Local

GAINESVILLE - The Alachua County Library District is now offering curbside library card sign-up and renewal at all branches 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

To obtain or renew a card, follow these steps:

• Collect your photo identification (i.e. valid driver’s license, passport, or other state-issued ID) and proof of address and go to a library branch.
• When you arrive, call the branch and be ready to provide your name, address, birth date, email address, and phone number.
• After you have spoken with a library staff member, follow their directions to show your identification and proof of address for review.
• After reviewing your documentation, staff members will issue a new card or renew your card.
• Visit www.aclib.us for details on obtaining a library card for a minor.

The Library District extended 2020 library card expiration dates through July 31. Patrons can visit their preferred branch to renew their cards before that date.

While the Library District’s buildings have been closed due to COVID-19, Alachua County residents could sign up for digital book access through OverDrive for a limited time with a phone number. OverDrive patrons can now sign up for a full access library cards to use all the Library District’s online resources and check out physical items.  

Please contact Rachel Cook at 352-334-3909 for more details on current servicers and visit www.aclib.us/CurrentServices.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY – Beginning June 1 and continuing through the summer, the district’s free grab & go meals distribution is Mondays through Thursdays. Meals for all seven days of the week will be provided, with distribution spread throughout the week.

Any child 18 years old and younger can receive a free breakfast and lunch at one of 70 locations, including bus stops, through the Free Summer Meals program.  The department’s food truck will also visit three neighborhoods, including Hidden Oaks, Majestic Oaks and the SWAG Family Resource Center this summer.

The Summer Meals Program, funded by the federal government, is open to any child regardless of family income. Children do not have to be enrolled at a particular school or program to receive meals. They also do not have to be eligible for free and reduced price meals during the regular school year to take advantage of the program.

“Families can take their children to the site that’s most convenient for them,” said Maria Eunice, Director of the district’s Food and Nutrition Services department. “They just drive or walk up during the serving times and enjoy a nutritious grab & go meals, with no registration required.”

For more details on free meal sites, serving dates and times, please visit the Food & Nutrition website www.yourchoicefresh.com or call 352-955-7539.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA – A two-story building on Alachua’s Main Street has been empty for some time. In the past it housed various restaurants and cuisines serving up Mexican, seafood, American, and bar-b-que.

Now Gallop-In-Gary's is bringing new life to the building in the form of a sandwich restaurant. Like the building itself, Gallop-In-Gary’s has also had several incarnations under the same name but in different places. Chef and owner Larry Greco originally had two restaurants in the area under that name. One location was in High Springs and the other in Alachua where Mi Apa is located. He later moved the High Springs location just over the Columbia County line on U.S. Highway 441.

But Greco also loved Alachua. “It’s a small town with a great community and friendly atmosphere, and I always wanted to reopen here,” Greco said.

Greco, originally from Florida, joined the Marines in the early 1970s where he served two tours in Vietnam. Afterward he went to California and served as a LAPD police officer, but knew he wanted something different. He had relatives back east and he moved to New York where he opened a restaurant and realized he had found his calling. He moved back to Florida and worked as a chef in several restaurants, including the Cordon Bleu in Miami, and he eventually opened his own restaurant in South Florida. After moving to Alachua County, he opened the Gallop-In-Gary's restaurants.

The restaurant's menu features 19 different sandwiches, all of which are much larger than normal, packed with the main ingredient. They feature a variety of meats and a vegetarian version. The restaurant also serves salads, homemade pastries and ice cream.

Referring to the sandwiches, Greco said, “We make them big because I feel that people should get their money’s worth. It can cost $50 to $75 for a family of four to go out. Especially in these tough economic times you need to make it affordable if you want people to come out to eat. None of my sandwiches are more $12.”

“With rising food costs, I basically break even on expensive meats like roast beef,” Greco said. “But it’s worth it to establish repeat customers that come for a great meal at a good price.”

Greco can help keep costs down because Gallop-In-Gary's is a totally family run business. His wife, daughter and son-in-law are currently his only employees. “If the economy improves and business warrants it, I will hire more staff, but for now this is it,” he said.

Currently, Greco is only using the first floor of the building, which helps keep utilities down and limits liabilities. “The upstairs is more of a bar setting, and I don't want to get into beer and wine sales. I have enough to work with and am geared more toward a family atmosphere,” Greco said.

Customers will be treated with music from an old 1960s jukebox in one room, and Greco is waiting on an old rolltop player piano for the other dining area. “I want people to feel comfortable and enjoy their meal. Down the road, in maybe six months I want to expand the menu with a seafood buffet on Friday evenings and a country buffet on Saturday and include musicians and bands upstairs on the patio,” he said.

Gallop-In-Gary’s opened on June 1 and is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. They offer both dine in and take out as well as delivery. To order for pickup call 352-660-3009.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY – A Newberry business has been approved for expansion of their facility. Following a lengthy Board of Adjustment (BOA) hearing on an application to expand Pet Paradise, 19518 Newberry Road, a Special Exception (SE) application to allow for facilities expansion was approved. The 4.85-acre property is located to the west of Dudley Farm State Park and is bound on the east, north and west by Tropic Traditions, Inc., a plant nursery.

City Commissioners, sitting as the BOA, voted 3-2 in favor of approval of the application with Commissioners Monty Farnsworth and Paul Norfleet casting the dissenting votes. Prior to the quasi-judicial hearing, the City received three requests from residents asking that the SE application be denied.

Jim Fleming, owner of Tropic Traditions, said he had to maintain the overgrowth of the Pet Paradise fence line, which encroached onto his property. In response to that complaint, Brian Franco, Vice President of Store Master Funding, met with Fleming and agreed to have the fence line vegetation trimmed. Franco showed photographs of the before and after cutting and said he would maintain the overgrowth in the future.

Mary Fleming lives directly next door to the west of the property and opposed the planned expansion. "As it is now, the barking dogs are constantly disrupting my lifestyle, in particular my much-needed rest/sleep," she said. She also said she had never complained before but felt it was obligatory to do so now.

William W. (Wayne) Tharp sent a letter explaining his family’s long history on 20 acres of property at 19527 West Newberry Road and the adjoining 17-acre parcel directly south and across Newberry Road from Pet Paradise. His expressed concern was that “at times a lot of barking can clearly be heard across Newberry Road on my property.” He also complained that several times people pulling boats or driving large vehicles have pulled over on the side of Newberry Road to pick up or drop off animals at Pet Paradise. “I have to believe that the proposed additional 77 kennel spaces will only make the current barking noise and limited parking, ingress and egress, particularly for larger vehicles, worse and unacceptable,” he said.

Wayne Tharpe also was sworn in to testify in the quasi-judicial hearing. He said he believed the buffers were unrealistic for 125 barking dogs and that he didn't think barking dogs would add to anyone's property values. "I don't see a need for another 77 barking dogs," he said.

Newberry Planning and Economic Development Director Bryan Thomas explained that the animal boarding facility is located in an agricultural zoning district, as authorized by the City's Land Development Regulations (LDRs). The application will allow the facility to expand the 12,500-sq.-ft. building and 125 kennel spaces to allow for the addition of 4,500 sq. ft. and 77 more kennels.

The property was annexed into the City in August 2019 and received approval for a zoning change in November 2019. The zoning change requires a Special Exception (SE) to allow for the facility expansion.

Thomas explained, "The purpose of a SE is to permit a use not otherwise allowed by right in a particular zoning district when certain conditions specifically set out in the SE are met." When considering approval of a SE, the BOA must consider the potential for adverse impacts on the surrounding area.

Clay Sweger of eda Engineers, who was acting as the agent for the parent company, Store Master Funding XI, submitted a site and development plan showing the proposed placement of the new buildings, parking provisions, entrance to and from the parking area, refuse and service areas as well as open spaces. The plan also showed screening and buffering, landscaping, signage and lighting. In all cases, the project met or exceeded the requirements required by the City.

Franco presented photographs of a relatively new facility similar to the one proposed in Newberry. He also provided pictures of the inside of the existing Newberry location and explained how the employees mitigated odor and noise on the property and addressed hours of operation, outside playtimes and how the facility is regulated.

Franco said, "We want to be good neighbors and will try to minimize nuisance barking." He also said he had introduced Fleming to his facility manager and encouraged Fleming to contact his manager whenever an issue arises.

One item in the Planning and Zoning Board's recommendation to the BOA was removed from the resolution before approval by the board. That item was a sentence indicating that the City would be responsible for making sure that the facility would address the boundary overgrowth.

Three board members agreed with Mayor Jordan Marlowe that it was not something they believed the City should be responsible for regulating. Commissioner Tim Marden made the motion to approve, explicitly eliminating the questionable item from his action. Commissioner Rick Coleman seconded.

# # #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

 ALACHUA – With a familiar and welcoming face, Len Thomas is somewhat of an icon at the Alachua Post Office.

For 50 years Thomas has been helping customers at the post office, and June 8 will mark the 50^th anniversary of his employment and also his retirement after a long career.

Thomas began his career at age 21 in the building which is now the City of Alachua Chamber of Commerce and Museum on Main Street. Thomas began his career as a part-time flexible clerk (PTF). Throughout the years he has filled in for postmasters, served as a safety ambassador and will finish his career as the lead clerk.

Over the years he has seen a lot of changes in the Postal Service. Thomas has moved with the Alachua Post Office into three different buildings. He moved from a tiny office downtown to the current location across the street from Alachua City Hall. He has watched the local mail service grow from two rural routes to 10. He witnessed all the services and records go from handwritten entries to computer and digital formats.

Prior to joining the Postal Service, Thomas served in the Army in a Reconnaissance Division. Upon his return to Alachua he worked at a local gas station called Odeas, and then joined the Post Office. Since then he has become a well-known fixture at the post office, and people often stop by to see him on a daily basis. Over the years, he and his wife Angie have raised seven children and 12 grandchildren in Alachua.

Thomas's involvement in the community covers much more than his job at the post office, and over the years he has been active in the community. He was a volunteer for the local fire department and a substitute teacher for 15 years at Santa Fe High School. He was a successful high school softball and basketball coach as well as a coach in local youth leagues.

Thomas was also involved in local city government, holding a seat on the City Board for Parks and Recreation, and from there he was elected to the Alachua City Commission. As a city commissioner he played an intricate part in shaping the community into what it is today. He has watched it grow from a small town of fewer than 2,000 in 1960 to nearly 10,000 today.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

HIGH SPRINGS – On May 29, the High Springs Police Department (HSPD) responded to a call involving a shooting near the Catherine Taylor Park. Officers arrived on the scene within minutes of the call and discovered an adult male victim on the ground, suffering from a single gunshot wound near the lower back. HSPD personnel administered first aid until EMS arrived on the scene. The victim was then airlifted to a local hospital where he is in stable condition.

According to an ongoing investigation, it was revealed that the victim was part of a group involved in a physical altercation with another group and the victim was allegedly shot by 19-year-old George Mack Strawder III. Strawder and others in the group fled the scene on foot and eluded a search by law enforcement.

Strawder, a resident of High Springs, is well known to HSPD and has an extensive arrest record. He had recently been arrested on a robbery charge, but was released due to the unwillingness of witnesses to testify.

“It’s really frustrating when we know of his involvement in criminal activity, arrest him on a charge, but then see them go free due to being unable to get a conviction with no testimony from witnesses,” HSPD Police Chief Antione Sheppard said.

As a result of the shooting, another arrest warrant has been issued for the Strawder. He is being charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery, Shooting/Throwing a Deadly Missile into a Dwelling, Shooting/Throwing a Deadly Missile into a Vehicle, and Possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon.

This is the second shooting incident in the vicinity within a month. While authorities are not sure if the two incidents are related, they do believe that Strawder was involved in both cases. Due to this increased violence, HSPD will be deploying extra patrols in the affected area for the next few days and is appealing to the community to use restraint and to allow law enforcement to resolve this matter. “We are concerned that there may be retribution between the two groups so we want to get this resolved quickly,” Sheppard said.

Last year there was a series of shootings in Alachua, which were retaliatory and police believed they were gang related, including a group called 4K. Sheppard does not believe that the incident in High Springs is gang related, but rather a dispute between two groups of residents. Police believe that Strawder is still in the general area although probably not in High Springs. A task force of HSPD, U.S. Marshals and Alachua County Sheriff’s office is investigating Strawder's whereabouts.

“We want to keep our city safe, but we can't be everywhere at once, we need the cooperation of the citizens who witness incidents, so we can target the bad people and get them out of the neighborhood,” Sheppard said. “There were two daycare centers in the immediate vicinity and children were in the park when this incident occurred, which makes this particularly dangerous for the neighborhood.

“So far, we have not had many people step forward with information, but we know there were a number of witnesses and are asking them contact us so we can help resolve this situation before it gets worse. Keeping our town safe is a collaborative effort between the police and the residents in the community,” said Sheppard.

Anyone with information about this crime or the whereabouts of Strawder is encouraged to contact HSPD Detective Tracy Taylor at ttaylor@highsprings.us or 352-955-1818, or call any local law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers 352-372-STOP and remain anonymous and be eligible for a monetary reward.

#     #     #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com