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The Click •

Florida Promised to Protect its Springs. Is it Keeping its Word?

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) —  Kayaking down the Santa Fe River reveals deep brown, organic-rich water and hints of red with each paddle stroke. A swift left into Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park and everything brightens. Beneath the crystal clear spring lies a rich underwater landscape, a sea of greens and yellows, briefly interrupted as turtles swim lazily by. 
The serenity the springs offer, however, is surprisingly deceptive. Beneath the surface, the springs face a myriad of threats, including agri...
The Click •

Florida School Board Member Fires Back Against State Oversight - The Click

(CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla.) —  In what proved to be a contentious meeting, a member of the Alachua County School Board (ACSB) attended the Florida Board of Education monthly meeting on Nov. 13 to defend accusations made against her regarding her social media comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a controversial right-wing figure. 
In an ACSB meeting on Oct. 7, Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas called out Alachua County School Board Vice Chair Tina Certain for comments sh...
The Click •

Florida Official Threatens School Board with Continued Oversight Over Alleged Speech Violations

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) — In an ongoing dispute between the state and a local school board, Florida’s education commissioner warned the Alachua County School Board (ACSB) at an Oct. 7 meeting that it would continue to be monitored after a second member criticized a right-wing public figure on social media.
The Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas called out  Alachua County School Board Vice Chair Tina Certain for comments she made on social media following the death of conservative ac...
The Click •

“People are Banning Books Because They are Powerful”

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) – Lauren Groff is a New York Times bestselling author and one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024. She co-owns with her husband Clay Kallman The Lynx bookstore in Gainesville, where they advocate for banned and challenged books.
Groff spoke with The Click about book bans in Florida and why she believes literature is for everyone.
This interview has been edited  for length and clarity. 
 The Click: What inspired you to open The Lynx?
Lauren Groff: We were in...
The Click •

University of Florida Students Rally Against Regional Transit System Funding Cuts

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) — More than a hundred University of Florida students rallied in Turlington Plaza on Sept. 10 to protest funding cuts to the Regional Transit System (RTS), a service many students rely on to get to and from campus.
The backlash occurred after the City of Gainesville announced in June that a new contract between RTS and UF, would move funding from the service to campus-centered transit options like the Campus Connector. As a result, the RTS annual operating budget was reduced f...

Guide to Greater Gainesville 2023-2024 Edition Page 262

WORLD G BY REBECCA GLIEBERMAN reater Gainesville is a nature lover’s paradise, with breathtaking natural wonders that showcase the very best of Florida. From ethereal moss-covered live oaks to vast prairies teeming with life, from clear blue springs to enchanting cypress trees lining rivers, from vibrant wildflowers adorning rolling green hills to the deep expanse of caves running beneath, the region is a canvas of nature’s finest creations. WONDERFUL WHAT A 262 | GUIDE TO GREATER GAINESVILLE•20

Guide to Greater Gainesville 2023-2024 Edition Page 166

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ARE HERE G BY COLIN MCCANDLESS AND REBECCA GLEIBERMAN reater Gainesville cultivates a business-friendly environment, offering comprehensive resources and support to help budding professionals develop in their careers. There are ample opportunities for professional growth including everything from networking and career counseling to chamber of commerce events and entrepreneurial leadership programs. The region serves as a hub of talent, research and innovation, inspiring futur

Guide to Greater Gainesville 2023-2024 Edition Page 156

NEW THINGS Taking the Pulse on the Innovation Climate in Greater Gainesville BY REBECCA GLEIBERMAN reater Gainesville is unique to Florida in many ways, with the feel of both a small town and a bustling city. The area serves as the commercial, cultural and educational center for the region and thus makes it the perfect DOING G 156 | GUIDE TO GREATER basin for innovation. Centrally located in a high-tech corridor and just a short drive from Jacksonville, Orlando and Greater Tampa Bay, GG provides
Hey Alma •

I Want to Leave a Mark with My Jewish Last Name

My last name is complicated; most people can’t pronounce it. It’s long, very Jewish and defies the “i” before “e” grammatical rule.

It is pronounced “Gl-ee-berman,” but I have heard just about every iteration there is: “Gl-eye-berman,”“Gl-ee-berMAN” or my personal favorite, “Are you sure it’s not just Leiberman?”

It has been a pain throughout most of my life, especially as a kid — I was singled out every time we had a substitute teacher who inevitably couldn’t pronounce my last name. It would
True North FL Inc •

Guide Monthly - Greater Gainesville September 2023 Page 46

FAMILY creativity T AT THE CADE MUSEUM | BY REBECCA GLEIBERMAN | he Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention is named after Dr. James Robert Cade, the lead inventor on the team that created Greater Gainesville's iconic sports drink, Gatorade. The Cade Museum, much like its namesake, is committed to inspiring and educating individuals to be future inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. With the goal of creating spaces where the community can engage in science, technology, engineering, arts and
Guide to Greater Tampa Bay •

Good Pets Need GoodVets

The national veterinarian partner-led animal hospital platform GoodVets is redefining the pet healthcare experience in Greater Tampa Bay. Partnering with Dr. Andrea Caspary, their pet care centers have expanded to include a South Tampa practice that occupies 3,266 square feet, featuring five exam rooms (one of which is feline-only).

Allowing for autonomy in each location ensures that each clinic is unique and tailored to not only the veterinarian leading the practice, but to the community as we
Guide to Greater Tampa Bay •

Feed-A-Bull – Fighting Food Insecurity Amongst College Students

The University of South Florida’s Feed-A-Bull food pantry provides free and easy access to food and personal hygiene items for students on campus. It opened in September 2015 when Director Katie Webster partnered with Student Health Services and the food bank Feeding Tampa Bay.

A persistent and notable problem, food insecurity affects an estimated 42 percent of college students, according to the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 summary.


“I’m a registered dietician, so I provid
True North FL Inc •

Guide Monthly - Greater Gainesville August 2023 - Back to School Page 10

EDUCATION IB for ALL G The Diploma Programme: A gateway to a brighter future | BY REBECCA GLEIBERMAN | reater Gainesville’s The Rock School has sought to redefine what it means to be an International Baccalaureate (IB) student. With an “IB for All” approach, The Rock School has shattered the perception that IB is only for gifted students. Their inclusive approach aims to meet the needs of every learner with a framework that is 10 | GUIDE TO GREATER GAINESVILLE MONTHLY
• AUGUST 2023 built from th
Guide to Greater Gainesville Monthly •

Guide Monthly - Greater Gainesville July 2023 Page 38

In 2009, with a little experience and a lot of passion, Noah Shitama and Zach Mclean started Swallowtail Farm. It all began when Shitama’s love of gardening with his children and his evolving passion for sustainability and environmental conservation converged. He decided to not only become an example of his beliefs but to also share his knowledge and gifts by providing fresh local food to the community.

SF Spotlight: Zephyr

February 21, 2022—Zephyr, Santa Fe College’s literary journal, is not your mother’s literary scene. With articles like “My Lard: Love and Hate Relationship About my Jacket” by Cassandra Webster and “Farts and Girls” by Ian Jackson, Zephyr seeks to open the doors to topics that many may find uncomfortable to discuss.

“It was a great example of how a student-run organization works,” remarked Rebecca Johnston, Assistant Professor of English and faculty advisor to Zephyr. “The faculty advisors did

Santa Fe College

As a girl, Dr. Bea Awoniyi was not supposed to be where she is today. Originally from Nigeria, gender was meant to determine her future. The simple fact was that girls were not meant to be educated. Now, as the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs at Santa Fe College, she oversees the Disability Resource Center, the Displaced Homemaker Program, the National Achievers Program, the My Brother’s Keeper Program, and serves as the Ombudsperson; she has made it her mission to make a difference

SF Adult Ed Students Hold Plant Sale Feb. 15

February 7, 2023—Celebrate Spring with the upcoming Horticulture Agriculture and Entrepreneur Programs plant and art sale! The sale will be Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon outside the Building P breezeway. Come support student growers buying your loved ones organically grown plants and well-loved products.

Santa Fe College’s Adult Education HAP program and Project SAINT are supported by a grant from the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities. This sale is cash only.

SF Spotlight: Project SAINT

February 3, 2023—Project SAINT, which stands for Student Access and Inclusion Together, is a one- to two-year program at Santa Fe College funded by the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities. With up to 15 students accepted annually during the Fall and Spring semester and ages typically ranging from 19-30 years old, Project SAINT boasts a rigorous program that aims to enhance every aspect of students’ lives.

“This is a uniquely abled group, but one that historically, unlike individua

Santa Fe College is Getting Ethically Hacked

November 28, 2022 – At face value, the term “ethical hacking” may seem like an oxymoron. But the students in the Information Technology Education (ITE) program under the direction of Dr. James Nichols has shed light on what exactly it means to be an ethical hacker.

Initially developed in 2014 but since altered extensively by Dr. Nichols, the course seeks to help students hone fundamental knowledge of the tools and techniques of computer hacking and how to properly defend against such attacks.

“It’s like Winning the Lottery and Not Even Buying a Ticket” Ryan Curtis Wins Prestigious Scholarship

November 21, 2022 – Ryan Curtis was one of two recipients of the 2022 AMATYC Wanda Garner Presidential Student Scholarship in the country. The award is presented by the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges and is reserved for students who excel in the fields of mathematics, mathematics education, statistics or STEM. An AMATYC member must nominate the recipient. In this case, Professor Steve Grosteffon, Professor of Mathematics at SF, was the nominator.

When asked why Professor
Hey Alma •

What It Means to Be a Puerto Rican Jew

My entire life, I never knew what it was like to have a single solitary sense of belonging. I used to daydream about speaking Spanish so fluently that no native speaker would ever doubt me. I longed to feel the words roll off my tongue, marinating in the satisfaction that I can actively back up my claims of being a Puerto Rican. Talk the talk, as it were.

While my fair complexion and very Jewish name precedes me, I always felt the need to add in to anyone who asked that I was also, in fact, Pue