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Vol. 1 · No. 93 · Tuesday, August 4, 2026

The Gainesville Ledger

State & National

Gainesville leaders push back on proposed state property tax amendment

A proposed Florida constitutional amendment that would lower property taxes and restrict local government spending is drawing criticism from Gainesville and Alachua County officials, who warn it would reduce funding for local services. The Alligator reports that local leaders argue the measure would harm the quality of life in Florida communities. The amendment is also among the state-level issues being tracked alongside other policy debates heading into the next election cycle.

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Sources: The Independent Florida Alligator · The Gainesville Sun

Education

UF Summer Commencement to Honor More Than 3,100 Graduates Aug. 7–8

The University of Florida will hold three graduation ceremonies at Exactech Arena on August 7 and 8, conferring degrees on more than 3,100 students. This summer’s graduating class spans 72 countries and 48 states and includes 109 first-generation students, with graduates ranging in age from 18 to 79. Matthew David Disney, a UF Scripps Institute chemistry professor recognized for advances in RNA-targeted drug discovery, will speak at all three ceremonies.

Sources: UF News · Mainstreet Daily News

Education

Dr. Brian Hoh named next dean of UF College of Medicine

Brian Hoh, M.D., has been selected as the next dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine following a national search, with the appointment taking effect August 7. Hoh has spent two decades at UF, most recently leading the neurosurgery department and serving as chief of medical staff at UF Health Shands Hospital.

Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · UF News

City

In Brief

Education

UF study finds Prozac may reduce PTSD symptoms after traumatic injury

A small preliminary study led by a University of Florida orthopedic surgeon found that traumatic injury patients who took fluoxetine for nine months reported significantly fewer post-traumatic stress symptoms and less pain over the following year compared to those who took calcium. The unblinded trial, conducted at UF Health Shands Level I Trauma Center, enrolled 68 participants with serious injuries such as fractures, though only 29 contributed to the final data. Researchers caution that larger, placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the findings, and a double-blind follow-up trial is now underway.

Sources: UF News

UF Health Cancer Institute submits survivorship report to state, hosts community events

UF Health Cancer Institute researchers submitted a report to Florida state officials this summer detailing recommendations to better support cancer survivors and caregivers, including peer buddy systems and more structured transitions from oncology to primary care. The findings were gathered through community events held across Alachua, Duval, and Seminole counties at churches and community centers in May and June. The report identifies gaps such as emotional isolation, lack of practical post-treatment guidance, and the abrupt handoff from specialized cancer care to primary care physicians.

Sources: UF News

UF pharmacy researchers find kratom products often mislabeled

A study from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy found that commercially available kratom products frequently contain chemical compositions that do not match what their labels claim. The research, published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis, examined both traditional and kratom-derived products — such as gummies, tablets, and concentrated liquid shots — and found significant gaps in product transparency. Lead author Abhisheak Sharma, an assistant professor of pharmaceutics, called for stronger manufacturing standards, more comprehensive testing, and clearer labeling requirements.

Sources: UF News

In Brief

Public Safety

Two teens arrested after string of burglaries in LaCrosse community

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old after surveillance footage showed them throwing rocks through the glass door of a business on North State Road 121 and stealing items inside. A K9 unit tracked the pair to a nearby home, and investigators subsequently connected them to a second incident the same night in which two teens were seen going through a vehicle and attempting to take a go-kart on Northwest County Road 1493.

Sources: WCJB TV20 · Mainstreet Daily News

Alachua County deputy pulls unconscious woman from crashed car on NW 13th Street

An Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a crash on Northwest 13th Street early Friday morning where a black sedan had struck an oak tree. Deputy Nicholas Aldous found the female driver unconscious and apparently seizing, with the driver’s side door blocked by a hedge. He forced the door open, carried the woman clear of the vehicle, and she was transported for medical treatment.

Sources: WCJB TV20

In Brief

Business

In Brief

Sports

In Brief

Environment

In Brief

Community

Cancer-fighting girl to speak at Ronald McDonald House annual gala

The Ronald McDonald House of North Central Florida is preparing for its 14th annual Red Shoe Affair fundraiser, with a young patient named Nohea Glenn set to make a surprise appearance and speak at the event. Nohea, who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at age 8, has spent more than a year and a half staying at the Ronald McDonald House while undergoing treatment at Shands. Ahead of the gala, Nohea and her mother were taken on a complimentary shopping trip to a Gainesville department store, where she selected a dress, shoes, and accessories.

Sources: WCJB TV20

In Brief

State & National

Early voting begins in Florida as experts warn turnout hard to predict

Early voting opened August 3 in about ten Florida counties, with more than half a million vote-by-mail ballots already returned out of over 1.3 million sent out statewide. Political science experts say historical patterns suggest roughly a quarter to a third of registered voters will participate in the August 18 election, but caution that forecasting Florida elections has grown increasingly unreliable. Analysts note the contest will also serve as a signal of the direction Florida Democrats are heading.

Sources: WCJB TV20

In Brief

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