UF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION STAFF REACT TO THE END OF HYBRID AND REMOTE WORK
By Maria Avlonitis Alligator Staff Writer
Katherine McGuire works from home two days a week. The arrangement saves her an hour-long commute to work and gives her the opportunity to be productive without distractions.
When the University of Florida sent an email to employees July 24 announcing a full return to inperson work, the 40-year-old UF graduate admissions officer said the announcement was so abrupt the whole office had to stop working.
“They just pulled the carpet from under us,” McGuire said.
UF faculty and staff have a month to figure their lives out, she said.
Interim President Kent Fuchs’ email announced UF’s plans to mirror national trends in business, education and government jobs by returning to in-person work.
Florida International University announced its full return to on-campus work June 6. UF Spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email that UF’s Chief Information Officer Elias Eldayrie made the decision to end hybrid work arrangements for UFIT employees around a month ago, which will take effect Aug. 11.
The decision came months after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered an audit of state universities to identify “inefficiencies” in higher education in April. Institutions were instructed to submit a vast set of
documents, including a full list of noninstructional staff positions and whether the roles were in-person, remote or hybrid.
Fuchs wrote physical workspaces promote stronger bonds by offering collaborative opportunities and encouraging creative problemsolving.
Thirty days is short notice, and it seemed like Fuchs’ email was purposeful as it aligns closely with his contract ending, McGuire said.
“I think it's just a way for them to deliver a blow that hurts a lot of us without [Fuchs] having to take the backlash because he is going to be gone,” she said.
Ending hybrid and remote work arrangements has been discussed by university leaders for the past year, Orlando wrote in an email.
After consulting with the UF Board of Trustees, Fuchs decided he should make the decision instead of waiting for the next president, he wrote.
McGuire said a hybrid schedule helped with her work-life balance, accommodating her health issues so she could go to the doctor on days she worked from home. Cutting out the two-hour round trip to get to work makes a big difference in how much time she has for housework, she said.
Coming into work every day adds to transportation costs, McGuire said, and UF needs to compensate for the changes. The increased campus population will worsen pedestrian and traffic congestion, and there might not be enough room to accommodate a full staff, she added.
Alachua County family addresses grief in petitioned bill
“Clayton’s Law” petition has amassed nearly 4,500 signatures to date
By Logan McBride Alligator Staff Writer
Editor’s note: This story contains descriptions of death and may be sensitive to some readers.
Clayton Emerson was 17 years old when he was killed in a car accident.
A driver failed to yield on East University Avenue, striking Emerson on his motorcycle in June 2024.
The driver, Keith Grant, a 41-year-old Gainesville resident, was found to be negligent in the crash. He has a history of four drug-related arrests in a 13-year period, including an arrest in
2017 for felony drug possession. Grant didn’t complete a toxicology report after the fatal crash. As a result, Clayton’s family drafted “Clayton’s Law,” which would require toxicology tests for all fatal crashes where negligence is involved, regardless of suspicion.
SEE CLAYTON'S LAW,
Michael Goston // Alligator Staff
The mural on 34th Street that honors the five victims of Danny Rolling “The Gainesville Ripper” as seen on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Read more on pg. 5.
Today’s Weather
Solar Gators wins awards in Formula Sun Grand Prix
THE TEAM PLACED FIFTH OUT OF 26 TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE U.S. AND CANADA
By Elizabeth Maguire Alligator Staff Writer
The Formula Sun Grand Prix is an annual solar car track event held by the American Solar Challenge and Innovators Educational Foundation. Teams undergo an approval process by engineers before a threeday race concludes the weeklong event.
Cars’ batteries can only be recharged once during the race. The grand prix’s road-style, closed course tests the cars’ handling of curves, braking and acceleration, measuring their endurance by seeing which car can accumulate the most miles.
Solar Gators attended the competition for an eighth time, debuting a new car, Flare. The team finished fifth overall and won the fastest lap award, a $500 Mathworks award and second place in the Altair Challenge.
Established in 2012, Solar Gators debuted its first car, Torch, in 2017. The group now has over 75 members.
Upper-level engineers, who are juniors and seniors, spent an average of 20 hours per week working on the car, according to Solar Gators president Connor Ellis, a 21-yearold UF aerospace engineering senior. He noted many lower-level engineers also dedicate 20 hours per week.
Flare was designed two years ago and was manufactured during
the 2024-25 school year. It was built from carbon fiber entirely by UF students.
Meeting deadlines and space constraints were the team’s biggest challenge when building the car, Ellis said.
Many team members balance a full course load, jobs and extracurricular activities despite Solar Gators’ substantial time commitment.
“It really takes people going the extra mile and putting in that time after they've already been studying or working for 10 to 12 hours that day and taking a couple more hours out of their day to go do some work and build a solar car,” Ellis said.
Solar cars are generally 15 feet long, and the team’s garage, which the UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering provides, is around 40 feet long. Other colleges often have more space to build their cars, he said.
The team’s dedication and passion allowed them to overcome construction obstacles, he said.
“Everyone on the team works so hard, basically because their peers work so hard,” Ellis said. “You owe it to each other to put the work in to be able to produce such a highquality car. Respect for the work that everyone else puts in is the greatest contributor.”
In the fall, the team will focus on improving Flare for next summer’s competition, he said. Making sure Flare can stay on the track for an entire race takes priority, so they don’t have to waste time making repairs.
Oliver Tumbel, a 21-year-old UF mechanical engineering senior
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and Solar Gators engineer, said the team used simulation tools to design the car’s aerobody in March 2024.
“Our biggest thing that we are authorizing for when designing the car is optimizing for efficiency,” Tumbel said. “We want our car to run on as little energy as possible.”
After completing the aerobody, the team progressed inwards and packaged the auxiliary and supporting systems, such as the chassis, suspension, battery pack, brakes and more, explained Tumbel.
Solar Gators is primarily funded by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and fundraisers, said 20-year-old UF mechanical and aerospace engineering junior and Solar Gators vice president Chelsea Catabia.
Chelsea Catabia.
“We fundraise for ourselves, whether that be reaching out to local sponsors or other companies to provide materials for us to use, or just money as well,” Catabia said.
The team will host fundraising events on campus in the fall.
“We’ll definitely take all of the support of anyone in the UF community,” Catabia said.
@emaguireee emaguire@alligator.org
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Solar Gators celebrates placing fifth overall in the Formula Sun Grand Prix.
UF ends remote, hybrid work arrangements
According to Fuchs’ email, the Chief Financial Office, Provost’s Office and the Office of Construction, Facilities and Real Estate will work closely with UF Human Resources to address space constraints. It isn’t clear how UF will do so in a month.
“I don't think they thought it through,” McGuire said.
Thomas Greenia, a 38-year-old end user computing specialist at the UF College of Education, has worked for UF for six years. He was upset to find out about the change, he said.
If there were an actual president instead of an interim one, Greenia said, he thinks things might have been different.
“[Fuchs’] contract is up, and he didn't stand up and fight for this at all,” Greenia said.
Not all faculty need to abide by the order, he added. According to Greenia, the College of Education’s dean said staff will have to return to the office, and there’s no mention of the change being applicable to faculty.
Orlando wrote in an email faculty are expected to be physically in the workplace except in cases where their assignment requires them to be elsewhere.
“We’ll be working out more details related to how this applies to specific situations as we move forward,” Orlando wrote in a text message.
UF’s decision to end hybrid and remote work agreements was “done in poor taste,” Greenia said. UF employees didn’t have a choice transitioning to remote and hybrid
work during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, but “we proved that we could rise to the challenge and still get stuff done.”
It’s not clear whether UF will compensate hybrid or remote employees as part of their compensation package, he said.
The Board of Trustees should reevaluate the potential fallout from the decision, he said.
“It's something that should have been measured before it was parceled out,” Greenia said.
Rowan Ravenswood, a 29-year-old communications coordinator for the UF Lastinger Center for Learning, has worked a hybrid schedule at UF since 2022.
To Ravenswood, working remotely had a lot of perks. Two remote days meant two fewer days to pay for a dog walker to walk her 2-year-old dog, Juniper, in the middle of the day.
Now, she has to adjust her schedule to accommodate for days she could work from home. Ending hybrid and remote work arrangements impacts everyone differently, and some people might have to make changes to child care needs, she said.
Hybrid and remote work arrangements matter to a lot of people, she said, and people might not be able to relocate or make the commute every day. Ravenswood said she’s heard UF employees consider quitting due to the change.
“What are you going to do when turnover shoots up through the roof?” she said.
She doubts the return will increase inperson collaboration, especially with jobs that remain strictly online, she said.
“It just is an inconvenience both for all of
us who have to now change our lives around and for the university, which has to now expend all of the extra costs of additional electricity usage since everyone is there every single day,” Ravenswood said.
More in-person employees will put pressure on parking, which she already often has trouble finding, she said. UF staff have to pay hundreds of dollars a year for parking permits, she said, and spots aren’t guaranteed, making it tougher to find parking.
Buildings won’t be prepared to accommodate a full in-person staff, she said.
One of the off-campus buildings she works at doesn’t have enough space for everyone and needs more desks and space for staff who return, she added.
Booking conference rooms will also be more challenging, she said. If teams are expected to meet in person, some buildings don’t have enough conference space to accommodate overlapping schedules, Ravenswood said.
“It's going to be a hot mess,” she said.
@MariaAvlonitis mavlonitis@alligator.org
Henry A. Moore // Alligator Staff
UF pulls the plug on remote work positions, forcing many employees to return to their physical offices.
UF Hamilton School works toward ‘Oxford-style college’ with new hires, majors and director
CENTER EXPANDS FACULTY, LAUNCHES NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS UNDER NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR
By Swasthi Maharaj Alligator Staff Writer
Patrick Reakes didn’t think he’d be a librarian. He was a businessman and a veteran long before he considered the possibility. Now, 43 years after his freshman year at the University of Florida, he’s serving as the interim director of the George A. Smathers Libraries.
Although being a librarian was not always his dream, it felt like destiny, Reakes said.
“I sold a business, and I was kind of trying to decide what I wanted to do,” Reakes said.
His wife encouraged him to pursue a library career. She asked him what he wanted to do after he sold his business and supported him when he decided to pursue a graduate degree in library and information science at Florida State University.
Reakes, who took over the position following dean Judith Russell’s departure, spent over two decades building his professional relationship with UF.
He graduated from the UF College of Journalism and Communications in the 1980s and returned to take more coursework in the 1990s to become a professor. In 2001, he took over UF’s former journalism library. Over the years, he served as chair of the Education Library, Architecture and Fine Arts Library and Library West, as well as associate dean for all George A. Smathers Libraries.
“My top priority is to keep the libraries moving forward,” Reakes said. “We’ve got a lot of really good people in place, and we’ve got a lot of really impactful initiatives.”
Reakes’ colleagues said they’ve witnessed his passion firsthand.
Margarita Vargas-Betancourt, a librarian in the Latin American and Caribbean Special Collections, said Reakes’s connections with his staff make him a good leader.
“He knows everybody,” Vargas-Betancourt said. “He walks, he talks with people, that’s how he learns about problems, about what things are running right. The fact that he listens and also shares information, I think that’s his strength.”
Vargas-Beatancourt hopes UF Libraries will remain a national and international leader in librarianship and student support.
“The French Fries” stand between the Computer Sciences and Engineering Building and Marston
on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
With the libraries’ future in mind, Reakes said he’s focused on UF’s upcoming capital campaign, a fundraising effort designed to raise money for various initiatives at the university, expanding digital and special collections, completing an ongoing Google books project in the digital collections and working to integrate ethical AI use into libraries and student use.
His predecessor, Judith Russell, spent 18 years as director before stepping down. She called Reakes the “ideal candidate” to forward the UF libraries.
“I was very pleased to recommend him to the provost and very pleased that the provost selected him for this role,” Russell said.
The hardest part of stepping down is leaving the daily interactions with “such an amazing group of people,” she said. Russell intends to remain involved through research, faculty support and mentorship and she’s confident the libraries are in good hands with Reakes.
“Having worked in so many different roles here gives him just a strength and a diversity in his background in terms of understanding
Traffic fatality inspires state bill
July 2025, 13 months after the accident.
Negligence refers to careless conduct causing harm to another person. Texting, failing to obey a traffic sign or speeding can be considered negligence for drivers.
Clayton’s mother, Kelli Boyd, a 47-year-old Newberry resident, created a petition for Clayton’s Law June 30. Nearly a month later, it amassed almost 4,500 signatures. Officers determining probable cause is too subjective, Boyd said.
Florida law states officers can decide whether to perform a toxicology report, even in cases of serious injury or death.
“Right now, officers have full discretion, and too many families are left without answers,” Boyd said. “My son was 17 years old. He had his whole life ahead. Now we’ll never know, that evidence is gone now.”
The loss of her son was the “darkest time in her life,” Boyd said.
She felt the Gainesville Police Department could have handled the situation better, she said.
Boyd said her family had to push for a traffic citation to be administered. Keith Grant wasn’t issued a citation until
Grant is set to appear for a mandatory hearing Sept. 4 for “serious injury and fatality.” While he was originally charged with failure to yield approaching or entering an intersection, there were no charges regarding the fatality.
The charges’ lack of clarity frustrated Boyd, especially due to how many fatalities happen as a result of impaired drivers, she said.
In Florida, over a third of fatal crashes from 2013 to 2023 included an impaired driver. The statistic only reflects cases in which toxicology testing was performed. It’s unknown if the number is higher.
Boyd connected with several Florida legislators and legal assistants to strengthen the language of the proposed bill, she said. The bill is currently in the sponsorship phase, meaning a sponsor will be responsible for filing the bill before it goes into the Florida House or Senate.
“I can’t let his death be just another statistic,” Boyd said. “To be hit in the face that nobody will be held accountable has led me down this path of wanting a law in place, wanting accountability.”
The potential bill has faced pushback claiming it’s “stepping on constitutional rights,” Boyd said.
Clayton’s father, Chad Emerson, a 49-year-old Lake
the complexity of what is a relatively complex organization and group of services,” Russell said. “I think [he has] just a really good personality for it. He's trusted. He's wellliked.”
For Reakes, who calls himself a lifelong Gator, the focus is on student success and is built on his love for the university.
“I bleed orange and blue,” he said.
@s_maharaj1611 smaharaj@alligator.org.
Butler resident, has his commercial driver's license. In cases of crashes causing fatalities, all drivers with a CDL are required to do a toxicology test, he said.
“Definitely don’t want any other families to have to go through and experience what we went through, of not knowing why exactly this happened,” Emerson said.
Everybody affectionately called Clayton “Boo,” and he was preparing to join the United States Marine Corps, Emerson said.
“He walked into the room, you knew it was fixing to be a good time, you knew you were fixing to be laughing,” Emerson said. “He was full of life.”
Gainesville Public Information Officer Art Forgey said GPD is aware of the petition filed by Clayton’s family. Police are only permitted to conduct toxicology tests if they have “probable cause a crime has been committed,” Forgey said. Probable cause could include the smell of substances, a driver showing signs of impairment or drivers who have probation orders.
“It could be a [former] bank robber, and he could be standing outside the bank,” Forgey said. “Just because he’s had a past of that, doesn’t mean there’s probable cause at this moment.”
GPD did not respond to multiple requests for clarification about why the citation was filed 13 months later.
Michael Goston // Alligator Staff
Science Library
UF alumnus steps up as UF libraries interim director
PATRICK REAKES BRINGS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE TO THE GEORGE A. SMATHERS LIBRARIES
By Swasthi Maharaj Alligator Staff Writer
Patrick Reakes didn’t think he’d be a librarian. He was a businessman and a veteran long before he considered the possibility. Now, 43 years after his freshman year at the University of Florida, he’s serving as the interim director of the George A. Smathers Libraries.
Although being a librarian was not always his dream, it felt like destiny, Reakes said.
“I sold a business, and I was kind of trying to decide what I wanted to do,” Reakes said. His wife encouraged him to pursue a library career. She asked him what he wanted to do after he sold his business and supported him when he decided to pursue a graduate degree in library and information science at Florida State University.
Reakes, who took over the position following dean Judith Russell’s departure, has spent over two decades building his professional relationship with UF.
He graduated from the UF College of Journalism and Communications in the 1980s and returned to take more coursework in the 1990s to become a professor. In 2001, he took over UF’s former journalism library. Over the years, he served as chair of the Education Library, Architecture and Fine Arts Library and Library West, as well as associate dean for all George A. Smathers Libraries.
“My top priority is to keep the libraries moving forward,” Reakes said. “We’ve got a lot of really good people in place, and we’ve got a lot of really impactful initiatives.”
Reakes’ colleagues said they’ve witnessed his passion firsthand.
Margarita Vargas-Betancourt, a librarian in the Latin American and Caribbean Special Collections, said Reakes’s connections with his staff make him a good leader.
“He knows everybody,” Vargas-Betancourt said. “He walks, he talks with people, that’s how he learns about problems, about what things are running right. The fact that he listens and also shares information, I think that’s his strength.”
Vargas-Beatancourt hopes UF Libraries will remain a national and international leader in librarianship and student support. With the libraries’ future in mind, Reakes said he’s focused on UF’s upcoming capital campaign, a fundraising effort designed to raise money for vari -
ous initiatives at the university, expanding digital and special collections, completing an ongoing Google books project in the digital collections and working to integrate ethical AI use into libraries and student use.
His predecessor, Judith Rus -
sell, spent 18 years as director before stepping down. She called Reakes the “ideal candidate” to forward the UF libraries.
“I was very pleased to recommend him to the provost and very pleased that the provost selected him for this role,” Russell said.
The hardest part of stepping down is leaving the daily interactions with “such an amazing group of people,” she said. Russell intends to remain involved through research, faculty support and mentorship and she’s confident the libraries are in good hands with Reakes.
“Having worked in so many different roles here gives him just a strength and a diversity in his background in terms of understanding the complexity of what is a relatively complex organization and group of services,” Russell said. “I think [he has] just a really good personality for it. He’s trusted. He’s wellliked.”
For Reakes, who calls himself a lifelong Gator, the focus is on student success and is built on his love for the university.
“I bleed orange and blue,” he said.
@s_maharaj1611 smaharaj@alligator.org.
Impacts of 1990 Gainesville murders remain strong, especially for college-aged women
LATE AUGUST WILL MARK 35 YEARS SINCE THE MURDER OF FIVE GAINESVILLE STUDENTS
By Alanna Robbert Alligator Staff Writer
Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of sexual assault and death and may be sensitive to some readers.
Retired Sheriff Sadie Darnell has a 45-year history with law enforcement. Now, she spends her mornings peacefully at home.
But 35 years ago, she was the public information officer for the Gainesville Police Department during a time of terror.
August 1990 was the beginning of another Fall semester at the University of Florida. For many college students, it ushered in another year of opportunity.
The community was horrified when five Gainesville college students were murdered within four days.
Sonja Larson was studying to become an educator. Christina Powell planned to become a crime scene investigator. Christa Hoyt was about to start school at Santa Fe College.
Tracy Paules was the newly elected president of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, an association for pre-law students. Manuel Taboada was about to enter UF’s architecture program.
Daniel “Danny” Rolling was identified as the killer in 1991 through DNA testing. At the time, he already occupied a cell in a Marion County jail due to a supermarket robbery. Nationwide, Rolling is widely known as “The Gainesville Ripper.”
At the time, former Florida Gov. Bob Martinez deployed officers from multiple law enforcement branches, including state troopers
and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents, to campus.
As GPD’s PIO, Sadie Darnell was responsible for communicating with the families of the victims during the time of the murders.
“For that to happen in a medium-sized community or medium-sized police department [was] totally unexpected,” Darnell said. “We had to deal with it without any preparation and without any sense of having gone through it before.”
The incident sparked a strong sense of community, she said, because people made an extra effort to keep each other safe by walking friends to their cars and turning on the lights outside their homes at night.
Darnell said she feared talking to the victim’s families for the first time.
“Think of them as your neighbor, because they are,” Darnell said. “Any of us could be a survivor of murder or victim, and so we need to recognize that it’s not an isolated thing that only happens to other people.”
She commended former UF President John Lombardi for continuing classes and football games after the murders occurred.
“It was a brilliant thing to do because it started the healing process of our community,” Darnell said.“It was a start, a return to normalcy, a different normalcy.”
Murder crimes continue to impact “too many families in horrific ways,” she said.
Four University of Idaho students were murdered in an off-campus home in November 2022. Bryan Kohberger was given life in prison for the murders July 23. He declined to explain his motive when asked.
Blue light emergency phone poles can be seen on college campuses across the nation to deter crime. The blue emergency phones immediately connect a caller to emergency services in a direct line.
UF’s Blue Light Emergency Phones call the
University Police Department. They are available 24/7.
The phones are the result of the parents of Jeanne Clery, who lobbied on college campuses after their daughter, a student at Leigh University, was raped and murdered in her oncampus dorm.
The 1990 Jeanne Clery Safety Act requires college and university campuses, which participate in federal financial programs, to log all crimes reported to the institution, publicly report campus crime data and give timely warnings about crimes threatening their students and faculty.
In 2021, degree-granting postsecondary institutions, universities like UF and Florida State University, reported around 23,400 on-campus criminal incidents. Of reported on-campus crimes, 44% were forcible sexual offenses, and 9% were aggravated assaults.
In 2023, UF stated there were 352 reported crimes. Of the reported on-campus crimes, 4.5% were rape, and 31.25% were domestic violence.
Nicki Spirtos, a Stetson University College of Law 1994 graduate, was deciding where to attend law school when the murders occurred. The UF murders affected her decision, she said.
Spirtos had been accepted to both UF and Stetson University. At the time, she attended Stetson University for her undergraduate studies.
Spirtos said she was “terrified” by how similar her lifestyle was to the victims.
“There was a rumor that this killer was on his way to Volusia County, though how would anybody know that?” Spirtos said. “I was living in Volusia County in an apartment by myself, and that was a very frightening time.”
Jan Gordon, a 63-year-old Gainesville resident, lived in Gainesville while the murders occurred. The days following the murder were a “fearful time” because of the mystery of who
was behind them, she said.
People felt they had to take extra security precautions, she said, such as keeping doors locked and checking front doors before letting anyone inside. Gordon’s family had a friend stay with her at the time.
The 1970s and 1980s had a significant number of serial killers compared to other decades. The number has declined since. The ‘70s saw 286 serial killers, and there were 259 serial killers in the ‘80s, by decade of first killing. In the 2010s, there were 42 serial killers.
Instead of serial killers, it is more common for college campuses to be struck by gunfire.
There were 229 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024. There have been 74 school shootings in 2025 as of July 27.
Florida State University experienced a shooting in April. The alleged gunman, a 20-year-old FSU student and son of a Leon County deputy, killed two and injured six in open fire in the university’s student union.
Gordan said people can find comfort in tragic times through religion.
“My son is a pastor now at Tallahassee, and the shootings up there, he said, it’s a lot like that feeling of people are just scared,” Gordon said.
In remembrance of the tragedy, a memorial was constructed on Southwest 34th Street in Gainesville in 1990.
Five palm trees, planted in 2000, line the street, swaying in the breeze. Each of the palms has a plaque representing one of the victims.
Nearby, a painted mural on the 34th Street Wall urges people not to forget the incident. The wall, painted black with red hearts over it, contains the names of the five victims painted in white.
“Remember 1990,” it reads.
@alannafitzr arobbert@alligator.org
Courtesy to The Alligator
Patrick Reakes, interim director of UF libraries, laughs during former Dean Judy Russell’s farewell celebration at Smathers Library.
MONDAY, JULY 28, 2025
www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue
MOVIES
A review of James Gunn’s reimagined ‘Superman’
A FRESH TAKE ON THE CLASSIC SUPERHERO IS JUST WHAT AUDIENCES WANTED
By Isis Snow Avenue Staff Writer
Editor’s note: This article discusses major plot points in the new “Superman” movie.
Superman is here, and this time with a new suit, a fresh face and a film that might just top his previous versions.
Director James Gunn’s “Superman” released in theaters July 11. Viewers and critics alike responded with enthusiasm. The film holds a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics gave it an 83% rating.
Its rare alignment of high scores suggests Gunn’s reboot isn’t another seat filler. It’s a genuine crowd-pleaser filled with heart and humor, with enough realism to feel grounded.
Superman is played by 32-yearold David Corenswet, who embodies the role of the hero like no other. His version of Earth’s defender isn’t per-
MUSIC
fect. He isn’t a perfect boyfriend. He isn’t a perfect man or alien. And he isn’t a perfect hero.
But that’s what makes Corenswet’s Superman resonate with audiences. His flaws and naivete make him relatable and honest. He’s more than the bulletproof icon portrayed in past productions. He’s also Clark Kent, who’s still learning how to carry the weight of the world, literally and emotionally.
His relationship with Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, highlights the ups and downs of a romantic partnership. The two characters tease and bicker over their differing opinions on journalistic ethics, trust and the dangers of secrecy. Their dynamic feels natural but new. They haven’t made their relationship official, so you can feel the pressure as they juggle work and their feelings in a world full of metahumans and villains.
When the movie begins, the audience is immediately paying attention. Superman just lost his first fight and was dragged back to the Fortress of Solitude by superpowered dog Krypto.
Superman was beaten by the “Hammer of Boravia,” a metahuman named Ultraman, who is secretly
controlled by Lex Luthor, his archnenemy. This personal attack ties into the larger conflict at the film’s climax.
Superman is caught in the crossfire after stepping into a war between two fictional countries, Jarhanpur and Boravia. The film offers a notso-subtle nod to real-world politics, highlighting the controversy of global powers choosing to intervene in foreign conflicts.
The movie tells the audience that protecting innocent lives is the most important goal.
Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, is convincingly unlikable. He brings the insecure genius, who’s fueled by his jealousy of Superman, to life. Hoult’s Luthor is cunning and ruthless enough to be threatening without feeling one-dimensional. Grounded by his resentment and hunger for control, he’s a compelling villain.
Despite its emotional depth and political undertones, “Superman” knows when to have fun. James Gunn leans into his signature style of blending humor and action. One of the most entertaining parts was Nathan Fillion’s performance as Guy Gardner, the cocky Green Lantern with a laughably bad haircut.
Kade Sowers // Alligator Staff
The poster for the newest iteration of Superman hangs on the wall outside of a theatre at Regal Celebration Pointe 10 on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
His punchy one-liners and horrible attitude make him an irreplaceable part of the “Justice Gang,” which consists of himself, Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific. The trio offers a welcome contrast to Superman’s earnestness, acting more grounded, scrappy and divided.
One of the film’s most powerful
themes is Superman’s struggle with identity and trust. The public quickly turns against him after a recovered message from his parents urged him to conquer Earth and rebuild the Kryptonian race. The world questions whether Superman is truly the symbol of hope he claims to be or if he’s plotting world domination.
It’s a rare moment where the character’s morality is genuinely tested, not by a villain’s strength, but by the weight of his origin and purpose.
However, Superman finds guidance in his adoptive parents and moves forward. He promises to protect the people on Earth and inspires the Justice Gang to take action against the Boravian threat to Jarhanpur.
Ultimately, “Superman” is a solid superhero reboot that balances action, humor and emotion. It offers a fresh take on a classic hero while staying true to what makes Superman lovable.
With strong performances and a thoughtful story, the film reminds audiences why Superman is a lasting symbol of hope and resilience.
@snow_isisUF isnow@alligator.org
The times, they really are a-changing: Modern folk and the power of queer representation
IN SMALL SOUTHERN TOWNS, FOLK MUSIC PUSHES FOR BRAVERY IN SELF-EXPRESSION
By Autumn Johnstone Avenue Staff Writer
Through the crooked mountains of Raleigh, North Carolina, folk musician Helena Boling’s dad turned back time with a single CD on their way to school every morning. The disc featured eight of “the best singer-songwriters of all time,” with the poignant lyrics of Bob Dylan and the high-pitched, heartfelt falsetto of Neil Young.
The songs stirred now 26-year-old Boling’s pride in her Southern identity, making her feel as if she were beside her father when he first heard the songs. From playing original songs with her loved ones on her pontoon boat at Smith Mountain Lake to covering traditional folk hits in marinas, she saw firsthand how music can unite hundreds of strangers.
Traveling between Virginia and North Carolina in a musical frenzy showed her the value of telling stories about ordinary people from different cultures and generations through folk music.
“Folk is expanding,” Boling said. “It’s more of a feeling than the original definition. It’s taking music and traditions from the past and using them to make something new and comment on the present.”
Boling grew up with parents who went the distance to ensure their children had access to music. She and her eight
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siblings participated in their school’s band program, and their mother was adamant about giving Boling the tools she needed to be a musician.
For Boling, it was never a question of whether she’d become a musician; she’s been one her entire life. Boling now lives and performs as HelDog across stages in Gainesville. She moved to the city for its musical resources and community, she said.
Each one of her songs begins with a poem born out of intense emotion, prompting goosebumps when the music feels “very true,” she said. It’s a frequent feeling for her. Growing up Catholic and queer led Boling to constantly search for truth in her music.
“I want to be a folk artist [who] carries representation and visibility for the next generation,” she said. “I don’t see why queer people shouldn’t be able to maintain their traditions and cultures and feel accepted in the church where they grew up, rather than run out.”
Amia Davis, a 25-year-old rap artist based in Gainesville, performed alongside HelDog at Nightjar’s “Widen the Lens” event in May. During her first soundcheck with HelDog, Davis, who goes by the stage name Madame Ruis, said she was so tuned in to their performance that she doesn’t remember how many people were in the crowd.
After playing songs off her EP “Lovesick,” multiple fans approached Davis with adoration. Their love for their music validated the artists’ work and inspired HelDog and Madame Ruis to continue their music careers.
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Davis was in utter bliss, which she hadn’t felt in a long time, she said.
Davis believes Boling’s work as a musician, poet and artist is empowering for queer people, especially in the South and in small towns across the country. Boling’s bravery as an artist is something she longs to mirror someday, even amid the anti-LGBTQ+ actions of Florida’s current government, she said.
“There’s a lot of room to explore [and] express yourself here,” Davis said. “But to do it in front of a crowd that doesn’t necessarily identify with you, I think that’s what real revolution is. That’s doing something good for the community and good for future generations to come.”
Active in Gainesville’s queer community is Kehlani T. Kelly, a 25-year-old female impersonator who performs at University Club. In their experience, LGBTQ+ representation in music makes a world of difference to a crowd. While dancing to Chappell Roan, the queer community feels seen in a way that songs by artists like Beyoncé might not offer, they said.
“I don’t do it just for me anymore because I know my impact,” Kelly said. “I’ve seen people react to how I perform. Every aspect of being queer is under attack, so any representation, whether it be big or small, is so important.”
HelDog will soon perform at churches across Gainesville. Her most recent song, “Gone,” is streaming on all major platforms.
@AutumnJ922 ajohnstone@alligator.org
Operation Catnip marks 100,000th sterilization milestone in Gainesville
THE ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES DECADES OF CAT CARE
By Swasthi Maharaj Alligator Staff Writer
Operation Catnip has sterilized 100,000 cats since its founding in 1998.
“We had our big celebration and our big clinic on July 12, but we officially got to hit that number on July 23,” said Leah Hawes, Operation Catnip’s development director.
The July 12 “celebration clinic” was one of the largest in the organization’s 27-year history. The milestone brought together volunteers, UF College of Veterinary Medicine alumni and caregivers from over 12 Florida counties.
Hawes has been with Operation Catnip for three months. She said the milestone shows how far the organization has progressed since its small beginnings.
“When they started, it was just a room in the Humane Society,” Hawes said. “They had one clinic every few weeks. We have our own building now. We have clinic three or four times a week.”
Operation Catnip operates on a Trap-Neuter-Return model, which sterilizes community cats and returns them to their environment. Before the model was implemented, cats were euthanized to control overpopulation, Hawes said. The TNR model stabilizes cat populations while avoiding euthanasia.
The group runs the Working Cat Program for poorly socialized cats unsuitable for adoption or placement back into their original habitat, placing them in barns, farms or on-site “catios,” or outdoor enclosures where cats can roam safely. Volunteers assist with socializing, cleaning or medical care.
A particularly moving moment for Hawes involved a microchipped cat that was missing for years.
“This cat had been missing for about seven years,” she said. “We were able to find the original owner, who was still available to take him back.”
Operation Catnip also found someone to drive the cat back to its lost owner, where it reunited with its cat sibling.
“It really was amazing to witness,” she said.
Operation Catnip reaches 100,000 spay and neuter surgeries in Gainesville, FL.
Operation Catnip works closely with UF, holding large-scale on-campus clinics four times a year. Many volunteers and interns are pre-veterinary UF students.
Gilberto Rivera-Velázquez, an 18-year-old UF animal science sophomore, said his time at Operation Catnip taught him about teamwork and the process of spaying and neutering.
He started as a non-rabies-vaccinated vol unteer, performing basic tasks like laundry and vaccine preparation. After receiving a rabies vaccination, he began post-operative work, ad ministering vaccines and monitoring vitals as the clinic saw about 70 cats a day.
“In those couple of days, I’ve learned so, so
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Terror in the Everglades: The hidden horrors of Alligator Alcatraz
Despite the federal government’s efforts to conceal what happens inside the recently — and hastily — built immigration detention center officially named “Alligator Alcatraz,” the facility garnered national attention.
Many frustratingly disregard the danger of such a facility, but I struggle to understand how America’s horrific treatment toward refugees could be so carelessly overlooked.
Since the beginning of his second term, President Donald Trump insisted only the “worst of the worst” would end up in Alligator Alcatraz. This has not been the case.
Anonymous government officials have reported many detainees in the facility don’t have criminal convictions, with 60% of detainees having criminal convictions or pending charges, according to the New York Times.
There’s no denying Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a history of detaining immigrants without criminal records. Nearly half of the deportations over the last five years had no criminal charges or convictions, according to an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations report.
Regardless of how you feel about deportation, the notoriously poor conditions of Alligator Alcatraz should raise serious concerns about the facility’s morality.
Alligator Alcatraz was built in one of the most crucial yet dangerous ecosystems in the country. Not only are detainees not safe from wildlife, but the facility’s presence in the Everglades has serious environmental implications.
The Department of Homeland Security fueled inhumane advertisements for the facility by threatening detainees with native wildlife like alligators and pythons. The agency posted an AI-generated image of alligators in ICE ballcaps to X with the caption, “Coming soon!” in late June.
The few released images of the facility’s interior feature numerous rows of thin bunk beds and a handful of toilets enclosed by chain-link fences. The gutwrenching images of its grim conditions are coupled with reports of flooding during Florida’s frequent thunderstorms.
Aside from the bleak infrastructure,
the treatment of detainees is severely inadequate, as food, water, medications and sleep are scarce, according to the Miami Herald.
Kendall O’Connor opinions@alligator.org
These are people with families; people with lives. Many detainees have been deported simply because they sought refuge in the U.S., hoping for a better life.
If you can confidently say you would never do the same for yourself and your loved ones, I would say you’re lying.
I believe those detained due to their immigration status did the same thing Alligator Alcatraz’s most ardent supporters would have done.
Politicians and government officials can try to justify their actions, but if you believe the inhumane conditions toward these undeserving people are justified, you’ve been deceived.
What’s even more distressing is the majority of people who support President Trump and his terrorizing schemes claim to be Christians.
As a Christian myself, I believe every one of us has received things we’ve neither earned nor deserved. Society treats detainees as a burden, and it’s justified the horrific nature of a place like Alligator Alcatraz.
The country despises those who are different, less fortunate and broken, ignoring the issues that led them here. Addressing these injustices is the best way we can live out God’s nature on Earth.
The conditions at Alligator Alcatraz starkly violate human dignity. Responding to these issues with grace and compassion isn’t just a Christian value; it’s a fundamental one.
If the Trump administration has its way, this horrific reality won’t just occur in Florida. Facilities like Alligator Alcatraz will emerge across the country.
We must speak up against this blatant violation of human dignity before it’s too late.
Kendall O’Connor is a UF English junior.
The Spot: Gainesville’s hidden Greek gem wrapped in pita
Just across from UF and squeezed into Midtown is The Spot. It’s the kind of place you walk past dozens of times until that first bite of gyro hits and the homemade tzatziki cements itself to the inside of your skull.
While the exterior is modest and almost forgettable, customers are greeted with clean, unpretentious decor, modest spacing, a handful of small tables and a vibe that’s part casual hustle, part neighborhood hangout.
Even during peak lunch hours, the line moves fast. The staff is sharp, genuinely personable and familiar without being overbearing. There’s a sense every person behind the counter wants to be there, which is no small feat in Gainesville’s fastservice scene.
Customers are met with a familiar face behind the counter every time. Each visit, I always see the same chef or cashier working.
She says little, returns my smile and gets to work. While chain restaurants promise consistency, The Spot delivers character and a Greek street-food energy that makes its gyros feel like a quiet revelation.
There’s no better way to put it: This restaurant reminds me of Gainesville. Maybe it’s because I live a block away, but I find myself always craving its food. Despite always going after a football game or party and ordering the same item, I’m never disappointed.
Classic Gyro
This gyro alone is reason enough to visit. A warm, fluffy pita folds around perfectly seasoned, thin-sliced lamb and beef. It’s as fragrant as a Mediterranean market saturated with spices. There’s just enough tzatziki. It’s not watery but cool and creamy, tying everything together. Crisp lettuce and tomato add a bright crunchiness to the dish without making it a salad. Each bite is savory, herbaceous, balanced and slightly addictive.
It’s not just good for Gainesville; it’s legitimately among the best gyros in North Florida. The best part is when it slightly falls apart as you eat it, so the moment you’re done, there’s a whole other gyro sit -
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ting on your plate. If Greek street food had royalty, this gyro would wear the crown.
Aidan Ragan opinions@alligator.org
Souvlaki Platter I couldn’t stop at the gyro. I have self-control issues. So I ordered the chicken platter, the gyro’s perfect companion. The dish features marinated, charred-to-edges chicken thighs over saffron rice; a Greek salad that’s just lettuce, olive oil, cucumber and feta but done right; and a wedge of pita begging to be dunked.
The chicken is smoky, flavorful and spicy enough. The rice is tender with a hint of turmeric, and the salad is clean and simple. Dip everything in the house tzatziki, and you get the full Mediterranean experience in one tray.
Souvlaki means “small spit” in Greek, but that didn’t stop me from drooling onto my plate. They should have called it “big spit,” but I don’t know what that is in Greek, and Google Translate sucks. They can name it whatever they want, and I’ll still buy it.
Closing remarks
If the food doesn’t win you over, the staff will. After ordering at the counter, they’ll bring the food to your table with a smile and answer questions along the way. It’s rare for Gainesville: fast-casual but never impersonal.
The Spot doesn’t have fancy lighting or Instagrammable plating, but it doesn’t need it. Instead, it has sandwiches and platters that feel like they were cooked in Athens and brought to Gainesville. The owners reflect the community, not just feed it. Eat here, and you’ll taste that intention.
The next time you need a Greek fix, skip the shiny new chain and go to the little spot that delivers big flavor. Because when it comes to comfort food that punches above its weight class, you’ve got The Spot.
Aidan Ragan is a UF computer science senior.
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1. MOVIES: Who is Luke and Leia's mother in the "Star Wars" movies?
2. GEOGRAPHY: The country of Suriname is on which continent?
1. MEASUREMENTS: How many inches are in a mile?
3. HISTORY: Which 5th-century conqueror was known as "the Scourge of God"?
4. TELEVISION: Who is the creator of the quirky sitcom "Community"?
2. ASTRONOMY: What does the acronym SETI mean to the scientific community?
3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin prefix “sub-” mean in English?
5. ANATOMY: What kind of blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?
6. MYTHOLOGY: In Greek mythology, who turned everything he touched into gold?
7. U.S. STATES: Which state was the 50th and last to join the union?
8. LITERATURE: Who wrote the novel "A Clockwork Orange"?
4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the only president to serve two nonconsecutive terms?
9. FOOD & DRINK: Which vegetable is used to make baba ganoush?
5. LITERATURE: Which 20th-century movie star penned the autobiography “Me: Stories of My Life”?
6. HISTORY: What was the first National Monument proclaimed in the United States?
7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Luzon located?
8. MOVIES: Which sci-fi movie has the tagline, “Reality is a thing of the past”?
1. Tommie Aaron, brother of
1. What big, heavy trophy is awarded to the winner of the college football rivalry game between the UNLV Rebels and the University of Nevada Wolf Pack?
2. Name the pitcher who was the 1955 AL Rookie of the Year and went on to broadcast Cleveland Indians games on TV and radio from 1964 to 1997.
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What was the name of the United States’ first nuclear-powered submarine?
3. American Eddy Alvarez won silver medals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics competing in which sports?
10. GAMES: What are the four railroad properties in Monopoly?
4. Which Swedish caddie made history as the first woman to caddie a men's major golf championship victory when she guided Nick Faldo to his 1990 Masters title?
Answers
5. The Twin Cities Skippers, Detroit Thunderbirds, Dallas Broncos and Fresno Bombers were among the teams in what pro bowling league that played only one season from 1961-1962?
1. 63,360 inches
6. What Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle has his No. 70 retired by the Indianapolis Colts?
2. Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
3. Below or insufficient
7. In 2011, telecom entrepreneur Dan Borislow bought the Washington Freedom of the Women's Professional Soccer league and changed the team's name to what?
4. Grover Cleveland
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5. Katharine Hepburn
6. Devils Tower, 1906
7. The Philippines 8. “The
Eggplant.
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LUNES, 28 DE JULIO DE 2025
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‘Si ves algo, di algo’: Evento en Gainesville promueve la seguridad antes del regreso a clases
El evento anual marca el inicio de la temporada escolar en el condado de Alachua
Por Candy Fontana Verde Escritora de El Caimán
El evento “Alto a la Violencia: De Regreso a Clases” celebró su 26ª edición el 26 de julio en el Centro Multipropósito Martin Luther King Jr. Organizado por People Against Violence Enterprises, la actividad entregó 1,500 mochilas con útiles escolares a estudiantes locales, brindando a las familias un mensaje de paz antes del inicio de clases el 11 de agosto. El lema de este año, “No podemos parar. No pararemos hasta que la violencia se detenga”, refleja la urgencia de la organización por combatir la violencia en la comunidad. Karl Anderson, fundador de PAVE, de 51 años, comenzó a organizar este evento hace más de dos décadas tras el aumento de tiroteos escolares en todo el país, incluida la tragedia de Columbine en 1999. Dijo que el objetivo siempre ha sido dar a los niños y a los padres las herramientas necesarias para la escuela, al mismo tiempo que se educa a la comunidad sobre cómo prevenir la violencia.
A lo largo de los años, el evento ha abordado temas como el acoso escolar y la violencia doméstica. Sin embargo, el reciente incremento de tiroteos convirtió la violencia armada en la prioridad, dijo Anderson. Según Everytown Research, en 2024 se registraron al menos 229 incidentes con armas de fuego en escuelas en todo el país, siete de ellos ocurriendo en Florida. Ninguno ocurrió en Gainesville.
“Es tan doloroso ver ese flujo constante de lágrimas de madres y abuelas que han perdido a sus hijos y nietos por la violencia”, dijo Anderson.
Las muertes por armas de fuego entre niños y adolescentes han aumentado desde la pandemia de COVID-19, con un promedio de siete menores fallecidos cada día en 2023, según un estudio de KFF.
Durante el evento, Anderson pidió a la comunidad a resolver los conflictos dialogando, alejándose o buscando ayuda antes de tomar decisiones que pueden cambiar vidas para siempre.
Las familias hicieron fila para recibir mochilas fuera del centro MLK y recorrieron mesas informativas de organizaciones como Alachua County Public Schools, Meridian Healthcare, Children’s Trust of Alachua County, el Departamento de Policía de Gainesville, la Oficina del Fiscal Estatal del Octavo Circuito Judicial, entre otras. Las mesas ofrecían recursos de salud mental, programas extracurriculares y mentoría juvenil.
El evento contó con varios invitados destacados, entre ellos el comentarista de la WWE Byron Saxton, entrenadores locales, líderes comunitarios, artistas y testimonios de familias que han perdido a seres queridos por la violencia armada.
También se presentó un nuevo incentivo para prevenir la violencia con armas en las escuelas. A través del programa “Si ves algo, di algo”, los estudiantes pueden recibir $300 por reportar de manera anónima un arma, ya
sea si la encuentran o si alertan a un director o a la policía sobre alguien que planea llevar un arma a la escuela.
El programa se lanzó oficialmente durante la gala del 25º aniversario de PAVE en febrero, después de premiar a dos estudiantes a principios de este año escolar en Gainesville High School y Westwood Middle School.
Brian Kramer, fiscal estatal del Octavo Circuito Judicial, destacó la importancia de la iniciativa.
“Si ves algo, di algo”, dijo Kramer. “Preferimos que nunca ocurra algo en nuestras escuelas. Queremos que la gente esté segura y que los niños se sientan seguros”.
Padres y docentes comentaron que el evento les ayuda a preparar a sus hijos para la escuela y refuerza lecciones importantes más allá de lo académico.
Laken Sims, residente de Gainesville de 33 años y maestra en Fort Clarke Middle School, dijo que muchos de sus estudiantes se benefician de los útiles que ofrece la actividad.
“Creo que es un gran espacio para que ellos obtengan recursos e información que probablemente no conseguirían en otro lugar”, dijo Sims.
Jackie Johnson, directora de comunicaciones de Alachua County Public Schools, dijo que el distrito ha apoyado este evento por más de 20 años por el valor que aporta a las familias.
“Es importante que escuelas, hogares y toda la comunidad escuchen estos mensajes de no violencia, que comprendan que existen otras formas de resolver conflictos, y que los
padres reciban consejos sobre cómo pueden prevenir la violencia”, dijo Johnson.
El distrito ha ampliado los servicios de salud mental tanto dentro como fuera de las escuelas, añadió. Ofrece consejería gratuita en varios idiomas y conecta a las familias con recursos locales para atender problemas antes de que escalen.
“Esto no es algo que el sistema escolar pueda hacer solo, porque gran parte de lo que ocurre en las escuelas se origina en los vecindarios”, dijo. “Lo que pasa afuera de las escuelas termina afectando a las escuelas. Este es un problema que debe abordar toda la comunidad”.
Michael Nguyen, residente de Gainesville de 52 años, dijo que el evento refuerza las conversaciones que mantiene con su hijo sobre seguridad y amabilidad.
“Con el acoso escolar y la violencia armada, [quiero que mi hijo] se mantenga alejado de eso lo más posible”, dijo Nguyen. “Trato de inculcarle que sea amable con los demás”.
Richard Anderson, vicepresidente senior y director clínico de Meridian Healthcare, dijo que la organización ha apoyado esta iniciativa desde sus inicios. Las mochilas brindan una ayuda significativa a las familias locales, aseguró.
“Creemos que las mochilas con útiles realmente ayudan a que las familias se concentren en otras cosas mientras se preparan para el regreso a clases”, dijo Anderson.
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‘See Something, Say Something’: Gainesville rally promotes safety ahead of school year
THE ANNUAL EVENT SIGNALS BACK-TOSCHOOL SEASON IN ALACHUA COUNTY
By Candy Fontana Verde Alligator Staff Writer
The Stop the Violence Back to School Rally returned to the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center July 26 for its 26th year.
Organized by People Against Violence Enterprises, the event provided 1,500 free backpacks filled with school supplies to local students, offering families a message of peace before the new school year begins Aug. 11.
This year’s theme, “We can’t stop. We won’t stop until the violence stops,” reflects the organization’s urgency to address community violence in all its forms.
Karl Anderson, the 51-year-old founder of PAVE, began organizing the rally more than two decades ago after an increase in school shootings across the country, including the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999. He said the event was designed to give children and parents the tools they need for school while educating the community about preventing violence.
Over the years, the rally has addressed issues like bullying and domestic violence. The recent rise in shootings made gun violence a priority, Anderson said.
According to Every Town Research, a gun violence prevention program, there were at least 229 incidents of gunfire on school grounds nationwide in 2024, with seven occurring in Florida. No incidents occurred on Gainesville campuses.
“It’s so hurtful seeing those constant flow of tears from those mothers and grandmothers who lost their children and grandchildren due to violence,” Anderson said.
Firearm-related deaths have risen among children and adolescents since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with seven chil-
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dren dying by gunfire each day in 2023, according to a KFF study.
During the event, he encouraged people to walk away from conflict, talk things out or ask for help before making choices that can change lives forever.
Families lined up for backpacks outside the MLK Center and visited tables from community organizations, such as Alachua County Public Schools, Meridian Healthcare, Children’s Trust of Alachua County, the Gainesville Police Department, the Office of the State Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit and others. Tables offered mental health resources, after-school programs and youth mentoring.
The event featured several high-profile speakers, including WWE commentator Byron Saxton, local coaches, community leaders, performers and families who lost loved ones to gun violence.
The rally highlighted a new incentive aimed at preventing gun violence in schools. Through the “See Something, Say Something” program, students can receive $300 for anonymously reporting a firearm, whether they find a gun or alert a principal or law enforcement about someone’s plans to bring a gun to school.
The program officially launched during PAVE’s 25th Anniversary Gala in February, after awarding two students earlier this school year at Gainesville High School and Westwood Middle School.
Brian Kramer, state attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, emphasized the importance of the initiative.
“If you see something, say something,” Kramer said. “We would rather not ever have something happen in our schools. We want people to be safe, we want children to feel safe.”
Parents said the event helps them prepare their children for school while reinforcing important lessons outside academics.
Laken Sims, a 33-year-old Gainesville resident and school teacher at Fort Clarke Middle School, said many of her students
benefit from the supplies provided through the rally.
“I think it’s a great place for them to get resources and information that they probably wouldn’t get elsewhere,” Sims said.
Jackie Johnson, director of communications for Alachua County Public Schools, said the district has supported the rally for more than 20 years because of the value it brings to families.
“It’s important for schools, for homes, for the entire community to hear these messages of nonviolence, to understand that there are other ways to handle conflict and for parents to hear tips on how they can prevent violence,” Johnson said.
The district has expanded mental health services both in and out of schools, she added. It provides free counseling in multiple languages and connects families with local resources to address problems before they escalate.
“This is not something the school system can do alone because a lot of what we find happening in the schools originates in neighborhoods,” she said. “What happens outside of school ends up spilling into our schools. This is an issue that has to be addressed by the entire community.”
Michael Nguyen, a 52-year-old Gainesville resident, said the event reinforces conversations he has with his child about safety and kindness.
“With bullying and gun violence, [I want my child] to stay away from that as much as possible,” Nguyen said. “I try to instill in them to be kind to one another.”
Richard Anderson, senior vice president and chief clinical officer of Meridian Healthcare, said the organization has supported the event since it began. The backpacks provide meaningful help to local families, he said.
“We feel like the backpacks with school supplies really help the families concentrate on other things as they’re trying to get their kids ready for school,” Anderson said.
@CandyFontanaV cfontanaverde@alligator.org
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MONDAY, JULY 28, 2025
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ENTERPRISE
Donald Trump stamps new NIL executive order weeks after House settlement
THE PRESIDENT SOUGHT TO ADDRESS CONCERNS AFTER NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS WAS ESTABLISHED
By Luke Adragna Sports Writer
President Donald Trump signed an executive order July 24 establishing regulations for the NCAA’s name, image and likeness. The order, titled Saving College Sports, prohibits third-party, pay-for-play payments and clarifies college athletes are “amateurs, not employees.”
“The future of college sports is under unprecedented threat,” Trump wrote. “Waves of recent litigation against collegiate athletics governing rules have eliminated limits on athlete compensation, pay-for-play recruiting inducements and transfers between universities, unleashing a sea change that threatens the viability of college sports.”
College athletes have been on the receiving end of NIL-based compensation from thirdparty vendors since 2021. After the House set-
FOOTBALL
tlement in June, athletes can also receive pay directly from their universities.
In the eyes of fans, it’s led to unrest among college athletics. Athletes have prioritized finances over performance and transferred schools to earn higher paychecks. Decisions surrounding potential recruits have also been affected.
The University of Florida was supportive of Trump’s decision and released a statement July 25 backing the president.
“The attention President Trump and congressional leaders are giving to the future of college athletics is welcomed and appreciated,” Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin wrote.
“Yesterday’s executive order underscores the growing recognition in Washington of the need to modernize the collegiate model.”
Trump’s order calls for ending third parties’ engagement in “pay-for-play” payments to athletes, which the executive order deems “improper.” However, it does not discern an athlete’s ability to receive compensation for the “fair market value” they might provide a brand.
Trump backs the ruling in the House settlement about advanced scholarship opportuni-
ties and highlights the importance of achieving representation in smaller, nonrevenue sports.
“This opportunity must be utilized to strengthen and expand non-revenue sports,” he wrote. “The third-party market of pay-forplay inducements must be eliminated before its insatiable demand for resources dries up support for non-revenue sports.”
The focus on revenue-generating sports like football and basketball has led to smaller sports like track and field, wrestling and swimming to be cut from several athletic programs. While not applicable at larger schools like UF, smaller schools have seen the elimination of nonrevenue sports on campus.
Washington State University, which is ranked No. 61 among college athletics programs in revenue generation, recently changed its track and field teams to a “distance-focused” program. It eliminated all field events like long and high jumps, javelin and shot put because of the strain from expanded NIL-compensation responsibilities.
Trump clarified athletes’ status on campus, urging Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and the National Labor Relations Board to codify athletes as non-employees. Under Presi-
dent Joe Biden, the NLRB declared athletes as employees, which it rescinded earlier this year. NCAA president Charlie Baker believes there are threats to college sports that federal legislation can address, he wrote in a statement.
“The Association appreciates the Trump administration's focus on the life-changing opportunities college sports provide millions of young people, and we look forward to working with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump administration to enhance college sports for years to come," Baker wrote.
Trump cannot impose the rulings upon the NCAA. However, much of what he highlighted in the executive order aligns with the SCORE Act, which seeks to replace statewide “patchwork” NIL laws with a nationwide ruling. The act was passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Committee on Education and the Workforce July 23 and will find itself on the House floor as soon as September.
@lukeadrag ladragna@alligator.org
DJ Lagway embraces pressure, shoulders promising Florida football season
THE SOPHOMORE HAS BEEN RANKED
AS HIGH AS NUMBER ONE AMONG SEC QUARTERBACKS
By Ava DiCecca Sports Writer
In the eyes of many fans, DJ Lagway’s first year at Florida was nothing short of spectacular. His success and exciting end to Florida’s 2024 season cemented the 19-year-old as the face Vof the team’s potential and put expectations for the Gators in conversation.
“I always say pressure is a privilege,” Lagway said at SEC Media Days in Atlanta July 16. “Once you have pressure, that means people are counting on you to do big things.”
The sophomore has felt the pressure for much of his career. He was a top prospect out of Willis, Texas, and entered last season as a backup to redshirt senior Graham Mertz. After an injury sidelined the veteran, Lagway started seven games, totaling 1,915 yards on 115-of-192 passing.
With a 6-1 performance at the helm, he tied the program record for the most wins as a true freshman quarterback.
Many have touted Lagway’s ability to elevate the team. Chris Doering, a former Florida wide receiver and ESPN college football analyst, judges
quarterbacks by how they “raise the play” of their teammates in the huddle. Lagway’s impact on his team is unique, he said.
“You can see when he steps into the huddle that he energizes not only that huddle but the entire team,” Doering said. “[It’s] very rare you see a guy that young, at that stage of his college career, have the leadership skills and that impact on the team.”
The buzz around Lagway also came from his contribution to Florida’s 4-4 SEC record and 8-5 overall record despite a difficult schedule. He helped UF take out ranked opponents LSU and Ole Miss in back-toback weeks and ended the season by securing Florida a bowl game.
It became clear the noise surrounding him and Florida as a whole was only going to increase heading into this season.
Lagway’s size, athleticism and arm led him to be recognized as a dual-threat game-changer for the Gators.
Ralph Russo, a senior college sports writer for The Athletic, spoke to his talent and the impact of media attention.
“He is a monster talent and a guy who I could see quickly becoming a massive star in college football,” Russo said. “He’s got the talent to do that, but of course, he’s also been built up a lot in a very short time on a very short sample size, so there’s an interesting dynamic now on what
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will be success for DJ.”
Oliver Hodgkinson, the sports insight manager at Pro Football Network, doubled down on Lagway’s assets but shed light on refinements that would bring his game to the next level.
“There was a lot of hero ball on his tape last year,” Hodgkinson said. “So utilizing that arm and talent, but also knowing when to rein in.”
Correcting some of his mechanics and interception numbers will be crucial, he said, all things Lagway plans to focus on during the offseason.
Lagway battled postseason injuries that threatened his improvement, including a shoulder injury that kept him from playing in April’s Orange and Blue game. UF head coach Billy Napier was on top of his recovery and progress, stating the quarterback would be back in full starting in June. Recent comments from Napier and Lagway at SEC Media Days confirmed his health. The injury has not hindered his team or analysts’ expectations for the upcoming season, they said.
CBS Sports college football analyst Josh Pate and On3 reporter Andy Staples joined Doering in ranking Lagway first among SEC quarterbacks. Staples attributed the ranking to his immense potential when at full capacity. In a recent article, he wrote Lagway’s ceiling is the highest of any quarterback in the country when
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he’s healthy.
However, Lindy Davis, the publisher of Lindy’s Sports, said the pressure on Lagway comes from Florida’s position as much as his potential.
“For them to navigate it successfully, he’s going to have to have a big year,” Davis said. “I don’t think any team could navigate the schedule the Gators have without an excellent quarterback.”
According to ESPN, Lagway and the Gators’ upcoming season will be the toughest schedule in the SEC and the nation yet again. With the No. 7 recruiting class rank, the Florida inventory will be better equipped to handle the grueling SEC lineup that includes preseason favorites like Texas, Georgia and LSU, according to 247Sports.
With Napier’s success in player retention this year, they returned key pieces from last season with experience against the ranked opponents Florida will face in its upcoming season.
“I think the pieces are in place around [Lagway] for him to be successful,” Russo said. “If he explodes and becomes … the best version of himself, then Florida is on their way to probably having a massive season, and all the best-case scenarios for DJ are on the table.”
A standout season for Lagway is ideal for the program, but Russo said burdening the sophomore with car-
rying the team on his back may sell the rest of the Florida roster’s capacity short.
“If he needs to be managed a little more, they can still be successful, and I think that is what Billy is trying to do,” Russo said. “You improve the things around him so that he doesn’t have to carry the team. To me, I look at it on paper, and it certainly looks like there is enough there where he doesn’t have to be Superman.”
While the stakes may not be as high, Hodgkinson described what his idea for a successful season for Lagway may look like and the performance that would put the Gators in a good position. Cutting interception numbers at the forefront, upwards of 20 passing touchdowns and over 3,000 passing yards would give Florida its best chance at success, he said. Florida's promise will also depend on Napier’s vision for the offensive unit.
After helping the Gators win three SEC Championships under Steve Spurrier from 1993 to 1995, Doering spoke highly about Lagway and the team’s chances this year.
“They brought the talent in,” Doering said. “They have the quarterback, which is the most important position in all of sports, and they have the belief in themselves.”
@avadicecca24 adicecca@alligator.org
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