Mold Remediation in Gainesville, FL

Alachua County and Gainesville voters have spoken, but before anything changes, the courts will also need to speak on two referendums concerning Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) and the county’s Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) district structure.

On both, voters spoke overwhelmingly.

Alachua County voters also approved the One Mill for School ballot question with 76% of the vote. The One Mill item will be implemented without issue.

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The local public utilities referendum asked if Gainesville voters wanted to eliminate Section 7 from the city’s charter—thereby erasing the GRU Authority and returning management control of the utility to the City Commission.

The referendum passed with 72.6% of the vote—39,305 to 14,863 votes.

Mayor Harvey Ward said he expected the vote to pass but not by such a large margin. He called the victory a mandate by citizens to return the system to the previous structure.

“Our system is supposed to depend, in large measure, on giving the people a voice and listening to that voice,” Ward said. “This is as big a mandate as I’ve seen on anything, and I would hope that that carries weight.”

The GRU Authority filed a lawsuit in September to stop the ballot referendum, calling it illegal and saying the City Commission lacks the power to undo an act of the Florida Legislature—even through a voter referendum.

An Alachua County judge authorized a temporary injunction. This injunction will prevent the city of Gainesville from implementing the referendum until after the lawsuit is settled. The hearing is currently scheduled for December.

Concerning the lawsuit, Ward said the City Commission will need to discuss its next steps at a future meeting. If the GRU Authority lawsuit succeeds, then the voters will have spoken in the affirmative but without any change.

Ward said he’s not sure what might happen if that’s the case.

“For now, what’s important is that the people have spoken very, very loudly, and the people own this thing, and they should have a voice,” Ward said.

On the Alachua County district referendum, the BOCC placed a ballot question that asked if voters want to return to the at-large system. Voters said yes will 71.6% of the vote—90,886 to 36,024.

In 2022, the Florida Legislature placed a referendum on the local ballot asking if Alachua County wanted to switch to single-member districts. That referendum passed with 51.5% of the vote, but the BOCC, who opposed the change, said misinformation had skewed the election.

The BOCC voted to place the issue back on the ballot this year, but the commission races scheduled for 2024 continued under a single-member district system.

With the overwhelming vote on Tuesday, Alachua County is poised to switch back to at-large districts in 2026, but a lawsuit filed by local citizens will hamper that change.

In October, a judge ruled that the ballot language was illegal according to Florida Statutes. Alachua County plans to appeal the decision in order to enforce the result of the election.

Until the judiciary has its say, the referendums will hang in limbo.

On the state level, Florida voters approved two constitutional amendments and rejected four others. These constitutional amendments needed 60% of voters to pass.

Alachua County and Gainesville voters have spoken, but before anything changes, the courts will also need to speak on two referendums concerning Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) and the county’s Board of County Commissioner (BOCC) district structure.

On both, voters spoke overwhelmingly.

Alachua County voters also approved the One Mill for School ballot question with 76% of the vote. The One Mill item will be implemented without issue.

Become A Member

Mainstreet does not have a paywall, but pavement-pounding journalism is not free. Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible.

See Member Benefits

The local public utilities referendum asked if Gainesville voters wanted to eliminate Section 7 from the city’s charter—thereby erasing the GRU Authority and returning management control of the utility to the City Commission.

The referendum passed with 72.6% of the vote—39,305 to 14,863 votes.

Mayor Harvey Ward said he expected the vote to pass but not by such a large margin. He called the victory a mandate by citizens to return the system to the previous structure.

“Our system is supposed to depend, in large measure, on giving the people a voice and listening to that voice,” Ward said. “This is as big a mandate as I’ve seen on anything, and I would hope that that carries weight.”

The GRU Authority filed a lawsuit in September to stop the ballot referendum, calling it illegal and saying the City Commission lacks the power to undo an act of the Florida Legislature—even through a voter referendum.

An Alachua County judge authorized a temporary injunction. This injunction will prevent the city of Gainesville from implementing the referendum until after the lawsuit is settled. The hearing is currently scheduled for December.

Concerning the lawsuit, Ward said the City Commission will need to discuss its next steps at a future meeting. If the GRU Authority lawsuit succeeds, then the voters will have spoken in the affirmative but without any change.

Ward said he’s not sure what might happen if that’s the case.

“For now, what’s important is that the people have spoken very, very loudly, and the people own this thing, and they should have a voice,” Ward said.

On the Alachua County district referendum, the BOCC placed a ballot question that asked if voters want to return to the at-large system. Voters said yes will 71.6% of the vote—90,886 to 36,024.

In 2022, the Florida Legislature placed a referendum on the local ballot asking if Alachua County wanted to switch to single-member districts. That referendum passed with 51.5% of the vote, but the BOCC, who opposed the change, said misinformation had skewed the election.

The BOCC voted to place the issue back on the ballot this year, but the commission races scheduled for 2024 continued under a single-member district system.

With the overwhelming vote on Tuesday, Alachua County is poised to switch back to at-large districts in 2026, but a lawsuit filed by local citizens will hamper that change.

In October, a judge ruled that the ballot language was illegal according to Florida Statutes. Alachua County plans to appeal the decision in order to enforce the result of the election.

Until the judiciary has its say, the referendums will hang in limbo.

On the state level, Florida voters approved two constitutional amendments and rejected four others. These constitutional amendments needed 60% of voters to pass.

Florida and Kentucky look for rebound wins when they face off in a Week 8 matchup in Gainesville.

The Gators bounced back from a 1-2 start by winning two straight. However, the team lost against Tennessee in OT after having all the momentum earlier in the game. Quarterback DJ Lagway will look to carry the team after Graham Mertz was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL.

Meanwhile, Kentucky also had a two-game win streak snapped with a loss against Vanderbilt. QB Brock Vandagriff looks to impress and show consistency on the field. That may be possible thanks to a dangerous weapon in receiver Dane Key.

Florida leads the overall series 53–21, with games dating back to 1917. The Gators are currently on a three-game losing streak against Kentucky since 2021, losing the last game, 33-14.

Who will take home bragging rights in the latest chapter of this historic rivalry? The Sporting News has everything you need to know about this game.

Florida vs. Kentucky start time

Florida vs. Kentucky will kick off at 7:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 19. The game will be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. It can hold up to 88,548 people.

What channel is Florida vs. Kentucky on today?

Florida vs. Kentucky will air on the SEC Network. Viewers can also stream the series on Fubo, which offers a free trial, so you can try before you buy.

For a limited time, you can get your first month of Fubo for as low as $59.99, a $20 savings. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Florida vs. Kentucky radio station

Listen to Florida vs. Kentucky live on SiriusXM. The Florida broadcast airs on WRUF, while the Kentucky feed will be on 630 WLAP.

Get three months of SiriusXM for just $1. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.

Florida football schedule 2024

Here's a look at all of Florida’s opponents in 2024, along with links to purchase tickets:

*SEC game

Kentucky football schedule 2024

*SEC game

Gainesville and Alachua County residents were beginning to hunker down Wednesday morning ahead of the arrival of winds and rain from Hurricane Milton.

According to the National Weather Service's Jacksonville office, the area is under a tropical storm warning and can expect winds between 15-25 mph with gusts to 50 mph. The area also is under a flood watch, with the storm expected to drop 1 to 3 inches of rain, possibly more, in some areas of the county.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Milton was moving north-northeast at 16 mph with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. The storm is expected to approach the west coast of Florida — possibly near Sarasota — by late this evening.

More:Watch satellite, radar images of Hurricane Milton as it approaches Florida

12:50 p.m. | Expected impacts on Gainesville and Alachua County

According to a news release from the county, based on its current track, Hurricane Milton will start impacting the area as early as 7 p.m. Wednesday, but most impacts will likely occur late Wednesday into early Thursday morning. The storm is expected to leave the area by 9 a.m. Thursday.

Tropical storm force winds are still expected with rainfall between 2 and 8 inches. Expect more severe weather the further south you are.

Gainesville officials decide against curfew

After sending out an email on Tuesday afternoon regarding the possibility of curfew in Gainesville during the heaviest parts of the storm, city officials on Wednesday decided against the measure.

Ward said during a press conference at GPD Headquarters, that during Hurricane Helene, about three-fourths of the city's traffic lights went dark, and that at least 13 crashes occurred at those intersections.

"We don't want that to happen again. Our goal here to encourage folks to stay off the roads. Stay off the roads during the storm, particularly when it's dark," Ward said. "I am encouraging you int he strongest language possible, regardless of what we think might happen, stay home tonight."

Gainesville general population shelter full

From Alachua County:

"The shelter at the MLK Center is full. The General Population/Pet-Friendly shelter at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, 24880 NW 16th Ave., Newberry, has plenty of capacity."

Special Needs Shelter:

Special needs shelters will provide one cot per patient, though we cannot guarantee cots for caregivers. Residents should bring their own bedding, prescription medications, dietary foods, spare clothing, personal care items, and identification. For transportation assistance to the special needs shelter, please call 352-955-2575.

Free Uber Rides to Shelters:

Alachua County has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters, ensuring no resident is left behind due to transportation challenges. To access this service: