Florida, Alachua County | featured news

Free everything: It’s the first-ever Book Swapalooza at the Domino’s at 3581 SW Archer Road from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. The first 200 kids get a free T-shirt. Pre-k through eighth-graders are invited to bring a gently used book to trade. Kids are encouraged to come dressed as a favorite book character, although that seems to us like a recipe for getting bullied. (They outlawed bullying, right?)

Deputies arrested a Gainesville man at an apartment on Southwest 70th Terrace Sunday night after they said he threw a woman to the ground by her throat and attempted to forcibly confine her.

Officers arrested a man early Monday morning at an apartment on Southwest 39th Boulevard after Gainesville police say he broke open a woman’s door and attempted to choke her.

The local races for state attorney, public defender and three judicial posts will be simple this year since the candidates have no competition for their respective offices.

A jury has awarded $775,000 in damages to the developers of Heath Brook in southwest Ocala, after hearing a week’s worth of details on their testy relationship with RaceTrac Petroleum.

With the presidential nominees largely settled, Floridians remain in the mix as potential running mates for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Here’s a look at the possibilities:

Health care industry publication Becker’s Hospital Review has again named UF Health Shands Hospital one of the “100 Great” hospitals in the country.

Nearly 3,000 residents and businesses in four Alachua County communities are facing big hikes or cancellation of their homeowner’s insurance after an agency threatened to lower their ratings because of a shortage of nearby firefighters.

Manuel Arturo Vasquez, the University of Florida religion professor who was sentenced to five years’ probation in April for video voyeurism, has resigned.

Motorists saw very little shift in prices at the pump last week as oil prices seemed to stabilize. Gas prices are hovering at their highest levels in more than six months, with prices averaging $2.21 both nationwide and in Florida, and $2.19 in Georgia.