In many ways, Alachua County voters cast predictable ballots favoring democratic candidates and causes, but some races ran in the other direction. Baird over Chestnut Incumbent Alachua County Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut lost her bid for re-election Tuesday, defeated by Susan Baird, the first Republican elected to the County Commission since the 1980s. With 54 percent…
Allison Gabe Green, a newcomer to Archers political landscape, won his bid for commissioner in the small town of about 1,400 residents. Green, 70 years old, challenged Laurie Costello, 53, for Seat 5 on the commission Costello was initially elected to the Archer City Commission in May 2004 after a three-way race in which she…
Streets were packed Saturday night as local businesses passed out candy to all sorts of ghouls, goblins and assorted creatures. Check out Alachua County Today on Facebook for more photos at http://www.facebook.com/ACTNEWS It wasnt exactly lions, tigers and bear, oh my, but it was an evening of superheroes, princesses and witches as thousands of Halloween fun seekers…
November is Manatee Awareness Month, and for good reason. Florida manatees are on the move, seeking warm-water sites to spend the winter. That means boaters must be cautious and watch for Floridas official marine mammal and for changing speed zones on waterways. Manatees generally start traveling to warm water when the air temperature drops below…
Newberrys smokin fall festival Fun, food, a farmers market and pony rides were on tap Saturday at Newberrys Fourth Annual Fall Market Festival in downtown Newberry. The event featured more than 50 vendors from all over the state. The highlight of the day was the Newberry Main Street Festival barbecue cook-off. After hours of preparation,…
A contract with Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) dating back to 1988 will likely be extended yet again after Alachua commissioners voted 5-0 Monday night to continue buying its wholesale power from the nearby electric provider. If approved by the City of Gainesville commission, the most recent changes would mark the third amendment to the long-standing…
The City of High Springs has released police reports detailing the events and accusations that prompted firefighters Kyle Lewis and Michael Steele to resign last week. The reports tell of vulgar, harassing behavior that allegedly took place behind closed doors at the fire department. While Lewis, 26, and Steele, 28, said its a game fashioned…
Voters in the City of High Springs will have their plates full with decisions to make on Tuesday. Between the city commission candidates, the city charter amendments and the numerous state and county candidates and issues, the ballot High Springs citizens will see on Nov. 2 has more than 30 items to vote on, four…
On Monday evening, The Newberry City Commission evaluated plans for three different park projects that have been proposed for construction in the city. The first two, Triangle Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, will be funded by Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP), a county-wide one-half cent sales tax program that was approved by…
Facing termination, High Springs City Manager Jim Drumm resigned last week. With his departure finalized, and an election that will change at least one, and possibly two faces on the city commission, looming less than a week away, Jenny Parham continues to act as Interim City Manager and City Clerk. At a last-minute afternoon meeting…
