Articles

In many cities in our country the city councils or commissioners are elected by what is known as a non-partisan system.  Candidates run without political party affiliation.  Most feel that non-partisan means no politics.  This election system is an attempt to eliminate the political party’s participation.  An accepted election system that has elected the presidents, governors, senators, congresspersons, county commissioners plus others is still working and has always been assisted by political parties since George Washington.  The non-partisan terminology in practice has always been an agreement between the political parties on issues of legislation, not election policy.  

Our election process, with political party participation, has a long history of success. Not all political party activity is promoting a specific party candidate for office.  Their responsibility also involves helping to suggest a candidate with experience, promote improvement with issues that concern all constituents no mater what party they support, endorse ideological concepts that voters feel are important, and establish a competitive campaign that encourages voter participation.

The political process for the non-partisan election is a “free-for-all” that elects, quite often, candidates with little or no experience, and the inability to act in a timely fashion to make qualified decisions in a local government environment.  Some communities have a large number of candidates running, without a primary or run off that should be used to enhance the quality of the candidates.  This procedure improves the competitive factor required in selection.  A strong competitive campaign is a necessary ingredient in electing qualified individuals.   

Local governments have issues that require decisions in a shorter time frame than those of other levels of government.  The new elected official in the non-partisan structure has little or no resources for advice from experienced individuals.  Advice from incumbents in office can continue the policy that the new elected official has been elected to change.

New elected officials may have been elected because of a bad administration or financial problems, and have no idea how to resolve these issues.  They may be faced with a special interest group that has taken advantage of a city or community and they have little knowledge how to proceed. The political parties, not always perfect, will have resources at all levels of government to assist. 

The individual seeking office with good intentions and expectation of success, will find great difficulty with limited experience and knowledge.  He or she has been supported by those who often want a new direction and feel their candidate will succeed.   So when this does not happen, or there is a failure to make a reasonable change, the local government goes into an unstable status of confusion and frustration.  The candidate, now an elected official, is faced with trying to succeed in an impossible situation.

Historically, our democracy has had a partisan election process which has been accepted and used effectively on all levels of government, local, state, and federal.  Why is it necessary to tinker with politics?   Non-partisan is a form of politics also.  You can’t take politics out of politics.  Developing a different political culture is not a solution.  Non-partisan as an election process is bad politics for governing.   

A city in Alachua County is now the victim of this poor non-partisan system.  There has been failure to resolve costly mistakes by city staffs that need to be replaced.  The indecision and lack of experience by reasonable and well intended elected officials may very well cause this city additional financial and legal problems that have polarized the community.  It needs strong political direction from those who know how to perform under such circumstances.

Approved by Alachua county voters in 2008, the Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP) tax initiative increased the sales tax rate by half a penny.  It was expected to bring in about $40 million to be used to preserve environmentally sensitive land and help individual cities improve their recreation facilities, using revenue collected from sales in the county.  About 25 percent of the revenue was expected to come from out-of-county shoppers and visitors.

The program was originally expected to bring in $39,783,408 over the course of two years.  Right now those projections are down 24 percent, adjusted as of December to a total of $30,307,338.

"Black History is not a month, it's 365 days a year."
- Gussie Lee

Two full decades after a Supreme Court ruling should have plucked racial tensions from the day care havens where children nap and play, Gussie Lee still felt an imbalance at home in Alachua.

Ora Bell Lee, 66, died Thursday, February 18, 2010. She was a native of Newberry and a retired Environmental Technician at the University of Florida.  She was a member of Mt. Nebo United Methodist Church.

Survivors include her father, Sylvester Brinkley, Alachua, FL; five sons, Lamar McClain, Sr., Alachua, FL, Frederick McGhee, Archer, FL, Jammie McGhee, Alachua, FL, James Lee and Tyrone

Elizabeth “Betty” Marie Moshier of Newberry, Fla., passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at the E T York Hospice Care center in Gainesville, Fla.  She was 80.

Mrs. Moshier was born in Breesport, NY on August 5, 1929. She was a member of the Breesport Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school classes. She enjoyed bird watching and flowers and loved to care for her family, to whom she was a loving wife, and devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

A woman yelled, “Officer, help me!”

Her baby was not breathing.

Friday at noon marks the end of the qualifying period for candidates hoping to claim one of the three commission seats up for grabs in the April 13 City of Alachua election.

For the first time, citizens will vote for the mayor directly this year, instead of the commissioners selecting among themselves as has been done in the past.  That comes after electors amended the city’s charter last year, converting Commission Seat 1, currently held by Commission Jean Calderwood, to the mayor’s seat.

Students from Interlachen High School and Hawthorne Middle/High School were arrested Feb. 16 after a fight broke out at Interlachen High School, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

The fight erupted while families were meeting with school administrators to resolve a verbal and physical altercation that took place earlier in the morning. The earlier altercation stemmed from an incident over the weekend, where a mentally challenged individual was allegedly beaten by several Hawthorne and Interlachen students.

Gerald Criswell was Alachua’s first black mayor

The Rev. Gerald Criswell, whose impassioned leadership in community issues made him the first African American to hold political office in Alachua as well as the city’s first black mayor, died Sunday. He was 74.

The tradition of producing environmentally-conscious—and award-winning—young people continues at Newberry High School.

Two teams of students at the school have won two first place awards in the Lexus Eco Challenge, a national competition sponsored by the Lexus automotive company and Scholastic, a national educational publishing company. Their first win was in the competition’s land and water category, the second was in the air and climate category. Those wins mean the school is now eligible to compete in the final overall challenge of the contest.

You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. Do you know what happens if you start walking before you crawl?  It’s not a good idea.  You see, when a baby learns to crawl, it is developing hand/eye coordination.  If that learning experience is bypassed, the child’s overall development is hindered and it can take months of training to gain that essential coordination.  Imagine the frustration of having to learn to crawl if you can already ambulate everywhere you want to go.  Shortcuts are usually counter-productive and can end up being destructive.

Throughout our lives, we are guided through a series of events that develop our character.  We learn that success can’t always be achieved on the first try, and by attempting it repeatedly, whether those attempts fail or you come in second, we get the wisdom to keep pressing on, discovering the value of perseverance.  Some will resent the process of striving, thinking that any kind of effort is enough and that they should also be rewarded for their unsuccessful attempts.  In our self-centered lifestyle, we’re constantly being told that the most important thing is that some effort was made.

Some people have tried to make the parable in Matthew, chapter 20, fit this idea.  The parable is about the householder who paid all his laborers equally at the end of the day, regardless of the hours that they worked.  There is a name for this kind of theology, it’s called the social Gospel, and I reject it.  Let’s be clear here, Jesus isn’t using the parable to justify a secular government, particularly Socialism.  The social gospel has absolutely nothing to do with the reason for Jesus’ message given in response to Peter’s question, “we have left all and followed you. Therefore what shall we have?”

What we see in this parable is God calling men who were idle in the market place and putting them to work.  The householder looked for men, offering them a denarius (a penny), and dealt ethically with the men he hired.  Another principle we can take from this is, that the householder did nothing wrong when he paid the workers he hired late in the day any wage he wanted.  His agreement with them was that he would pay “whatever is right,” or, he wouldn’t pay them less than their work deserved.  The fact that he paid them more than they expected shows the householder’s goodness, and definitely that it isn’t unjust.  The ones hired first complained that the later workers should have gotten less than them; it was a protest about the graciousness of the employer, not a complaint that he had been unjust in paying them an honest day’s pay for an honest day of work.  It is safe to say that the householder treated all the workers justly and he was gracious toward all of them.  You might ask, “How was he gracious to the men who worked all day and received the proper wage?”   There is nothing commendable or extraordinary about that.  Remember, the householder not only paid his workers but he went out and found them while they were without work, idle and in need.  Think of it this way: a man sits idle without work, without the money for his daily bread, and worse yet, doesn’t do anything to find work; suddenly a man knocks at the door and offers him the equivalent pay as a trained Roman soldier if he will come to work in his field. 

In this we are shown the principle of God’s sovereignty and His absolute graciousness towards those that are called into His kingdom.  We need to consider the true meaning of serving God.  The calling of God does not result in meekness.  To be born of God is to be made a servant of God.  None of the men standing in the market place were paid to lean against the wall for the rest of the afternoon, and none that are called of God are called to be idle in the building of His Kingdom.  Some Christians don’t seem to understand this principle in today’s climate of rewarding the non-workers to keep from hurting their psyche.  God’s call carries with it a sense of responsibility and accountability.

We must work to understand what it means to be Christians.  Christ has called us to follow Him, to take up our cross and endure the trials of this life as He did.  But, He hasn’t left us without His grace.  If we’re to learn to crawl before walking, we must be willing to trust our trainer and submit to the training.

GAINESVILLE – With construction of the Alachua County Humane Society’s (ACHS) new facility well underway, one may think funding for this new project has been met.  While the ACHS has already received great support from the community, continued funding is necessary for completion of the new facility.  In an effort to help the Humane Society reach its 2 million dollar goal, a very generous supporter has offered a challenge grant to match donations up to $50,000.

The Humane Society currently rescues, on average, 1,000 animals per year.  With completion of the 30,000 square foot facility the ACHS hopes to double this figure.  A different approach to animal rescue will be taken that is more community based and celebrates the ACHS’s new slogan; “A new life Awaits You.”  Rescued Animals will have premium kenneling and medical facilities.  Programs such as grief counseling and obedience training will be offered.  The new design will aid in keeping the animals less stressed, with state of the art living facilities, and an increase in the animal’s overall happiness. 

Make a difference and help the Humane Society reach their goals with a donation of any amount.  Donations of $500 or more will include naming rights of a kennel and $10,000 or more allows the donator to name a room in the new facility.  There are also many corporate sponsorships opportunities that will not only help the Humane Society but also help promote your business.  For more information contact Kirk Eppenstein, ACHS Executive Director, at 352-373-5855 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Jessie “Floyd” Beach of Trenton, Fla., passed away Sunday, February 14, 2010 following a brief illness.  He was 78.

Mr. Floyd was born on August 26, 1931 to William “Bill” and Gladys Beach in Trenton, Fla.  On October 10, 1952, Floyd married Mildred Beach and their family soon grew to include seven children. Floyd served in the United States Army from 1953-1955 and then returned to Gilchrist County where he and his family farmed for a number of years. He then went to work for the Gilchrist County Road

The Robert W. Hughes Teacher Recognition Program recognized 40 teachers, one from each school in the district, as teachers of the year at an award ceremony on Feb. 11. The program has been recognizing teachers in Alachua County since 1992. The overall Teacher of the Yyear for the county for 2010 is Eastside High School’s Crista Wright.

The four teachers from Alachua honored as school Teachers of the Year were Deanna Feagin of Irby Elementary, Pam Evers of Alachua Elementary, Carmella O’Steen of Mebane Middle School and Jay Joliecoeur of Santa Fe High School.

Deanna Feagin is not only caring, enthusiastic, positive and loving, said Irby Elementary School Principal Lina Bedoya-Burklew, but she also has that knack for finding that hook to motivate the kids to learn.

“Anytime you walk into her room, her students are highly engaged,” Bedoya-Burklew said.

“She has a gift for developing a very strong connection with her students.”

Feagin finds innovative ways to keep her second graders laughing and learning, Bedoya-Burklew said.

“She’s the type of teacher students dream of having.”

On the day of the award ceremony, Alachua Elementary’s Pam Evers got a visit from a former student. It was a young man she had taught more than a decade ago. He had come to thank her for changing his life around.

All those years ago, Evers sparked his interest in reading by giving him his first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Once an academically troubled student, he became an avid reader and a good student.

Alachua Elementary Principal Jim Brandenburg called the event serendipitous, since it was only hours before she would be recognized as the school’s teacher of the year.

“The awards and recognition are nice, but I think that was even more important to Pam,” Brandenburg said. “Her joy comes from the growth of the kids.”

As the Mebane Middle School Department Chair of Science, Carmella O’Steen heads the science fair and teaches life science and geography.

Mebane Principal Shane Andrew said O’Steen is one of many great teachers at Mebane.

“She’s indicative of the fabulous teachers we have on campus,” Andrew said.

He said where O’Steen excels is her ability to go beyond the textbook. He often hears the students talk about her labs where they will bring in insects to examine or dissect owl pellets. Andrew also praised O’Steen’s versatility. Once an elementary school teacher, she is now certified to teach all subjects on the middle school level. She has more than 20 years of experience teaching in Alachua County.

In only his second year at Santa Fe High School, Jay Jolicoeur was recognized as the school’s Teacher of the Year. Principal Bill Herschleb said Jolicoeur is held in high regard by both students and faculty.

“He’s done a remarkable job,” Herschleb said. “He’s a pleasure to work with.”

Jolicoeur became the first teacher to teach AP Chemistry at Santa Fe High School. To prepare for the class, he took a special prep course over the summer.

Herschleb lauded Jolicoeur’s brief tenure for his enthusiasm, passion and high-caliber teaching.

HAWTHORNE – Much of what remained of Hawthorne’s police and fire surplus equipment has been sold or donated, nearly a year after the city pulled the plug on both departments.

The equipment sold includes a fire chief’s car, a police department car, hoses, five cold weather police jackets and other miscellaneous equipment, according to City Manager Ed Smyth. The total money made from sales so far is $2,419, which will go into the city’s general fund.

The two big-ticket items, a pumper and a fire truck, have yet to be sold. Smyth said he had two offers on the pumper, which has an asking price of $42,000, and no offers on the fire truck.

Other than the fire truck and pumper, the only items left to be sold are assorted hose sections and connecters, extraction equipment, emergency medical service supplies and other miscellaneous equipment.

Smyth said he plans to donate the other items, which don’t have any market value due to age. He wants to donate the city’s 1987 GMC pumper to the Pine Log Volunteer Fire Department in the Florida panhandle. The pumper may no longer have market value, but it is still serviceable for smaller departments like the one in Pine Log, which has a budget of $4,500 this year.

He also plans to donate the other fire truck to the West Putnam Volunteer Fire Department, another rural department that depends on donations to continue operations.

Many of these items were donated to the city in the first place, when the police and fire departments were first started.

Smyth said he had a rough idea of what the equipment was worth from previous experience, but he also checked with a couple of commissioners to get input on the sale of the bigger items.

Any transaction of more than $1,500 must come before the commission for approval, meaning that Smyth must come before the commission before final approval of the sale of larger items like the pumper and the fire truck.

ALACHUA COUNTY – An increase in canine distemper infection in wildlife has veterinarians worried about a recurrence of an outbreak that killed more than 600 dogs in Alachua County three years ago.

A sudden increase in residents reporting raccoons and foxes seen during daylight hours with neurologic signs alerted animal control officers to the problem. After rabies tests came back negative, Alachua County Animal Services director David Flagler called in experts from the University of Florida for help.

“We tested 5 sick raccoons and 1 fox, and all of them came back positive for canine distemper” said University of Florida veterinarian Julie Levy. “This is frightening because distemper is extremely infectious to dogs and has a high fatality rate.”

Infected raccoons are a frequent source of spread to susceptible dogs. When infected dogs are brought into intensive dog housing facilities such as animal shelters, the disease can spread throughout the facility, especially among vulnerable populations such as puppies. Recent outbreaks of distemper in Orange County, Brevard County, and Pasco County have killed hundreds of dogs that were not current on vaccinations.

“So far, we have not seen any evidence of transmission to dogs in our shelter,” said shelter veterinarian Randy Caligiuri. “The staff remembers the outbreak in 2007 and is very careful to vaccinate all dogs at admission and to avoid any contamination from the sick wildlife.”

Canine distemper is a virus that affects both domestic and wild canid species, ferrets, and raccoons. The virus attacks the respiratory, intestinal, and neurological systems. The most common signs of infection are discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing, staggering, or seizures.

Distemper is easily prevented by vaccination, so all dog and ferret owners should check with their veterinarians to be sure their pets are up to date on their vaccines. Once a dog is infected with the virus there is no effective treatment and mortality can exceed 50 percent.

Maddies’s Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida has developed guidelines to help animal shelters and pet rescue groups to protect their dogs against distemper. For more information about distemper virus infection see www.ufsheltermedicine.com.

A Dec. 27, 2009 New York Times article asked whether choosing hospice care results in fewer choices for patients and families and may even hasten death. But the purpose of providing quality hospice care is to extend the quality of life by giving people choices and honoring their wishes. What happens when families feel cared for and respected during this challenging time is remarkable:

• Hospice care relieves patients’ pain and other symptoms so that they can feel stronger and more comfortable. This often means they are better able to communicate their wishes, enjoy spending time with their family and friends, and remain active for as long as possible. Many of our patients continue to do what matters most to them.  An artist kept working at her craft; a cancer patient continued to ride his golf cart to visit with his neighbors and check on their health. Another patient took the time to found a library in her small town.

“The most rewarding words I hear are, ‘Doc, I have no pain,’” says Haven physician Dr. Bob McCollough. “We've turned things around for so many patients. There's so much you can do for people at the end of their lives to make them comfortable and pain-free.”

• Hospice physicians care for patients wherever they are most comfortable—at home, in a skilled nursing facility or in the hospital, surrounded by their loved ones and the staff who are caring for them.

• Hospice patients are able to die naturally, in their own time, when they are ready to go. Many hospice patients live longer than expected because hospice care eases mental, physical, emotional and spiritual pain. A recent study of nearly 5,000 terminally ill patients revealed that patients in hospice care live an average of 29 days longer than patients who have similar conditions but are not receiving hospice care. Published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, the study’s findings challenge the notion that hospice care hastens death.

“We have speculated for a long while that terminally ill patients do better while in hospice care, but it    hasn’t been definitively proven until now, with this study,” says Haven physician Dr. Michelle Boatwright. “Hospice patients sometimes do get better,” she added, “and occasionally they recover and go home.”

Because patients do better in hospice care, it’s not unusual to hear families say, “We wish we had used hospice services earlier.”

• Hospice care serves any patient with a prognosis of six months or less. Patients come to hospice with cancer, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy and many other life-limiting illnesses.

Anyone can refer someone for hospice care, and at not-for-profit hospices, care is provided to all regardless of their ability to pay and whether or not someone has insurance. The hospice Medicare benefit covers the cost of all medications, medical equipment, oxygen and supplies relevant to the diagnosis. In addition, hospice patients are not required to have a living will or a “do-not-resuscitate” order to be admitted for care.

“Hospice is about life,” says Dr. McCollough, “and our goal is helping patients achieve the best quality of life in the time they have left. It's a very good feeling to know we've helped someone and their family.”

Haven Hospice is North Florida’s expert in end-of-life and palliative care and is one of three 2008 Circle of Life Award® winners nationwide to be recognized as leaders in improving the care of patients near the end of life or with life-threatening conditions. Haven Hospice has also been recognized as a Florida Pacesetter for its leadership in promoting living wills. Haven Hospice has served nearly 50,000 patients and families since 1979 and has been licensed in Florida as a not-for-profit hospice since 1980. For more information, visit www.havenhospice.org or call 800-727-1889.

BROOKER – The Alachua County Organization for Rural Needs, Inc. (ACORN) Clinic was one of 20 recipients of the Surgeon General’s Health Innovation Prevention and Management Awards, the Florida Department of Health announced Jan. 27.  The award honors organizations, businesses or programs that are innovative in bringing preventative health care to their members, employees or community.

The ACORN Dental Clinic Children’s Oral Health and Educational Outreach program was one of 20 recipients of the award, chosen from 34 applications.  The Children’s Oral Health and Educational Outreach Program provides interactive oral hygiene education to pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade children in north central Florida.  The Tooth Fairy, her assistant, and Bob, the Alligator, visit classrooms in rural communities to demonstrate and teach the importance of tooth brushing and basic good nutrition. Each child is given a take home bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, oral health education and secondhand smoke brochures.

Many of the children are also enrolled in the ACORN Dental Clinic, where they receive dental care, often for the first time.  In 2009, 85 percent of the children enrolled completed all the dental care planned for them, improving their oral health and, thus, their overall health.  Each year, 51 million school hours are missed due to oral disease, and tooth decay is the single most common chronic disease among young children.

A panel of experts from the Department of Health made the selection.  State Surgeon General Ana Viamonte Ros, M.D., M.P.H. said, “I am proud of the creative public health efforts demonstrated by all applicants.  I specifically commend the award winners for their accomplishment in implementing innovative ideas that can be shared with and adopted by other groups, therefore replicating their successful model.”

For more information, visit www.acornclinic.org.

Orlando, Florida, 2/4/10- With six Oscar nominations recently announced Precious, the movie based on the novel Push by Sapphire, is again in the headlines.  However, Monica Baxley, an adult learner, wants people to know that learning to read can be much more difficult than it appears in Precious.  Monica, who learned to read as an adult and then went on to get her GED, says, “Everybody learns at a different rate and it can take some people much longer to reach their goals.”

Precious is the story of a teenager who faces insurmountable obstacles. Illiteracy, obesity, and two teen pregnancies are just a few of many. Precious is invited to enroll in an alternative school in the hope that her life can head in a new direction and with the help of her new teacher Miss Rain, Precious learns to read and write.  Within a year, Precious improves her literacy skills to an 8th grade level, and the movie ends with Precious’ decision to continue with her education making plans to take the GED.

Greg Smith, Executive Director of the Florida Literacy Coalition, “appreciates the message of hope conveyed in the movie. Literacy can and does open doors to a better life.  That being said, it’s important to know that it typically takes 100 hours of instruction to advance one grade level.” Smith continued, “A movie like Precious will reach a lot of people and we want to make sure that adults and teens know that help is available. If they are willing to put in the time and effort, they too can achieve. ”

In the movie, it was Precious’s teacher who provided her with the support and guidance she needed to begin changing her life.  Baxley stated, “Having a good relationship with your teacher can make all the difference.  I was lucky to have a teacher who was someone I could talk to and someone who cared.” 

Becoming a literacy tutor is great ways to make an impact in the life of an individual.  To learn more about becoming a literacy volunteer, contact the Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) at 1-800-237-5113 or visit www.floridaliteracy.org. FLC will help you locate an organization that needs volunteers in your community.

About the Florida Literacy Coalition

Established in 1985, The Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida.  As a statewide umbrella literacy organization and the host of Florida’s State Literacy Resource Center, FLC provides a range of services to support more than 300 adult education, literacy and family literacy providers throughout Florida. Special emphasis is placed on assisting community based literacy organizations with their training and program development needs.

(Gainesville, FL) The regional consignment concept is experiencing phenomenal growth and popularity as the nation’s economy impacts the bottom line of American family budgets. Just Between Friends (JBF), the nation’s largest maternity and children’s consignment sales event franchise, is experiencing record-breaking participation from moms who consign, shop and volunteer at these semi-annual events across the US. Part of that growth is the addition of a sales event in Gainesville, FL.

Gainesville’s spring 2010 JBF kid’s consignment sale will be held on Thursday, March 3rd (10am-7pm) thru Sunday, March 7th (10am-4pm), in the Alachua County Fairgrounds Exhibition Building, located at 2900 NE 39th Avenue, Gainesville, FL. This sale will include clothing and accessories for the spring and summer.

“When you invest in your family and take good care of your belongings, you want more than a quarter or fifty cents for items you originally spent $20 or more on at retail stores,” says Jennifer Pruitt, owner of JBF of Gainesville. “Garage sales are designed to benefit the shopper, when it’s the seller who has actually made a significant investment in each item. More and more moms are joining JBF because they simply cannot afford to keep giving away their quality, used kids’ items. They want a fair return on their children’s outgrown and unused clothes, toys, furniture, etc., but they also want to shop for what they need next from other area moms. Just Between Friends offers them that opportunity.”

Consignors “sellers” (who earn up to 70%) gather all of their unused and outgrown clothing, DVDs, electronics, toys, playground and baby equipment, etc. and tag each item through JBF’s free and easy online barcode system. This system allows each seller to see when items sell and for how much (if they participate in the discount sale during the last day of the event). Through this customized system, sellers can also participate in one or more of the seven JBF sales events in Florida, without re-tagging their items.

Shoppers can expect to find pretty much anything that has to do with raising happy children in North Central Florida. Brands like Gymboree are popular and sell quickly, alongside fashions from Gap, Old Navy and Okie Dokie. You’ll also find tons of Little Tikes, Fisher Price, Step Two and Playskool toys and outdoor play equipment. Disney DVDs, Scholastic books and Baby Einstein are just a few of the learning brands available to moms. JBF is like the best children’s store you wish was at the mall, at prices you can afford.

Volunteers are integral to JBF events and they help keep costs down for everyone by helping during inspection of incoming items, keeping the sales floor well-organized and assisting shoppers with checkout. The more you are able to volunteer, the earlier you get to shop the day before the sale is open to the public. Plus, consignors earn a greater percentage on their sold items.

“I’m thrilled to bring this opportunity to North Central Florida families,” says Pruitt. “When you help families earn valuable income from items they already have in their homes and provide a venue where they can find significant savings on the items they need next, you have discovered a win-win for the entire community. More money is being spent within the community, parents are better able to pay for other necessities and they are able to adequately provide the desirable items their children want and need. This is recycling at its core.”

Just Between Friends encourages the community to share this event information with area moms and welcomes everyone who might be interested in participating in future events to sign-up on the mailing list at www.gainesville.jbfsale.com so they will receive future event information. This sale also benefits, in part, our friends at Children’s Home Society of Florida.

The “Tax Refund” That Really Isn’t One: It’s a Refund Anticipation Loan

How would you like to pay a super-high price to borrow money that already belongs to you? Sounds ridiculous, right? But that’s pretty much what happens to many folks at tax time in the crazy world of RALs, or refund anticipation loans.

You may be tempted by tax-time advertisements for “Fast Cash Refunds,” “Express Money,” or “Instant Refunds.” These ads will offer to get you your refund in just a day or two, or even on the spot. Beware! Many of these “fast refunds” are really LOANS, refund anticipation loans.

When you get a RAL, you’re borrowing against your own tax refund money. And RALs are often marketed to people who need money the most — low- and moderate- income workers who receive the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Don’t Pay Triple-Digit Interest Rates to Borrow Your Own Refund

RALs are extremely expensive. Loan fees typically range from $30 to $90, which translates into Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of about 60% to over 700%. If you paid those rates on all your borrowing you’d probably go broke! And all to get your tax refund just a few days earlier than you can for free from the IRS. You’re lining someone else’s pockets with YOUR hard-earned money!

RAL fees, combined with tax preparation, electronic filing, and other fees, can end up eating away a big chunk of your refund.

RALs Can Be Hazardous to Your Financial Health

In addition to their high costs, RALs can be risky. Since a RAL is a loan from a bank in partnership with a tax preparer, it must be repaid even if the IRS denies or delays your refund, or your refund is smaller than expected. If you don’t pay back the RAL, the lender will take actions to hurt your credit rating and may send your account to a debt collector. In addition, when you apply for a RAL, you are giving the lender the right to grab your tax refund to pay for old tax loan debts that the lender claims you owe.

Save $ and Avoid RALs – Use a VITA Site.  You can get your refund fast and its free!

A great way to save money at tax time is to go to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) site. VITA sites provide free tax preparation to low- and moderate-income taxpayers.

VITA sites are sponsored by the IRS and can be found in libraries, community centers, and other locations during tax time.

For the nearest VITA site, call the IRS general help line at 1-800-TAX-1040 or go to www.tax-coalition.org.

The material in this article is intended only to offer general information and is not intended as legal advice. It is always best to consult an attorney about your legal rights and responsibilities regarding your particular case.

The foregoing information is provided by the lawyers at Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc., a non-profit corporation that receives funds from various local agencies and individuals, as well as from the federal government through Legal Services Corporation (LSC).  For specific advice on your particular situation, we suggest that you consult with a lawyer of your choosing.  If you cannot afford a lawyer, you may call your local legal services office to find out if you qualify for free, quality legal assistance.

If you live in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy or Union counties, you may call our Gainesville office at (352) 372-0519.  If you live in Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, or Taylor counties, you may call our Lake City office at (386) 752-5960.  If you live in Clay, Duval, Nassau or St. Johns counties, you may call our Jacksonville office at (904) 394-7450.

Citing her slow recovery from a recent hand surgery and need to take care of her ailing mother, High Springs Vice-Mayor Diane Shupe announced her resignation from the City Commission Feb. 11.

Her resignation was announced through a letter read by Mayor William Coughlin at the City Commission meeting, which also marked her third consecutive absence.

High Springs City Manager James Drumm was proposed a 16-month extension to his expiring contract by City Commissioners Monday, which drew a skeptical response from the employee who has served the city since 2004.

“I guess I would question if you hired a new city manager, would they take a job if you gave them a 1.4 year contract?” Drumm asked. “I don’t think that they might.”

Although Drumm is about to finish a four-year contract, commissioners said the shortened term does not necessarily mean dissatisfaction with Drumm, but instead creates a way to judge how he reacts to the commission’s recent political shift.

“My intent at this point is Mr. Drumm could be the greatest city manager we’ve ever had or the worst, but I don’t know and I can’t decide that right now,” Commissioner Eric May, one of two new commissioners elected in November, said Tuesday. “Since the commission has changed, I think we need to allow time to see if he can serve us as diligently as [he served] the last commission.”

But the commission’s proposal Monday does not take all options away from the city manager. Because commissioners failed to warn Drumm they planned to change his contract at least six months before it expires March 9, it already automatically renewed for four years, advised city attorney Thomas Depeter. Now Drumm can opt to follow the commission’s proposal or keep the four-year contract to which he is entitled.

Drumm’s four-year contract was signed on July 20, 2006 and states if “the city does not notify [Drumm] of the intention to non-renew his contract within six months of its expiration, the contract shall be deemed renewed under the same terms and conditions…”

Because the commission missed their deadline, they would have to pay Drumm a six-month severance pay on his $87,200 salary if they fire him at any point in the current contract. Had they notified Drumm in time, his performance-based contract would have allowed the commission to part ways with no consequences.

Although termination was not addressed as an option Monday, commissioners also voted to move Drumm’s evaluation date from April to January 2011, six months before the proposed contract would end July 2011. If Drumm accepts the 16-month contract to take effect July 20, he could be fired anytime before January and receive no severance.

Depeter said he will draft the proposed contract in writing this week, which will be formally voted on by the commission Feb. 25. Drumm can then accept or reject the shortened agreement.

In discussions Monday, Commissioner Larry Travis voted in favor of a shorter term for Drumm but stressed his approval of the manager he has worked with for four years.

“If Mr. Drumm can’t work with this present commission, then we have other ways to take care of that,” Travis said. “He’s bright enough to know that’s the way it goes…even in bad times he’s been able to put money away in the fund balance, and I think that’s a really good thing.”

Citizens also testified on Drumm’s behalf, criticizing some commissioners for blaming the city manager for some of the city’s current troubles.

In a discussion last month, Mayor William Coughlin pointed at controversies that have arisen in the last few years of Drumm’s management like the wrongful termination of Ginger Travers in 2008 from the police department, who was awarded damages in arbitration; the current lawsuit filed by fired police lieutenant Gordon Fulwood against the city; and the handling of the Pigg property that has cost High Springs thousands of dollars in the process of selling it.

“Although some of you may object to prior commissions and actions of prior commissions, it is absolutely unfair to penalize Mr. Drumm for following the direction of course of commissions in the past, because those were the governing bodies of the time,” business owner Lucie Regensdorf said Monday. “You can renegotiate the terms of the agreement, but for what purpose…what message are you sending to him after he has relied on these terms?”

Before casting the only vote against this new proposal, Commissioner Dean Davis also raised concerns on who was at fault for letting the six-month warning period pass without alerting commissioners. Another unanswered question was whether Drumm’s contract technically ends March 9 or July 20.

Drumm began working for the city March 9, 2004 on a two year contract, but by March 2006 commissioners failed to end or renegotiate, so the contract was automatically renewed. Commissioners finally renewed his contract July 20, 2006 but retro-dated the terms to also apply to those previous four months Drumm had worked since the contract expired that March.

On Monday commissioners agreed to work with the March 9 end date to avoid confusion but stressed an urgency to finalize an agreement, no matter the terms.

“I’m ready to move forward and get this year on the road,” Coughlin said. “I don’t want to be bogged down hiring a new city manager or in court with an old one.”

Not even frigid temperatures could chill the excitement at the kickoff celebration for the City of Alachua Transit System (CATS) Wednesday morning at the Cleather Hathcock Sr. Community Center.  Following opening remarks from Interim City Manager Traci Cain and recognitions from Assistan t City Manager Danielle Judd, a staff assistant from United States Senator George S. LeMieux’s office read a congratulatory letter from the senator to the gathering and city officials.

If Irby Elementary students reach their goa l of raising $8,000 for the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for

Heart, they will have raised $100,000 since the school’s opening in 1992. For the last 17 years, Irby Elementary students have reached into their hearts to help raise money for research that will help other youngsters born with congenital heart defects.

Before Wednesday’s Jump Rope for Heart at Irby, the school had a combined $93,554 raised in

the school’s history according to Alejandra Cretul, the American Heart Association’s vice president for north Florida’s youth market.

In sunny but frigid weather Wednesday morning, healthy hearts were pumping to keep the blood flowing as students and teachers alike braved the cold temperatures to compete in the annual Jump Rope for Heart event held in the bus circle at the school.

Raising the level of enthusiasm brought by Irby physical education teacher Ray Crone was his good friend Albert the Alligator from the University of Florida.

Teachers got the morning’s activities moving with a little rope jumping of their own. Hundreds of youngsters followed suit and tried their hand, or feet as it were, at jumping rope. Kindergarteners and first and second graders competed to see who among them could jump the longest. In the end, a handful of the students remained and became the winners in their grade level.

Jump Rope for Heart is an educational fundraising event. Held each year in thousands of elementary schools nationwide by the American Heart Association, the program not only helps those in need, but also educates youth about the benefits of physical activity, and how to keep their hearts in good shape.

Among special guests assisting in the event was the Santa Fe High School Interact Club and Santa Fe High School Athletic Director Michele Faulk who makes it a point to help with the competition each year.

In addition to Albert the Alligator, students were also treated to an appearance by the University of Florida dance team otherwise known as “The Dazzlers,” and cheerleaders. Keeping jumpers in their groove was DJ Bill Hipp of Hipp Productions who has been keeping the heart beat of the annual competition in check for the last 10 years or so.

For the uninitiated, jumping rope is not only fun – it’s a sport and an art. With names such as “Minute Mania,” “Jump the Brook,” and “Jump the Snake,” jumping rope is as much fun as it is healthy. The highlight of all the rope twirling and jumping was the “endurance jump.” Not recommended for those weak in the knees or ankles – or short of breath – endurance jumping sets the pros apart from the amateurs.

Irby Elementary endurance winners claimed their titles by jumping for the longest length of time without a misstep. Ropes churning and feet flying, first graders and then second graders faced off against their classmates.

Winners in the first grade class were Sian Seng in first place, Torieah Atkins in second place and Jacob Thornton in third place. Second grade winners were Alera Gainey in first, Leigha Blocker in second place and Kyra Levesque in third.

Jump Rope for Heart raises funds for medical research and for programs such as “HeartPower!” that help prevent heart disease and stroke. Students are eager to participate because they know they have the ability to help save someone’s life, possibly in their own community.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Irby Elementary administrators were still tallying students’ fundraising efforts, but were not sure how close they were to their $8,000 goal. Principal Lina Bedoya-Burklew is encouraging friends of Irby Elementary Eagles to help the school reach the $100,000 mark by showing their last-minute support. The school is still accepting contributions toward this year’s Jump Rope for Heart campaign. To help the American Heart Association and Irby Elementary, call the school at 386-462-5002 for details on ways to contribute in person, online or via mail.

Kenton Eugene Skinner of Live Oak, Fla., passed away Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 at Haven Hospice in Lake City, Fla.  He was 66.

Kenton lived most of his life in Live Oak, Fla. He owned and operated Griffin Ford-New Holland Tractor Company for over 11 years in Griffin, Ga.

Survivors include his wife, Ruby Skinner of Live Oak, Fla; one son, Kenny (Julie) Skinner of Griffin, Ga.; one daughter, Kim (David) Cason of Zebulon, Ga.; one sister, Rosa Lee (Jerry) Barnes of Birmingham

Willie Fred Daies, Sr., passed on Thursday, February 4, 2010.  He was born to the late Milton Davis and Gussie Massie.

He was a graduate of Richardson High School, Lake City; and worked as a subcontractor specializing in drywall.

Survivors include his six children, Roger (Lillie) Daies, Sr. of Fort White, Willie Fred (Sonya) Daies, Jr. of St. Louis, Mo., Michael (Tahlia)Daies of Gainesville, Marlon (Caira) Daies of Fort White,

ALACHUA – As the federal government works to dole out the $787 billion of stimulus money under the American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA), cities with shovel-ready projects are taking advantage.

Alachua is one of the cities capitalizing on this opportunity, already securing grants for three projects: a new wastewater treatment facility, a new digital radio system for the police department and a public bus service.

The city was awarded $76,684 for the public bus system, also known as City of Alachua Transit System (CATS), and $153,747 for the new police radio system. But the lion’s share of the city’s stimulus money, $20 million, was awarded for the wastewater treatment facility.

The money may seem unevenly distributed in favor of one project, but it isn’t up to the city to decide which project it sees fit to allocate the stimulus money. Funding is awarded by a number of different federal and state departments based on a variety of different criteria.

“The process for each award is different,” Alachua Interim City Manager Traci Cain said.

The city was able to receive such a large grant for the wastewater project because it was considered “shovel-ready” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Construction is already underway on the facility, which has been in the works since 2003, Cain said.

The money for CATS came from a Florida Department of Transportation grant, and the money for the new radio system came from a U.S. Department of Justice grant.

These are the only three projects for which the city has sought stimulus funding, but with a majority of the stimulus money still uncommitted by the government, the city is considering other projects, Cain said.

According to the ARRA Web site, recovery.gov, only about $200 billion of the $787 billion dollars have so far been awarded leaving a great deal of opportunity for future project funding down the road.

“The city will continue to evaluate its Capital Improvements Program for projects to secure funds for infrastructure, quality of life improvements, communications, reclaimed water systems, etc.”

At the Monday commission meeting, resident Michael Canney asked if the procuring of money on previous projects would hurt the city’s chances of getting grants later.

Cain said, in an e-mail, it isn’t clear what effect the three grants already secured will have securing future grants.

“ARRA funds are funneled through many agencies and the selection/award criteria are different for each,” Cain said. “The City will continue to pursue grant funding, ARRA or otherwise, regardless of our early success in securing ARRA funds.”

Alachua has been the most successful city in the county outside of Gainesville in securing stimulus money.

Hawthorne, Newberry, Archer, Micanopy and High Springs have all received significantly less money, according to the latest information at recovery.gov.

The stimulus program is not just about building infrastructure, but also about creating jobs. Cain said it can be hard to judge the jobs created from the city’s three stimulus projects, but the benefit to the community is wide-reaching. A new wastewater facility will allow the city to pursue future development, CATS will give transportation to those who don’t have it and a new radio system will help the police department’s ability to communicate with other departments and respond to emergencies.

ALACHUA – A second attempt at a public bus service in Alachua is scheduled to start Feb. 18. The city will celebrate the long-awaited service Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Cleather Hathcock Senior Community Center.

The reincarnated City of Alachua Transit System (CATS) is a north/south circular route of Alachua. The city received a $76,684 federal stimulus grant from the Federal Transit Authority to pay for the new bus. The city purchased the bus in December and contracted M/V Transportation Services Inc. as the service provider.  The city also budgeted $40,000 for the operation of CATS.

Hours of operation are expected to be no more than six hours per day for 255 days a year. Service days will exclude holidays, nights and weekends. Since low-income and elderly residents are the priority, the bus stops are located accordingly. The bus fee is $1 for a one-way trip, which is down from the original proposal of $2.

The city scrapped the original City of Alachua Transit System (CATS) in November 2008. It was canceled after an unsuccessful two-year trial run because of low ridership. The old CATS ran from Alachua to Gainesville and back to help people with limited or no transportation to reach employment centers in Alachua and help senior citizens in Alachua get to medical appointments in Gainesville.

Additional routes for the new CATS service may be considered based on the success of the program and the determined needs of the city’s residents.   Alachua city commissioners have discussed connecting the service with Gainesville’s RTS in the future if it is feasible.

ALACHUA – A new digital radio system to improve Alachua Police Department’s communication with other county departments was unanimously approved Monday by the Alachua commission.

Alachua is currently the only department in the county still using the old analogue system. This creates problems as the city department attempts to coordinate with the county and other city departments.

“Right now, we’re out there on an island,” said Alachua police Sergeant Carl Newsome, at the Monday meeting. “It takes a dispatcher to call another dispatcher to get to a supervisor to get to somebody to either get us help or get their guys help.”

The new system not only allows for better coordination with other departments, it also has a better back-up plan. The system has a series of fail-safes to keep communication going in case of interruption from a broken fiber optic cable or other problems.

“This will provide a much greater net of safety for our citizens,” said Newsome.

Two grants and an anonymous private donation of $100,000 will pay for the transition. The grants were both made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the federal stimulus package. Together the two grants amounted to about $150,000. An anonymous private donation of $100,000 brings the total funding for the project to about $250,000.

The equipment costs include paying for portable radios, chargers, mobile radios for vehicles, consoles for the communications control station and additional components.

This leaves about $60,000 surplus, which will department will use to cover the system’s monthly costs, which total about $3,000. The department expects this to increase the annual operational expenses by about $38,000, which will need to be accounted for by the commission in the budget.

The department expects to complete the transition by April.

The commission was quick to approve the spending for the new system.

“I think it’s imperative that we have the right equipment for our police officers to be able to talk to whoever they need to, to ensure their safety and the safety of the rest of the people that serve us and our citizens,” Commissioner Gary Hardacre said.

ALACHUA – Alachua Police are investigating a burglary that targeted Alachua Boy Scouts Troop 88 last week, which reportedly left the troop out of nearly $700 worth of supplies.

Officials believe the Boy Scouts storage behind the main hut on 15115 N.W. 142nd Terrace was burglarized sometime between Feb. 1 and Feb. 5, according to Alachua Police Det. Carrie Lund.

Troop 88 committee member Beth Jenkins said troop leaders left the office around 9 p.m. Feb. 1 and didn’t return until Feb. 5. She said Scout Master Fred Hilton found the evidence of a burglary as he and troop members were gearing up for a weekend retreat.

As Hilton headed to the supply shed for cooking equipment for the troop’s weekend cookout, he found that a determined burglar had beaten him to it, Jenkins said. He found a shattered window, apparently broken for access to unlock the front door, and discovered missing cooking equipment.

According to a police report, burglars made off with three cast iron Dutch ovens valued at $240, three 70-gallon Igloo coolers valued at $210, five pots, and two turkey fryer pots valued at $235.

“It was a loss because we use the [equipment] every campout, and our boys go on one or two campouts a month and have cooking classes that teach them how to do things,” Jenkins said Tuesday. “They’re not only a big expense but they mean a lot to them because they use them all the time.”

Although police would not comment on the stolen property, Jenkins said troop leaders believe the items may have been stolen to be pawned for their iron and aluminum materials.

Of all weekends, burglars hit on one of the most inopportune times since the 38 boy scouts that make up troop 88 were set to host a cookout at Camp Shands in Melrose, Jenkins said.

“This past weekend we had to call other scout troops when we went to camp and borrow cooking equipment because our troop was in charge of cooking,” she said. “This was just really bad timing.”

While Alachua Police have not yet reported suspects in the burglary, Jenkins said an anonymous donor has offered a $100 reward for any tip leading to an arrest. Anyone with information on the burglary can report a tip to Det. Carrie Lund at 386-418-1597.

Since the troop is also out $700 in equipment, Jenkins added that anyone wishing to donate to the troop to recoup losses can send donations to PO Box 1719 Alachua, Fla., 32616 or contact Fred Hilton at 352-318-0925.

The 2nd Annual Spring Sale will be held April 3 at 10 a.m. by Retirement Home for Horses, Inc.  Help by donating any saleable items.  TVs and outdated electronic equipment did not sell, but the following items were the most popular:  children's toys and books, current novels, new items, jewelry, kitchen items, pictures and wall decorations, tools and small working appliances.

Last year enough money was raised to support one horse for a year.  This year's goal is to earn enough money to support two horses.

There are over 125 horses at the farm that need to be supported.  For further information, contact Georgia Crosby at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Peg Malone at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Jenny at 352-246-2230. Large or out of the area items can be sold on Ebay; contact Cheryl at 386-454-0954.

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit, partnered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, has been re-releasing information on the anniversary dates of unsolved homicides or suspected foul play/missing persons.

On 02/09/89, 20 year-old, W/F Tiffany Sessions (DOB 10/29/68) disappeared from the University of Florida. At approximately 6 p.m., Sessions told her roommate she was going for a walk and never returned. An extensive search provided no clues as to what happened to Sessions.

This year marks the 21st anniversary of this case. Tiffany’s disappearance is a time to remember and recommit ourselves to resolving as many unsolved missing persons and murder cases as possible. Sheriff Darnell created the Cold Case Unit in 2007 to show her commitment to solving this and all other unsolved missing persons and murder cases in Alachua County.

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this incident or any other missing persons or homicide case to call Detective Bob Dean at the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office at 352-367-4161. Callers can also remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest by calling Crime Stoppers at 372-STOP (7867). For those that prefer the internet, anonymous tips may be left on the website at www.alachuasheriff.org.

ALACHUA – The Alachua Soccer League Hurricanes recently took first place at the Challenge Sports “3V3” Keystone Tournament.  3v3 Soccer, commonly referred to as a “small sided” game, is played with each team having only have three players on the field at a time.  It uses a much smaller net than full sided soccer and there is no keeper, requiring the blending of strategy, individual skills and teamwork.

The team, led by Coach John Salbert, made its first appearance Jan. 30, 2010, after having been organized less than six days.  The Hurricanes entered the tournament hoping they would get a chance to play in the Nationals Tournament at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in August 2010.

They entered the tournament determined to get a berth in Nationals, which would be awarded to the top four teams in each age group.  After losing their first game, the Hurricanes regrouped and came back with fierce determination to win the remaining five games of the day taking first place in the tournament, earning the right to compete at Nationals.  Alachua was well represented by the team that took the tournament by storm and the buzz that day was, “Have you guys seen that Alachua team?” In preparation for the big show at Nationals, the ASL Hurricanes will be entering local tournaments between now and August. 

The Alachua Soccer League is a local volunteer recreational soccer program, and the road to Nationals, which is a three-day tournament, will be costly. The ASL Hurricanes is a travel team made up of players from the recreation league, and they must come up with their own funds for travel and fees.  Salbert estimates the team’s travel costs will exceed $1,700. 

The team is pumped up and ready for the challenge, and are fully engaged in raising funds through car washes, yard sales, candy sales and bake sales.  Businesses or individuals who would like to support the team may contact John Salbert at 352-514-086.  Names of all sponsors and donors will be placed on a banner currently being designed by the team and will be displayed at all upcoming tournaments including Nationals.

Looking ahead, if the team does well at Nationals, they will be eligible to participate in the World Championships at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in January 2011.

GAINESVILLE — North Central Florida has a unique opportunity to rejuvenate its economy, one tax return at a time.

United Way is teaming up with the East Gainesville Development Corporation and the UF Levin College of Law to bring area residents Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), made possible through an IRS grant.

Certified volunteer tax preparers are working to award eligible citizens with an Earned Income Tax Credit, a government initiative that has funneled millions of dollars back into communities around the nation.

This year, the program has expanded its reach through the addition of tax preparation sites in outlying towns including Alachua, Trenton, Bell and Starke. The service will be available in the city of Alachua by appointment between Jan. 25 and April 12 at First United Methodist of Alachua.

The VITA program is currently running and will be available until April, 15, 2010. Interested parties can simply call 2-1-1 to schedule an appointment at a convenient location.

For more information, call 2-1-1 or visit http://www.unitedwayncfl.org/VITA.aspx

United Way of North Central Florida is a locally governed organization dedicated to leading the community to focus on issues and build solutions that improve lives. United Way engages the community to identify the underlying causes of the most pressing local issues, develops strategies, mobilizes financial and human resources to address them, and measures the impact on our community. United Way tackles issues based on local needs in the areas of education, income and health.  For more information about United Way of North Central Florida, visit: www.unitedwayncfl.org.

ALACHUA – For more than three-and-a-half years, Santa Fe High School senior Kaitlyn Brandt has been telling her fellow students what to do — and what not to do. Her efforts have now earned her statewide recognition.

Florida SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) has just named Brandt the SADD Student of the Year for 2010-11. She will now serve as the state student spokesperson for the organization, which has more than 280 chapters around the state. 

“Being chosen Florida SADD Student of the Year is a great honor,” said Verl Todd, state coordinator for the organization. “Kaitlyn has been an exceptional spokesperson for SADD in Florida, working tirelessly to ensure that teens are fully aware of the issues of underage drinking, traffic safety and other destructive decisions.”

Brandt has been involved with SADD for four years, and this year serves as the Santa Fe group’s president. She’s also served on the Florida state SADD Student Advisory Board for the past two years, helping organize events and campaigns and visiting other schools and communities to encourage teens to avoid destructive behavior.

Kaitlyn says it’s important for teens to hear that message from their peers — without any sugar-coating.

“It’s more powerful when it’s coming from someone your own age,” she said. “A lot of what we talk about is not pretty, but we have to give a very realistic perspective for teens to really get it.”

Florida SADD has also announced that Brenda Joyner, who has been the SADD advisor at Santa Fe for more than 25 years, is this year’s SADD Advisor of the Year.

“She is very deserving of this honor,” said Todd. “Her enthusiasm and dedication toward SADD is truly extraordinary.”

“There are so many things out there that teens are facing these days,” said Joyner. “We try to tell them that one bad decision can have major consequences and you can’t turn back.”

Both Kaitlyn and Joyner will officially begin their terms as Florida’s Student and Advisor of the Year at SADD’s national conference in Orlando in late June. They are also eligible for National Student and Advisor of the Year honors, which will be announced in March.

"Most schools would be proud to have either a student or an advisor chosen for special recognition,” said Santa Fe High School principal Bill Herschleb.  “We’re elated that both state honorees this year come from our school."

Recognitions aside, Kaitlyn says she’s loved being a part of SADD.

“I hate to see bad things happen to kids my age, so I think SADD is a great thing to be involved in,” she said. “I really feel we’re making a difference.”

Recognizing that use of a cell phone while driving increases the risk of having an accident by 4 times, the same risk as a drunk driver, and texting while driving increases the risk of an accident by 8 times, the Florida Junior Civitan Board of Directors has launched the NO PHONE Driver campaign to raise awareness.

Teenagers across Florida will encourage their own members, school mates, family and the public to sign a pledge to be a NO PHONE Driver, to stop risking the lives of everyone on the road, including themselves.

Junior Civitan is a community service club organization of 12,000 teen volunteers, in 400 clubs, in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa, helping seniors, the challenged and the under privileged.

Each club chooses their community service, environmental projects and social awareness activities.  However, the Florida Junior Civitan Board of Directors has designated this NO PHONE Driver campaign as the statewide project, after Junior Civitan Governor Matthew Pendleton, a junior at Sandalwood High in Jacksonville, learned the alarming statistics on a recent Oprah show.

To sign the pledge visit  www.FloridaJuniorCivitan.org.

Many Christians drift through sermon after sermon, trying to piece together doctrine and church history from the bits and pieces of thoughts shown to them by the minister week after week.  It’s like collecting pieces of a puzzle and then trying to put a picture together when you don’t know exactly what it’s supposed to look like.  The ancient church realized this and the need for a systematic way to preach and teach Christian doctrine.  This led to the gradual development of preaching using a liturgical calendar which, if used correctly, teaches the entire scope of doctrine, emphasizing the part that’s relates to the season.

For instance, the incarnation of Jesus Christ is obviously the theme of the Christmas season, while lent emphasizes the doctrine of Christ’s atonement, his sacrifice for our sin.  if we look at the entire church year and compare doctrine to the church season, in twelve months we see that we have a systematic understanding essentially of what it means to be a Christian.

The season of epiphany brings out two very important doctrines of the church, and even though it’s a short season—between Christmas and Lent—it’s an important one.  The modern Christian church has failed to understand and live up to doctrine taught to us during epiphany and has unwittingly crippled itself.

The following prayer, from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer for the season of epiphany, points us to one of the primary doctrines of the season.  It speaks of the supreme authority of God almighty in the affairs of men.  “almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

This prayer is really educational in the way that we are supposed to address God.  We call him almighty and everlasting, and both of these traits are essential if we’re to trust in Him.  Earthly kings understand that power and authority are crucial and that they must have total authority in their kingdom to carry out their will for the good of their people.  God has to be able to right every wrong and establish his kingdom according to his will, so he has to be almighty.  God, also, has to be greater than any earthly king, because mortal kings die and their kingdoms often fall when they die.  Then we have the fact that when a gracious and righteous king dies, he’s often succeeded by a tyrant who exercises his authority to his own ends and carnal desires.  If God is to rule in heaven and earth, as this collect suggests, his rule must be an everlasting rule and only then can we be sure that his kingdom will last forever.

We must understand that it is God’s right to rule over his creation and this fact is central to the epiphany season.  Christ was worshipped by the wise men even though he was only a small child, enthroned on the arms of his mother.  They brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, all of which symbolize royalty and the fact that he deserved their reverence.  Their behavior shows another important principle of the epiphany season—the kingdom of God, which we now participate in through Jesus Christ, is a kingdom established in the heart of believers who submit their wills to the truth, regardless of the insults and scorn heaped on them by the unbelieving world.

The worship required by our King is the bent knee, the contrite heart, the submitted intellect.  This kingdom doesn’t grow by the use of weapons and conflict, but by the proclamation of his truth.  His kingdom on this earth is seen most clearly in the visible church of Jesus Christ.

Epiphany teaches us something about the kingdom of God and our king that reigns over heaven and earth, but it must not lead us to be prideful.  It should teach us to be humble, to be servants one towards another, to be willing to bring our talents and gifts to our enthroned King, just like the three wise men taught us by their example.  We must bring our gifts and submit our talents, not as though they’re going to be abandoned but that they can be used for the good of the kingdom, for the building up of the church.

Just kidding – it’s no secret that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.

If you didn’t know, and maybe that’s possible if you spent the last week out of town – like maybe on the moon – I’ll say it again, Valentine’s Day is almost here. 

If you haven’t procured something special for that special person in your life, you may be thinking that you’re out of luck.

But then again, maybe I can help you.

Heaven knows you need it.

Nobody wants to be caught on the short end of such an auspicious occasion of far reaching consequences.

It is indeed difficult to imagine a February without candy, flowers, and gifts.  And all in the name of St.Valentine, the patron saint of lovers for whom the day is named. 

It can be a day to anticipate or a day to fear.

Valentine’s Day has been celebrated on February 14th for over 1,500 years, so that would pretty much cover the entire lives of anyone breathing today.  It hasn’t been a Johnny-come-lately to the holiday scene, so that excuse won’t hold water.

Truly, on the day especially set aside for lovers, there is no excuse that would satisfy a forgotten mate or significant other. 

The best advice is simply not to let that happen.

And it’s not too late to prevent a needless calamity.

February is the month of romance – the month of love.

Or alternatively, the month that will be remembered as the beginning of the end.

There is considerable wisdom in ensuring that your main squeeze has an enjoyable Valentine’s Day, as opposed to a miserable one that won’t soon be forgotten.

It’s not too late to purchase one of the 188 million Valentine's Day cards exchanged annually, or even hand scrawl a love note.  Pay no heed that over 50-percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the observance, meaning that you will only be elbowing 50-percent of the remainder of the world scanning those card racks.  Math majors will tell us that procrastinators such as yourself will be competing with, at most, 94 million others desperately trying to save a sinking ship.

Consider that even at this advanced date, you can save yourself stress and ensure a romantic Valentine's Day by spending a lot of money for last minute flowers or reservations at your special restaurant if there are any to be had.

Or you could use the following fill-in-the-blank poem (in your handwriting of course) to explain why you wouldn’t even pop for a dollar or two and buy a card: Roses are Red, violets are blue, those store-bought cards aren’t good enough for you.

Good luck with that one.

You could make dinner at home.  Just make sure there is a plentiful supply of chocolate.

Chocolate helps.

So on this special day when sweethearts honor each other with candy, flowers, and cards, get off your can and do something for that valentine in your life. 

And by the way, just as Romeos and Juliets come in all shapes, colors and sizes, so too do gifts.  A gift from the heart, in the form of a few loving words is appreciated as much, if not more, than the store-bought paraphernalia.  But that doesn’t mean one shouldn’t buy something – just in case. 

Take comfort in the fact that February 14th is, after all, just another day.

And if you buy that, then you deserve what you get.

And in case you’re curious, you may wonder whatever happened to St. Valentine, the patron saint that started all this.

The story goes that he was beheaded.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

HAWTHORNE – Three months into the job, Hawthorne City Manager Ed Smyth is finding no shortage of work, and he’s fine with that.

“This is what I got into this profession to do – come be a service to a community and not just fight fires, but to go in and actually do something, go in and take on a problem and fix it.”

The biggest of those problems is the city’s finances, which will be the focus of an upcoming commission workshop.

The commission didn’t decide on a date but agreed to hold a workshop by the end of the month to discuss several financial policy suggestions Smyth made in his quarterly report.

One thing the quarterly report, which was issued on Dec. 30, did not include was a budget summary. Smyth said he didn’t have sufficient financial information to even put together a budget summary.

At the commission meeting Tuesday, he said he was still a few weeks away from completing a detailed document.

In September, prior to Smyth’s appointment as city manager, the commissioners approved a budget which, according to Smith, does not break down spending into detailed categories, leaving a lot of guesswork as to where the money is supposed to go.

“I’m trying to get a detailed line-item budget out so these guys [the commission] know where the money is going,” Smyth said.

In the meantime, he said he’s using his instincts to make financial decisions.

“Sometimes it’s a gut feeling,” Smyth said. “You just look at things, and you get a good feeling or a bad feeling.”

Smyth has made several financial policy recommendations, including creating a cash reserve policy, auditing of each city department and creating a fund-transfer policy.

He wrote in the report, “An analysis of the policies, ordinances and charter revealed that Hawthorne was lacking firm codified financial principles.”

Mayor Eleanor Randall said the workshop will help the city improve.

“This will give us a good idea of where we are and what it will take to get us to the next level,” said Randall.

Before becoming Hawthorne’s city manager, Smyth served as deputy city manager of Leesburg, a city of nearly 16,000 residents in Lake County.  He said the Hawthorne job has been much more demanding.

“I had too many days in Leesburg where I’d sit there, and I’d be returning e-mails or doing research on the computer,” Smyth said. “I’d be sitting there. I’d be nodding off. I don’t have to nod off here. I’m way too busy. I like this.”

ALACHUA – Seven months away from the first crack of a bat, renovations are well underway in preparation for the Babe Ruth 12 and under Girls’ Softball 2010 World Series, which runs Aug. 7-14.

Grass infields have been torn out and replaced with clay, and plans have been drawn up to upgrade the sidewalks and parking lot at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex. New bleachers, new dugouts, new signs around the complex and new backstops are on the way along with improvements to the press box and concession stand.

Earl Findley, Santa Fe Babe Ruth program president, is in charge of the event. He and Hal Brady, Alachua recreation director, have been working on the event for more than a year. Brady said between renovations, transportation and other costs, the price tag for the event is about $140,000 to $160,000. Various businesses, individual donors and government entities from Alachua, High Springs and Gainesville have come together to contribute money and in-kind donations for the park.

“I think it’s going to be big – big for the community and the kids,” Findley said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event for most all of the kids that are participating.”

Findley and Brady have held meetings every two weeks with the goal of getting most of the renovations done for the March 20 start of the Alachua recreational league. Brady said things are going well and the park renovations are on schedule.

The goal is to make this the biggest Babe Ruth Softball World Series ever and match the size of the boys’ Babe Ruth Baseball World Series Alachua hosted in 1992, Brady said. He said bringing in that many people to the city will help local restaurants, hotels, gas stations and other businesses.

“We hope we’re going to help everybody in this community – in Alachua, High Springs and Gainesville,” Brady said.

The 10-team tournament will consist of teams from around the country. At least two of the teams will be from Florida; the host team and the Florida state champion automatically qualify.

One way people can help locally is by serving as a host family for two of the 11- to 12-year-old girls from Aug. 5 to Aug.15. Findley needs a total of 70 host families. Several local churches and the City of Alachua staff have stepped up to host entire teams, but many host families are still needed.

University of Florida softball coach Tim Walton will be the keynote speaker, and Findley said he’s hoping to get Governor Charlie Crist to attend.

Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Domino’s, Santa Fe Ford and SunState Federal Credit Union are serving as corporate gold sponsors.

NEWBERRY – The Newberry Cooperstown Dreams Park remains one of five candidates competing to receive money from a potential two-percent increase on hotel bills, also known as a bed tax.

The county commission is scheduled to hold a public meeting on March 2 to vote on the increase that would raise the bed tax from three percent to five percent, but hasn’t set a date to decide which project, or projects, will get the money.

The other four projects are more Gainesville-centric. They include construction of a county fairground in east Gainesville, construction of the Cade Museum for Innovation and Invention, expansion of the Martin Luther King Jr. Sports Complex and construction of a conference center in downtown Gainesville.

The Newberry baseball park has the best chance to increase the value of each percent of bed tax, according to Roland Loog, the tourist development director.

It also has broad support from the commissioners, but they are hesitant to put all their eggs in one basket.

“I’m persuaded that the Newberry project is a good one and should receive some portion of the two percent, if we move forward with it,” Commissioner Mike Byerly said at a Tuesday meeting. “The real question is how much of it.”

The amount approved for Newberry will determine how long it will take to pay off the loan.

Jay Glover, of Public Financial Management, said it would take eight years to pay off the loan, if the county approved revenues from the full two percent.

If they only approved 1.2 of that 2 percent, it would take 20 years to pay off, but enough money would be left over to potentially cover one of the other four projects.

Newberry City Manager Keith Ashby and Commissioners Joe Hoffman and Lois Forte represented the city at Tuesday’s county commission meeting. They urged the county to support the Newberry project and strike while the iron is hot.

“The longer you wait, the more you put this off, the more we’re going to lose out on this as a community,” Hoffman told county officials.

NEWBERRY – Newberry will be hosting an event like no other in its history beginning Friday. This weekend will mark a milestone for the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex as some 1,400 archery shooters are expected to participate in the Archery Shooters Association’s (ASA) Easton Florida Pro/Am. The event will be the first major event hosted by the City of Newberry.

Dough Engh, executive director for the National Alliance for the Development of Archery (NADA), said the annual event has historically been held at the Gainesville Raceway but was moved to Newberry because of the enhanced facilities now available. Although the complex includes a gym and an indoor archery training center, Engh said the ASA event will be held outside on some 60-acres of woodlands and trails that adjoin the center.

The Gainesville Sports Commission assisted the ASA in locating the competition in Newberry. The ASA will be running the event. Most of the participants are expected to seek accommodations in Gainesville hotels and others may connect their campers at the Canterbury Equestrian Showplace in Jonesville.

“This event is going to bring about 1,400 shooters and their families. The entire complex is booked, the ball fields are being used for parking and the gym will house a tradeshow.

“Some of the top money shooters in the country will be out competing for the cash prizes,” said Engh.

Shooters will be practicing and qualifying Friday and Saturday. Major competitions are set to begin on Sunday, Engh said.

Newberry has been filling the calendar for the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex. On Feb. 13^th and 14^th, 4-H will be hosting a statewide archery tournament, which Engh expects to bring between 200 and 300 children. In the weeks to follow, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) will be hosting a National Archery in Schools Program for area school children.

More information about the complex can be found at eastonnewberrysportscomplex.com

HIGH SPRINGS – High Springs City Commissioners may have missed the deadline for enforcing any changes into City Manager James Drumm’s expiring contract apart from ending it all together or keeping it as is.

Drumm’s four-year contract was signed on July 20, 2006 and states if “the city does not notify [Drumm] of the intention to non-renew his contract within six months of its expiration, the contract shall be deemed renewed under the same terms and conditions…”

City attorney Thomas Depeter said Tuesday this stipulation translates to say if commissioners wanted to change any terms of the contract, they would have had to notify Drumm of their intentions by Jan. 20 – six months before it expires July 20. Because they did not do so, the contract’s terms automatically renewed and can only be changed if Drumm fully agrees with the negotiated adjustments.

Commissioners scheduled a discussion of possible changes to Drumm’s $87,200 contract for the City Commission meeting Feb. 11. At a workshop on the issue Tuesday, commissioners were also unable to determine whether Drumm’s contract technically ends on July 20 or March 9.

Drumm began working for the city with a two-year contract on March 9, 2004. By March 2006 commissioners failed to end or renegotiate Drumm’s contract, so the contract was automatically renewed.

Commissioners finally addressed Drumm’s contract in July 2006 and renewed it for four years but retro-dated the terms to also apply to those previous four months Drumm had worked since the contract expired that March.

Now that Drumm’s contract is set to expire this year, it is unclear if the reference date is March 9 or July 20. Either way, commissioners did not notify Drumm about negotiations six months prior to either date, so changes to his contract can only be enforced with Drumm’s agreement.

Under the current terms, commissioners would still be able to fire Drumm at any point during the contract, but Drumm would be entitled to a six-month severance package from the date he is notified.

At Tuesday’s workshop, commissioners hinted at coming to an agreement about contract terms before the earlier date of March 9. Although commissioners discussed the technicalities of severance pay in terminating Drumm for more than one hour Tuesday, the only term commissioners specifically suggested changing was the length of Drumm’s contract.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be on this commission with Jim for five years, and every evaluation we’ve done from the total commission has been above average and excellent,” Commissioner Larry Travis said.
“I’m not sure four years is where we’re going, but I’d like to see Jim stay with us.”

Mayor William Coughlin was not as flattering in his comments but also suggested a shorter contract term for Drumm. Coughlin said when he was elected to the commission he received hostility from fellow commissioners and Drumm and questioned Drumm’s personal views with city business.

“The question for me and the question for the city at large is we as a community, we were heading in one direction pretty hard, and the community spoke out really clearly about changing that direction,” Coughlin said, referring to the victory of two new commissioners over two incumbents during November’s city commission election.

“So the question for me is during this next period of time…because for someone in your role they must be completely apolitical, and I think that’s the challenge for you in the next period…can you do as good a job for this commission as you can for the (past) commission?” Coughlin asked Drumm.

In his comments, Coughlin pointed at several controversies that have arisen in the last few years of Drumm’s management of the city. He mentioned the wrongful termination of Ginger Travers in 2008 from the police department, who was awarded damages in arbitration; the current termination of former lieutenant Gordon Fulwood and the grievances filed with the city as a result; the Pigg property owned by the city that will cost High Springs thousands of dollars in the process of selling it; as well as complaints from citizens about hostility from Drumm and his failure to follow through with certain business.

Travis adamantly disagreed with Coughlin and criticized his blaming of the previous group of commissioners, which Travis was a member of, for current problems in the city.

“It’s a sad state of affairs that you take a personal attack when you feel you were mistreated,” Travis said to Coughlin. “Just as many people say they appreciate what Mr. Drumm has done from around the county and around the state. I think it’s ridiculous and very unprofessional.”

But with negotiations of his contract approaching Feb. 11, Drumm said he would be open to certain changes to his contract, especially since commissioners only suggested changing the length of his contract Tuesday. He acknowledged that since changes can only be made with his approval, the commission can give him an ultimatum of agreeing with amendments to the contract or accepting termination.

“If the commission is looking to enact change, I think we can come to an agreement,” Drumm said. “A lot of the [complaints] brought up may be rumors, and it’s hard to follow rumors.”

HIGH SPRINGS – After a representative for fired police lieutenant Gordon Fulwood filed a last-ditch effort to appeal his termination to the High Springs City Commission, City Attorney Thomas Depeter has responded with a denial.

Police Benevolent Association representative Rick Nelson filed a step three grievance Jan. 26 for Fulwood to appeal his termination to the city commission. Depeter responded Tuesday in a memo to commissioners stating that under the High Springs City Charter, the city manager appoints and dismisses employees and the commission has no voice in that process.

According to the Charter dated November 2001, “Neither the City Commission nor any of its members shall in any manner dictate the appointment or removal of any city employee except the charter officers…” The Charter also states “The city manager when necessary shall appoint, suspend, demote or dismiss any city employee under his jurisdiction in accordance with law and the personnel rules…”

However, the High Springs Personnel Manual dated November 1998 conflicts with those rules and states, “An employee will be given the due process right of a pre-determination hearing prior to termination. All such decisions must have the concurrence of the city manager and approval of the City Commission for adherence to due process prior to announcement of final decision or implementation.”

The Personnel Manual continues to say, “If the grievance is not resolved to the satisfaction of the employee after review with city manager, the employee may appeal to the City Commission. The City Commission’s decision will be final.”

Although Depeter stated the Charter trumps when there is a conflict with the Personnel Manual, High Springs Police Chief James Troiano outlined Fulwood’s rights in reference to the Personnel Manual, not the Charter, in his termination letter Dec. 28. Drumm later approved Troiano’s motion to fire Fulwood Jan. 21.

Troiano writes, “You will remain on paid administrative leave until you have exhausted all of your grievance rights provided to you by the City of High Springs Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual (Loudermill Hearing and Grievance to the City Manager).”

According to High Springs grievance procedures, a fired employee can appeal to their direct supervisor, the department head and finally the city manager.

In Fulwood’s case, he already appealed to High Springs Police Chief James Troiano, who is Fulwood’s supervisor and department head, and to the city manager. The Policy Manual clearly states he can now appeal to the City Commission, while the Charter rules his appeal process ended with Drumm.

In his memo, Depeter stated any provisions in the Personnel Manual that conflict with rules in the Charter should no longer be valid. He cited two Florida law cases, Metropolitan Dade County v. Metro-Dade Fire Rescue Service District and Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 478 v. Burroughs to outline his decision.

The Dade County case, ruled in 1991, states “Any ordinance passed by the County Commission must comport with the Dade County Charter.” The Laborers’ International case, ruled 1989, states “a conflict exists when two legislative enactments cannot co-exist,” and “the test of conflict is whether one must violate one provision in order to comply with the other.” Depeter interpreted this to say if the employee were allowed to appeal to the commission, it would violate the provisions of the City Charter.

HIGH SPRINGS – Former High Springs police lieutenant Gordon Fulwood filed a lawsuit against the city Friday for what he said were frivolous and retaliatory actions taken against him by Police Chief James Troiano.

Fulwood is accusing Troiano of launching three unwarranted investigations and disciplines against him, which ultimately led to his termination from the police department, according to the court document filed with Alachua County. Public records obtained by Alachua County Today show investigations were launched in July, August and December against Fulwood.

On Jan. 21, City Manager James Drumm approved Troiano’s motion to fire Fulwood after he was accused of using his authority to confront an Alachua police officer about a personal issue and for obtaining confidential police information in that matter. In his lawsuit, Fulwood alleges Troiano acted in retaliation against him when Fulwood filed four complaints with Drumm about Troiano on Nov. 2 and Nov. 6. The city would not provide the complaint documents citing an exemption to public records laws, but according to the civil suit documents the complaints date to early 2009.

Although Troiano launched two of Fulwood’s three investigations before Fulwood ever complained to Drumm, the disciplines for each investigation were delivered Nov. 9, Dec. 17 and Jan. 21.

“I filed the complaints against Troiano not in response to me being under investigation but in response to me having the realization that I knew they were going to fire me and that I no longer had a job or career to protect,” Fulwood said Tuesday. “There are specific reasons and fears of why I did not file those complaints early on when Chief Troiano actually committed the infractions, but that has been discussed with my attorney, and I’ve been instructed not to comment. But there were specific reasons why I did not report them earlier.”

The suit also claims Troiano violated Fulwood’s due process rights when he sent an email to city employees Dec. 28 stating Fulwood had been fired. Only the city manager has the authority to hire or fire, and at the time of the email Drumm had not yet given a decision on Troiano’s motion to fire Fulwood.

Fulwood’s attorney, Marie Mattox of Tallahassee, is requesting damages in excess of $15,000 on Fulwood’s behalf, although the exact amount is not specified. The prosecution is also requesting a jury trial to award compensation for attorney costs and damages inflicted as a result of these investigations.

The first investigation was launched against Fulwood in July when police department dispatcher Lindsay Powell alleged Fulwood said her husband “needs to get off his ass and get a friggin’ job.” Troiano then hired Gainesville Police Department Sgt. Jorge Campos to investigate. Through interviews, one witness corroborated Powell’s accusation while two other witnesses denied hearing the comment.

Fulwood has adamantly denied making the statement, but he was disciplined with a 40-hour unpaid suspension Nov. 9. In the appeal procedures that followed, Fulwood accused Troiano of violating his due process rights during the investigation for not specifying which specific section of the police department directives he violated.

Fulwood was then put on paid administrative leave Oct. 29 after the incident about his confrontation of an Alachua police officer was launched in August. Troiano rehired Campos to investigate claims Fulwood acted inappropriately when he approached Alachua Police Officer Adam Joy in early 2008 while he was acting as interim police chief before Troiano joined the department.

After Campos interviewed all officers involved, Troiano concluded Fulwood was “angry, loud, unprofessional and argumentative” when he interrogated Joy about accusations Fulwood’s son was seen in a well known drug area in Alachua.

The investigation into Fulwood’s confrontation with Joy lasted from August to January and led to his termination Jan. 21.

But while still on administrative leave, Troiano launched a third investigation into Fulwood Dec. 8 about the cleanliness of his patrol car. Troiano concluded Fulwood acted improperly when he found dirt and droppings of chewing tobacco within the car.

He was disciplined with a written warning Dec. 17, which Fulwood called excessive since other officers are given verbal instructions to clean their cars when they are found to be dirty.

Fulwood is now the second fired High Springs Police Department employee to sue the city in two years. Former police dispatcher Ginger Travers sued the city in 2008 after she said Troiano wrongly called for her termination from the department where she worked since 1981. In January, an arbitrator agreed and ordered the city to pay for all wages lost since she was fired and to reinstate her with seniority at the department.

With Fulwood’s lawsuit filing Friday, he said he recognizes the angst brought upon the city with his lawsuit but that his motives are now about clearing his name.

“I am sincerely sorry to the community that it has come to this,” Fulwood said. “But once the personal attacks on my character, integrity and professionalism began I was left with no other choice but to defend myself.”

ARCHER – The Archer City Commission set a new milestone recently by electing the first African American female as mayor by a unanimous decision.  In 2002, Roberta Lopez had the distinction of being the first black female elected to the City Commission, serving a four-year term, and was elected again in 2008 for another four-year term.  Lopez served terms as Vice Mayor in 2006 and 2009.

The commissioner turned mayor has been a driving force behind the restoration of the Archer Civic Auditorium. Since 2007 she has shepherded the Civic Auditorium project from a dilapidated structure used as a garage by the City to a nearly completed restored historic structure which will serve the citizens of Archer and Alachua County as a community center. Lopez was instrumental in raising over $300,000 in private donations and the award of $600,000 in grant funds.

Lopez also served in the Hillsborough County United Way program and in several positions in Hillsborough County government culminating as the Community Affairs Director. Other achievements include recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award in 2003, awarded by the Democratic Executive Committee of Alachua County for outstanding dedication to the Democratic Party of Alachua County. She is also the recipient of the Ebony Appreciation Award in 2004, the Santa Fe Community College Women of Distinction Award in 2006, The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Leadership and Achievement Award in 2008 and she has been recognized by the City of Archer for her dedication and support of the restoration of the Archer Community Center.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist has proclaimed the first Friday of every February as School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day. Both the Mayor of Gainesville and the Alachua County Commission have proclaimed Feb. 5 as that day. This year’s event will be held at the Martin Luther King Center located at 1028 NE 14th Street beginning at 9:30 am. Breakfast will be served in honor of all crossing guards.

This year marks the third anniversary of the combined celebration involving crossing guards from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Alachua Police Department, High Springs Police Department, and Waldo Police Department. Several proclamations from the various governing bodies of the agencies involved will be read honoring the guards.

School crossing guards work every day school is in session no matter what the weather is like. They educate children on how to properly and safely cross the street. Watching for gaps in traffic to minimize the disruption of the flow, their number one priority is the safety of the children. This position is non-sworn and they have no traffic enforcement authority. This year, one Crossing Guard will receive the first annual Alachua County Crossing Guard of the Year award, to be presented at the breakfast. This recipient will then be eligible for the State Crossing Guard of the Year award. This event is always special as it draws all the agencies together and shows appreciation for those that keep our children safe on their way to school daily.

The community is invited to attend.  For additional information or to RSVP your attendance at the breakfast, please contact FST Toni Fulton at 352-494-9153 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

ALACHUA – The Alachua/Sherwood Oaks Neighborhood Networks Center has five residents entered in the SAHMA 2010 Drug-Free Kid Poster contest.

The Center held its “Good Luck Contestants” party on Tuesday, January 26. The Center presents the participants with certificates, a first- or second-place ribbon and a prize.

The Center awarded fifth-grader Gabriela Gonzalez with first place in the fourth-through-sixth-grade category, so she received a $25 Walmart gift certificate.

Ninth-grader Samuel Lindee was awarded first place in the seventh-through-ninth grade category, and seventh-grader Julietter Smith took home second place. They won $25 and $15 Walmart gift cards, respectively.

There were also two participants in the tenth-through-twelfth-grade level. The Center awarded eleventh-grader Ieshiah Robinson first place with a $25 Wal-mart gift certificate, and tenth-grader Quantavious Mcfadden won second place and a $15 Wal-mart gift certificate.

The Center awards are separate from the SAHMA awards. All the posters are sent to compete against other contestants in their age group in Florida. If the contestants win the state competition, they are sent to NAHMA, where they compete against the other 50 state winners of their age groups. One poster from each age group is chosen as the national winner.

Volunteer artist Sonya Lindee helped the children get their ideas from a standard sheet of paper to the large poster board size.  She also helped them with the painting by mixing colors and showing them how to use the paint brushes.  Center officials said Lindee was great with the children and the Center was very glad she was able to volunteer her time and knowledge to make the event a success.

The prizes for SAHMA and NAHMA are listed on the enclosed document.

We are in the Epiphany Season, which is also called the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.  This season is the celebration of the appearance of Jesus, the Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer, to the world.  Jan. 6 has been set aside as its feast day and it was done to rival a pagan holiday, which is also the reason that Christmas was set to Dec. 25.  Although Epiphany is the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, the Jews also had a part in this revelation.  The shepherds that were the first to be shown this miracle were Jewish and then they spread the word to the surrounding countryside, all Jewish families.  The Gentiles who were shown the miracle birth of the Christ-child were the three magi.

This includes the writings of one of the early Church Fathers, Saint John Chrysostom who lived from 347 to 407 A.D. and was the Archbishop of Constantinople.  He is also considered one of the greatest of the early Church Fathers.  He lived only three generations from the time of our Lord and would have a better understanding of the life and doctrine of Christ. 

In his writings we’re given some insight on this revelation of Christ to the Gentiles.  The three Kings or wise men were from the orient, from Persia.  They weren’t Jewish, so they wouldn’t have any of the knowledge of the sayings of the Jewish prophets that foretold of a Messiah.  These men were led by a star, some kind of astronomical phenomenon, to the exact place where Jesus was laying in a manger.  Saint Chrysostom says that the star they followed was truly a manifestation from God, so it could’ve been an angel appearing as a star, because with God, all things are possible. 

Now, the Persians have always been familiar with the stars, but this one was so spectacular that they realized this was something more than a natural occurrence; it had to have been of a divine nature.  He also pointed out that this star didn’t act like the other heavenly bodies that go across the sky from east to west; it moved from north to south and was visible during the day.  When the magi neared Jerusalem, the star disappeared, so they had to ask King Herod, “where is he that is born King of the Jews?”  Herod consulted with his wise men and scribes and they told him that the Christ would come from Bethlehem. 

After they left Herod, the star then reappeared and led them the rest of their way to Jesus Christ.  Saint Chrysostom writes that the magi needed to find out from the Jews that this event was foretold in the Jewish prophecies.  It was also necessary to give them this vision of the star so that they couldn’t deny it—they hadn’t had any previous dealings or visions from God.  Through the workings of the Holy Spirit the magi were slowly brought closer to God during their journey, so they’d ultimately understand the revelation that they were moving toward.

During all of those miles south on their journey, God was speaking to the magi, through the Holy Spirit, helping them realize they were in communication with the one true God.  This is an example of how the Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians, bringing us closer to Him, not forcing Himself upon us, but gently and lovingly guiding us into relationship with Him.  So, when the magi finally arrived at the point under where the star had stopped, they knew that this was the child that was “born King of the Jews.”

The Christian soul is guided by the Holy Spirit into communion with God so that our faith is strengthened and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer and Saviour of all mankind.  It’s only through the Christian relationship with Jesus that the Gentile is given the gift of eternal life.  It is only through our relationship with Christ that we are allowed to be in the presence of God, glorifying Him forever in the company of the Heavenly Host.