Bird flu, Belly Dancers, and Billy

September 17, 2024

Morning Gainesville!

Is anyone else missing the sun?! Appreciating the reprieve from the Swamptown sauna, but seriously missing the blue skies.

Who knew you could take Belly Dance classes on Wednesday in Gainesville? Lots of fun events this week!

📰 The General Scoop:

  • All eyes on 🐦️ Bird Flu: UF is monitoring an outbreak of bird flu in Alachua County. It's mainly affecting wild birds. No need to panic, but they're keeping a close watch on our feathered friends. Experts say it’s not really a threat to humans right now. Apparently this is pretty common as birds migrate south in larger groups! Kinda like kids going back to school!

  • New form of Fentanyl seen in Gainesville: Local authorities are waving a red flag over a new synthetic opioid circulating in the area. This stuff is seriously dangerous—it's linked to overdoses and is significantly stronger than fentanyl The scariest part? It's showing up in what people think are regular prescription pills. 😬 Gainesville's first responders are seeing more cases of this in recent weeks, and officials are urging everyone to be extra cautious. If you or anyone you know comes across suspicious pills, don’t mess around—reach out for help.

🏢 Business News:

  • 🏦 Campus USA opens new location Thursday: Campus USA is holding a Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Thursday morning at 11 AM at their new location.

  • Tight job market in Gainesville: Job hunting in Gainesville? Buckle up, because it’s pretty darn competitive at the moment. According to UF’s Career Connections Center, 6,000 students graduated in spring, with many staying local to dive into the job market. The unemployment rate in Alachua County sits at a very low 2.7% (compared to the national 4.7%) which means the market is tight with job seekers. Healthcare, education, and engineering are the hottest sectors right now locally. Time to polish up that resume and LinkedIn profile!

🏅 Sports News:

  • 🏈 Billy Napier remains the head coach of the Florida Gators football games after rumors swirled Sunday that a decision would be made quickly to relieve him of his duties. Gators will face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday at 12 PM in Starkville, MS. It will be aired on ESPN.

  • 🏐 Gator volleyball ranked #16 in latest rankings. Remember they welcome rival FSU tonight to the O’Dome for a 7 PM in-state match up!

  • 🎾 Gators Men’s and Women’s Tennis have been active over the weekend, with freshmen tallying first wins!

📆 Things to Do Today and Tomorrow:

Tuesday, September 17th:

Wednesday September 18th:

  • 👯‍♀️ Gainesville Area Women’s Network Luncheon @ 11:30 AM Sweetwater Branch Inn 625 E University Ave Gainesville, FL, 32601 Get to know your nervous system (quite literally) at this interesting and informative gathering.

  • 🎼 Jazz Wednesdays at the Keys @ 6 PM The Keys Restaurant 4860 Celebration Pointe Blvd, Suite 30, Gainesville, FL 32608

  • 💃 Belly Dance Classes @ 7:30 PM Gainesville Circus Center 1925 NW 2nd St, Gainesville, FL 32609 Need I say more?!

See you (or your inbox, rather) tomorrow!
Lauren
Swamptown Scoop