UF Student Arrested for Threatening Roommate KATHRYN VARN Alligator Writer
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Alachua County native Grant Murray is performing with his Wheel of Death in Tampa. See pages 8 and 9 Not officially associated with the University of Florida Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida We Inform. You Decide. for the photo story. VOLUME 107 ISSUE 107 WWW.ALLIGATOR.ORG TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013 UF student arrested for threatening roommate KATHRYN VARN Alligator Writer A UF student was arrested early Satur- day morning after she allegedly stabbed her roommate’s door with a knife and threat- ened to kill her. Gainesville Police charged Jessica Gor- don, 21, of 612 NE 10th Ave., with aggravat- ed assault and simple battery, according to a GPD arrest report. The incident started at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday when Gordon returned home with her roommates from a club, said GPD spokesman Offi cer Ben Tobias. Aundre Larrow / Alligator Staff Earlier in the night, Gordon saw her ex- boyfriend dancing with another woman, To- HiiiPower bias said. When Gordon returned home, she Rapper Kendrick Lamar performs to an audience of about 10,000 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Monday night wanted to go see him. as part of Black History Month. Melanie Fiona opened the show. Sarah Margio, one of Gordon’s room- mates, didn’t want Gordon to drive because she had too much to drink, so she called CAMPUS Gordon’s current boyfriend to pick her up, Tobias said. Gordon, however, left anyway but re- Miss UF pageant evacuated after power loss turned 10 minutes later. Tobias said she went ALEXA ASENDORF suit and fi tness showcase, a talent portion in the rain. back inside and started banging on Margio’s Alligator Contributing Writer and an eveningwear segment. Dance Marathon members raised morale door, accusing Margio of ruining her rela- While the judges were tabulating the re- by pulling up a car, blaring a mix through tionship with her current boyfriend, Tobias A blackout temporarily dulled the se- sults backstage, Sabor Latino took the stage the stereo and performing a choreographed said. quined gowns of the 14 Miss University of for a surprise performance when the Phil- dance. When Margio opened her door, Gordon Florida contestants Monday night at the lips Center lost power. The cause of the power outage could not pushed her to the ground. Margio then ran Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. At fi rst, the crowd thought it was part of be determined, but the generator provided back into her room and locked the door, To- About 500 people attended the event the performance. emergency lighting for the remaining audi- bias said. sponsored by Florida Blue Key. “Once we realized the power wasn’t go- ence members to gather in the lobby of the Gordon then grabbed a knife from the “It’s our 57th year putting on the pageant ing to come back on, we quickly evacuated Phillips Center. The 14 contestants fl anked kitchen and started stabbing the door, yell- and our fi rst blackout,” said Florida Blue the building,” said Matt Cox, the operations the double staircase while winners and run- ing “I have a knife, and I am going to kill Key President Dana Somerstein. director for University of Florida Perform- ners-up were announced. you” to Margio, Tobias said. The pageant started out as planned. The ing Arts. Rachel Hart, an advertising and business After police arrived, Gordon told offi cers Q-and-A segment went without a hitch, as UPD arrived to make sure people evacu- freshman, won. She will continue on to the she intended to use the knife to pick Mar- did several competitions including a swim- ated safely. The audience then stood outside Miss Florida pageant. gio’s lock to speak with her, according to the report. Gordon added she only threatened Margio fi guratively. Police arrested Gordon and booked her into the Alachua County Jail on Sunday af- Project Makeover revamps Idylwild Elementary ternoon. She was released at about 1 p.m. � THE SCHOOL RECEIVED A NEW PLAYGROUND. Principal Daniel Ferguson said because his school’s grade jumped Monday on her own recognizance. from a D to a B last year, he wanted to reward his students with a Margio declined to comment. Gordon surprise: a new playground. couldn’t be reached for comment. SHANNON KAESTLE “It symbolizes a place where the kids can just simply let loose Alligator Contributing Writer Tobias said Margio wanted to withdraw and have fun,” he said. the complaint against Gordon, but because About 80 percent of Idylwild’s 676 students are on the free and she committed a felony, GPD couldn’t drop A sense of excitement hung in the air as Idylwild Elementary reduced lunch program, said Kelley Kostamo, partnership specialist the charges. School students fi led into the school’s cafeteria Monday morning. for Alachua County Public Schools. Contact Kathryn Varn at kvarn@alligator. After a three-day wait, the students fi nally had a chance to take The improved grade motivated the school to raise money for the org. a tour of their renewed school. Over the weekend, volunteers with new playground, which cost about $21,000, Ferguson said. Project Makeover worked to beautify the school, painting murals on the school walls and cleaning up the grounds. SEE MAKEOVER, PAGE 4 Today 74/52 Temporarily blind monkey regains vision Gators dealing with shorthanded roster FORECAST 2 CROSSWORD 11 Wendell couldn’t see for four days, pg 3. Injuries to Michael Frazier II and Will Yeguete OPINIONS 6 SPORTS 13 Students may fi nd Vitamin D pills hard to swallow have forced Florida to tweak its lineup ahead of CLASSIFIEDS 10 Some pills provide as little as 9 percent of claimed potency, pg 5. tonight’s game against Tennessee at 9, pg 13. 2, ALLIGATOR § TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2013 News Today VOLUME 107 ISSUE 107 ISSN 0889-2423 WHAT’S HAPPENING? Not officially associated with the University of Florida FORECAST Published by Campus Communications Inc., of Gainesville, Florida TODAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY NEWSROOM Dining for the Nonprofit Center 352-376-4458 (Voice), 352-376-4467 (Fax) Join the Nonprofit Center at Editor Sarah Kinonen, Sonny’s on Archer Road to- THUNDER- PARTLY SUNNY PARTLY PARTLY [email protected] night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Managing Editor / Print Julia Glum, [email protected] Proceeds will benefit the STORMS CLOUDY 67/42 CLOUDY CLOUDY 74/52 72/48 62/39 60/36 Managing Editor / Online Evan Walker, [email protected] Nonprofit Center of North University Editor Samantha Shavell, Central Florida. Go to www. their Spring Break joining Healthy Gators awards and [email protected] facebook.com/ncncf to print Metro Editor Chris Alcantara, out a coupon for the event. with farmworkers in a two recognizes faculty, staff and week, 200-mile March for students within the UF com- [email protected] Please call 352-381-7067 for Opinions Editor Sami Main, [email protected] more information. Justice from Fort Myers to munity who have made sig- Publix corporate headquar- nificant achievements in sus- Sports Editor Joe Morgan, [email protected] ters in Lakeland. They will tainability and health. The Assistant Sports Editor Phillip Heilman, Speech contests set for today again ask Publix to join the awards seek to highlight such [email protected] Talking Gators Toastmasters Fair Food Program. For achievements in hopes of in- alligatorSports.org Editor Adam Pincus, [email protected] will host its annual Speech more info, call 352-371-6992. spiring others to join the move- Editorial Board Julia Glum, Sarah Kinonen, and Table Topics Contest to- ment to create a healthier and Sami Main, Evan Walker night. The winner of each Gators for Haven Hospice more sustainable community. Photo Editor David Carr, [email protected] contest will go on to the Area Assistant Photo Editor Aundre Larrow, [email protected] Gators for Haven Hospice Please consider nominating 70 competition in March. The the Avenue Editor Dana Burke, [email protected] is an organization that pro- someone, and self-nomina- event begins at 5:45 p.m. in the Blogs Editor Kiera Wright-Ruiz, vides networking opportu- tions are also accepted. A full Entomology Building, Room [email protected] nities for hospice volunteers list of nomination categories 1031. The event is open to ev- Copy Desk Chiefs Samantha Dean, [email protected] at UF while promoting the and the nomination form are eryone. For more information, Karly Kehres, [email protected] goals of Haven Hospice. available at www.sustainable. go to talkinggators.toastmas- Shayna Posses, Come to the meeting on ufl.edu/awards. tersclubs.org/. [email protected] Thursday at 7 p.m. in CSE, Copy Editors Devon Abelman, Jenna Box, Room E222, to find out Become a Peer Advocate for Equality Florida Gainesville Jenna Lyons, Charmaine Miller, more. the UFPD Office of Victim mixer Marjorie Nunez, Elesa Paschke, Services Equality Florida works to se- Jensen Werley, Kristan Wiggins Symphony Orchestra concert The UFPD Office of Victim cure equality and justice for The UF Symphony Services is looking for peer Florida’s LGBT community. Orchestra will host its final advocates to serve for the up- Join us for our Gainesville DISPLAY ADVERTISING concert of the Spring semes- coming 2013-2014 school year. Membership Mixer today at 352-376-4482, 800-257-4341, 352-376-4556 (Fax) ter Thursday. Performances Peer advocates are trained by 6 p.m. at Leonardo’s 706 on Advertising Director Shaun O’Connor, will include Morton OVS staff in creating and de- University Avenue. Come [email protected] Gould’s “Latin-American livering innovative presenta- hear about the wonderful Office Manager Stephanie Parker, Symphonette” in celebra- tions regarding issues such as work we do and connect with [email protected] tion of the composer’s 100th sexual violence and intimate others who care about equal- Retail Advertising Manager Gary Miller, [email protected] birthday, Richard Wagner’s partner violence.