Monday, 2/8/2021

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VOLUME 115 ISSUE 20

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville,

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

1,100 vaccinated at

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium TOUCHDOWN TERRACE BECAME AN IMMUNIZATION SITE FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF APPOINTMENTS

By Manny Rea and Jack Prator Alligator Staff Writers

Brenda McCue started reading her new murder mystery novel while in line to get her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. She guessed she might get through the first 100 pages before she left.

UF Health and the Alachua County Department of Health partnered to vaccinate 1,100 county residents at Ben Hill Griffin stadium Jan.5. The free vaccinations were by appointment only for Alachua County residents over the age of 65 who previously signed up through the health department.

County residents sat in padded metal chairs while waiting in line at the stadium’s Touchdown Terrace event center. The large room became a temporary home to 15 vaccination stations that stretched across the center of the space.

When their turn came, those in line sat down for their vaccinations. After receiving it, each person moved to one of the chairs lining the back of the room to wait 15 minutes so they could be monitored for adverse reactions to the vaccine.

McCue – who scheduled her test the week after Christmas – said she received a text notification Jan. 4 from the health department that she could book her appointment at the UF stadium.

“I was wondering if they had forgotten me,” she said.

The texts are part of a new online vaccination portal launched by the county’s health department Jan. 30. The online system allows people to schedule an appointment without the hassle of waiting on a call from the health department, administrator Paul Myers said.

SEE VACCINE, PAGE 5

Photo by Chasity Maynard

Gwendolyn P. Hunt scoops earth into glass jars at a soil ceremony held Friday, Feb. 5, 2021 in honor of the Newberry Six, a group of African Americans lynched in Newberry more than 100 years ago. Hunt and her husband own the land where the murders occurred.

UF students and faculty oppose proposal to build on McCarty Woods

UF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MARKED THE CONSERVATION AREA AS A POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION SITE

By Abigail Hasebroock Alligator Staff Writer

Amid the dense foliage, ancient trees and rich soil that houses thousands of microbes in the McCarty Woods conservation area, Akito Kawahara sees it: a great purple hairstreak butterfly.

The Florida Museum of Natural History associate curator who studies butterflies said he had never seen the delicate creature – defined by a striking blue line on its wing – until the encounter

on one of UF campus’ most centrally located conservation areas.

Though the moment was touching, he worries experiences like it will soon come to an end.

In December, UF Board of Trustees approved a 2020-30 Campus Master Plan that marked about 2 of the 2.9 acres of the McCarty Woods as a future construction site for research buildings, UF’s Director of Planning Linda Dixon wrote in an email. The decision has been met with opposition from UF students, faculty and staff who have banded together to prevent the implementation of the proposal.

Future development sites are needed for various academic and research buildings, Dixon wrote.

Development in the eastern third

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Ready to Roll

ID-19 pandemic, the team str ed to rep ace the oid e come the challenges the pandemic presented., pg. 11

part of campus is required to foster a centralized, flexible learning environment.

“We need more buildings, and campus needs to grow,” Kawahara said. “But campus can grow in a different way, and it doesn’t have to encroach on existing spaces. Natural areas like that should be perceived as a building in itself.”

The conservation area is a crucial resource for immersive hands-on learning and an experience that’s impossible to replicate in the classroom, Kawahara said.

He said students have approached him after a lab in the woods for an Invertebrate Field Biology course with plans to switch their majors to biology.

Gainesville city commissioners voted to draft an emergency order Thursday evening to tighten mask requirements in bars and clubs.

The order, which passed 4-3, comes after a monthlong debate about a possible shutdown in the city and county commissions as students returned to UF campus. While the emergency order passed, the policy itself is still under development.

There were 105 new COVID-19 cases in Alachua County Friday, according to the Florida Department of Health. As of Sunday night, there are 106 patients hospitalized in the county – a significant drop from the past few weeks. People between 15-24 currently have the highest infection rate in the county.

What exactly the new order will enforce remains unclear. While City Manager Lee Feldman said he is reviewing similar Florida mask orders, he did not say when he will begin finalizing the details of the

SEE MCCARTY, PAGE 5

SEE MASKS, PAGE 5

Celebrating life

hen the o er e efinish s firstwith o t comma, in arch pg# was cance ed d e to the Story description

ehind and o er-

Gainesville moves forward on emergency mask mandate

Gainesville resident celebrates 100th birthday, pg. 4

THE ORDER WILL MIRROR A RECENT TAMPA BAY MASK MANDATE

By Jack Prator Alligator Staff Writer

FOLLOW US ONLINE FOR UPDATES

Black-owned restaurants

Where to eat and support Black-owned businesses, pg. 6

@FloridaAlligator @TheAlligator_ @TheAlligator @TheAlligator @alligator_newspaper

2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Today’s Weather

Here’s what you need to know about SG Spring Elections

By Carolina Ilvento Alligator Staff Writer

On Feb. 23 and 24, UF students will vote for a new Student Body president, vice president and treasurer, as well as 50 senators.

Students will vote on candidates from the Gator Party, the Change Party and the Keg Party.

Of all students slating, 180 interviewed and are affiliated with Gator, 77 with Change and three with Keg. Gator announced its executive ticket for the Spring 2021 SG election Jan. 27. Current Senate President Cooper Brown is running for Student Body president, with Faith Maniti for vice president and Giovanna Mompremier for treasurer.

The candidates are “beyond ready to bring their first-hand experience, innovative vision, and immense passion to create a better experience for all gators,” Gator wrote in a Facebook post.

SG needs proven leadership to advocate for student voices, especially as COVID-19 continues to be a challenge for students, Brown wrote in an email.

He has acted as the Senate president, Senate pro-tempore, and budget and appropriations chair over his three years in Senate.

“I hope that the student body has confidence in my ability to lead and will #CountOnCoop,” he wrote.

Change announced its executive ticket for the Spring 2021 SG election Feb. 1. Wynton White is running for the Student Body president position, along with Matthew Rodriguez as vice president and Amy Nicholas as treasurer.

In the Facebook post announcing its ticket, Change leaders wrote that the party was founded on pillars of equity and representation.

“Change Party is committed to fighting for social justice and positive change for all UF Students in their student government,” according to the post.

The party’s campaign also established opposition to Gator, the current majority party, using slogans such as “Gator Party, we love the way you lie” and criticizing the party for unaccomplished promises in the Facebook video.

White previously held a position as Gator’s spokesperson and served as a senator for the former Impact Party before starting the Level Up Party, a short-lived party founded in Fall 2020.

Union joined Change Feb. 2. The decision to combine the parties grew out of a mutual aspiration to bring change to the current SG system, Change’s President Zoe Terner said.

“We realized the independent movement is always going to be the strongest when we are joining forces and not competing against one another,” she said.

Terner will continue to act as the party’s president, but former Union officers will join Change’s executive board.

“We’re saying that the issue of fighting for a Student Government that is truly representative of all students is bigger for both parties than any one party or any one name,” she said.

The parties decided to merge after three minority parties ran in Fall, causing them to compete with each other rather than against Gator, said Ethan Lomio, former Union president.

Gator currently holds a supermajority in Senate.

Lomio said he looks forward to developing a campaign that incorporates both parties’ plans and ideas to create a stronger platform than in

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 20

ISSN 0889-2423

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past years.

“We stand for the welfare of the everyday student in their struggles with finances with their communities,” he said. “We fight so that the everyday student can sleep easy and succeed.”

Party officials said they are unsure when the parties’ platforms will be released.

For Keg, Michael Ackerman is running for the Student Body president position, along with Braeden Allen and Benjamin Haut as vice president and treasurer, respectively. The party has no registered candidates running for a seat in the Senate.

The Alligator sent Ackerman, Allen and Hunt three emails each asking about their hopes and goals in running for the executive ticket positions. Keg candidates did not respond to requests for comment.

After five days of mostly virtual slating, a total of 261 students interviewed with parties, according to Hayley Price, supervisor of elections.

“I’m happy that over 260 students were able to slate,” Senate President Cooper Brown wrote in an email.

“It’s great to see this many students engaged and wanting to be a part of Student Government.”

It is still unknown whether election voting days will also incorporate social distancing alternatives, as online voting is still declared unconstitutional, and early voting has not been added to the Spring 2021 election special rules. @CarolinaIlvento cilvento@alligator.org

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 ALLIGATOR 3

4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Gainesville Resident celebrates 100th birthday and joins world’s centenarian population Marion Broadaway has lived through World War II, the moon landing and technological advancements like television and computers Michelle Holder Alligator Staff Writer

Marion Broadaway has a hair appointment every week. This Friday afternoon, a pink and silver crown with the number 100 bedazzled in rhinestones topped her freshly curled gray hair.

Broadaway, a Gainesville resident, smiled as she took a bite of banana nut cake – her favorite flavor. Wearing a striped sweater and a pink and black birthday sash, she celebrated a century of life surrounded by friends and family.

“It’s a very special day,” Broadaway said. “I feel like the day is special, not me.”

Broadaway’s family and friends gathered around and pushed her wheelchair toward a white outdoor tent set up at the Oak Hammock Health Pavilion, the retirement community where she lives.

Pink and gold balloons filled the inside of the tent, and a big cake decorated with red and pink roses and shaped into the number 100 sat on a table.

“When I look back, I think I had a very exciting life. I enjoyed my life,” she said.

Joining the world’s less than 1% centenarian population, Broadaway lived through World War II, the moon landing and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s seen television, computers and the Internet advance, but her favorite innovation is Zoom because she can call people anywhere in the world.

“It’s amazing that you can call something here and call all the way to Europe from Gainesville,” she said.

The past year during the COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult on Broadaway and her family. Her daughter, 66-year-old Becky Adkins, said she didn’t see her mother in person for months.

“It’s been pretty tough. She doesn’t verbalize it so much,” Adkins said. “She’s just one of these people who takes things in stride.”

Broadaway’s lifelong pastime was writing cards and letters. Growing up, she had penpals in Egypt and Japan, and she wrote to her husband every day during World War II. “She used to show me postcards she had from them, like the Egypt one, of course, had the pyramids,” Adkins said. “It was very much a part of her life. She wrote voluminously in terms of corresponding with her family.”

Born Feb. 5, 1921, and raised in Massachusetts with the maiden name Dempsey Broadaway is the second of six children.

She attended Blue Mountain College, a women’s school in Mississippi, where she studied English and met her late husband Rufus Broadaway, a Mississippi native.

“He was the romantic southerner that she was looking for,” Adkins said.

Together they had three children, daughters Judith and Becky and son Dana. She is now a great-grandmother with four grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Reflecting on her life, she said one of the hardest things she went through was the loss of her child. Broadaway’s daughter Judith died in a motorcycle accident shortly before she would have graduated from col-

Julia Cooper / Alligator Staff

Marion Broadaway smiles as she tells stories of her life to family members at her 100th birthday celebration on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. lege.

Rufus, who died in 2016 at the age of 95, was drafted into World War II where he served as a paratrooper. He jumped into Normandy on D-day, she said. After the war in 1945, Rufus reunited with Broadaway and Judith.

Broadaway spent the majority of her adulthood living in Miami on an acre of property containing a big single-story ranch house. Her husband worked as a surgeon after he left the military. She spent her days taking care of her family and tending to the 25 mango trees on their property. Adkins said her mother would often make mango chutney, a tangy and sweet sauce.

Broadaway is a talented musician and played the piano all her life. She has a baby grand piano with ivory keys.

“My mom played beautifully. She loved to play Chopin and Debussy, really kind of the romantic, very just beautiful stuff,” Adkins said. “She could tickle those ivories.”

Adkins, who now owns the piano, said

she also played it in her youth and often used the piano to get out of doing chores.

“My mom would say, you know, if you want to practice the piano, you don’t have [to] help with dinner,” she said. “I still play, not very often, but I think of my mom pretty much whenever I do play,” Adkins said.

After Miami, the family relocated to Highlands, North Carolina, for about 10 years. In 2004, she and her husband moved to Gainesville’s Oak Hammock community.

In her younger years, Broadaway and her husband enjoyed traveling. They walked across England and took memorable trips to the base camp of Mount Everest.

After Broadaway’s century of life, she said she urges younger generations to take advantage of anything that comes along.

“If everyone were like my mom, the world would be a much happier place,” Dana said. @michellecholder mholder@alligator.org

Students and volunteers feel safe at UF COVID-19 testing sites UF CONSIDERS THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES AT TEST SITES

By Abigail Hasebroock Alligator Staff Writer

A hit pop track echoes in the distance. A lone plastic straw sits in the grass. Anxious students keep their heads down as they desperately search for an isolated corner to begin spitting into a vial.

This isn’t the aftermath of a wild house party or a successful gameday – it’s a routine saliva COVID-19 testing site on UF’s campus.

UF implemented biweekly mandatory COVID-19 screenings and saliva tests for students living on campus, involved in Greek life or enrolled in face-to-face sections.

With the increased test administration this Spring, UF said it is taking the necessary measures to ensure

the testing site volunteers, employees and thousands of students getting tested every day feel safe.

In a campus brief emailed to all faculty and staff Jan. 29, UF Health Screen, Test & Protect wrote that it “continues to perform more than 2,000 PCR saliva tests per day, with a capacity for up to 3,200 tests daily -- more than three times the maximum number of daily tests administered in the fall.”

Testing volunteers and employees are provided N-95 masks, and an infection control specialist pays a visit to each location to ensure protocols are being met, UF Health’s Screen, Test & Protect Associate Director for testing operations Meghan Froman said.

Additionally, UF Health gave all employees and volunteers the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after its arrival to UF in December.

“The volunteers and staff all know that we have their safety as number one,” Froman said. “We

function as a team, so if they see something that might help with the processes or anything like that, we work as a team to make that work well.”

Zachary Raad began volunteering to help administer tests in September before becoming a paid employee in January.

“I just wanted to really see how I could help the local community during the pandemic,” the 21-yearold Chinese and chemistry senior said.

Raad doesn’t believe spending time at the test sites puts him at any greater risk of infection than a trip to the grocery store or taking a stroll outside. He said he is less anxious now that he received both doses of the vaccine, and his involvement is good practice for his future in the medical field.

“You definitely have to deal with similar situations in hospitals,” he said.

UF Health Screen, Test & Protect test site supervisor Leon Chen

said the program streamlined the testing process this Spring to properly handle the increase in students coming to receive tests. Any concerns presented by the volunteers are accounted for, Chen said.

“If anyone doesn’t feel comfortable with doing their specific role, we would be happy to swap them out or give them something that they think is more safer,” the 28-year-old UF alumnus said. “We don’t want our volunteers to feel anxiety doing what they do.”

The influx of students being tested this semester has raised concerns over the safety of the testing sites, as volunteers and employees are protected only by their masks.

Though the sites are decorated with bright markers on the ground measuring about six feet apart, students still bump into each other as they try to hand off their vials of saliva as quickly as possible.

“With the walk-ups, I think there is more of a risk of getting anything just because a few times

that I went, there are a lot of people there,” Amanda Bastos Feijo, a 20-year-old UF economics and sustainability junior, said.

Despite the perceived risk of contracting the virus at the crowded walk-up testing sights, Bastos Feijo said she appreciates the efficiency and accessibility of COVID-19 testing at UF. During her stay in Brazil over Winter Break, receiving a test to return to the United States was nearly impossible, she said.

Unlike UF’s COVID-19 tests, Bastos Feijo said she had to pay for a test in Brazil, so she appreciates the availability of testing sites on campus. She believes students should remain cautious, however.

“If you’re doing that in-person one, and everyone’s crowded in front of the stadium or wherever they are, you just gotta be mindful of who’s around you,” she said. @abbeyhasebroock ahasebroock@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 ALLIGATOR 5

MASKS, from pg. 1

VACCINE, from pg. 1

city’s mandate. The commission suggested ideas such as police enforcing mask violations, fining businesses for COVID-19 violations and making masks mandatory in outdoor lines to enter businesses.

Commissioners asked to model the order after Hillsborough County’s current mask mandate, which prohibits people from gathering on dance floors, standing at bars to eat and requires customers to be seated when eating or drinking. The commission also mentioned a recent Tampa order requiring masks in outdoor spaces in anticipation of Super Bowl festivities as something Gainesville should model its order after.it wants to model Gainesville’s order after.

“What we’re doing right now is making suggestions to the city manager,” Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe said. “Ultimately, he’ll have to decide what’s possible and what’s not.”

Poe voted against the order, explaining his worry that a capacity or dancefloor limitation might jeopardize the cooperation between local businesses and the city. He said he would rather wait to first start Healthy Gainesville Initiative, a recently approved marketing collaboration between the city and UF to encourage students to wear masks in bars.

“I think that we can nudge positive behavior for when folks are gathering — whether it’s in a line or anywhere outside,” he said.

Despite opposing the preemptive nature of the order, Poe said he will sign it because Gainesville is in an emergency state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency orders require an executive signature from the mayor. Poe said he expected to meet with Feldman over the weekend to discuss the city’s options.

In September, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an order prohibiting local government restrictions on businesses enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols. Another order issued in November requires local governments to report the economic impact of any proposed restrictions. The report would need to argue why public health benefits outweigh the cost of the restrictions put in place.

However, DeSantis’ order only stops local governments from collecting fines. Some cities, such as Miami, have found loopholes to issue mask citations with the intent of collecting the money after the governor’s order is lifted.

Commissioner Harvey Ward, who also voted against the order, said restricting people from gathering in public spaces will only force them to gather at houses and apartments.

“If we shut down bars, which we will effectively do if we say there will be no dancing, there will be no pool-shooting, there will be no dart-throwing, people are going to congregate anyway,” Ward said. “They’re just gonna do it in places where we can’t enforce anything.”

Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos said by prohibiting indoor dancing, bars and clubs could just move activity outside.

“I think these are reasonable steps and we have to take action and give other opportunities,” he said.

Hayes-Santos agreed with Poe that this order would be difficult to have police enforce, but said it gives the city the regulatory power to deal with college students who do not wear masks in packed public spaces.

“There are a few ones that are causing the most issues,” he said.

During the UF presentation of the Healthy Gainesville Initiative, presenters said education was the next best action in the absence of strict mask regulations, Hayes-Santos said. While he supports the initiative, he would also like to see the mandate accompany it.

“Education is great and I think it’s a part of it,” he said, “I personally don’t think it will make a significant difference.”

Hayes-Santos said he expected the Alachua County Commission to step up and create its own mask mandate.

“If we move forward on an order, I think the county will follow.”

At a Jan. 12 meeting, the Alachua County Commission asked city staff to compile health research and economic impact analysis to consider reducing capacity at bars and restaurants.

County Commissioner Anna Prizzia said she proposed the staff report so the commission would be prepared in the event that cases rise as students return to classes this Spring.

Paul Myers, Administrator of the Alachua County Health Department, said in January he did not believe the health benefits of a shutdown would outweigh the economic costs.

“Let’s hold the line in terms of what we are doing in the community,” he said.

Gainesville City Attorney Nicolle Shalley said she, Poe and Feldman would need to discuss what legal options they have in framing the mask mandate.

Feldman did not comment on what actions he will take with the emergency order as of Thursday evening. He said only that he had a lot of thinking to do.

The health department and UF Health are currently vaccinating about 1,000 people each day, Myers said, adding that the only limiting factor in the mass vaccination effort was the number of available doses.

“What you’re seeing here today is just, you know, a soft start to see and work out some of the kinks and make sure it’s as safe for everybody as possible,” he said.

The collaboration between UF Health and the county is a pilot test for the stadium’s regular use in future vaccinations, said Dr. Michael Lauzardo, head of UF Health’s Screen, Test & Protect program. The venue’s capacity and significance as a Gainesville landmark make it the perfect location for large scale vaccinations, Lauzardo said.

As rollouts are dependent on how many vaccines the state brings in, no timeline is set for low-risk groups, including UF students, he said.

Julius Gylys, a UF clinical psychology professor, took his mother-in-law to the stadium Friday to get her first shot. Gylys got his first dose of the vaccine a month ago.

“We feel so fortunate,” he said.

“Until UF partnered with the health department, this wasn’t happening.”

Pamela Nolan, a Gainesville resident who registered for the vaccine in early January, said she is the first person she knows in the county to get vaccinated. Her son drove the short three miles from her home to the appointment at the stadium.

“I didn’t cry,” she said smiling as she got up from the seat where she was given the shot.

Twenty-eight UF pharmacy student volunteers worked in three shifts throughout the day in preparing doses of the vaccine.

The students received a great professional experience and co-curricular hours in UF’s pharmacy program, Associate Dean Shauna Buring said.

“I make sure the students go out and see so they know how much it means to the patients,” Buring said.

Screen, Test & Protect workers directed people with appointments to fill out consent forms and other loose ends. Sarah Weber, an STP worker,

@jack_prator jackprator@alligator.org

arrived at 7:30 a.m. to attend a briefing before checking people in, filling out documentation and addressing medical concerns.

But the preparation made the experience quick for the arrivals.

“My appointment was at 4 p.m., and I’m already done,” 70-year-old Alachua city resident Linda Chapman said at about 2:30 p.m. She spent her post-vaccination wait reading a newspaper.

She said she was getting the vaccine so she can travel to England in September.

Evangelos Christou, a UF professor in the department of applied physiology and kinesiology, said the vaccine made him feel liberated because he’s bringing his protection to the classroom and his patients. Christou teaches an in-person intramuscular physiology class and looks after patients with movement disorders.

“The whole setup has been really outstanding,” Christou said. “Everyone has been gracious and helpful.” @ReaManny @jack_prator

1

2

3 Photos by Grethel Aguila

1. A UF Health nurse prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine Friday, Feb.5, 2021.

2. Alachua County residents wait in line to get the COVID-19 vaccine inside Touchdown Terrace in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Friday, Feb.5, 2021.

3. A UF pharmacy student prepares the COVID-19 vaccine before it is administered Friday, Feb.5, 2021.

MCCARTY, from pg. 1 “Those are the kinds of things that are, especially for the education component, essential,” he said.

“And we’re going to lose that.”

Though thousands of students have benefitted from the space, Kawahara said UF does not understand the area’s significance. Developers perceive it as an unused plot of land waiting to be built on, he said.

“That 30 minutes of time that we spent in McCarty could potentially have that impact about their careers in the future,” he said.

The current proposal would leave behind 1 acre of the woods, but students in The Wildlife Society at UF do not believe this is a sufficient solution. Savannah Cantrell, 21-year-old UF wildlife ecology and conservation junior, said the remaining land would not be useful to the wildlife.

“That acre that is going to be leftover is going to be severely disturbed, and the animals that are left aren’t going to be as successful as they are now with the almost 3 acres that they have,” she said.

Cantrell said she is insulted by UF’s refusal to acknowledge the pleas of students and faculty.

“We are the future of science,” she said. “If they

don’t listen to their own scientists, then who are they really listening to?”

UF Wildlife Society President Sierra Scauzillo hosted two information sessions over Zoom Monday to explain the campaign to prevent construction in further detail. She said accurate evidence and facts will be instrumental in raising awareness about the issue.

“I don’t want people using this platform to insult UF officials, to create a negative environment or say things that sound factual but just aren’t true,” the 22-year-old UF wildlife ecology and conservation senior said.

The UF Board of Trustees is expected to make its final decision about the future of McCarty Woods mid-March, and a project report is expected to be completed and presented before then, Scauzillo said.

“By the end of February, we should all start sweating,” she said.

The group created an interest form, an Instagram and a Facebook for students looking to get involved in the movement. Their petition reached more than 12,000 signatures as of Sunday.

“Maybe if we win this, we’ll have a party, a socially distanced party,” she said. “A party in McCarty.” @abbeyhasebroock ahasebroock@alligator.org

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 www.alligator.org/the_avenue

Food

Celebrate Black History Month on a full stomach

BLACK-OWNED RESTAURANTS TO SUPPORT IN GAINESVILLE Veronica Nocera Avenue Staff Writer

Food, culture and community-building are indivisibly intertwined in Gainesville. In honor of Black History Month, the Avenue has compiled a list of some of the Black-owned restaurants, food trucks and cafés in Gainesville.

Bone of my Bone BBQ

When it comes to barbecue, Allen Craig lives by a single motto: “Good ribs don’t need sauce.”

Craig and his business partner, Akim Lettsome, started the food truck Bone of my Bone BBQ LLC in 2017. With four years of experience serving barbecue to the Gainesville community, Craig said his goal is to pack the meat with enough flavor that customers are satisfied with the ribs alone.

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Craig said Bone of my Bone BBQ is slowly working back up to full-time service.

While the food truck is currently more of a passion project than a full-time job, he said he would like to one day reach that point with the business.

Even in work, family always comes first, Craig said.

When Bone of my Bone BBQ pulls up to a brewery for the day, customers can expect to see the entire Craig family pitching in — his wife helping cook sides and his daughter holding up signs to attract passersby. Knowing his

and Lettsome’s kids can watch their fathers cook and enjoy the experience, Craig said, is the most important part of the job.

“At the end of the day, if we don’t have the support of our families, it’s not going to work at all,” Craig said.

Chef Empowerment’s Underground Kitchen

Carl Watts wasn’t always a chef.

Watts began working as a Gang Intervention Specialist with the Gainesville Police Department’s Black on Black Crime Task Force in 2011, mentoring at-risk youth and adults for six years. Desiring a change, Watts later started his culinary career at Blue Gill Quality Food, working his way up from dishwasher to executive chef.

In 2017, Watts established Chef Empowerment — a program that combined his love of food and mentorship by offering vocational training and employment to at-risk youth.

In order to accumulate enough revenue to keep this program running, Watts has also managed Underground Kitchen, a dine-in restaurant at 1001 NW 5th Ave., since June 2020.

A second location, also on Fifth Ave., is predicted to open for curbside service in about two weeks, Watts said.

With both of his restaurants located on Fifth Avenue, Watts said he remains astounded by the support offered by residents and businesses of the historically black community — and he’s determined to give back to those who embraced him.

“Going into Black History Month, I’m really focusing on the art of giving,” Watts said.

“We’re going to fulfill our commitment.”

Aubrey Bocalan Watts said despite carrying a lot of pride in being a Black business owner, it isn’t easy.

Still, considering the racial injustices that continue around the world, he said, he’s dedicated to doing his part and giving back to communities often considered “challenged.”

“My business has a global agenda, but we’re going to fight that global agenda locally,” Watts said.

According to the World Food Programme, COVID-19 has pushed 270 million people across the world toward the brink of starva-

tion. Watts said he wants to know he’s a part of the restaurants actively working to attack this statistic — all without leaving Gainesville.

“Even 1% of that number is impossible for our small Black business,” Watts said. “But, at the end of the day, isn’t it a good feeling to know that we helped somebody out?”

Read more at alligator.org. @vernocera vnocera@alligator.org

Gainesville location of Dave & Buster’s opens Monday

The Celebration Pointe complex marks the franchise’s ninth location in Florida Heather Bushman Avenue Staff Writer

Grab your game cards and all of your extra tickets – good, clean fun has officially arrived in Gainesville.

A new Dave & Buster’s opened Monday at the Celebration Pointe Mall, marking the ninth edition of the entertainment complex in Florida. Gainesville’s location features a full restaurant and arcade and will follow rigid COVID-19 protocols for all employees and guests, according to a press release.

The complex, located at 4949 Celebration Pointe Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 11-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Specials include Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. and Late-Night Happy Hour Thursday through Sunday from 9 p.m. to closing. Frontline pandemic workers and members of the armed forces will receive a 20% discount on food and games with a valid I.D. The staples of Dave & Buster’s are all present in the new location, including a full-service bar and restaurant with the 40-foot “WOW” Wall TV, the “Winner’s Circle” where guests can redeem their tickets for prizes and the “Million-Dollar Midway” featuring a number of arcade games.

Among the attractions in the Midway is a virtual reality ride with six different simulations, as well as classic games like SkeeBall, NBA Hoops and Dance Dance Revolution.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” said general manager Kendrick Smith.

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Smith, 42, was originally managing the Memphis location of Dave & Buster’s, but he made the move to Gainesville after taking the managerial position for the new location. He said Gainesville’s promising future as a developing city inspired the choice for it to house Florida’s ninth Dave & Buster’s.

Families across the area are enthusiastic about the entertainment complex, Smith said.

“A lot of people are extremely happy that we’re opening up,” he said.

Not only does the location offer a new excursion for Gainesville residents, but it also created jobs in the area. Applications and interviews starting in early January resulted in a team of around 135 employees working everywhere from the kitchen to the arcade.

Hannah Lester, a 22-year-old UF biology graduate, heard about the new Dave & Buster’s in December. After recounting her positive experience at the Orlando location, she said she decided to apply. She was hired to work in the Winner’s Circle, where she distributes prizes to guests.

Employees were trained in the week leading up to the opening, starting Monday and culminating in an early opening Thursday for friends and family of staff to visit the location. The guests dined in the restaurant and played games in the Midway while employees got their first taste of a regular shift.

Gage Ellis, a 20-year-old Dave & Buster’s employee also working in the Winner’s Circle, said the hours of training have paid off.

“I think we’ve got this down pat now,” he said.

Read more at alligator.org. @hgrizzl hbushman@alligator.org

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 ALLIGATOR 7

Newberry honors Lynching victims in soil collection ceremony Alachua County organizations worked with the Equal Justice Initiation to pay tribute to the Newberry Six

By Lucille Lannigan Alligator Staff Writer

On the cold, cloudy Friday morning, more than 50 people gathered to pay tribute to the Newberry Six — victims of a 1916 lynching — in a soil collection ceremony held beneath an old tree’s twisting branches at a grassy lot in Newberry.

The area is known as Lynch Hammock, where residents Jim Dennis, Bert Dennis, Mary Dennis, Stella Young, Andrew McHenry and Rev. Josh Baskins were reportedly murdered more than 100 years ago.

The Concerned Citizens of Newberry, a community organization, worked with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) from Montgomery, Alabama, the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project and the Real Rosewood Foundation, an organization dedicated to keeping the memory of Rosewood, Florida, alive, to hold the service.

Jackie Davis, a member of the county Remembrance Project, said the poured soil represents the labor of the victims and enslaved Africans who were brought to the United States.

“Their blood, sweat and tears have become part of our soil,” Davis said. “So we see the soil as a mute witness to these murders that occurred.”

Research on the Alachua County’s lynchings from EJI and the county’s historical commission led to the Truth and Reconciliation project the commission set in motion in 2018.

The soil ceremony, originally planned for April 2020, is a step in the county’s path to address and reconcile with its history of racial violence. Lynchings are defined as unlawful murder, which includes hanging, drowning, shooting and burning sometimes as a public execution.

Candle flames flickered in the drizzle but remained lit as they sat in front of 13 empty jars. Six of the jars will return to Montgomery, and the rest will remain in Newberry. One jar read “unknown” for the countless unnamed

victims of lynching in the U.S. The others displayed the names of those murdered during the public lynching in front of 200 Alachua County residents.

Pastor and Newberry-native Lewis King opened the service with a prayer.

“I just want you to imagine for a moment that right now, God is crying,” he said. “He’s weeping as a result of people coming together and saying that we will reconcile.”

The soil collection began after remarks from Newberry resident Brenda Whitfield and EJI representative Keiana West, a proclamation from the mayor and a tribute to former UF adjunct professor Patricia Hilliard-Nunn – whose work on lynching history, speakers said, made the event possible.

Attendees, including county commissioners and Sheriff Clovis Watson, watched as descendants of the six and other volunteers filled the jars with soil. The sound of “Amazing Grace” momentarily drowned out the rain.

Sheriff Watson stood with the crowd, clad in a suit and shielded by a green umbrella. As someone whose role is to ensure everyone’s fair and equal protection, he said he felt it was important to stand on the historic land Friday.

“We still have more to do to get it right, but what you saw today is an effort and a heart and a willingness to get it right and come together,” Watson said.

Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe said society failed these families a century ago and proclaimed the lynching as the darkest moment in the community’s past.

“The city of Newberry recognizes that this soil ceremony will and should serve both as a reminder of the sins of the past and as a symbol of the desire to move forward together in openness, honesty, truth and unity,” Marlowe said.

Warren Lee, a descendant of one of the lynching victims, and Gwendolyn Hunt, the owner of the land housing the tree, were among those who poured the soil into the jars. Hunt and her husband have owned the land for about 40 years.

Seated near the front of the tree in a bright red suit, Hunt said she felt God gave her and her husband the property for a reason. She was happy to see so many people gathered under the tree with love in their hearts.

“We’ve come a long way, but we still have a ways to go,” she said.

Stephanie Birch, board chair for the Real Rosewood Foundation, said the ceremony was a symbolic gesture, and more work needs to be done.

“Two hundred people gathered here to murder several people on that day,” Birch said. “There were not 200 people here today.

I don’t think there are enough people who are putting their bodies on the line to end the fight towards racial equity and justice, and we need to step it up.” @LucilleLannigan llannigan@alligator.org

One COVID-19 U.K. variant case confirmed in Alachua County THE INFECTED PERSON IS 69-YEARS-OLD AND MAY BE FROM SOUTH FLORIDA Michelle Holder Alligator Staff Writer

Alachua County reported its first case of the U.K. COVID-19 variant last week.

A 69-year-old person – who is possibly a South Florida resident given their address history and 305 area code from a disconnected phone number – tested positive for the B.1.1.7 variant at a private pharmacy, according to Paul Myers, administrator for the Alachua County Health Department.

The strain spreads faster than other COVID-19 variants, and the health department is investigating the situation, Myers said.

Myers does not know if the person is still in the county.

The health department knows this strain may be more contagious, he said.

According to the CDC, it spreads faster than other variants and may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other virus variants. However, the CDC reports more studies are needed to con-

firm this finding.

The U.K. variant of the virus arrived in Florida at the end of 2020. Now, 5% of Florida’s COVID-19 cases are of the variant, the Miami Herald reported.

Vaccines are still effective against this strain, though, Myers said.

“Nothing changes in terms of the protective measures that we’ve taken,” he said. “Continue the mitigation practices that we’ve all been doing.”

In light of the new strain, City Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos said the city commission moved forward with a mask mandate and new restrictions for restaurants, bars and retail, which would emphasize social distancing.

People should be cautious of the new strain and keep wearing masks and social distancing, Hayes-Santos said.

“It doesn’t matter what strain we have here,” he said. “The virus is still here, and it’s still very strong. We can’t let up our guard now.” @michellecholder mholder@alligator.org

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8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

UF launches new diversity, equity and inclusion training

Cody Ko, Noel Miller and David Dobrik distract students with humor Over 1,900 students attended Cody Ko and Noel Miller’s show, and more than 2,200 watched David Dobrik’s

THE 40-MINUTE COURSE IS MEANT TO PROVIDE THE GROUNDWORK FOR STUDENTS AS A PART OF UF’S ONGOING ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN

By Sofia Echeverry Alligator Staff Writer

UF students received an email alerting them to a new assignment. But it wasn’t classwork from any of their professors.

“Hate, bias, discrimination, and racism have no place at the University of Florida,” the email read, inviting students to an online diversity, equity and inclusion training course.

UF paid $34,000 to implement a diversity, equity and inclusion training program for students and faculty as a part of its anti-racism initiatives. The 40-minute training is recommended for all students, faculty and staff and covers topics such as discrimination, intersectionality, oppression, inclusion and identity.

The course had a deadline of Jan. 31 for faculty and staff but is still accessible as a resource. Students have until April 1 to complete the course.

The course is being offered through EVERFI, an interactive online training platform, which UF previously partnered with to offer the required sexual assault prevention and alcohol education courses for students.

“We view this course as a building block available to enhance students’ education and awareness of new and familiar topics centered on inclusion that may support their cultural competency while at UF and beyond,” Vice President for Student Affairs D’Andra Mull said.

The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement this Summer prompted UF to reconsider its role in perpetuating racism.

The university discontinued the use of the “Gator Bait’’ chant, which was tied to the practice of using Black children as alligator bait in the South, and promised to review and remove historical monuments and building names that honor the Confederacy. UF also vowed to end its use of prison labor and officially severed its contracts Sep. 11.

However, Asian American Student Union co-Presidents Britney Rengert and Zachary Raad think the new course only works as a surface-level introduction for people who may not have exposure to diversity and inclusion topics.

“A lot of the material and information was familiar to us because it’s stuff that we talk about in terms of advocacy with our organization a lot,” Rengert said. “People often seek out the information if they’re interested in it. For people who have really no interest in diversity and inclusion, they’re not going to take a lot from it.”

Raad thought the course was an improvement from other inclusion efforts he’d seen from UF but felt it was still not specific or thorough enough to leave lasting impacts.

“You can’t really undo long-standing beliefs and behaviors with a 40-minute training,” he said.

He also has taken issue with the way UF glossed over its own history of discrimination.

Many students have also fought to rename the Reitz Union, named after J. Wayne Reitz, who had a history of actions against the Black and LGBTQ+ communities during his time as president of UF. So far, their efforts have not been successful.

Moving forward, Raad said he wishes to see more accountability from the university.

“If the institution wants to make progress, at some point it has to admit its own faults,” he said.

The co-presidents agreed the resources UF used for the course would have been better spent on existing programs, such as the university’s ethnic and gender studies programs, the Counseling and Wellness Center, and the Disability Resource Center.

“What is the school doing to make sure that our ethnic studies programs or our gender studies programs is getting the support it needs?” Raad asked. “How are we making sure that the Counseling and Wellness Center have staff and counselors who are equipped to deal with students of all backgrounds?” @sofecheverry secheverry@alligator.org

Ashley Hicks / The Alligator

By Carolina Ilvento Alligator Staff Writer

Cody Ko, Noel Miller and David Dobrik brought laughter and bright smiles to UF students Wednesday night, providing some unfiltered advice and insight on their lives behind the screen.

Accent Speakers Bureau, a UF Student Government agency funded by student fees, hosted the trio in a free event to UF students and faculty over Zoom. During the $120,000 show, they spoke about their experience with YouTube and what is to come in their futures.

More than 1,900 people attended Ko and Miller’s event, and more than 2,200 attended Dobrik’s, Accent Chair Steven Wolf wrote in an email. The cap for both events was set at 3,000.

The night began with a 45-minute conversation with the comedic duo Ko and Miller, known for their YouTube series “That’s Cringe” and Tiny Meat Gang podcast, moderated by UF public relations professor Natalie Asorey. She asked the pair about the biggest risks they’ve taken and their creative process.

Ko and Miller said their biggest risk was taking all of their podcast money to invest in GameStop and Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that recently spiked in the stock market.

Ko said he saw Elon Musk tweet about Dogecoin and immediately bought stocks when it was at its peak. Within hours, they lost it all.

They didn’t specify how much money they invested.

“This was the stupidest thing I have ever done,” Ko said.

The duo stayed true to their YouTube personas, answering all questions with witty and sarcastic humor.

When Asorey asked if they are more left or right-brained, Miller immediately said: “Is that like a

political question?” and Ko sarcastically followed up: “Yeah, and also, what’s your opinion on religion, Noel?”

The duo also joked about settling creative conflicts with fistfights and appealing to all generations’ sense of humor through fart jokes.

“Everyone thinks farts are funny,” Ko said.

During the 15-minute student Q&A, students asked Miller and Ko if they would have been friends in college and about the evolution of professionalism with newer generations.

“I don’t think I could afford Duke,” Miller joked, referencing Ko’s time at Duke University. “I mean, I don’t think we could develop what we have if we didn’t match in some way.”

The duo also said the concept of presentability has changed over the past decade is evolving and moved on to joke about how they ensure professionalism at Tiny Meat Gang (TMG), their comedy podcast.

Ko joked that their employees must read the bible and are not allowed to have tattoos, drink or smoke.

“The Man of God is actually what TMG stands for,” Miller added.

David Dobrik entered the Zoom call at 8 p.m. accompanied by his close friend and assistant Natalie Mariduena, both dressed in Gator hoodies. Journalism professor Harrison Hove moderated a 45-minute conversation with the pair, asking about Dobrik’s thoughts on college education and creative content creation.

Dobrik dropped out of Duke because it wasn’t for him, he said.

Instead, he moved to Los Angeles to work in food service and soon started his career in entertainment through Vine. However, he told students that getting a college education and meeting the right group of

people is still important.

“I don’t think you should drop out of school,” he said. “Just because you are deciding that school is not for you, you gotta f---ing work harder than anybody else now.”

Dobrik said that at the peak of his YouTube career, he made $270,000 per month posting three to five vlogs a week.

He said YouTube stopped monetizing his videos due to inappropriate content a couple of years ago, and he hasn’t profited off of the platform since. With five times as many views on YouTube, he said he’d be making $1 million per month if monetized.

During the 15-minute student Q&A, students asked Dobrik for his favorite piece of advice.

“If you turn face to sunshine, all the shadows fall behind you,” he answered.

Jenna Williams, an 18-year-old UF business freshman, said she has been watching the YouTubers for years and was excited to see them live.

“It was really cool to see them having a normal conversation just about their lives, their goals and their futures,” she said. “They kind of just make me forget about all the stresses that are going on in my life.”

Williams said she enjoyed the distraction. Her favorite part of the show was learning about the behind-the-scenes of their videos.

Kaylinn Escobar, an 18-year old UF public health freshman, said she’s a fan of all three YouTubers and was stoked to hear that UF would be hosting them for the Accent event.

“I really enjoyed the night,” she said. “I was able to forget about my calculus homework for just a little bit.” @CarolinaIlvento cilvento@alligator.org

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Cancellations: Call 373-FIND M-F, 8am - 4pm. No refunds or credits can be given. Alligator errors: Check your ad the FIRST day it runs. Call 373-FIND with any corrections before noon. THE ALLIGATOR IS ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST DAY THE AD RUNS INCORRECTLY. Corrected ads will be extended one day. No refunds or credits can be given after placing the ad. Corrections called in after the first day will not be further compensated.

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15

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7. In 1938, what American 2. The Bigtennis Whistle.player won the Grand Slam 3.-- The all Simpsons. four major tour4. The Chicago Bears. naments -- in a single5.calendar Kendo. year?

6. Conor McGregor.

© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc. 7. Toni Kukoc.

King Features Syndicate, Inc. answers on© 2020 page 10

10 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

16 Health Services

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solution below

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solution below

: PUZZLE SOL U T ION S CrytpoQuote answer

The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run.

Sports Quiz answers

—Herman Melville

alligator

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Sudoku solution

ScrabbleGrams solution

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 www.alligator.org/sports

FEATURE

Hell's Wells

Gainesville Roller Rebels stay afloat amid pandemic ROLLER REBELS ARE ANXIOUS TO SKATE AGAIN

By Zachary Huber Sports Writer

Marilee Griffin walked into the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center on Oct. 5, 2019, sat on the creaky blue bleachers and buckled her shiny, dark red skateboard helmet.

The helmet matches everything about Griffin — mirroring her retro red lipstick and fiery-colored hair.

She then strapped on her black-and-red-outlined knee pads and wrist guards, slid on her rose-colored knee-high socks and then her quad black skates with red laces.

On the track, she’s night and day from the nine other skaters zipping around the 88-foot, oval-shaped roller derby. Mostly because she pairs her red accessories with her grass-colored Swamp City Sirens jersey.

That’s why the Gainesville Roller Rebels call Griffin the “Red Daring.” Her derby name is a play on the literary fallacy — red herring.

For many Roller Rebels, roller derby is an aspect of who they are.

Many of them formed long-lasting relationships through the team. President Chelsea “Queen Slayer” Tobias has met some of her closest friends like Griffin — and even her partner through the Roller Rebels.

When their first bout in March was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they struggled to replace the void left behind and overcome the challenges the pandemic presented.

But for now, let’s recount when times were simpler. The Oct. 5, 2019 bout.

The Gold Coast Derby Grrls and the Roller Rebels’ affiliate team, the Sirens, were about to clash as Griffin hit the track.

She and the team weren't confident her squad would emerge from the battle victorious because the Derby Grrls, a team repping Broward County, was undefeated.

“We were all kind of intimidated,” Griffin said. “We weren’t expecting to win this game.”

Swamp City stayed within striking distance through the first 50 minutes of the bout, trailing by only a handful on the scoreboard. That’s when Griffin and her team started to believe in themselves.

The Roller Rebels finally generated enough momentum through a massive run from their jammer, Lily Jane Woodward, tilting the seesaw in their favor with 10 minutes left on the game clock.

Woodward weaved through opposing defenders one by one, like navigating a crowded bar scene. She lapped the five Derby Grrls four times for a total of 20 points in a two-minute jam session.

Woodward’s impeccable run catapulted Swamp City to its first lead. The Sirens never glanced in their rearview mirror.

In the midst of the commotion, Griffin felt as if she were in a sports movie like “Hoosiers.” Swamp City was accomplishing the unthinkable.

The crowd of 150 Sirens fans went into a frenzy when they realized their team pulled off the upset while the game clock slowly trickled to triple zeroes like sand in an hourglass.

“They started stomping on the bleachers that I could feel it (on the track),” she said.

The buzzer sound filled the rink, and the Sirens knocked off the Derby Grrls 147-138. Griffin immediately started jumping with her teammates and hugged each of them as if they won a world championship.

• • • Then, the new year came and March skated by. The Roller Rebels were geared up for the 700-mile trek to Virginia Beach, Virginia, for their first bout of the season.

It was one of the rare occasions where the team left the Sunshine State for a game.

Training since January, they felt ready to make leaps on the

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track and build off their 8-2 record from the year before.

But as March 21 got closer, so did a tidal wave surging off the coasts of the U.S. After a few sparse COVID-19 cases earlier in the year, the U.S. had a full-blown pandemic on its hands by the start of the month.

Griffin became the captain several months after the bout against the Derby Grrls. Tobias, the Roller Rebels’ board of directors and she were glued to the local and national news channels trying to reach a decision about whether their bout was feasible.

Despite no confirmed cases in Alachua County, they still made the decision to cancel the match because of how many cases popped up throughout the state.

Devastation spread throughout the team like a wildfire. But they all understood it was the right decision.

To Griffin, it was a hard pill to swallow.

“It’s like you don’t know what you’re gonna do with your time,” she said. “We had invested an incredible amount of energy and time into getting prepared for our season.”

The three months’ worth of blood, sweat and tears evolved into pain over a season that never happened.

The Roller Rebels are an official member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The association has been more proactive and conservative in its approach to resume play compared to other leagues. Teams’ cities must meet a low COVID-19 positivity rate before they can return to normal playing conditions without fans.

At first glance, not many would guess that Cat “Bootyvicious” Clifford, an aggressive blocker who usually flaunts her faded black eyeshadow and goth-like lipstick, is a nurse manager at North Florida Regional Medical Center.

Despite her rugged exterior, her tattoos tell a kinder story.

She has a nightingale on her right arm to represent her passion for nursing and a larger one on her left arm with double meaning: it shows her appreciation for space and constellations and being the mother to her two children.

Cat witnessed first-hand how deadly the pandemic was day in and day out. It’s why coming to terms with the season’s termination came easily.

Her husband, Thomas “Mr. Vicious” Clifford, is also on the frontlines of the pandemic in the Alachua County 911 Call Center. The league’s decision to close until positivity rates were low was a good one, he said, because they have manned the pandemic’s battlefront.

For the Roller Rebels to conduct an outdoor practice, the 14-day positive infection rate in Alachua County needs to dip below 5%. In that no-contact practice, only five players are allowed and social distancing must be respected. The county currently has a 5.3% rate as of Feb. 3.

While the Roller Rebels hope they can return to the track soon, Griffin and Tobias urged the team to stay active by skating in their neighborhood or a nearby park. They also used Zoom and social media like Florida teams did this offseason.

As captain of the squad, Griffin sent players workouts to complete. The Roller Rebels shared what they call “sweaty selfies,” drenched in sweat as if they just went swimming.

They use it as pressure, encouraging teammates to stay in shape until whenever practices resume.

They analyzed old roller derby championships on YouTube. Their captains stopped the tape like a professor in class to emphasize a lesson. They also relaxed completing Zoom yoga and belted out their favorite songs on karaoke night like performing a concert.

At the height of the shutdown, the team picked up a staple in Gainesville — a college-style drinking game.

They started “icing” each other. A team member would drive to another player’s home and drop off a cold bottle of Smirnoff Ice....

Another postponement

Read more at alligator.org

Florida will have to wait to visit Tennessee as the game scheduled for Feb. 10 was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. No make-up date has been determined at this time.

Florida made defensive changes, but not the right one

T

o say that UF’s defense wasn’t great last year would be too kind.

The Gators ranked 83rd nationally in yards per game allowed and 72nd in third down conversion percentage. With a dynamic offense led by quarterRiver Wells twitter: @riverhwells back and Heisman candidate Kyle email: rwells@alligator.org Trask and a slew of weapons like former tight end Kyle Pitts and former wide receiver Kadarius Toney, even a slightly better defense could have possibly propelled them past teams like Alabama — and almost certainly would have propelled them over teams like Texas A&M and LSU. This offseason, Florida made some moves to fix it. They ditched safeties coach Ron English and cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray and replaced them with former Auburn defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff and former USF cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar. Both are experienced hires who should fill in for the expunged staff nicely.

But there is an elephant in the room. After this recent round of hirings and firings, it’s still taking up space: Todd Grantham.

Grantham has had an interesting career. Prior to Florida, he had not lasted more than three years as a defensive coordinator anywhere he had held the position, including the Cleveland Browns, Georgia Bulldogs and Louisville Cardinals. In fact, he hasn’t lasted more than four years at any coaching job he’s ever had.

And there’s a reason for that.

Grantham’s Cleveland Browns struggled massively on the defensive side of the ball, managing a tenure-best 16th ranked team in total defense in 2005 before sliding to 27th and then 30th in the next two years.

Grantham’s first three years at Georgia saw the Bulldogs stay within the top 40 in total defense with a high of 18th in 2012. The team then slid to a miserable 89th during his last year.

He was most successful in Louisville, with his highest ranking coming in at 25th his first year there and staying within the top 40 for the rest of his tenure.

This will be Grantham’s fifth year with head coach Dan Mullen after following Mullen from Mississippi State. With a shaky resume and a relative lack of success, why did Mullen decide to stick with the man in charge of Florida’s flailing defense?

To put it simply, Mullen has trouble firing coordinators he hires.

In the 12 years Mullen has been a head coach in the SEC, he has only fired a single coordinator — Peter Sirmon, who he fired in favor of Grantham. Mullen is loyal to those at the helm of his offenses and defenses, and he appears reluctant to fire someone who is quite literally his neighbor.

In this case, allowing Grantham to lead the defensive unit is only delaying the Gators from making it to a national championship with every year he commands the unit.

There’s a reason Grantham doesn’t typically last with teams. Until Mullen finally decides to let him go, every offseason change on the defensive coaching staff will likely be the wrong one.

Follow us for updates

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

12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021

BASEBALL

Gators enjoying new Florida Ballpark and facilities in first offseason

By Ryan Haley Sports Writer

If you ask the Florida Gators baseball team how they expect their new ballpark to play, you’ll get one answer — big.

Dead center measures 400 feet, outdistancing 4 MLB stadiums, and the walls in the right-center and left-center gaps each sit 380 feet from home plate, head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.

“You’ve got to make a lot of hard contact to get the ball out of the yard,” he said.

However, the differences the players wanted to highlight expanded beyond how far the outfielders have to run to get to the warning track. The project wasn’t just the construction of a diamond and some seats.

It was an investment into the entire baseball program, and the team is reaping the benefits.

The ballpark comes equipped with a new pitching lab along the third-base side, righthanded pitcher Tommy Mace said. Some new technology is also available for pitchers to hone their craft, including a Yakkertech.

A Yakkertech is a stereo imaging system that uses a camera to instantly measure data from a pitch. It aims to provide accurate, immediate data from ball tracking to player motion and provide pitchers a deeper look into their throws.

The Yakkertech measures a pitch’s velocity, pitch location and movement through the air. It also calculates the ball’s spin rate, which affects the direction the ball moves through the air and the impression the bat-

Ryan Haley//The Alligator

Florida’s baseball team is anxious to restart after last season’s unceremonious ending. ter has as the ball flies toward home plate.

The camera also measures the ball’s observed spin axis, the measure of direction the ball is spinning in the air from the pitcher’s perspective, and spin efficiency, the ball’s useful spin (the amount of spin on the ball that contributes to in-air movement) divided by total spin. All of these calculations factor into how pitchers can optimize every move they make and every pitch they throw.

Equipment like a Yakkertech can show pitchers like Mace things about the way they throw that are invisible to the naked

eye. If Florida’s pitchers have direct access to information like spin rate and spin efficiency and improve upon those numbers, they can add velocity and movement to their pitches, a thought that shouldn’t excite opposing batters.

The new pitching lab has a camera that shows pitch designs. While Mace said it hasn’t been a primary bullpen for the team, it’s been instrumental for Gators to explore new pitches and sharpen their skills.

Another novel feature installed this offseason along Hull Road was the turf infield behind the right-field foul pole, which

O’Sullivan and third baseman Kirby McMullen both praised.

“We’ve been putting that to good use already, and I think it’s going to be really good here come during the spring too,” McMullen said.

The new infield allows the team to get more work done fielding and baserunning in the same amount of time, O’Sullivan said.

Other top teams in the SEC East have turf infields of their own. The new addition will allow the Gators to better compete against divisional opponents like Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri.

“Obviously, your first goal as a program is to win the East,” O’Sullivan said. “That gives you an opportunity to obviously win an SEC Championship.”

However, all the shiny new toys and sparkling amenities haven’t lessened the memories of Alfred A. McKethan Stadium, the Gators’ old home of more than 30 years.

O’Sullivan said his son rewatched his favorite Florida moment last week: Austin Langworthy’s 11th-inning walk-off against Auburn that sent the orange and blue to the College World Series in 2018 — a moment cemented in Gator lore for all time.

No matter how much weight nostalgia carries, it always gives way to progress.

While the seats of Florida Ballpark don’t hold decades of history, what’s held within the walls sets the Gators up to etch even more.

Contact Ryan Haley at rhaley@alligator. org or follow him on Twitter @ryan_dhaley