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GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe College will hold commencement ceremonies for more than 1,600 students on Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2, at the Northwest Campus.
 
Spring and Summer 2025 graduates will be recognized.
 
This year, 1,522 Spring graduates will earn 1,563 credentials. The College will award Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.), and Bachelor’s in Applied Science (B.A.S.) degrees, as well as certificates in technical and other career fields.
 
There are 161 expected Summer graduates, primarily earning Associate in Arts degrees.
 
Ceremonies open with the Nurses Pinning at 3 p.m., Thursday, May 1.
 
On Friday, May 2, the commencement ceremony for B.A.S., A.S., A.A.S. and Certificate graduates is at 3 p.m., followed by the ceremony for A.A. graduates at 7 p.m.
 
All ceremonies will be held in the Santa Fe College Gymnasium, off North Road.
 
Tickets for the Friday ceremony were provided to the graduates; seating for guests without tickets and those arriving late will be available at the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall, where the ceremonies will be streamed live on a large screen. Tickets are not needed for Nurses Pinning.
 
For details about commencement and to access the live stream from home, visit SFCollege.edu.

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 ALACHUA ‒ Three local elementary schools in Alachua and High Springs received a major boost to their literacy efforts during National Library Week, thanks to a surprise visit from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF) and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), who marked 20 years of partnership with a generous donation of grants and books.

W.W. Irby Elementary School and Alachua Elementary School, both located in Alachua, along with High Springs Community School in High Springs, each received a $20,000 literacy grant from DGLF. In total, the schools received $60,000 in funding and nearly 4,500 new books from RIF to support reading engagement in and out of the classroom.

More than 30 Dollar General employees from area stores and the company’s Alachua distribution center joined RIF representatives on-site to help students select books to take home and encourage their love of reading outside the classroom.

“The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is thrilled to celebrate more than two decades of partnership with Reading Is Fundamental and our collective commitment to enhancing literacy and education in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the foundation. “We are proud to celebrate today, and during National Library Week, by helping enhance local literacy programs that open doorways to new opportunities and brighter futures for Alachua-area students.”

The donation event highlighted the long-standing involvement of the three schools in RIF’s flagship Books for Ownership program. All three have participated since the national literacy partnership began in 2004. The program annually supports more than 60 elementary schools, offering students the opportunity to select high-quality books based on their interests.

The visit also reflected Dollar General’s continued investment in the area, with its Alachua distribution center serving as a key employer and community partner in North Central Florida. Since its founding in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $254 million in grants and supported more than 21.8 million individuals through adult, youth, family, and summer reading programs. The partnership with RIF has helped distribute more than 2.2 million books to approximately 680,000 students nationwide in communities served by Dollar General.

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ALACHUA – The City of Alachua’s Recreation and Culture Department marked a busy weekend with a series of community events and spring sports in full swing across local facilities.

Last Saturday, Copeland Progress Park was abuzz with Santa Fe Babe Ruth Baseball games, while Santa Fe High School’s Raider Regiment presented “Painted Melodies” — a music, art, and craft festival held at the Legacy Multipurpose Amphitheater. At the same time, the city’s annual Easter Egg Hunt brought hundreds of families to the Hal Brady Recreation Complex.

More than 3,000 colorful eggs — including several golden eggs with special prizes — were scattered throughout the complex. Children received free baskets filled with eggs and candy upon arrival. Participants were divided by age group and guided to designated hunting areas by city staff and volunteers. After the egg hunt, families lined up for professional photos with the Easter Bunny, courtesy of Magnolia Lane Studios.

Spring programming continues across the city, with youth volleyball, soccer, baseball, softball, flag football, and cheerleading leagues currently underway.

Looking ahead, the annual Relay for Life event is scheduled for the evening of Friday, April 25, at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex.

The City is also accepting registrations for its Legacy Kids Adventure Camp. Parents can sign up their children Monday through Thursday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Legacy Multipurpose Center.

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NEWBERRY ‒ A 41-year-old Newberry man was arrested late Tuesday, April 15, 2025, accused of punching another man during a bar altercation and subsequently pulling a knife on him while allegedly making death threats.

According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began around 11:20 p.m. on Monday, April 14, at Shorty’s bar located at 455 N.W. 252nd Street in Newberry. Diontrey Whitfield was reportedly playing pool when tensions escalated over the game's outcome. Witnesses told deputies that Whitfield became increasingly upset, especially after the victim began mocking his performance.

The Sheriff’s reports state that Whitfield then approached the victim, who had been spectating rather than participating in the game, and allegedly punched him forcefully on the side of the head. The sudden blow led to a physical altercation between the two men, during which both fell to the floor, exchanging blows until other patrons intervened and separated them.

Witnesses told deputies that both men continued arguing loudly after leaving the bar. Once outside, Whitfield reportedly drew a silver pocketknife and charged aggressively toward the victim, chasing him through the parking lot and allegedly shouting threats that he intended to kill him. The victim, whose name authorities have not publicly released, fled to a nearby vehicle, managed to climb inside, and locked the doors, effectively ending the violent confrontation.

The responding deputy noted in his report that the victim sustained minor injuries during the fight. Photographic evidence was collected at the scene to document these injuries.

Investigators concluded that Whitfield had indeed committed battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to the arrest report, Whitfield “actually and intentionally punched the victim against his will,” and further threatened violence “with the apparent ability to carry out the threat,” creating a “well-founded fear” that immediate harm was imminent.

Deputies returned to Shorty’s bar Tuesday evening, where Whitfield was apprehended without incident. He faces formal charges of battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A review of his criminal record shows Whitfield has three prior felony convictions and two misdemeanor convictions. He previously served a sentence in state prison, from which he was released in 2005.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail pending a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

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ALACHUA – The City of Alachua’s newly elected leaders took their seats Monday night, April 21, 2025, in a Commission meeting that celebrated new beginnings even as it spotlighted familiar tensions over growth, governance, and electoral trust.

Mayor Walter Welch and Commissioner Jacob Fletcher, who won their races in the April 8 municipal election, were sworn in during the early portion of the meeting. Welch unseated longtime Mayor Gib Coerper by just 21 votes (639 to 618), while Fletcher claimed Seat 2 over former Vice Mayor Ed Potts, 785 to 514. The Commission also unanimously appointed Shirley Green Brown as Vice Mayor.

John Brown, husband of Vice-Mayor Shirley Green Brown, spoke during public comment, reflecting on the emotional weight of the meeting and the significance of the leadership transition. “It’s not easy to be up in the seats of which you are,” he told the new Commission. Brown, who also serves on the city’s senior advisory board, praised the contributions of both departing and incoming officials. “Congratulations to you, Commissioner Fletcher, and congratulations to you as well, Mayor,” he said. “The senior advisory board works diligently for the seniors of this city, and that will not change. We invite all seniors to come out and be a part of what we are doing.”

Meanwhile, resident and former commissioner and former vice-mayor Ben Boukari, Jr., also offered heartfelt remarks in recognition of outgoing Mayor Gib Coerper’s legacy. “Mayor Gib Coerper has served this community since 1999, lived here since 1974, and did one hell of a job for our community,” Boukari said. He noted that Coerper’s decades of service extended far beyond city limits. “Mayor Coerper is so respected across the state of Florida …” Boukari noted that Coerper received the prestigious E. Harris Drew Municipal Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida League of Cities, an award given to only one person statewide each year.

While the atmosphere was celebratory at first – with student performances by the Alachua Elementary chorus and a Relay for Life donation from Mi Apa Latin Café – public comments and Commission votes quickly shifted to weightier matters: development, rezonings, and, in one notable instance, allegations about voter eligibility.

Mitch Glaeser, local businessman and former president of the Alachua Chamber of Commerce, addressed the Commission with concerns that “double-digit instances of ineligible voters” had cast ballots in the recent municipal election. “Ineligible votes, whether due to error, deception, or fraud, undermine the will of the people,” Glaeser warned. He said the matter would be referred to the appropriate local, state, and federal authorities but did not specify names, precincts, or how the issue had been verified.

From electoral scrutiny, the Commission transitioned into a trio of development approvals in the Fletcher Trace subdivision, a master-planned residential community east of County Road 235. The development, totaling 111 homes over 44 acres, was approved in three separate final plat votes. Despite the election of Fletcher and Welch to the commission, there was remarkably little change in the ultimate outcome of projects up for approval. Fletcher cast dissenting votes on a few items but voted with the remaining commission on two of the larger development projects before the board.

Phase 1, comprising 32 detached single-family homes, passed 4-1, with Commissioner Fletcher dissenting, citing lack of access to the staff report and concerns about procedural clarity. Phases 2 and 3, which included 42 and 37 homes respectively, passed unanimously. According to city planning staff, the developments met all requirements for concurrency and infrastructure, including sufficient water and sewer capacity.

Though largely procedural, the first vote was disrupted by repeated objections from Tamara Robbins, a frequent speaker at public meetings known for her adversarial tone and exhaustive legal critiques. Robbins alleged that the hearing was invalid due to a deferral process months earlier that, in her view, violated the city’s public notice rules.

“You didn’t open the public hearing. You dropped the ball on February 24—massively,” Robbins asserted during the meeting, ignoring clarifications from city staff that the hearing had been properly re-advertised and deferred by a Commission vote. At one point, Robbins launched into a lengthy, impassioned monologue asserting that the public was being “left out” and that the Commission routinely ignored due process in favor of developer timelines.

Several commissioners and staff members calmly pushed back, explaining the procedural steps taken and affirming that the public had been given notice in compliance with state law. No one came forward claiming an “affected party” status during the three Fletch Trace quasi-judicial hearings.

The most contentious votes of the evening came during a pair of land use and zoning changes for a 5.07-acre property along U.S. Highway 441, directly across from Santa Fe High School. The Commission voted 4–1 to approve a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) amendment reclassifying the property from Agriculture/Rural to Commercial, and a companion vote to rezone the property to Community Commercial (CC) also passed by the same margin. Fletcher dissented in both cases, citing traffic concerns along “Segment 6” of U.S. Highway 441, which planning staff acknowledged was operating near its evening peak-hour capacity. Segment 6 is the stretch of U.S. Highway 441 between Interstate 75 and County Road 235A.

One nearby homeowner who identified herself as an “affected party,” urged the Commission to consider the impact on her neighborhood.

The property owner’s agent, Chris Blurton of Northland LLC, emphasized that the zoning being requested was moderate. “We are not pursuing Commercial Intensive zoning. We’re limiting this to Community Commercial, and we’ve planned significant buffering from adjacent homes,” Blurton said. He noted that potential uses might include dental offices or quick-service restaurants and explicitly ruled out more intense uses such as liquor stores or smoke shops.

Robbins again took the floor during the rezoning item, this time accusing the Commission of environmental negligence and suggesting that “any development at all” inherently produces “significant adverse effects.” She objected to the city’s standard findings that a rezoning “would not adversely impact the environment,” dismissing the language as incompatible with any construction activity.

“If you're not leaving the land exactly as it is, you are adversely impacting the environment – period,” Robbins said. She also criticized the lack of transportation impact fees, saying city policy was shaped too heavily by staff and developers rather than by elected officials.

Commissioners did not engage with Robbins' commentary in detail, though staff reiterated that any future development on the site would require its own traffic concurrency review. Vice Mayor Brown thanked city staff for their professionalism and added, “Little things mean a lot. When you do little things, they roll into big things. That applies to us up here too.”

Mayor Welch closed the meeting by thanking the public and pledging transparency. “I heard you,” Welch said. “I promise you that my goal is not for you to be blindsided. My heart is for the citizen.”

The meeting, which began at 6 p.m. and adjourned just after 10:30 p.m., demonstrated a heightened local political tension in recent months.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Fourteen community members recently completed a combined CPR and "Stop the Bleed" emergency response training hosted by the High Springs Fire Department in partnership with UF Health.

Participants, including high school students, teachers, working professionals, and retirees, attended the hands-on session aimed at equipping residents with skills essential in emergency situations before professional responders arrive.

Certified instructors from the High Springs Fire Department and UF Health demonstrated critical techniques, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), and effective methods to control severe bleeding through tourniquets and wound-packing.

“'Stop the Bleed' empowers people to take action in a bleeding emergency—because in a crisis, every second matters,” said Jordyn Zyngier, trauma outreach coordinator at UF Health. “This kind of community training builds confidence and saves lives.”

High Springs Fire Chief Joe Peters echoed the importance of such classes for community safety.

“When seconds count, having someone nearby who knows what to do can save a life,” Peters said.

Officials emphasized the training is part of the fire department's broader commitment to public safety education and emergency preparedness. More classes are scheduled for the upcoming months.

For information on future training opportunities, residents can follow the High Springs Fire Department on social media or visit their official website at highsprings.gov/fire.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s Legislature has killed efforts that would have allowed political candidates in the state to pay for baby-sitters and other child care expenses using money from campaign donors. 

Lawmakers in committee hearings voted unanimously for the Senate bill even as they raised questions about whether it needed tighter guardrails on such spending. The bills didn’t include limits on such spending or restrict expenses to political candidates who weren’t millionaires.

The bills would have allowed candidates in Florida to use campaign donations for child care when candidates were canvassing, meeting with donors and constituents, or attending political debates. Currently in Florida, it is illegal to use campaign donations to defray normal living expenses for the candidate and the candidate’s family.

In 2018, the Federal Election Commission released an opinion that allowed federal campaign funds to be used for candidate childcare expenses incurred by a congressional candidate. 

Florida’s version would have required candidates to maintain receipts and invoices from eligible childcare providers and proof of payments for at least three years after the campaign has ended. Candidates would also have needed to disclose the use of campaign funds for childcare on their campaign finance reports.

Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, the new minority leader, was the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. She confirmed Wednesday the proposals were dead in the Legislature this year. Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, sponsored the House bill, which never got a committee hearing or vote.

“This is just one way in which we can encourage families, young families, to participate in democracy by allowing them to use campaign funds that they raise specifically for child care related to the campaign,” Skidmore said. “It's not to give something to people who already have it. That is, that is a certainty on my part, but it does open the opportunity up to more people, and that's what I'm after.”

Berman said the proposals earned bipartisan support in interim votes.

Rodney Jacobs of Miramar was a 35-year-old progressive candidate who ran during the 2024 primaries for Senate in Florida’s District 35 with his two sons and wife while she was pregnant with their third child. Jacobs raised nearly $100,000 for his campaign. He reported on campaign paperwork having a net worth of minus $305,000, including a $440,000 mortgage and $478,000 in student loans.

Jacobs ran on a platform of lowering insurance premiums for homes, making food more affordable and improving education in Broward County.

“I think a lot of people became sick and tired of being sick and tired with the same old, same old,” Jacobs said. “I think it was really important to kind of lean into these moments … create policy that's about real issues and not fabricated ridiculousness.”

Jacobs said it could be helpful to let candidates use campaign funds for child care, but donors may want to see their contributions go towards tangible change in their district.

“I'd imagine people could say, well, your kids or your family life has a direct effect on how well you do with the campaign, but I understand why an individual corporation wants to see some level of utility directly tied to [campaign promotion].I definitely empathize with that perspective as well, very deeply.”

In central Florida, Jon Arguello of Kissimmee ran a conservative campaign for Florida’s Senate District 25 in the primaries with his wife and five children. He said the proposal was promising but said candidates are often groomed by lobbyists and corporations, not working class citizens who might need help paying for child care.

Arguello, a former member of the Osceola County School Board, listed his net worth on campaign paperwork as minus $169,606, including nearly $275,000 in unpaid student loans.

“The reality of politics is that they are picked, they are cultivated,  they are helped and that they're placed in these positions,” Arguello said.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Technology companies are identifying the first popular social media platforms covered under Florida's new law banning such services for young teens: Snapchat and YouTube. The acknowledgement came in the latest federal court filings as part of a renewed legal fight challenging whether the restrictions are constitutional. 

The court records said Facebook and Instagram might also be covered because they “appear to satisfy each of the criteria” under the new law. The companies cited references to Instagram and Facebook by Republican lawmakers who identified which social media companies they were targeting with the bill during its passage last year.

The new filings, submitted late Friday in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, relaunched the landmark legal case seeking to overturn the state law, which bans some social media accounts for teens younger than 16, or for 14 and 15 year olds without a parent’s permission.

U.S. Judge Mark Walker weeks ago threw out an earlier version of a lawsuit by the technology industry because he said it failed to specify which social media companies might be affected under the law. He gave two trade groups leading the court fight until midnight Monday to refile a new lawsuit.

The law affects only social media companies with 10% or more of daily active users who are younger than 16 and who spend on average two hours or more on the app, and have what lawmakers describe as addictive features like push notifications or serving up new videos endlessly. If all conditions aren’t met, the platform wouldn’t be affected.

The new court filings included representatives of SnapChat and YouTube saying their platforms would or likely would be impacted by Florida’s law, which went into effect in January but hasn’t been enforced yet by the state’s attorney general. 

The senior director of Snapchat, David Boyle, said the app was covered under Florida’s new law but already has protections in place for young teens. Neither Snapchat or YouTube requires users who are 14 or 15 to obtain a parent’s permission before opening an account, the court records said.

“Minors can only view direct messages from users with whom they are already friends on the platform or already have in their phone’s contacts,” he said. “The teen will receive an in-app warning that this person is outside the teen’s network.” 

Boyle said Snapchat also offers resources from mental health experts for users. 

When the bill was introduced in last year’s legislative session, sponsors said that the mental health of minors who excessively use social media was a main concern. They said the platforms increased depression and loneliness among young teens.

Alexandra Veitch, director of public policy for the Americas at YouTube, said the company would be affected under Florida’s law because its use of algorithms curates content for users and allows users to enable push notifications. 

Veitch could not gather data on whether 10% or more of daily active users who are younger than 16 and who spend on average two hours or more on the app, because demographics are constantly changing – but she said that based on historical data YouTube could be affected.

Attorneys for the trade groups that are plaintiffs in the case said parents in Florida can already employ restrictions for their children's usage.

“In a nation that values the First Amendment, the preferred response is to let parents decide what speech and mediums their minor children may access – including by utilizing the many available tools to monitor their activities on the Internet,” the new lawsuit said..

The companies renewed their request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily block the law. It wasn’t clear when the judge would decide whether to grant that request. The judge said he would schedule the next steps in the case on Thursday morning.

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This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can donate to support our students here.

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OCALA - Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida has awarded more than 7,800 recruitment bonuses to new law enforcement officers through the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment Program. The latest round of bonuses went to officers serving in Marion County, while an additional 660 bonuses have recently been distributed to recruits across the state.

Launched in 2022, this first-of-its-kind initiative underscores Florida’s nation-leading commitment to supporting law enforcement. The program provides a one-time $5,000 bonus—after taxes—to newly employed officers as a show of appreciation and incentive for choosing to serve in Florida.

“When other states were defunding their police, demonizing law enforcement, and kneecapping their criminal justice system, we rewarded our law enforcement for their service,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I was proud to be in Marion County to award recruitment bonus checks to Florida’s newest law enforcement officers and thank them for their commitment to protecting our communities.”

To date, more than 1,700 law enforcement officers from 49 other states and two territories have relocated to Florida, with more than 500 coming from anti-police states like California, Illinois, and New York. Each of the 7,800 newly recruited officers has received a $5,000 bonus after taxes, with the program distributing more than $53 million to date.

“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has led the nation in recruiting law enforcement officials and implementing strong immigration policies,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “We remain committed to strengthening the resources available to law enforcement and helping in their mission to set the standard for combating illegal immigration.”

In addition to a $5,000 recruitment bonus, benefits of becoming a Florida law enforcement officer include financial stability, upward mobility, excellent health and retirement benefits, student loan forgiveness programs, home loan programs, and more.

For more information about the Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Payment, visit FloridaJobs.org/Recognition-and-Recruitment.

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TALLAHASSEE – In support of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14172, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson today directed the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to, as quickly as possible, rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in all department administrative rules, forms, maps, and resources.

“The Gulf of America has helped shape our state and nation’s economy, history, and culture for generations. It is a vital resource that has fed our families, powered our economy, and provided unrivaled opportunities for recreation and tourism,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “President Trump’s action rightfully recognizes the Gulf of America’s significance to our nation, and I am proud to help support this effort and ensure that Florida honors this historic change.”

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has many divisions, offices, and programs that directly pertain to the Gulf of America, including:

  • Division of Aquaculture: Responsible for developing and enforcing regulations governing commercial aquaculture harvesting and processing; leasing of coastal state submerged land for aquacultural purposes; developing and enforcing Aquaculture Best Management Practices; supporting financial, educational and technical assistance to Florida aquafarmers; certifying and inspecting shellfish processing plants; classifying and monitoring shellfish harvesting areas; and more.
  • Division of Marketing: Promotes the state’s commercial fishing industry and retail seafood markets to increase sales of Florida seafood products.
  • Division of Food Safety: Enforces the illegal mislabeling of foreign-caught seafood as wild-caught Florida seafood at Florida retail seafood markets and grocery stores.

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TALLLAHASSEE — Florida Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky today is requiring additional data from insurers to be submitted to the Office of Insurance Regulation and is directing insurers to make sure they are following the law. OIR is issuing an informational memorandum to remind insurers of the need to properly evaluate property damage claims caused by the peril of water and the peril of wind sustained during the 2024 Hurricane Season. The Office recently learned of potentially concerning behavior relating to anti-concurrent causation policy language and the explicit avoidance of applying coverage for policyholders. Commissioner Yaworsky expects insurers, before denying a total loss claim, to be mindful and make sure the company is following the law. OIR’s informational memorandum also requires residential property insurers to report certain flood-related information to the office.       

Insurance Commissioner Mike Yaworsky said, “The Office of Insurance Regulation is examining data from companies to ensure that there is no abuse with the exemption process when determining total loss claims, especially for policyholders impacted by repeated hurricane damage during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. If our office finds explicit abuse and failure to comply with Florida law, OIR will take additional regulatory action.” 

During the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, three hurricanes impacted Florida causing significant and, in certain areas, repeated damage by both wind and storm surge. The Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Consumer Services receives intake of consumer complaints regarding insurance matters. DFS has received a significant number of flood-related consumer complaints relating to timely payment of claims, inaccurate claims payments and post-claims underwriting.

OIR’s informational memorandum is requiring the reporting of information about National Flood Insurance Program’s Write Your Own policies and reminds insurers of the need to properly evaluate claim determinations when damage is caused by the peril of water and the peril of wind, commonly referred to as concurrent causation. While the office recognizes case law surrounding concurrent causation and anti-concurrent causation policy language, it is not a mechanism to handle claims poorly. Claims that trigger concurrent causation must be well documented and determined in accordance with Florida law. As in all cases, violations of the law, improperly handled claims involving concurrent causation will result in administrative action and restitution to the consumer.

OIR’s Market Regulation Bureau will review information from all three storms that made landfall during the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, as well as the accuracy of insurers’ claims determinations—including information stemmed from the concurrent causation doctrine and anti-concurrent causation policy language.

To view the informational memorandum, click here.

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 GAINESVILLE – The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is preparing to bid a bittersweet farewell to its beloved Asian small-clawed otter family as they move to their new home at the Memphis Zoo on March 5, 2025. Duncan and Chitra arrived at the SF Teaching Zoo in 2019, where they delighted everyone with the arrival of pups in 2020 and again in 2023. All 7 members of the otter family will make the move.
 
The move is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP), a nationwide effort to protect and sustain the Asian small-clawed otter population in accredited zoos. Recommendations are made based on breeding compatibility and needs of the otter population in zoos.
 
While their departure will be emotional for students, staff, and visitors, the transition comes at an ideal time, coinciding with planned renovations to the otters’ habitat at SF Teaching Zoo as part of the Zoo’s newly created Master Plan.
 
“We know the otter family is a favorite for many of our guests” said Zoo Director, Jonathan Miot. “They will be missed by students and staff, but we are comforted to know they will be living in a beautiful new home while we renovate the habitat.” 
 
In preparation for their move, the otter family has been participating in a groundbreaking interspecies communication program using FluentPet technology, a system of buttons that allows animals to associate words with actions and objects.
 
“This is a unique opportunity for both the otters and our students,” said Julie Smith, professor in the Zoo Animal Technology Program. “Our team has been working on innovative training techniques to help ease the otters’ transition to a new facility and new caregivers.”
 
SF Teaching Zoo is among the first institutions to expand FluentPet research beyond companion animals, training otters, tortoises, and capuchin monkeys to use communication buttons. The otters are currently learning words such as “new,” “move,” “otter,” and “human” to help them adapt to their upcoming transition. 
 
“This is the first time any animal in the FluentPet program will be transferred from one zoological facility to another,” Smith said. “The Memphis Zoo team is excited to continue this innovative research.”
 
Otter Farewell Weekend – March 1 & 2
The zoo invites members and visitors to say their goodbyes at a special farewell event on March 1 and 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include:
 
  • Otter training demonstrations
  • Keeper talks 
  • Crafts and activities 
  • A special gift for zoo members
 
Support the Otter Habitat Renovation
To ensure that otters can return to the SF Teaching Zoo in the future, donations are being accepted to support the renovation of their habitat. Contributions can be made online at tinyurl.com/47zda5d2 (type “otters” in the comments). For larger contributions, please contact Jonathan Miot at 352-395-5602 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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We want to thank the Alachua County Today community for strongly supporting the Alachua Main Street Harvest Festival this past Sunday.

There were over 200 vendors with all types of products and a record crowd that was amazing from start to finish.  The vendors do a fantastic job of coming early and setting up for a big day and they were rewarded. 

Our 37th Alachua Main Street festival was a resounding success!

Marilyn Vanover

Alachua Business League

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Small municipalities are currently undergoing numerous changes and financial problems. Elected officials often spearhead projects within their cities, but I do not see much of that taking place in my city of Archer. In most cases we have no oversight, follow up or plans. The lack of these brings about project delays affecting the utilization of grants and other resources in the city.

It is a sad thing to see the newly planned Community Center project for the Holly Hills neighborhood going down the drain and grant funding being returned.

Municipalities are grappling with an influx of grant funds aimed at addressing numerous community projects. As someone who has authored and received numerous grants, I can attest that effective leadership is crucial for fund management. The associated reports alone are intricate. This underscores the importance of well -trained municipal managers and staff, including contingency training.

The city manager should be a proficient communicator, hands-on, and proactive, engaging with the community to address the needs. The city manager assumes a leadership role, ensuring task are completed, while the commissioners act as overseers, bridging the gap between politics and administration and executing the laws.

Citizens and residents in many small towns like Archer often refrain from participating in the political process. Attending meetings become futile when the issue affecting you have already transpired, rendering your input belated.

We all contribute taxes to support our cities and understanding how the funds are spent is crucial.

Roberta C. Lopez

Archer, Florida

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Our small town of High Springs is beloved because its elected leaders have done more things right than wrong over time. Just like with big families, there is rarely unanimous agreement on how issues should be addressed. Issues are not simple, and leaders that let you believe the choices are not hard are fooling you. What usually tells the truth is time.

In the past year, High Springs has received no new grant funding, returned over a million dollars in grants, lost leaders in every major department other than police, while retaining an under qualified finance director. Our mayor and other first-term commissioners have blamed former staff and former elected officials for a range of problems and suddenly the city is portrayed as poor.

For the first time in years, our city is being sued. Current leadership has accepted no responsibility and created a budget, that in the coming year, will repeat many of the mistakes previous commissions had been working for years to fix.

The stage is now set for our community to lose our exceptional Fire Department.  Current commissioners have lowered expectations for what a small-town department can offer.  They have hired leadership with little experience and the slow recovery from the recent storms are an example of what we have lost.

Do you see a pattern?

Luckily, we have two citizens who are willing to step up, accept responsibility, make decisions and guide our growing town to its future.

They have experience in public service; they have training in emergency management, large budgets, and leadership. Sue Weller has felt compelled to return to office because of the intentional mistruths spoken by our mayor.

Ross Ambrose

High Springs Resident

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To fellow High Springs voters:

I have been a resident of High Springs since 1979 with a unique multi view experience of our City's political climate and government.

Back in the 1980s, I worked as a paralegal for the then High Springs City Attorney. Decades later, my husband served on the High Springs Commission and later became City Attorney for High Springs before the City's current legal counsel. I have spent the past 28 years working for a local developer and real estate investor managing both residential apartments and professional commercial properties in the City of High Springs.

Over the decades, I have witnessed Commissions that have operated as a cohesive body following the Charter, working with the City Manager, and conducting City business with thoughtful, well versed and trained leadership. Unfortunately, I have also witnessed Commissions that have been riddled with partisanship, discourse, and lack of training trying to manage staff at City Hall and make decisions outside of the Commission as a whole.

Unfortunately, we are again experiencing this type of local government climate. Our City is in crisis. The turnover rate from the number of employees leaving the City has resulted in great inefficiency in services to our citizens, not to mention the lack of transparency within our government causing many citizens to be uninformed at best or ill-informed at worst.

We need proven, experienced non-partisan leadership, and that is why I am endorsing Sue Weller for Seat #5 for the High Springs City Commission. As many voters know, Sue served on the Commission from 2010 through 2016.

What voters may not know is that Sue has stayed continually engaged in the governance of High Springs. She has served on multiple boards as well as faithfully followed the City Commission meetings live or online. Her depth of knowledge around our Charter and our history regarding planned responsible growth are pluses in a time when there are many gaps in our City's continuity in leadership.

Sue's professionalism and ability to stay neutral while listening to our citizens is refreshing and supportive of the direction we want to take our City.

A vote for Sue Weller provides an opportunity to begin to restore and rebuild the City's reputation and service to our residents; supports a healthy cohesive working environment for City staff; and strongly sends the message that we believe our commissioners should be willing to attend Florida League of Cities training programs for new commissioners as well as continuing education classes for current commissioners.

I personally am grateful that Sue Weller is willing to serve our community again; especially at a time when we so need proven leadership. I love High Springs and I know that we, as voting citizens, can help our City course correct and return to service and civility. Please join me in making sure this opportunity to have Sue Weller back on the Commission is not missed.

Alvalyn Lancaster

High Springs, Florida 32643

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Tim Marden, Alachua County Republican Chairman, seeks to divide us and spew hatred whenever and wherever he can. He recently sent out a letter concerning the upcoming City Commission election in High Springs. Such elections are non-partisan, i.e., the candidates do not list their political affiliations and a candidate’s party affiliation is not listed on the ballot.

Marden tries to create an issue about Precinct 60 voting place being moved from the 1st Methodist Church to the newly named and remodeled Douglas Community Center. He incorrectly states that Ross Ambrose “quietly initiated” such polling change “earlier this year.”

Mr. Ambrose originally brought this proposed change about four years ago. Polling places are supposed to be in the precinct that they represent. The church is not in Precinct 60. The Douglas Community Center is. Ms. Barton [Alachua County Supervisor of Elections], after the recent renovation of the Center, determined that it is now “a suitable location” in Precinct 60, and moved the polling place to the Center.

Marden questions the “last minute” change, but the renovation was finished only about a month ago and the request to move the polling place from the church originated about four years ago. But don’t let facts get in the way if Marden wants to spew hatred.

He writes that Barton has made two changes that directly affect the votes of Republicans. What about those voters (Republican and Democratic, alike) who live in Precinct 60 and have to drive to the church? No, Marden doesn’t’ care about that. In Marden’s mind Barton’s decision is solely to hinder Republican voters.

Lastly, Marden states that voters in Precinct 60 have to be told of the polling change. I don’t know the date that his letter went out, but voters in Precinct 60 have already received such a notice in the mail.

Marden follows up his imagined tirade with directions to vote for Katherine “against” Sue Weller and Judith Jensen against Kim Barton. Such wording only shows that Marden spews hatred, has no knowledge of the facts (or totally avoids them) and wants to spread his hatred to others. As for Sue Weller’s stand on the issues …. Her campaign sign says it all, “No politics, Just issues.”

Thomas R. Weller

High Springs, FL 32643

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We wish to express our gratitude to:

Jeremy Marshall, City Manager of High Springs, and his staff for their continued support of the citizens of High Springs during Hurricane Helene.  Public Works, in particular, was out in full force clearing roads and grinder pumps in addition to many other issues.  

Commissioners were out in force to provide assistance to High Springs residents.

Police Chief Shepherd and his officers and staff for their assistance.  We know that they were out in this storm protecting our community.  

Fire Chief Peters and his firefighters and staff for their efforts in keeping our community safe.

Friends and neighbors were out in force with their tractors and other equipment to clear roads for incoming power trucks.  Also checking on each other to see if assistance was needed.  

Everyone was too busy working to post their efforts on social media.  They did what they did because it was the right thing to do.  

We have had a rough time during the past few years and have come a long way in the past year to bring our City into a better place in leadership and financially.  I have personally talked to city staff about morale and it is at its highest.

There is a small group of people who are intent on bringing the City back into their control.  If you do not follow their lead, they will do whatever is necessary to remove you from office or position in city hall.

It is imperative that you vote!  Vote early or request a mail-in ballot! Vote to re-elect Katherine Weitz, our current mayor.  Vote to elect Julie Rawls Tapia-ruano.  Citizens of High Springs are at the forefront of their mission, which includes supporting the City of High Springs.  We need diversity on the five-member board.  Having two police officers on the board would compromise diversity.

Bob & Linda Jones

High Springs, Florida

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s Legislature has killed efforts that would have allowed political candidates in the state to pay for baby-sitters and other child care expenses using money from campaign donors. 

Lawmakers in committee hearings voted unanimously for the Senate bill even as they raised questions about whether it needed tighter guardrails on such spending. The bills didn’t include limits on such spending or restrict expenses to political candidates who weren’t millionaires.

The bills would have allowed candidates in Florida to use campaign donations for child care when candidates were canvassing, meeting with donors and constituents, or attending political debates. Currently in Florida, it is illegal to use campaign donations to defray normal living expenses for the candidate and the candidate’s family.

In 2018, the Federal Election Commission released an opinion that allowed federal campaign funds to be used for candidate childcare expenses incurred by a congressional candidate. 

Florida’s version would have required candidates to maintain receipts and invoices from eligible childcare providers and proof of payments for at least three years after the campaign has ended. Candidates would also have needed to disclose the use of campaign funds for childcare on their campaign finance reports.

Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, the new minority leader, was the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill. She confirmed Wednesday the proposals were dead in the Legislature this year. Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, sponsored the House bill, which never got a committee hearing or vote.

“This is just one way in which we can encourage families, young families, to participate in democracy by allowing them to use campaign funds that they raise specifically for child care related to the campaign,” Skidmore said. “It's not to give something to people who already have it. That is, that is a certainty on my part, but it does open the opportunity up to more people, and that's what I'm after.”

Berman said the proposals earned bipartisan support in interim votes.

Rodney Jacobs of Miramar was a 35-year-old progressive candidate who ran during the 2024 primaries for Senate in Florida’s District 35 with his two sons and wife while she was pregnant with their third child. Jacobs raised nearly $100,000 for his campaign. He reported on campaign paperwork having a net worth of minus $305,000, including a $440,000 mortgage and $478,000 in student loans.

Jacobs ran on a platform of lowering insurance premiums for homes, making food more affordable and improving education in Broward County.

“I think a lot of people became sick and tired of being sick and tired with the same old, same old,” Jacobs said. “I think it was really important to kind of lean into these moments … create policy that's about real issues and not fabricated ridiculousness.”

Jacobs said it could be helpful to let candidates use campaign funds for child care, but donors may want to see their contributions go towards tangible change in their district.

“I'd imagine people could say, well, your kids or your family life has a direct effect on how well you do with the campaign, but I understand why an individual corporation wants to see some level of utility directly tied to [campaign promotion].I definitely empathize with that perspective as well, very deeply.”

In central Florida, Jon Arguello of Kissimmee ran a conservative campaign for Florida’s Senate District 25 in the primaries with his wife and five children. He said the proposal was promising but said candidates are often groomed by lobbyists and corporations, not working class citizens who might need help paying for child care.

Arguello, a former member of the Osceola County School Board, listed his net worth on campaign paperwork as minus $169,606, including nearly $275,000 in unpaid student loans.

“The reality of politics is that they are picked, they are cultivated,  they are helped and that they're placed in these positions,” Arguello said.

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