Jacksonville under fire
By Laura Britton
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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Robert K. Pietrzyk
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The number of homicides in Jacksonville is on the rise in comparison to last year, and community members, city officials and the University of North Florida are joining together to fight this
growing trend.
As of Nov. 7, there have been 125 homicides, 100 of which have been murders. At this time last year, the number of homicides was at 95 with 71 murders. There is not one clear answer to why the numbers are so high this year, according to Ken Jefferson, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office public information officer.
Most of the violent crimes are taking place on the Northside of the city where residents live in transitional housing and have lower incomes, Jefferson said. Many arguments start as domestic disputes and escalate to physical confrontations, which typically lead to a shooting or stabbing, he said.
Overall, a large portion of the violent crimes committed are drug-related, and involve males ages 16-30, according to Roy Fabila, a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
patrol officer.
The tipping point for the Jacksonville community came on July 26 of this year, when 8-year-old DreShawna Davis was killed by a stray bullet in her family's home.
The shooting was intended as a retaliatory act against her uncle, according to chief of communications and special initiatives for the mayor's office, Susan Wiles.
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Grasshoppers growing up
John Hatle is examining what these critters can teach science about aging
By Sheena Pegarido
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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SXC.HU :
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Dr. John Hatle of the University of North Florida is using grasshoppers to conduct research about aging. Hatle said he hopes the results of his work will ultimately
benefit human health research.
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In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon was said to be searching for the fabled fountain of youth in St. Augustine. Almost 500 years later, the key to the mystery may be found hopping in the University of North Florida biology labs.
John Hatle, assistant professor of biology at UNF, is conducting experimental research on grasshopper to understand how aging is controlled.
"Almost all organisms age, and the results of aging are well-known in humans," Hatle said. "We lose elasticity, our skin gets crinkly, our arteries don't expand and recoil as easily, our hair turns gray, and our hormones get weaker. But how that's controlled is not
understood."
So he turned to grasshoppers - insects that, unlike the more commonly studied fruit flies, are large enough to follow and to collect blood samples from one individual, Hatle said. Aside from being less expensive than mice, another common experimental model for aging, grasshoppers also live shorter, about three to six months, allowing for an ample amount of time to study its lifespan, he said.
"These grasshoppers are very common around Jacksonville," Hatle said. "Those are the kinds that are pests in people's gardens, so a lot of people around here are familiar with them."
Funded by the National Institute on Aging, a branch of the National Institute of Health, Hatle is studying how body storage affects longevity. According to Hatle, going on in his fourth year at UNF, the standard theory for animals is that aging is a result of reproduction. He said this theory has been proven in studied organisms such as flies, worms and mice.
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Leadership discusses Master Plan
By Ace Stryker
MANAGING EDITOR
The University of North Florida will undergo major changes in its campus structure and layout over the next 10 years, according to speakers at a LEARNUNF presentation Nov. 9.
Among the planned developments are several new buildings, expansions to existing structures and a new philosophy regarding how space on campus will be used, said Richard Crosby, associate vice president for administration and finance. Crosby said the UNF Master Plan calls for a series of new projects that will eventually phase out parking in the core of campus, opening that space up for more student and faculty working space.
Crosby addressed the student union building, which is due to break ground in May 2007. He said it will occupy the space where Lot 4 currently sits, displacing 752 parking spaces. To counteract the loss of parking, Crosby said the university plans to expand Lot 18 from 1,000 to 1,800 spaces by next fall.
The proposed "eastern ridge" housing complex and a possible sanctuary on the south end of campus are among other ideas attached to the Master Plan, Crosby said, along with the conversion of the State Road 9A-Butler Boulevard intersection to an interchange.
"I think we're probably about another year or so on the interchange,"
he said.
Director of Facilities Planning Zak Ovadia also gave a presentation outlining some of the newer developments of the Master Plan. He said a new Parking Services building has been designed and should begin construction in the next few weeks.
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This Week
News
Good morning, commissioner
Gov. Bush appointed former University of North Florida President Dr. Anne Hopkins to the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
Expressions
Anything but gravy
Thanksgiving isn't all about turkey and gravy. Your preconceived notions may be squashed when you read how this holiday isn't all
about giving thanks.
Sports
Farewell to fall sports
All good things must come to an end, and December means some of the University of North Florida teams' seasons are drawing to a close. See how the Ospreys fared.
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