StreetSmart: Gainesville

Seth: 00:08

Hello from Gainesville, Florida. It's Monday, June 29, and you're listening to StreetSmart. I'm Seth Johnson. StreetSmart is a weekly podcast from Mainstreet Daily News, where we cover local news that informs, engages, and inspires listeners like you.

Seth: 00:25

A big thanks to our sponsor, Forest Meadows Funeral Home, where compassion meets experience. Check out their beautiful gardens, funeral home, and tribute center. Formations, funerals, and memorials all in one trusted place. With exceptional care and personal attention, Forest Meadows is here to honor every life with care.

Seth: 00:44

Here's the top headlines we're rounding up. Gainesville's city plan board recommended a density increase at a 12 story apartment building between UF and the Innovation District. The project was first approved in 2023, but a recent change would construct the building over the top of Southwest 1st Avenue.

Seth: 01:01

Santa Fe College broke ground on the Hitchcock family clubhouse. The clubhouse will provide new locker rooms for baseball and softball teams starting next season.

Seth: 01:10

The city of Alachua approved a new land use that opens the door for a major retail development and likely a Walmart. The meeting lasted until midnight, the city commission delayed the vote on the zoning until July.

Seth: 01:21

Art Collective opened Friday at the Oaks Mall. They curated art gallery that features work from local and regional artists.

Seth: 01:28

GRACE Marketplace announced an unexpected leadership transition as Mark Bonner will step into the interim CEO role. The decision comes after CEO Darius Williams stepped down, and GRACE plans to launch a national search to hire permanently.

Seth: 01:42

Alachua County has suspended the adoption of cats and kittens following an increase in upper respiratory illness. Officials said they're closely monitoring the health and waiting for the spread to fade before adoptions restart.

Seth: 01:54

For more information on any of these stories, visit mainstreetdailynews.com. Thanks to our generous members, this news day is free for the whole community with no paywall.

Seth: 02:13

Thanks for joining us here on StreetSmart. I'm Seth Johnson, and education reporter Nick Ann Schultz is joining us today, and I'm gonna put him on the hot seat right away.

Seth: 02:21

Nick, did you hear last week's episode?

Nick: 02:23

I did, actually.

Seth: 02:25

So you know UF's first championship was in?

Nick: 02:28

Oh, you put me on yeah. You are putting me on the spot there.

Seth: 02:32

Listened, but was there comprehension? UF's first national championship was in

Nick: 02:38

Go ahead and tell me.

Seth: 02:39

Golf.

Nick: 02:40

That's right.

Seth: 02:40

Now, Lilian and I said we are non golfers. Are you a golfer?

Nick: 02:45

I I'm not a golfer. I mean, I'll go out there, you know, every now and then to to the range and just hit some golf balls, but I'm not like an avid golfer.

Seth: 02:53

Thankfully, we're not touching on golf this time around, but your future story does touch on UF, but more on the presidential search and some of the back and forth that's been going on there with the Board of Governors. You just kinda wanna open this up and give us some background?

Nick: 03:06

Yes. So the UF Board of Trustees voted unanimously at a meeting last week to appoint president-elect doctor Stuart Bell as interim president. And in two days, the Florida Board of Governors is scheduled to hold a special meeting where they will consider confirming Bell as UF's fourteenth president.

Seth: 03:21

And this was not exactly a clean process after the UF Board of Trustees voted for doctor Bell as the president-elect. The Florida Board of Governors actually delayed confirmation vote. Right? What was going on there?

Nick: 03:36

Yeah. There's been some state letters, especially from Florida Board of Governors Chair, Alan Levine, that have called into question, governance concerns at UF, particularly, related to UF Board of Trustees Chair, Maury Husseini.

Seth: 03:49

And Board of Governors Chair Levine actually decided to push back that UF confirmation of Bell by the Florida Board of Governors because of some of these issues. He said we need to kind of work through them first. And I know something that senator Rick Scott also mentioned he had concerns with some of US dealings with the interim contract with Donald Landry and talking about, I think, Husseini as well and the power he had to negotiate some of those contracts. It seems like that's what's at play here.

Nick: 04:17

Yeah. That's right, Seth. Those letters have, touched on some governance issues at UF and, Husseini has actually defended his, actions as well. It sounds like the board of trustees and the Board of Governors have reached, an agreement to hire an outside party to kinda resolve some of these some of these governance issues. UF Board of Trustees vice chair Rahul Patel actually wanted to keep these items separate.

Nick: 04:40

So, you know, doctor Bell and the governance, issues. He actually called the decision to postpone, doctor Bell's confirmation vote unfair and harmful to the University of Florida and the students, faculty, alumni, and supporters we are entrusted to serve.

Seth: 04:55

Right. So he's saying whether or not Bell is a fake candidate is completely different from whether or not there's been some issues on oversight with the board of trustees and with Husseini in particular.

Nick: 05:05

Right.

Seth: 05:06

And it sounds like they are kind of parsing the two out. There's gonna be the special meeting Wednesday to talk about Stuart Bell and his qualifications to be the next UF president. And then at some point in the future, they'll be talking about those governance issues that, Levine has pointed out. Coming into Wednesday's meeting, what do you think might be some of the big talking points?

Nick: 05:25

Based off past UF board of trustees meeting, it sounds like they'll probably touch on Bell's leadership at Alabama, school rankings, and diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI.

Seth: 05:35

Yeah. School rankings always seem to come up in those board of trustees meetings. They're very focused on improving UF's rank as a public institution.

Nick: 05:45

Bell actually said during that UF Board of Trustees meeting that he's really focused on rankings and that he wants to take UF to the top.

Seth: 05:51

And DEI, obviously, a holdover from when doctor Santo Ono went before the Florida Board of Governors last year, and that felt like the deciding maybe issue against him was his history with DEI and the Florida Board of Governors being worried about what he might do at Florida on that topic. And it seems like in some of the back and forth with the Board of Governors, the trustees really focus on the fact that it was a unanimous vote in support of Bell, but there's been a history of unanimous votes. Right?

Nick: 06:20

Since 2003, there's been five votes for president-elects, and all five have actually been, unanimous.

Seth: 06:27

Right. Oh, no. It was unanimous along with SAS and Fox before him, and then the president before that in 2003 was the unanimous vote. Unlike now though, back then they had multiple candidates who were named, and now that system has changed some. But interesting to see.

Seth: 06:41

Then focus on that and we'll see what the Board of Governors says on Wednesday, which I'm sure you'll be watching that meeting. Right?

Nick: 06:48

I'll be tuning in.

Seth: 06:50

So you can check out his story on mainstreetdailynews.com later in the week to see how that goes. And now we're gonna take a quick break to hear from our sponsor before we get to the news forecast and events segments.

Sponsor: 07:02

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Nick: 07:39

Now for this week's news forecast. The city of Gainesville and Alachua County are on their summer recess with no regular commission meetings this week or next week. But tomorrow, Gainesville staff will hold a workshop to discuss the future of the Thelma Bolton property with plans to turn the site into a trailhead for the Sweetwater Greenway Loop. The workshop will last from 06:30 to 8PM at the historic Thomas Center. Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority will meet on Wednesday.

Seth: 08:07

Now for our event segment covering upcoming family friendly events this fourth of July weekend. The University of Florida will start the patriotic week with a panel called two hundred and fifty years of American democracy, reflecting on the past, shaping the future. The event happens tomorrow at 3PM at the rights union. Then the festivities start for the weekend with UF's annual fan fairs and fireworks at Flavitt Field on Friday. Musical performances will begin at 6PM with fireworks expected at 09:30PM.

Seth: 08:36

The city of Newberry is also hosting fireworks this year. Stars, Stripes, and two hundred and fifty years of freedom will start at 6PM on Friday at Countryway Town Square with vendors and activities. Fireworks will start also around 09:30PM. Newberry will restart the celebration on Saturday at 9AM with a parade of 100 American events and inventions. The big Saturday fireworks show will be the city of Alachua's fourth of July celebration with gates opening at 5PM, the band starting at 6PM, and the fireworks at 09:30PM.

Seth: 09:08

At Bowdidley Plaza in Gainesville, Mike Klein for congress will hold a defending democracy public concert starting at 06:30PM with food trucks, guest speakers, and voter registration. And just about every town and city in North Central Florida will be celebrating and having activities on Saturday from Cedar Key to Lake Butler and Micanopy. You can check our events page at mainstreetdailynews.com to see all of those and the times and starts and the events happening. And Nick, with all of those events happening this weekend, you got your eye on any? What are you gonna be doing to celebrate the big two fiftieth?

Nick: 09:41

So I'll actually be heading to the beach to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Seth: 09:45

Awesome. Which beach?

Nick: 09:46

Crescent Beach.

Seth: 09:46

Saint Augustine. That's a great place to celebrate the 250 . A lot was happening there during the American Revolution. You gonna see some of the historical sites or just put on the sunscreen and hit the waves?

Nick: 09:57

Probably just put on the sunscreen and hit the waves. Actually, probably just sit in the chair and, you know, just hang out.

Seth: 10:02

Enjoy the views.

Nick: 10:03

Enjoy the views.

Seth: 10:04

Absolutely. Well, we hope you also have a great time enjoying the fourth of July weekend and are able to relax. And that's all we've got for this week's episode of the StreetSmart podcast brought to you by Mainstreet Daily News and made possible by our generous members. Another special thanks to Force Meadows for believing in local news and sponsoring us. You can access more free local news at mainstreetdailynews.com.

Seth: 10:26

We'll be back next week with more stories that matter to you because they take place right here in Alachua County. Take a minute to share StreetSmart and help us continue the work. Our theme music is Sunset Sonata by Gainesville ska band now leaving space. This episode is a production of MARC Media.