O Connell and Reitz, both former university presidents, were practical segregationists who relied on tokenism, empty promises, and slow movement to stall the integration of the University of Florida s student body and faculty, according to a 2011 article published in the academic journal
Florida Historical Quarterly. Nevertheless, two of the university s most prominent buildings the Reitz Union and the O Connell Center arena continue to display their names. J. Wayne Reitz became the university s president in 1955, one year after the landmark
Brown v.
Board of Education decision that deemed racial segregation in schools unconstitutional. Nevertheless, according to the
Florida Historical Quarterly article by Jessica Clawson, Reitz did not prioritize integration at UF until 1962, when he quietly admitted seven Black undergraduate students.
University of Florida students and protestors announced Wednesday afternoon that they would occupy the J. Wayne Reitz Union until their demands for a more equitable university food service contract are met.
Ava Kaplan, a UF sophomore studying political science who is one of the event organizers, said they had a plan and were prepared to deal with conflict and police if necessary but would not specify details to help protect the group. The point of an occupation is to disrupt enough that they will actually listen to us, she said. We re not leaving.
About 21 people filled the hallway outside of and below UF s Business Services division inside the Reitz Union when the announcement was made at 4 p.m. Ten of them, all with the local activist coalition the Food Justice League, planned to spend at least the night and following two days there, Kaplan said.
Earth Day 2021, this year s observance lauding nature conservation and appreciation, is Thursday and there are several ways people can honor it in Alachua County despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual holiday celebrates the start of the modern environmental movement. It began in 1970 with a Wisconsin junior senator and has grown to include over 1 billion participants in more than 190 countries worldwide, according to the organization s website.
The first Earth Day helped create the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and legislation like the Clean Air Act. In 1990, it grew outside of the country. And now, it is the largest non-religious observance in the world, the website states.
One northeast Gainesville polling station is temporarily being relocated for the city’s upcoming election on March 16.
Voters living in Precinct 27, who are assigned to vote at the Thelma Boltin Center, will instead vote Tuesday at the Thomas Center, 302 NE Sixth Ave. Voters within the affected precinct were mailed letters notifying them of the change at the end of February.
The Thelma Boltin Center is undergoing renovations, and Precinct 27 will return to that location following this election.
In addition to the temporary polling place for Precinct 27, several precincts are combined during City of Gainesville elections. They are as follows:
Precinct 30 voters residing in Gainesville city limits will vote at Precinct 13 (Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, 2505 NE Eighth Ave.)
Early voting in Gainesville begins Friday
The locations are all open from 9 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily through March 13.
Here’s a list of the locations:
Supervisor of Elections Office, 515 N. Main St., Suite 100
Millhopper Branch Library, 3145 NW 43rd St.
J. Wayne Reitz Union on the University of Florida campus, 655 Reitz Union Drive, ground level of the Career Connections Center
Marin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center, 1028 NE 14th St.
For the safety of voters and election workers, face masks or coverings are strongly encouraged.
Voters can view their sample ballot at VoteAlachua.com/My-Registration-Status.
Voters must present photo and signature identification before voting. Accepted forms of identification include Florida driver licenses or identification cards, United States passports, debit or credit cards, military or student IDs, retirement center or neighborhood association IDs, public assistance IDs, veteran health IDs, concealed carry IDs or government emp