True Florida Stories
Becky Goodman, 49, is a squirrel savior.
As an animal rehabber based in Gainesville, she rescues injured squirrels, treats and cares for them in designated enclosures and releases them into the wilderness again … Read moreSquirrel salvation
As 73-year-old Stephen Smith switches on the machine, a dirty gown swishes and spins inside, reminiscent of when its bride wore the dress for her first dance … Read moreYour stain, his gain
I’m off to do something I’ve never done before and, for a long time, swore I’d never do. A mix of fear, guilt and hesitant excitement finds a home in the pit of my stomach, but I try to push it aside … Read moreI’d never seen a gun before. Days later, I fired one
Since her classroom already had plenty of furniture, she asked if any of the students needed it. To her surprise, many hands shot up.Â
Louise realized something: Maybe these students and their families have needs that we have no idea about, she thought. The Gainesville High School ESOL Closet was born … Read moreHow The ESOL Closet helps Gainesville feel more like home
On Fridays, D. Williams Mortuary Services is a meeting ground for mourners. Though the air is melancholy, it is a beautiful sunny afternoon at the funeral home. Cars slowly pull into the dirt path just off 13th Street, its neatly gardened exterior a waiting area for friends and family to congregate and share memories … Read moreThe last responder