Tuesday, May 30, 2023

UF students react to DeSantis’ U.S. presidential bid

By Garrett Shanley & Vivienne Serret

Alligator Staff Writers

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his 2024 U.S. presidential campaign May 24, which elicited both support and antagonism from UF students.

Soon after DeSantis declared his presidential bid, a group of students created the Instagram account @studentsforDeSantis_UF, the account received both praise and opposition.

“No one said launching a Students for DeSantis chapter at my university would be easy,” wrote Harrison Feld, a UF student who helped start the account, in a tweet.

Scott Howard, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, supports

DeSantis because he believes the Florida governor will address important political issues, he said. Howard cares most about policies surrounding federal debt and would like to see a presidential candidate with a clear plan on how to address it.

“I believe DeSantis will have clear plans to address both,” Howard said. “More importantly, he had the potential to force Trump out of public life, which matters more to me than anything else.”

Howard supports legislation that restrict controversial topics in K-12 and proposed laws placing restrictions on higher education but is opposed to proposals to end tenure, he said.

Joey Quirk, a 21-year-old political science senior, prefers DeSantis to other Republican candidates but doesn’t expect to vote for him.

“[My reason not to vote for

SEE DESANTIS, PAGE 4

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff

States Marine Corps Reserve. As a former

their performance at the Evergreen Cemetery

May 29, 2023. Read the rest on pg. 6.

Deadlock in the Senate Chambers leads to ongoing summer conflicts

Student body president Olivia Green, senators weigh in on Senate issues

the Senate majority.

The historic 2023 spring election, which caused a deadlocked Senate, has led to persistent issues in the Senate chambers.

Schedule conflicts and lack of quorum prevented executive nominees from being selected.

Student government representatives are worried about partisan issues stemming from the spring election, which has flipped

UF Student Body President Olivia Green denounced the disrespect she has witnessed in the Senate Chambers, such as laughing and walking out during previous meetings. She is concerned about the future of student government.

“It has now been five weeks that [Change Party] has held up these executive nominations, in those five weeks I have not received one email…no questions, no answers, no concerns,” she said.

“If you would like to withhold nominations for the entire summer and prevent freshmen students from having any opportunities because you want to vote with your party,” Green said. “Then that is your prerogative.”

Green thought Senate President Oscar Santiago Perez (Change-District D) called her unladylike after they said she was “unbecoming and uncharacteristic” at a May 23 meeting.

“I’m not unbecoming, and I’m not un-

FOLLOW

characteristic,” she said. “I’m frustrated because you’re withholding the Senate for six weeks.”

Senator John Brinkman (Gator-District B) said people need to realize the importance of the positions on the agenda.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into event planning looking at the history of UF and seeing what cool stuff people have done in the past,” Brinkman said. “And what we can recreate and just support events that

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Story description finish with comma, pg#

Baseball UF falls in SEC Tournament. Read more on pg. 11.

Nathan Crawford, 21, is a lance corporal in the United

member of the Milton Lewis Young Marines, he watched

from a distance and joined them after the ceremony on Monday,

By Vivienne Serret Alligator Staff Writer

GPD internal affairs report shows officers’ misconduct toward adult performers

Officers only received written warnings

By Emma Parker Alligator Staff Writer

After months of complaints and investigation, several Gainesville Police Department officers were found inappropriately searching gentlemans’ club performers, including grabbing their underwear while on their body.

Three of the four officers investigated were found in violation of GPD protocol when they interacted with bikini bar Coconut Cabaret workers, according to a Feb. 10 internal affairs report.

Prior to the incident, Officer Spaulding reported to Coconut Cabaret due to a noise complaint July 31. The bar’s manager, James Rauch, was argumentative about the complaint and said they make sure that the business’s volume level is at the legal limit of 85 decibels.

Spaulding was going to issue him a written noise warning, when Spaulding realized that she did not have the form on her to do so. Corporal Shutterly and Officer Widmeyer were then called, and Officer Widmeyer issued the noise warning.

Corporal Shutterly returned to the bar Aug. 13 and entered its main door behind Rauch, despite him asking Shutterly to wait outside. Officer Spaulding and a male officer, Alvin, arrived soon after and followed Shutterly.

Shutterly told the business’ security, Eric Ramos, some of the dancers weren’t wearing enough clothing. Ramos told her he was just security and pointed to the owners.

The officers pulled Allison Robbins from the stage and told her they needed to measure her underwear to see if it violated city nudity ordinances.

The ordinance specifies partial covering of people anywhere selling alcoholic beverages.

Robbins asked if she could change into other clothes and give them the underwear to measure. They would go to the changing room, Spaulding said, but told Robbins she didn’t need to take off her clothes.

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Robbins went to the changing rooms, where Aliyha Nichols and Brittney Cunningham were on their break. Robbins asked if they were measuring everyone’s underwear, or just hers — the officers decided to measure everyone’s underwear in the room.

All the officers, including Alvin, remained in the dressing room as Shutterly measured the outfits. Corporal Shutterly had the dancers bend over so she could measure the width of their underwear. She pulled their thongs out herself to do so.

Cunningham said she was “bottom heavy” before officers measured her. In response, Shutterly said, “We’re going to get real close and personal, darling,” according to the internal affairs report.

None of the dancers were found in violation of the nudity ordinance after measuring.

When the women asked if measurement checks were routine, Shutterly said GPD received reports one of the performers was nude.

Dispatch reports showed there was never a complaint about a naked dancer, nor did any officer claim to see a naked dancer there prior, according to the internal affairs report.

Both at the time of the search and after the investigation, neither Rauch nor owner Anthony Grezlik said they heard of any issues regarding nudity.

“We have never had any nudity at Coconut Cabaret — it’s illegal, I have a liquor license,” Grezlik said. “No nudity happens unless it is in the dressing room and people are getting dressed into a different outfit.”

While waiting for another performer to come down from the stage, officers were talking negatively about Rauch. Officer Alvin rolled his eyes and said, “I’m not in the mood for no old white man bullshit.”

They left shortly after.

GPD received formal complaints Aug. 23 from the dancers and owners regarding the officers’ search.

The performers argued that

Officer Spaulding’s actions felt violating and singled them out — the women said they only were compliant because it was law enforcement.

As a former police officer himself, Grezlik thought the search was especially disappointing.

“This whole situation bothers me,” Grezlik said. “I don’t trust my local police department… I’m a retired law enforcement officer, I shouldn’t have to feel this way about the police in my area.”

Internal affairs conducted a six-month-long investigation and concluded there was no found evidence that proved Officer Spaulding of harassment and/ or retaliation toward manager Rauch for the previous noise complaints his business held.

Internal affairs Sergeant Leah Hayes found Corporal Shutterly in violation for invasive search and reach toward the women.

Sergeant Wagle’s lack of direction and coordination of the entire operation was the cause of the many violations made by the different officers. Thus, he was similarly found in violation.

Due to Officer Alvin’s unprofessional comment about Rauch in regards to his age, race or gender, internal affairs found Alvin in violation.

Alvin, Wagle and Shutterly received written warnings. No additional punishment was listed, according to the internal affairs report.

Grelik thought the internal affairs investigation was thorough and well-done, he said, but believed the punishment should have been stronger than a warning.

“Written reprimands, I don't think, is a good enough punishment to deter future events like this,” Grezlik said.

Nichols hasn’t come back to work since the incident, Grezlik said.

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Gainesville community tackles Eastside food insecurity

HOW NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY-LED EFFORTS ARE ADDRESSING FOOD ACCESSIBILITY

By Amanda Friedman Alligator Staff Writer

When East Gainesville native Hatdrika Monroe researched U.S. food deserts for a UF class in 2018, she didn’t expect to discover she was from an area nationally recognized for its disparities, including food insecurity.

“It startled me,” she said. “I’m still traumatized by that.”

Food insecurity is the “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways,” according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

A Walmart on Northeast 12th Avenue serves as East Gainesville’s only USDA-approved grocery store, while the city’s studentdominated West side is crowded with popular grocery destinations like Publix and Trader Joe’s. The restricted access to a large grocery or supermarket for residents solidifies many boroughs of East Gainesville as food deserts, according to a 2021 city report.

The resources in East Gainesville, like gas stations and convenience stores, don’t offer fresh produce and healthy foods.

A 2023 report by Gainesville Free Grocery Store, a mutual aid food pantry and garden, described East Gainesville neighborhoods abounding with poor-quality food as “food swamps”.

To combat this, a variety of local activists and organizations have launched efforts to feed food-insecure East Gainesville residents. People from the East side and outside it alike are trying to solve food insecurity issues through community-based initiatives after a lack of government and corporate progress.

Monroe, 29, understood her community’s lack of resources compared to others, but residents always supported one another and proposed creative solutions to issues, she said. Her grandmother, a matriarch and gardener, used to run a grocery store and daycare out of her home.

“In East Gainesville, we’ve always surrounded each other and offered what we have to give,” she said. “I was cultivated by my community.”

Inspired by her upbringing, Monroe launched Swarthy East GNV in 2020, a grassroots, for-profit organization dedicated to

increasing access to nutritious foods and supporting small businesses through community-based initiatives in the East side.

Swarthy East GNV will sell communitysupported agriculture boxes stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables able to feed up to a family of four between June 3 and July 8. Produce will be sourced from the organization’s farm located in Hawthorne and other partner farms in Central Florida, like Nicoya Farm in Gainesville.

“Our objective is to collaborate with what already exists, bring those resources to the people and ask the community to support these resources,” she said.

Monroe aspires to build a brick-and-mortar location for Swarthy East GNV with a grocery store, a garden and other important resources. Her main obstacle is securing funding, which she hopes to overcome through grants.

She expressed frustration with the local government’s perceived lack of effort to follow through with proposals like bringing a new grocery store to the east side. Most city officials rarely answer her emails, she said.

“We’ve seen people go to the meetings and yell and scream and advocate for change in East Gainesville,” she said. “ At the same time, we’re not waiting for anyone to save us. We’re going to do what we need to do for our community.”

Outside of for-profit efforts, non-profit organizations have supplied food-insecure East Gainesville residents with groceries and meals for years.

Abigail Perret-Gentil, who’s lived in Gainesville for more than 20 years, founded Grace Grows, a non-profit organization and community garden that grows fresh produce, in 2015. The food is distributed to GRACE Marketplace, an Eastside homeless shelter that also provides other housing-related resources.

The 38-year-old launched the organization after she witnessed the depth of East Gainesville’s food insecurity issue as a volunteer at GRACE Marketplace.

“There is a collective frustration that’s existed for a very long time,” she said. “Grace Grows didn’t discover the problem.”

Grace Grows received a $35,000 USDA grant toward the end of 2020 to fund research for the Grace Grows Community Food Planning Project, which will be released in the coming weeks.

Compiled with the perspectives of various community members, the project will outline a plan for how to terminate food insecurity in Southeast Gainesville.

“Our goal was to create data and advocacy

that would bring more power into the impacted community,” she said.

Perret-Gentil hopes the report compels the city and county governments, whose previous efforts to solve East Gainesville’s food insecurity crisis failed, to collaborate with community members on a solution.

Outside of East Gainesville locals, UF students have also established efforts to fight food accessibility issues across the city.

Renz Torres, a 25-year-old UF graduate student, is a coordinator for Gainesville Free Grocery Store, which was established in 2019 and operates out of the Civic Media Center. The organization distributes free food to Gainesville residents on Tuesdays with products sourced from its garden and outside contributors like Giving Garden Gainesville.

Roughly 25 to 33% of the organization’s customers are East Gainesville residents, they said.

Torres became involved with the organization after they saw how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated East Gainesville’s preexisting food accessibility issues. Residents lost employment and struggled to travel to far grocery stores due to isolation requirements, they said.

Given East Gainesville’s population demographics, Black Eastside residents are disproportionately at risk of being food insecure, Torres said.

“If you have a food system based on profit,

people who have been historically marginalized are going to continue not being able to access these resources,” they said.

The city has struggled to find a grocery store owner or developer willing to take the financial risk of building a location in a low-income area like East Gainesville, said Gainesville City Commissioner Reina Saco.

“The city is not a food distributor,” she said. “We’re not set up to do that.”

While the 2021 $3.3 million American Rescue Plan loan originally designated for opening a Bravo Supermarket was reallocated to other development initiatives like housing, there is still over $1 million in Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area funding set aside for a future grocery store once a company steps up, Saco said.

In the meantime, the city is moving forward with the Eastside Health and Economic Development Initiative, a project seeking to build a hub dedicated to providing transit, health and food resources on Hawthorne Road, Saco said.

The plan allocates roughly 18,000 square feet to the development of a grocery store or food resource, said Philip Mann, special adviser to the city manager on infrastructure and capital projects via email.

The project will take the next 12 to 18 months to be completed, Saco said.

@amandasfriedman afriedman@alligator.org

Evelyn Miguel // The Alligator Sourced locally from McRorie Community Garden, Gainesville’s community members can pick up fresh vegetables every week from GFGS at the Civic Media Center on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

Students for Desantis

Her organization is against DeSantis’ overall vision and the policies he’s encouraged and implemented in Florida, she said.

him] is doubly as true given some of the more authoritarian bills he has sponsored or supported in recent months,” Quirk said.

Paulina Trujillo, a 21-year-old political science and women’s studies senior and public relations director of UF College Democrats, said her organization stands firmly against DeSantis running for president in a statement.

Desantis’ platform as governor centered around “so-called freedom” fosters division and hatred for Floridians, she said.

“UF College Democrats believe Americans deserve better,” Trujillo said.

@garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

@vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

UF research study kills two dogs The study received pushback from an animal rights organization

By Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writer

A UF veterinary clinical trial resulted in the death of two dog subjects.

UF vice president for research David Norton filed a report that revealed the details of the study.

The study tested the effects of adenoassociated virus vectors on two groups of dogs with duchenne muscular dystrophy. The two groups received AAV vector injections on June 24 and Aug. 19, respectively.

AAV vectors are typically used in gene therapy to target specific cells.

“The procedure went smoothly, and the dogs recovered well,” Norton wrote.

A dog from the second group was admitted to the UF Small Animal Hospital after showing abnormal respiratory behavior Aug. 20. Once admitted, the dog’s condition rapidly deteriorated and eventually entered respiratory arrest.

The dog died the same day.

Two weeks later, a dog from the first group had an “episode of regurgitation,” according to the report.

In the following days, the dog developed a fever, appetite issues and abnormal abdominal palpitations. After a brief stay at the UF Small Animal Hospital for imaging, the dog was discharged with continued care Sept. 12.

Three days later, the dog was readmitted to the hospital after it developed a fever and respiratory distress.

The dog was euthanized Sept. 18, according to the report.

The report does not make it clear who was in charge of the study or how it received funding, but it does specify it was not funded by Public Health Services.

The UF Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee temporarily suspended the experiment in October, citing a “lack of principal investigator response” and “concerns over animal welfare,” according to

SG conflict

make students feel good, there’s a lot of work that goes into that.”

Brinkman thinks many people in the Senate have never held positions in these agencies. They may not know the importance of the work done or how hard it can be to negotiate contracts for speakers, he said.

These statements were made in reference to ACCENT, which usually hosts at least one summer show. Brinkman has served in both the legislative and executive branch in various positions.

Judiciary member and Senator Joaquin Rafaele Cecilia Marcelino (Change-District D) shared that the frustrations Green has stem

from being used to the status quo of student government.

“With the action of the Change Caucus, we’re trying to implement a more thorough and meticulous vetting process,” Marcelino said, “And do our part of the checks and balances of student government in order to make sure that these nominees are thoroughly vetted.”

Majority party leader Simone Liang (Change-CLAS) expressed that Change Party vetting candidates is an example of the checks and balances she hasn’t seen in a while from a Senate majority of an independent party different from the executive board.

“From senators of our caucus, I think this is a unique opportunity to actually deliberate on these candidates,” she said. “Which we didn’t really have the opportunity

to do before.”

Minority party leader Bronson Allemand condemned the recent actions of the majority party, Change Party, in an email.

“The Change Party has abused its power to make unilateral decisions to further secure its majority within the Senate,” Allemand wrote. “Gator Party does not condone Change Party’s refusal to allow for the legitimate consideration of applicants approved by the bipartisan Replacement and Agenda committee.”

Allemand ended the email by affirming members of the Replacement and Agenda Committee within Gator Caucus would not be attending meetings of this committee until the Change Party realigns its behaviors and reaches an agreement regarding its abuse of this process.

Norton.

The IACUC met again Nov. 1 to discuss reinstatement, but the results of that meeting are unclear.

UF Spokesperson Cynthia Roldan released a statement assuring that the UF Animal Care and Use Program has received full and continued accreditation from the AAALAC International, a nonprofit organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals in science.

“The University of Florida is committed to the ethical use of animals in its pursuit of medical advances that benefit both humans and animals,” Roldan wrote.

Michael A. Budkie, executive director of the animal rights organization Stop Animal Exploitation NOW!, has taken action against UF for the experiment.

UF’s attempts to convince the public that they are concerned for the welfare of animals in laboratory settings, Budkie said.

”The reality is that if that were true, these reports would not exist,” Budkie said.

In February, Budkie filed a complaint against UF to the US Department of Agriculture. In the complaint, he accused the university of violating the Animal Welfare Act.

Budkie followed up his complaint May 20 and called for the termination of the experiment in a letter to UF President Ben Sasse.

Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! has previously accused UF of animal rights violations.

In 2021, SAEN called for the university to be fined under the Animal Welfare Act after a US Department of Agriculture citation revealed four cats were euthanized due to not receiving proper anesthesia before undergoing bone marrow surgery.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back for updates. @garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

The May 28 meeting was called to order and adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

The meeting failed to meet quorum after only three members were present: Liang, Santiago Perez and Senate pro tempore Nathan McGinnis.

Four members are required to meet a quorum.

Due to a quorum not being established, executive nominees could not be reviewed. Applicants for permanent committee seats, permanent Senate seats and replacement summer seats could not be considered.

Liang expressed disappointment that the nominees did not show up to the meeting, and felt sympathetic toward the people who could not be interviewed at all.

“Besides the fact that three

elected officials before this committee decided not to show up,” McGinnis said. “It’s unprofessional because of the reasoning behind it. It's also unconstitutional because they are upset that not everyone is in total agreement with nominations not having debates.”

Per the rules of the Senate, a simplified version of the agenda will be used for the meeting on May 30, and any bills that still need their first reading will not be considered.

In addition, any newly submitted legislation that could not be heard due to a lack of quorum in the judiciary will not be reviewed at the following Senate meeting May 30.

@vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

SG, from pg. 1

Namejjjjj // Alligator Staff

El Caimán

Comunidad de UF repudia proyecto de ley que desfinancia iniciativas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión

Estudiantes planean resistir las regulaciones del proyecto de ley

Por Nicole Beltrán Escritora de El Caimán

Algunos estudiantes y profesores de UF están rechazando una propuesta de ley estatal que limita el uso de fondos estatales en los colegios y universidades de Florida para financiar programas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión.

El gobernador Ron DeSantis promulgó el proyecto de ley el 15 de mayo.

En un comentario público, el gobernador rechazó que las universidades públicas ofrezcan cursos que “distorsionen eventos históricos significativos”, enseñen “políticas de identidad” o

estén “basados en teorías de que el racismo sistémico, el sexismo, la opresión o el privilegio son inherentes a las instituciones de los Estados Unidos”.

La Unión de Estudiantes Afrodescendientes y los Líderes de Estudiantes Afrodescendientes de UF emitieron una declaración conjunta el 20 de mayo, denunciando al gobernador por promulgar el proyecto de ley.

Las dos organizaciones expresaron su gran preocupación por el poder que el proyecto de ley tiene para silenciar las voces minoritarias.

“Este proyecto de ley trabaja para borrar los logros por los que

las personas de color han trabajado durante siglos al [mismo] tiempo que perjudica los esfuerzos y las protecciones establecidas para hacer que los estudiantes de color se sientan representados en sus campus universitarios en el estado de Florida”, escribió la unión.

Con este año marcando los 55 años desde la fundación de la organización, hay una preocupación abrumadora con respecto a la idea de libertad y expresión, según la Unión de Estudiantes Afrodescendientes de UF.

La organización solicitó con urgencia que se prohíba que el proyecto de ley interfiera con los

esfuerzos culturales.

La declaración de la unión también alentó a estudiantes a comunicarse con los administradores de la universidad para expresar sus preocupaciones sobre el impacto del proyecto de ley.

La Unión de Estudiantes Afrodescendientes seguirá estando comprometida a cultivar una comunidad unida, según su declaración.

Las contradicciones entre el proyecto de ley contra iniciativas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión y el proyecto de ley estatal de inclusión de historia AAPI en la educación K-12 han generado preocupaciones sobre los intere-

ses del gobierno.

“Los enfoques contradictorios de DEI y la aprobación del proyecto de ley de educación K-12 AAPI hablan del control que tiene la supremacía blanca sobre el mito de la minoría modelo”, dijo Joaquin Rafaele Marcelino, senador del gobierno estudiantil y fundador del Caucus Pan-Asiático .

Si bien el proyecto de ley educativo K-12 AAPI beneficiará a las comunidades asiático-estadounidenses, no deshace el detrimento del proyecto de ley DEI, dijo Marcelino.

@nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

Por Vivienne Serret y Nicole

Beltrán

Escritoras de El Caimán

Las históricas elecciones del semestre de la primavera que provocaron un estancamiento en el Senado han generado problemas persistentes en las cámaras del Senado Estudiantil de UF.

Conflictos de horarios y una falta de quórum impidieron que se seleccionarán los candidatos ejecutivos.

Los representantes del Gobierno Estudiantil están preocupados por los problemas partidistas derivados de las elecciones de primavera que cambiaron la mayoría del Senado.

Aunque los senadores no pudieron aprobar los senadores de reemplazo durante la reunión de cuatro horas, aprobaron una resolución repudiando los proyectos de ley estatales que atacan iniciativas de la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión en los estudios superiores.

Los puntos de la agenda de la reunión incluyeron la aprobación de una resolución que rechaza la aprobación del Proyecto de Ley 266 del Senado de Florida y los intentos previos del Proyecto de Ley 999 de la Cámara y sus ataques a las iniciativas de diversidad, equidad e inclusión y las libertades de la educación superior en Florida.

El segundo punto fue la aprobación de la Ley de Criterios de Revisión del Presupuesto y Asignaciones, la cual pasará por una segunda lectura.

Ambos artículos pasaron.

Junto con las dos resoluciones, se suponía que los senadores elegirían a los senadores permanentes y de reemplazo de verano de segundo año.

Ambas partes del Gobierno Estudiantil enfrentaron un problema entre aprobar y objetar los nominados y sólo se aprobó un senador de reemplazo.

Green denunció la falta de respeto que ha presenciado en las Cámaras del Senado, como senadores riendo y saliéndose de reuniones anteriores. Dijo que le preocupa el futuro del gobierno estudiantil.

Ya han pasado cinco semanas desde que el partidoChange ha retrasado estas nominaciones ejecutivas, en esas cinco semanas, Green no ha recibido ni un correo electrónico por parte del partido, dijo.

“Si desean retener las nominaciones durante todo el verano y evitar que los estudiantes de primer año tengan oportunidades porque quieren votar con su partido”, dijo Green, "entonces esa es tu prerrogativa".

Green pensó que el presidente del Senado, Oscar Santiago Pérez (Change-Distrito D), la llamó poco femenina después de que dijeron que era "impropia y poco característica" en una reunión el 23 de mayo, dijo.

“No soy impropia, y no soy inusual”, dijo. “Estoy frustrada porque

Mantente al día con El Caiman en Twitter. Envíanos un tweet @alligatorElCaiman.

está reteniendo el Senado durante seis semanas”.

El Senador John Brinkman (GatorDistrito A) cree que la gente necesita darse cuenta de la importancia de las posiciones en la agenda, dijo.

“Hay mucho trabajo que se dedica a la planificación de eventos al observar la historia de UF y ver qué cosas geniales ha hecho la gente en el pasado”, dijo Brinkman. “Y lo que podemos recrear y simplemente apoyar eventos que hacen que los estudiantes se sientan bien, hay mucho trabajo que hacer”.

Brinkman cree que muchas personas en el Senado nunca han ocupado cargos en estas agencias. Probablemente no sepan la importancia del trabajo realizado o lo difícil que puede ser negociar contratos para oradores, dijo.

Estas declaraciones se hicieron en referencia a ACCENT, que generalmente presenta al menos un programa de verano. Brinkman se ha desempeñado tanto en el poder legislativo como en el ejecutivo en varios puestos.

El miembro de la judicatura y senador Joaquín Rafaele Marcelino (Change-Distrito D) compartió las frustraciones que Green ha surgido por estar acostumbrado al status quo del gobierno estudiantil, dijeron.

“Con la acción de caucus de Change, estamos tratando de implementar un proceso de investigación más completo y meticuloso”, dijo Marcelino. “[Y] hacer nuestra parte de los controles y equilibrios del gobierno estudiantil para asegurarnos de que estos nominados sean exami-

nados minuciosamente”.

La líder del partido mayoritario Simone Liang (Change-CLAS) expresó que la investigación de candidatos del Partido Change es un ejemplo de los controles y equilibrios que no ha visto en mucho tiempo de una mayoría en el Senado de un partido independiente diferente de la junta ejecutiva, dijo.

“De los senadores de nuestro caucus, creo que esta es una oportunidad única para deliberar sobre estos candidatos”, dijo. “Lo que realmente no tuvimos la oportunidad de hacer antes”.

El líder del partido minoritario, Bronson Allemand, condenó las acciones recientes del partido mayoritario, Change, en un correo electrónico.

“El Partido Change ha abusado de su poder para tomar decisiones unilaterales para asegurar aún más su mayoría en el Senado”, escribió Allemand. “El Partido Gatorno aprueba la negativa de Change de permitir la consideración legítima de los solicitantes aprobados por el comité bipartidista de Reemplazo y Agenda”.

Allemand finalizó el correo electrónico afirmando que los miembros del Comité de Agenda y Reemplazo dentro de Caucus Gator no asistirán a las reuniones de este comité hasta que el Change corrija sus comportamientos y llegue a un acuerdo con respecto al abuso de este proceso, dijo.

La reunión del 28 de mayo se abrió y se suspendió a la 1:15 pm.

La reunión no logró el quórum después de que solo tres miembros estuvieran presentes: Liang, Santiago

Pérez y el senador pro-tempore Nathan McGinnins.

Se requieren cuatro miembros para cumplir con el quórum. Debido a que no se estableció un quórum, los candidatos ejecutivos no pudieron ser revisados. Los solicitantes para puestos permanentes en comités, puestos permanentes en el Senado y puestos de verano de reemplazo no podrían ser considerados.

Liang expresó su decepción porque los nominados no asistieron a la reunión y sintió simpatía por las personas que no pueden ser entrevistadas en absoluto, dijo.

“Además del hecho de que tres funcionarios electos ante este comité decidieron no presentarse”, dijo McGinnins. “Es poco profesional debido al razonamiento detrás de esto. También es inconstitucional porque les molesta que no todo el mundo esté totalmente de acuerdo con que las nominaciones no se debatan”.

Según las reglas del Senado, se utilizará una versión simplificada de la agenda para la reunión del 30 de mayo; no se considerarán los proyectos de ley que aún necesitan su primera lectura.

Además, cualquier legislación presentada recientemente no pudo ser escuchada debido a la falta de quórum en el poder judicial y no será revisada en la siguiente reunión del Senado el 30 de mayo.

@vivienneserret vserret@alligator.org

@nicolebeltg nbeltran@alligator.org

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SL8 gallery showcases local artists New art group debuted first exhibit Friday. Read more on pg. 7.

Estancamiento en las Cámaras del Senado Estudiantil de UF crea conflictos durante el verano

Commemorating Memorial Day

Veterans, family and friends gather at annual ceremony in Evergreen Cemetery

Led by the Alachua County Veterans Service, the annual Memorial Day ceremony delivered nearly an hour and a half of heartfelt prayers, speeches and performances paying respect to those who gave their lives serving in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans and active service members from as young as early 20s to late 70s wore their medals and ribbons – some in dress uniform. After the ceremony ended, the attendees chatted over the free lunch service provided by the ceremony, then walked through the serene grounds to visit the gravestone of their loved ones. Paul Ortiz, director of the UF Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, said he gave veterans and their family members the opportunity to share their stories through recorded audio interviews that will be distributed to the Veterans History Project Library. “We’re just really happy to be here today. I’m a third-generation US military veteran, so I grew up in a family where everyone did it.”

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff Writer Kim Davis, director of the Alachua County Veterans Services, led the ceremony and introduced several speakers at Evergreen Cemetery on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff Writer Bill Beck, 73, served four years in the United States Marine Corps working with amphibious assault vehicles. He attended the ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff Writer Cemetery coordinator Karen Pruss said attendees filled the 150 seats provided at the ceremony in Evergreen Cemetery on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff Writer

Members of the Milton Lewis Young Marines perform the “13 folds of Old Glory” ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery on Monday, May 29, 2023.

Gainesville art gallery showcases local artist group’s exhibit

ARTIST GROUP EXHIBITS PSYCHEDELIC ART

By Aubrey Bocalan Avenue Staff Writer

A local group of artists debuted their first exhibit while bouncing bass and percussion echoed, glasses were filled with wine and glowing black lights lit up the SL8 gallery Friday.

When the gallery, located at 10 E University Ave., opened its doors at 7 p.m., a constant stream of people filed through the hall and the miniature cinema to see the art made by friends, classmates and strangers.

Local artist 444 IDK chose the artists who would be featured in the show.

The 23-year-old Gainesville resident began the collective to bring creatives together to help each other achieve their individual goals.

Nobody can do it alone, he said. And he didn’t. One local artist, ZZZ Zawacki, runs her own art business and even helped him create the flier for the opening.

The 24-year-old’s work mostly focuses on clothing, tapestries and acrylic paintings.

While sipping a 2020 Cabernet, she said it took her 1,800 days to complete the pieces in this show

and feels proud to have it displayed.

“It’s finally being viewed by other people, and it feels wonderful being able to share my other side to my creativity within my business,” she said.

The main purpose of her work is informing people about psychedelics as alternative medicine. The collective gave her that platform.

“To have an open conversation about harm reduction and drug policies as well as what we can do to expand our consciousness and be more in tune with nature, that’s why I’m here,” she said.

Carly Klingbiel, a 22-year-old Gainesville resident, also joined the collective. She’s grateful to have a space for her art, she said.

Klingbiel’s work focuses on the exclusion of women throughout history and the divide between art and craft. Her paintings highlight femininity through textiles like ribbon and lace and pastel colors.

“I like to focus on the nostalgia of girls and what it means to grow up being a woman or a girl,” Klingbiel said.

She recently graduated college, and this show is actually her first exhibit after she finished school. She was excited to be part of this new collective and to see how all the different artists and styles come

together for this show, she said.

When choosing what pieces to include in this show, she even used her own UV LED nail lamp to figure out which of her pieces would look the best under black light and match the theme for the show.

Another young artist, Sam Rodriguez, 21, has been creating art since she was 14.

Like Klingbiel, Rodriguez just graduated college. This is her second show. She hopes she made her younger self proud.

“It’s very rewarding knowing that something that I started so young actually became my whole career,” Rodriguez said.

Her most recent work centered around the idea of autonomy and the amount of power we have in controlling our lives. A common motif in her work is a red string, the same red string that hung from the ceiling and walls of the gallery during opening night.

For some like Klingbiel and Rodriguez, it’s the beginning of their art journey. But for Kyleigh Bernstien, 22, this is her chance to show work for the last time before entering the workforce.

She met 444 IDK in a sculpture class, and the two have been

friends for a few years. When he invited her to join the collective and exhibit her art, she thought it would be fun and immediately agreed.

She uses polymer clay and seashells to create sculptures that resemble marine environments. The colorful clay resembles coral and rock formations that look like an alien planet when hit with black light.

“They’re like trinkets,” she said. “They’re like shelf decorations. I want to make little worlds.”

Viewers were definitely pulled into a new world when entering the gallery. One guest, Cec Woodbarron, 21, appreciated how there was something for everyone.

“Contemporary art is something that’s so up and coming and so experimental, and there’s so much passion in it,” Woodbarron said. “I’m so lucky to be here.”

Gerard Bencen, the owner of the SL8 Gallery, was glad to see so many people come together to support local artists. He was surprised at the attendance because many people leave Gainesville during the summer.

“You’ve got a young group of artists and all of their connections,

so it’s just blown up tonight,” he said.

After a period of inactivity, it was satisfying to have so many people attend. With this exhibit, they wanted to make a grand gesture to the community and announce to the world they’re open, he said.

“The idea is to make our work available to the students at a reasonable price,” Bencen said. “I’d like to see if that model will work here and if it does, [there’s] no reason not to go to Austin and then New York.”

When 444 IDK began curating the exhibit, he didn’t have an exact theme in mind.

“The theme is bring your best work,” he said.

He hopes that the momentum from the show will continue to build for the gallery.

“There’s been a number of SL8 grand reopenings by now, but I feel like this one is serious. We have a plan to keep things moving forward and there’s a bigger plan than just Gainesville,” he said. “SL8 isn’t to be slept on.”

@aubreyyrosee

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff

Gerard Bencen (left), owner of the SL8 gallery, is seen with artist 444 IDK (right) at his art collective’s debut on Friday, May 26, 2023.

Marcus Rojas // Alligator Staff Artist Sam Rodriguez, 21, shows off her installation piece at the SL8 gallery on Friday, May 26, 2023.

Stage play to screenplay: Local director set to debut new film

The stage play originally debuted in Gainesville in 2018

By Gracey Davis Avenue Staff Writer

For Tom Miller, creativity has always been his solution to adversity. With multiple acting, performing and directing credits to his name, the 57-year-old continues to push artistic boundaries.

The multidisciplinary performance artist is setting the stage to debut his newest film, “Audience.” Miller has kept the plot of the film under wraps to surprise audiences.

The movie will be shown in local Gainesville venues within this year.

While no showings have been announced at this time, the film has wrapped post-production. Miller plans to send “Audience” to film festivals following the local showings.

“Audience” is based on a stage play of the same name originally written by Miller in 2018. The play debuted in the Blank Sl8 in downtown Gainesville in December 2018 and was also shown at the Hardback Café and The Acrosstown.

Miller and some of the actors from the play continued to talk about a future for the stage play after the show closed. Now, the show is only becoming more relevant, he said.

“Everything is so upside down right

now in the world that it’s hard to find where to put our feet in terms of how we treat each other with compassion, empathy and manners,” Miller said.

Miller hopes the film will hold a mirror to society and serve as a call to action to embrace love over fear.

The film was produced in collaboration with Mirador Studios, a local video production company owned by 54-yearold Gainesville resident Alexander Davidowski.

The two long-time friends have worked on projects together in the past. When Miller started working on editing “Audience” as a screenplay, Davidowski’s involvement in the film was natural, Davidowski said.

Operating on a smaller budget than usual and working with Miller’s hands-on editing style were new experiences for Davidowski. Typically, a video editor will put everything together, pass it to the director and pass notes and revisions back and forth. For “Audience”, Miller and Davidowski edited together.

“[Miller wanted] to experiment and be creative with it and do crazy things that you wouldn’t normally do,” Davidowski said. “Somehow, the soup mixes together, and it comes out really cool.”

Most of the original cast from the stage

play returned for the filming of the movie including Shamrock McShane, who plays the male lead Snerdly.

McShane’s acting career began in 1970s Chicago, where he had some success as an actor before he moved to Key West and owned his own theatre there. He eventually moved to Gainesville in 1983 and worked as a teacher while also being involved in local theatre.

McShane has been friends with Miller since the late 2000s, he said. They have worked together on projects before, including “The Seven Sides of Shakespeare” in 2021.

Being part of a play that developed into a film was a new experience for McShane.

“It was a fascinating experience for me to do both of them and to see how one was based on the other, and then, through a kind of metamorphosis, it turned into something entirely different,” McShane said.

The Usher, a role originally played by Miller himself, had to be recast so he could focus on directing when he started preparing for filming.

On a random night at University Club, Miller met Olive Isa, a 51-year-old retired veteran.

Isa and their friends would visit University Club a couple times a month. On

this occasion, Isa had just finished singing karaoke of Sweet Transvestite from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, when they were approached by Miller.

“As soon as that was done, he came over to me, and he said something to the effect of ‘I’m not sure if you’re going to believe me, but I’d like for you to be in a movie I’m making,’” Isa said.

Before “Audience,” Isa had no acting experience. They were mindblown after they witnessed the scope and range of acting skills from other actors in the cast, they said.

Isa was also impressed by Miller’s directing, as it wasn’t what they expected going into filming.

“He didn’t push much toward directions with people,” Isa said. “He just let them go with what they wanted at least first. He might give them a little bit of direction after a take or two, but it was fun to watch him let other people play their character how they saw them.”

Now that the film has completed the post-production process, Miller looks to announce showings of the film soon through his Instagram. @graceydavis_

Courtesy to The Alligator

Tom Miller (left) and Alexander Davidowski (right) review footage during filming.

Courtesy to The Alligator

A publicity photo of Tom Miller’s movie, Audience.

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BASEBALL

Gators prepare for NCAA tournament after SEC semifinals loss

FLORIDA WAS ELIMINATED BY THE 2023 SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPION VANDERBILT COMMODORES

By Luke Adragna Sports Writer

The Gators’ season-long dominance over the Vanderbilt Commodores came to an end in the semifinals round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Sophomore left-hander Jac Caglianone took the mound for Florida but failed to muster a quality start to propel the Gators to a win.

When the two faced earlier this season, the lefty threw nine strikeouts and surrendered one run. Caglianone entered the outing riding two consecutive impressive starts in which he pitched 17 strikeouts and surrendered a single run across 13.2 innings of work.

His success diminished in the first inning of the semifinals round May 27. Vanderbilt found its way to get to the starter along with some assistance from multiple self-inflicted wounds by Florida’s defense.

The No. 2 Florida Gators (44-14, 20-10 SEC) were eliminated from the SEC tournament by the No. 8 Vanderbilt Commodores (40-18, 1911 SEC) 11-6 Saturday at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama.

The damage began when UF ju-

nior shortstop Josh Rivera misjudged a line drive that popped off his glove.

Caglianone walked his next batter before he committed a costly error.

The lefty snagged a soft comebacker hit to the mound and looked immediately toward third base for the forceout. He awkwardly tossed a ball that soared over the head of junior third baseman Dale Thomas and allowed a run to score.

The sophomore two-way star hit his next batter, struck out the next two and became the victim of another faulty mistake. He threw a wild pitch and allowed a second unearned run to cross home plate and followed

it by allowing a double to score two more runs for the Commodores.

Vanderbilt scored six unearned runs in the contest which provided plenty of cushion for the Commodores to advance to the championship round. The Gators strung together late scores but fell to Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament semifinals.

“He just wasn’t as collected as he’s been in his prior starts,” UF senior catcher BT Riopelle said of Caglianone. “All we can do is flush it. I know he’s a mentally strong kid.”

The poor performance didn’t entirely characterize Florida’s play in Hoover, Alabama. UF finished

its season with a 4-1 record against Vanderbilt, and despite missing the championship round, the Gators found plenty of success in their first two matchups of the tournament.

Florida began its tournament run in thrilling fashion against the Alabama Crimson Tide, May 24. The two teams battled it out in extra innings, and the Gators came out on top in the 11th inning when senior catcher BT Riopelle cranked a walkoff three-run home run to soar past the Tide 7-6.

Florida’s next day in the tournament came against the Commodores. After an impressive start from Gators junior starting pitcher Brandon Sproat and a five runs-batted-in performance from Riopelle in a 6-3 win, the Gators advanced to the semifinals round.

The victory earned UF an extra day of preparation for a rematch in the semifinals against the Commodores that didn’t go quite as expected with the disastrous first frame.

Caglianone surrendered six runs, four hits and two walks in 1.2 innings of work, and UF head coach Kevin O’Sullivan rotated throughout his bullpen and made five pitching changes the remainder of the game.

Sophomore Florida relievers Tyler Nesbitt, Blake Purnell, Fisher Jameson and freshman reliever Chris Arroyo combined for more than four innings of work and surrendered just one unearned run. The performance extended the outstanding

stretch among UF’s bullpen pitchers who have completely resurged after beginning the season as one of the weakest in the SEC.

“It just takes time,” O’Sullivan said. “It's a long season, and guys will figure it out, you just don't know who. We certainly have a bullpen now that we feel comfortable with. Some of those guys have stepped forward and really solidified our bullpen.”

The Gators’ tournament run also featured impressive performances from Riopelle who drove in 10 RBIs throughout the weekend, setting a Florida SEC tournament record.

Freshman second baseman Cade Kurland also hit his 16th home run of the season in the semifinal matchup. He set the record for the highest number of home runs hit by a UF middle infielder in a season and finished two shy of the freshman home run record set by J.J. Schwarz in 2015 with 18.

“We’ve got bigger and better things ahead of us,” O’Sullivan said.

The Gators have a lot to build upon with their SEC Tournament performance as they head into the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. Florida will host the regional round of the tournament starting June 2, and will be the No. 2 national seed in the tournament.

@lukeadrag ladragna@alligator.org

P.K. Yonge alum returns as head coach for his alma mater

WILLIE JACKSON JR. WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE BLUE WAVE’S HEAD COACH MAY 8

By Bennett Solomon Sports Writer

Growing up, Willie Jackson Jr. couldn’t wait for Friday nights during the fall. Whenever P.K. Yonge football played, he was there.

However, he rarely watched the games. Instead, Jackson and his friends would head up to the top field behind the action. He would play pickup tackle football games — running and leaping for touchdowns as the Blue Wave faced off against their opponents.

All of his pickup games on the top field were just the start of the Gainesville native’s football career.

Now 51 years old, Jackson is heading

back to where it all started to run the show for P.K. Yonge. The Blue Wave introduced Jackson as their new head coach May 8, where he will have the chance to bring success to the program he grew up playing for.

“I know what the P.K. way is,” Jackson said. “So that means a lot. It just makes sense for me to be able to have the opportunity to give back and build a legacy as a head coach.”

His legacy at P.K. Yonge started when Jackson made the junior varsity team in seventh grade. He quickly established himself as one of the premier players in the area, where he played quarterback, running back and defensive end.

He loved to have the ball in his hands.

Jackson went on to play wide receiver at the University of Florida after he graduated from P.K. Yonge in 1989. He earned AllSoutheastern Conference honors three

times during his four years at UF. He had a stellar career with Florida, with 162 receptions, 2,172 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. All three categories rank him in the top 10 in program history. He wore No. 22 for the Gators just like his father, Willie Jackson Sr. Jackson Sr. was one of two Black players to first earn a scholarship at UF.

“I had a built-in role model with my dad,” Jackson said. “I wanted to go to UF; he went to UF. He wore No. 22; I always wore No. 22. I didn’t have to search outside too far for [a role model.]”

In 1994, Jackson was selected in the fourth round of the 1994 National Football League Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He would go on to play for seven different teams across a nine-year NFL career before he retired in 2004.

It was a dream come true for him to reach the NFL, Jackson said.

“Not many people get to actually live out their dreams,” Jackson said. “It was a lot of work, but that was the only thing I ever wanted to do. That’s how you do your storybook. You do exactly what you wanted to do, what you thought you were going to do growing up.”

In 1991, Jackson’s father founded the Willie Jackson Foundation, and Jackson Jr. took over when he made it to the NFL. Additionally, Jackson Jr. runs a youth football program and coaches hundreds of kids on the fundamentals of football, he said.

His coaching career started during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars. His dad was coaching a semi-pro team and he ran the offense, he said. He then went on to coach his son’s team at the boys’ club in the area.

Chloe Hyde // Alligator Staff

Jac Caglianone rounds the bases during Florida’s 10-0 win against Vanderbilt Friday, May 12, 2023.

Florida dream comes true

Jackson Jr. returns home

SOFTBALL, from pg. 11

el, so he had an impact on my growth as a person and an athlete," Reagan Walsh said. Her growth as an athlete and as a Gator was made possible by the support of her parents and teammates, she said.

“I’ve had the opportunity to learn from a lot of great football minds,” he said. “It seems fitting that I’m able to spread some of that knowledge I’ve been so honored to have received.”

Walsh — who’s near the end of her second year — recognized she has support from her father, teammates and coaches, she said.

Her fellow Gators have noticed her confidence in her ability to change positions on the field when things get tough.

Jackson loved to throw the ball on offense, said Hawthorne head coach Cornelius Ingram. Ingram would have to ask Jackson to get his running backs carries during games.

"I've seen her work and the growth she has had,” UF shortstop Skylar Wallace said. “I think she's known you're not going to be perfect at all times."

“He would throw the ball every single play if he could,” Ingram said.

on time. He’s very organized. He always had his stuff together ready to go. He was a great coach [for us].”

said.

Walsh was set to fill the hole left by the departure of former Florida graduate student infielder Hannah Adams as she entered her sophomore season.

Jackson and his family are very close to the P.K. Yonge community. Jackson, his brother, sister and his daughter are all “P.K. Lifers,” a designation for students who attended the school from grade school through high school graduation.

“Working with Coach Walton every single day at practice, and him killing me at second base, I think, is all worth it,” Walsh said. “Hannah was such a great athlete; it's an awesome experience to be able to play second.”

Ingram said. “If Kahleil had a bad play, he’d chew him out, and he’ll pick him right back up. Just seeing him on the sidelines with his kid was something that I admire.”

be hard on her so she will succeed, he said.

"As a parent, I just want to love and support her — tell her it's all right,” he said. “Then on the other hand, you have to be competitive, and you have to push her to make sure she knows you have to do better, and you can do this.”

Jackson is now responsible for 11 students on offense and defense with the Blue Wave. The team had a 4-8 record last year, and Jackson looks to improve that. He has one goal: to build something special.

"The people at the University of Florida are great and have definitely impacted me as a player, but also as a person," Walsh said.

From there, Jackson became the offensive coordinator for high schools in the area, including Hawthorne and Eastside. He also spent time with the Orlando Apollos, a former XFL team, where he coached under legendary former UF football head coach Steve Spurrier.

Walsh has displayed confidence and an eagerness to win to the fans who come out to support her in Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. She batted in a season-high six runs against Illinois State Feb. 11 and has a batting average of 0.353 this season.

Jackson’s attention to detail is what makes him a strong coach, said Eastside head coach Harold Haskins.

He had Jackson by his side last year as his offensive coordinator, and it was a pleasure to work with him, he said.

Jackson’s son, Kahleil, also went to P.K.Yonge for a short time, but he graduated from Hawthorne. Kahleil now plays at UF. He redshirted his freshman year in 2020, and he played in six games in 2022.

He will forever support his daughter, he said. As a former athlete playing at a competitive level, he’s been hard on Reagan and understands the tough times she might face, he said.

Her control at bat and ability to find the right pitch is big in late innings, Wallace

“He was very reliable,” Haskins said.

“He was always at every single practice

He got the chance to coach his son as the offensive coordinator for Hawthorne.

“They really worked each other,”

Walsh and her father share a passion for sports and the competitiveness that comes with it. However, a line is drawn between his support for her as a father and giving her advice as a former athlete who understands the hardships of being an athlete, John Walsh said. He has to push her and

"It's a tough balance,” he said. “But I love her and let her know that.”

“I know how to do it. I’ve been groomed to do it,” Jackson said. “I love everything about being a head coach, about football. I love the organization. I love getting ready for practice. I love just everything about it.

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