🌀 Storm Prep, Big Changes, and Gator Sports Updates

Good morning, GNV! And happy Wednesday.

All eyes are on the impending storm. As of late Tuesday evening, it appears like its shifting west. Regardless, sincerely hope everyone is safe and sound. Here’s a great resource the chamber put out about resources for the storm.

Stay tuned for all the latest, and thanks for being here 💌

📰 The General Scoop:

• 🚨 Alachua County Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Hurricane Helene 🚨 Hoping for the best for our coastal friends as we brace for another storm! Alachua County commissioners have officially declared a state of emergency as we prepare for Hurricane Helene, which is expected to turn into a major storm by Thursday. Emergency management's Jen Grice says we could see some gnarly weather starting Wednesday night, with 4 to 6 inches of rain through Friday. Winds will start picking up Thursday, especially for the western part of the county. 🌧️🌪️

• 📉 UF Slips to No. 7 in Public University Rankings 📉 The Gators took a little dip (from #6 to #7) in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of public universities. Thankfully, it wasn’t quite as drastic as the monumental drop in the Wall Street Journal rankings from #1 to #34. 🐊 While still solidly in the U.S. News & World Report top 10, UF now shares the spot with the University of Texas-Austin. On the bright side, the Warrington College of Business programs got a nice boost in the rankings! Overall, UF fell two spots to No. 30 among all universities, tying with NYU and Texas.

• 🏈 Big Plans for Citizens Field: Revitalization Coming 🏟️ Citizens Field, home to three Gainesville high school football teams (GHS, Buchholz, and Eastside), is about to get a much needed overhaul 🌟 Plans are underway to revitalize the stadium, located in East Gainesville, with hopes of giving the area a boost and creating a top-notch sports venue. The project is still in the early stages, but excitement is building for the potential transformation. Stay tuned for more updates as planning progresses!

🏢 Business News:

• 🏢 Big Changes at The Village at Gainesville 🏢 Residents at The Village at Gainesville are gearing up for a potential new owner, as the non-profit senior living community might be shifting to for-profit status. Fortress Investment Group is expected to finalize the purchase by the end of the year, marking a growing trend of for-profit companies acquiring non-profit senior living facilities.

🏅 Sports News:

• Gator football will enjoy a bye-week where they can hopefully rest and recuperate prior to facing UCF in Gainesville on October 4th at 7:45 PM

• ⚽️ Gator soccer is scheduled to play Tennessee at 7 PM Thursday 🤞 

• 🏊️ Gator Swimming and Diving faces Nova Southeastern at 1 PM Sunday in the O’Dome

• 🏐 Gator Volleyball faces #12 Kentucky at 1 PM Sunday in the O’Dome

📆 Things to Do:

*Please make sure to check with event leads for Thursday’s events as we anticipate some cancelations due to weather.

Wednesday, September 25th:

• Health and Wellness Fair at Alachua County Senior Rec Center (3 PM - 5 PM) Lots of activities planned like sewing, visits from a therapy dog, and some practical workshops on insurance and emergency preparedness.

• Thomas Allain (Community Nights) at Heartwood Soundstage (6 PM - 9 PM) Enjoy the sentimental indie groove rock vibes before the storm arrives!

Thursday, September 26th:

• $5 Breakfast at Flying Biscuit (7 AM - Close) September is National Breakfast Month, and Flying Biscuit Cafe is celebrating by offering their popular “High Flyer” breakfast for $5.

• Grooming Maintenance Class at Charlie’s Place Pet Spa (7 PM-8:30 PM) Have a dog? Come learn best practices about grooming at home!

• Art After Dark: Wine Down at the Harn Museum (5 PM - 9 PM) Grab a friend and enjoy the museum staying open later on Thursdays. Music and wine will be available!

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See you Friday!
Lauren
Swamptown Scoop