The Gainesville Iguana

by Ashley Sanguino

There is little doubt that abortion has become a key issue in this year’s election.

Florida has become a prime battleground for legislatures to target reproductive rights and attack abortion.

On Monday, April 1, the State Supreme Court announced two key decisions regarding abortion rights. In one case, the 15-week ban was deemed constitutional, allowing for the 6-week ban to go into effect on  May 1, which will bar access and threaten the health and safety of Floridians across the state.

by Janice Garry and Nancy Daren, with support from Bobby Mermer, Roberta Gastmyer and Jason Fultz

Since House Bill 1645 (Energy Resources) was introduced during the 2023 legislative session, the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Alachua County has stood in vocal opposition. 

Without local notification or meaningful input, the bill went straight to the state legislature. It passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis and became law 2023-348, creating a new section, Article VII, in the city charter.  

by Fred Sowder, WGOT Volunteer

It was the summer of 1989. I had just started classes at the University of Miami in Coral Gables. The truth of the matter was that I was really there to be a part of its college radio station, WVUM. It was a magical time for music. Nirvana had yet to hit it big and local Miami bands like Nuclear Valdez and The Mavericks showed great promise. The radio station there had wall-to-wall live hosts 24 hours a day. To the point, in fact, that I wasn’t able to get a show on my own until November of that year.

Looking for a unique weekend activity you can bring the whole family to? The Gainesville Roller Rebels are playing two home games this month on April 13 and April 27. 

On Saturday, April 13, the Swamp City Sirens and the Millhopper Devils home teams, both made up of GRR skaters, will face off for GRR’s first game of the season! And on Saturday, April 27, GRR will take on longtime rivals Tallahassee Roller Derby! You won’t want to miss these hard-hitting games.

by Carol Mosley

I’m still angry at my formal education when I learn the untold stories of American history. At 72 years old, I’m only now learning about the prevalence and importance of Black cowboys and cowgirls in the history of the American west and of my own state of Florida.

Though not known for being a major cattle state, Florida had, and still has, its own Black cowboys who tend to everything on the ranch from herding cows to training horses. In 2022, Florida produced 3 percent of the nation’s beef cows. 

by Joe Courter

There will be primaries in August, and then the final election in November. Many things will play out between now and then. Please, just know you need to vote.

Message to students: Change your voter registration to Gainesville, you are representing future students coming to town. Better city and county Commissioners is a good legacy to leave. Also, if you have moved, update your registration with the Supervisor of Elections office.

by Carol Mosley

For more than 40 years the Cultural Arts Coalition has been a voice for presenting African American history and culture through arts, environmental stewardship and science programs.

CAC is based out of, and manages, the Wilhelmina Johnson Community Center. The WJRC is rented by local groups for events, meetings and classes. This community resource is in a precarious position, with the City of Gainesville facing severe budget cuts that will result in loss of funding for many non-profit programs.

Cinema Verde, a non-profit dedicated to environmental education, will host its 15th annual film festival at Cypress and Grove Brewing Company in Gainesville, featuring films directed by an array of artists who value the natural environment. 

On April 20-22, the festival promises an enriching cinematic experience and counters misleading information surrounding climate change. In light of various educational bodies’ recent decisions to feature climate-related content that is derived from industry and may not be valid scientifically, Cinema Verde remains dedicated to delivering accurate information rooted in science.

The Southern Labor Studies Association awards the Robert H. Zieger Prize at the biennial Southern Labor Studies Conference for the best unpublished essay in southern labor studies written by a graduate student or early career scholar, journalist, or activist. The Zieger Prize includes a $1,000 award.

The Robert H. Zieger Prize was established in 2013 with the cooperation of the Zieger family and members of SLSA. The prize is named in honor of the late Robert H. Zieger – a teacher, scholar, and tireless union activist. Zieger was a prolific, award-winning writer whose books include For Jobs and Freedom: Race and Labor in America since 1865 and The CIO, 1935-1955, and three field-defining edited volumes on southern labor history. 

by Heather Halak, Owner, Third House Books

“I was a library kid,” is my short answer when I’m asked how I got into running a bookstore. In elementary school I checked out books so voraciously at Miami-Dade’s West Miami branch that I won their summer reading contest annually.

But the longer answer is, “By accident.” Third House Books wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for my tumultuous not-even-a-year in New York City, return to Gainesville, and ninth circle of hell relationship. But mostly, it wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Kiren Valjee, the founder, someone who’d become like family.

by Helen Warren and Ellen Siegel

Attention, faith communities: Join an interfaith climate program on April 16 for the National Faith and Climate Forum. Regardless of your faith, come together for an afternoon of climate education, spirituality, and action. Leave empowered and connected to a community making a difference. 

The free program begins at 11:30am, including a light lunch, and ends at 5:15pm. Some segments will be live in person, and some will be broadcast on Zoom. 

We are delighted to welcome both county and city staff, GRU, and several Alachua clergy as local speakers. 

Email esiegel@CLEOinstitute.org for more details, location and how to register. 

by Joe Courter

This story resonates with me on a number of levels. Back in May 1980, I was on the last Greyhound bus to make it all the way across the Sunshine Skyway bridge. The next bus in the morning made it halfway, and then into the drink, killing 35 people. Watching the news the next morning was kind of eerie. A bit personal.

But this event, and the videos. Wow. You see the cargo ship Dali under power, then its lights go out. Then they get it started, smoke belching from the engines. Cars and trucks are still going by. Its lights come back up, but it is too late to prevent what’s coming, they’ve lost control of the massive ship. Amazingly, you can also see traffic has disappeared. Then, the impact splash and down it comes. A tragic fluke, but overall, the infrastructure worked well, especially getting traffic stopped after the quick Mayday call. 

April 17, 5-6:30pm

by United Faculty of Florida, UF Chapter

In conjunction with the American Association of University Professors and faculty at campuses across the nation, the United Faculty of Florida-UF will participate in the National Day of Action for Higher Education for the Public Good on April 17 by holding a virtual teach-in on Academic Freedom, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and the Future of Higher Education in Florida on Wednesday, April 17, 5-6:30 pm. This teach-in will be conducted via Zoom.

by Eva A. García Ferrés, Co-President of Graduate Assistants United

On Tuesday, March 26, members of the University of Florida along with community supporters and representatives from national organizations such as the ACLU,  joined to protest the passing and implementation of SB 846. The bill is more commonly known as the “Countries of Concern” bill, as it codifies entities (i.e., universities, organizations, applicants) from Cuba, Syria, Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea as potentially dangerous for national safety. 

by the Gainesville Radical Reproductive Rights Network

On Monday, April 1, the Supreme Court of Florida issued two decisions impacting abortion access for Floridians. First, the Court upheld the 15-week ban on abortion, which will trigger a 6-week ban for Floridians starting May 1. Second, the Court decided that Amendment 4 (Right to Abortion Initiative) will be on the November general election ballot, despite a Florida Attorney General challenge. While the ballot decision is a win for Floridians fighting for reproductive rights, thousands of Floridians being denied health care access by the impending 6-week ban is tragic.

The April-May issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.