. It started in a dorm as they became roommates.

“Being around each other 24/7, that helped a lot for us,” Lopez said. “We were able to get close and be comfortable with each other.”

The freshmen were able to adapt to their new team together, which also translated on the court, becoming a doubles pair.

The duo amassed a record of 5-6 in doubles play as a pairing and played several matches on Court 1, facing some of the best doubles pairs in the nation.

Rowinska and Lopez have made plenty of memories together on the court, but their budding friendship off the court has given them memories in the short time they have known one another.

The duo can usually be found on their identical scooters, which they drive to and from the team’s matches and practices.

The pairing has also explored their new surroundings in Gainesville, getting to know

the area while also traveling alongside their team around the country.

“We’ve really done everything together: meals, exploring, all of that random stuff,” Lopez said. “We’ve just built a good friendship from being together in the short amount of time we’ve been here.”

Now, well into their freshman campaigns, both Rowinska and Lopez have found plenty of success on the court.

Rowinska has become a fixture on Court 6 for the No. 12 Gators, despite not starting the season playing singles. She holds a 4-4 singles record, including three straight victories in conference play.

Meanwhile, Lopez has been a standout performer, holding a 10-2 record, including six SEC victories.

Her success has parlayed her into the No. 109 ranking in the International Tennis Association’s Singles Rankings.

“Malwa and Q have become outstanding additions to our team,” assistant coach Sam Mannix said. “Not only are they great competitors, but they are also good people who elevate the team dynamic with their positive energy and team spirit.”

Rowinska and Lopez have also become key figures in the nine-woman squad, all of whom form a very tight bond.

“Our freshmen have made a big impact on this team with just the little time they’ve been here,” sophomore Rachel Gailis said. “Our relationship with them is more than we could’ve asked for, and they help us grow as people and players.”

Both Rowinska and Lopez have nothing but praise for one another and have credited each other for their success so far in their collegiate careers.

“I’m really just grateful to have her here, as a friend and as a teammate,” Lopez said.

@maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org

Ryan Friedenberg // Alligator Staff Florida’s pair of freshmen Malwina Rowinska (left) and Qavia Lopez (right) celebrate winning a doubles point in the Gators women’s tennis match against Baylor on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.