Local

ALACHUA ‒ Shoppers and visitors in downtown Alachua will soon find parking more convenient. On Sept. 26, City of Alachua officials, staff and local business owners gathered in a dirt lot behind Conestoga’s Restaurant. They were there for a groundbreaking ceremony for a new paved parking lot for downtown businesses, customers and visitors.

Located between Main Street and Northwest 142^nd Terrace, part of the dirt lot had been used for parking on a patch of land the city has owned for many years. But the spaces available were limited and the lot was on uneven ground with the surrounding land owned by various businesses and individuals. The project comes after numerous property owners in the project’s vicinity donated land and the City of Alachua’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) purchased a closed former daycare facility.

Crediting local property owner support, CRA Coordinator Lindsay Rizzo said, “Their generous contributions are at the forefront of what made this project come to reality. Each of these property owners donated a portion of their land to create a parcel large enough to accomplish this impactful project. There has been a need for additional parking in the downtown area to support these business owners for a long time”

Rizzo says the new parking lot will transform the back of buildings along Main Street as well as enhancing curb appeal with new landscaping. It will enhance access to Main Street via a winding sidewalk between two historic structures with subtle overhead lighting. “It will create a charming walking experience and create a cohesive aesthetic to blend with other projects we have been working,” said Rizzo. “The CRA is very proud to break ground on a project that is much more than just a parking lot.”

The project will also improve the infrastructure and functionality in the downtown area with underground utilities running behind the historic buildings. “This will create open space without poles and wires for businesses to have outdoor dining and cafe spaces,” said Rizzo. “An underground water retention basin will relieve some of the water flow issues during significant rain events and it will enhance safety with a well-lit parking area.”

Funding for the project comes from the City of Alachua general fund, the CRA tax increment financing fund, and the United States Department Agriculture Rural Development. Andrews Paving will construct the parking lot, but due to supply chain issues that still exist, there is no set time for its opening.

“It is with 10 years of forethought, planning and great diligence that we were able to break ground on this parking lot and it will add to the access to all the stores on Main Street,” said Rizzo.

#     #    #

email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY ‒ Justin Lee Rimes, 24, was arrested Wednesday, Sept. 21, and charged with carjacking and battery after allegedly stealing a pickup truck.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy responded early Monday morning to a report of a carjacking in High Springs. The victim said a friend of his had come to his house recently with Rimes and that he had given the two men a ride to Lake City in a pickup truck owned by his father.

The victim said that during the drive, Rimes started yelling at him and hit him in the face. The victim said he stopped the truck and got out in High Springs and Rimes got into the driver’s seat and drove away. The victim called 911 from that location.

License plate readers showed that the truck had been driven to Marion County.

The victim identified Rimes in a photo line-up as the man who took the truck. The next night the friend and Rimes returned to the victim’s home in Newberry with the truck and a deputy responded and took Rimes into custody.

Rimes has been charged with battery with bodily harm and carjacking without a weapon. He has two pending criminal cases in Marion County, including a grand theft auto charge. He has an out-of-state criminal history in Tennessee, including a warrant for driving without a valid license. He is being held on $90,000 bail.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ This past weekend the High Springs BMX track became the first track in Florida to host the Southeast Region Gold Cup Series finals competition on Sept. 23-25. The national DK Bikes sanctioned competition brought BMX riders from throughout the southeast including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and the Carolinas, with nearly 700 riders and over 2,000 spectators, making it the largest Gold Cup event this year.

To reach the Gold Cup finals, riders count their best two scores from Gold Cup Qualifiers in a region and by racing both Saturday and Sunday of the Gold Cup Championship Final in that same region. In addition to awarding a Gold Cup jacket and #1 plate to the winner in each pointed age and skill level, winners are also awarded Gold Cup #2 and #3 plates.

The off-road bicycle competition includes up to eight riders on a serpentine single lap clay track that includes jumps and large banked turns. The bikes are single gear, with two classifications based on either a 20- or 24-inch wheel size. Since the 1960s BMX has gained popularity around the world and in 2008 it was officially sanctioned as an Olympic sport.

The High Springs track was built in 2002 by the City of High Springs and a partnership with local volunteers to provide youth and family-friendly sporting in the area. The track is managed by John and Laura Pringle who are both BMX racers along with their two daughters. But to Laura Pringle it's not the competition that's important. It's the family orientated spirit among the BMX community.

“Many times, the parents will come to watch their kids race and wind up doing it themselves,” said Pringle. “You don't see too many sports where parents participate with their kids.”

Pringle says they have been successful in helping expand the sport in the region since the track opened and lobbied to bring the Gold Cup series to the High Springs track. “We’ve been working for about six years with the sanctioning body, the Gainesville Sports Commission and Visit Gainesville,” said Pringle. “There are 22 sanctioned tracks in Florida and over 40 in the southwest region.” She said many of those tracks were competing to host this event and High Springs offered a central location for the region. “BMX riders and families are willing to do a day’s drive to compete in the larger events,” said Pringle.

Pringle credits partnerships with making High Springs the site of the Southeast Region Gold Cup Series finals. “We couldn't have made this happen without the support of all the community volunteers, along with the City and the High Springs Parks and Recreation Department who provided the infrastructure and extra land for this big event.”

Pringle says the event is a positive contribution to the local economy, bringing revenue for businesses with the influx of visitors. The City provided parking for a $20 fee and a $75 weekend camping area fee for the event. In addition to generating business for local businesses, the track had two food concession trailers on site, Kickstand Cafe and Char Bar, which offered breakfast, lunch and dinner options.

Competitions started Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Sunday with final winners announced at the end of the day on Sunday. “It turned out well and bigger than we expected,” said Pringle. “It was also a great opportunity for the BMX community from all over the region to get together to compete, have fun and make new friends.”

#     #    #

email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE ‒ Judges for the Cade Prize for Innovation selected six teams to advance to the final round and are vying for $67,000 in cash prizes. The winners’ rankings will be revealed at the 13^th Annual Cade Prize Awards Ceremony on Sept. 29, at the Cade Museum in Gainesville. If there is inclement weather, the event will take place on Oct. 6.

“The field of this year’s competition was exceptional,” said Cade Prize Committee Chair Richard Miles. “We are excited to announce the winners and watch how their groundbreaking innovations could change the world in the years to come.”

Two teams tied for one position this year, resulting in six teams making it to what is typically the final five.

One team is from Alachua County. An innovation from Sustainable Landfill Solutions LLC, Newberry, developed RO BOX – A modular on-site landfill leachate treatment system.

Other teams include Ambulero, Inc, Miami, whose innovation is a gene therapy for rare vascular diseases, Ilika Geospatial, Orlando, whose innovation is Earth Observation Indices, transforming raw satellite data into simple metrics, NEPTUNYA Ocean Power, Boca Raton, whose innovation is OCTOPODZ, a technology to unlock offshore renewable energy, Polymer Solutions Inc., Atlanta, whose innovation is Transient, Self-Immolative Polymers and SG Endocrine Research, LLC, Athens, Georgia, whose innovation is Nanoparticles for non-surgical spaying and neutering.

The Cade Prize is a capstone initiative of the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in Alachua County. The museum is named after Dr. Robert Cade, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of Florida, best known as the lead inventor of Gatorade in 1965. The museum’s mission is to transform communities by inspiring and equipping future inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission has given the go ahead to a property zoning change that will allow 124 acres to be used as a limestone quarry. The City Commission at its Sept. 26 meeting approved an application for a large-scale amendment to the Future Land Use Map by eda consultants, inc., agent for Cates & Broome, LLC and Cates and Broome Partnership, owner. The action changes 123.9 +/- acres from (County) Rural/Agriculture to (City) Mining. The Commission also approved on first reading the application to rezone the same property from (County) Agriculture to (City) Agricultural (A).

The property is an abandoned mining site, which was annexed into Newberry on June 8, 2020, and is located on the east side of Northwest County Road 236, between Northwest 22^nd Avenue and Northwest 46^th Avenue. The site will be the future limestone quarry for Limestone Products, LLC once the southern site has been exhausted of resources. Representing the owner, eda consultants say the quarry will not increase demand on public infrastructure.

The property is the site of a small cemetery and a protected gopher tortoise population. The developer will fence off the cemetery and will be required to relocate the gopher tortoises to a suitable location. Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe said there are three visible gravestones on the property. City of Newberry planner Jean-Paul Perez recommended that a historical resource survey would be the best way to determine the number of graves in that area and to possibly identify who was buried on the site.

A special use permit must be approved by the Newberry City Commission prior to the commencement of any mining operation. “The special use permit request has been submitted and will be brought before the Planning and Zoning Board and the City Commission once the future land use and zoning have been established,” said Perez.

The Commission approved the large-scale amendment change on first reading and also approved transmitting the document to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for review, as is required by the State of Florida with all large-scale amendments of 50 acres or more. A second and final hearing by the Newberry City Commission will be scheduled at a future commission meeting.

In other City business, the Commission set the final Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget at $33,946,148 and adopted the final millage rate of 5.9244, which is the same as the roll-back rate. The roll-back rate calculates taxable property values in relation to the total revenue they generate. If the tax rate generates the same total revenue one year as it did in the previous year, then the rolled-back rate has been applied

In other budget-related actions, the Commission approved rate increases on second and final reading for electric, water, wastewater and development fees. Residential electric rates were increased by approximately 1.5 percent on the customer charge, for an average residential impact of $1.55 per month. Non-residential rates are proposed to be adjusted in a similar fashion. The rate increase will take effect Jan. 1, 2023.

Changes to the wastewater rates represent a 2.5 percent increase in the consumption charge while changes to the water rates represent a 4.5 percent increase in the consumption charge.

Also approved on second reading were increases in development fees for water and wastewater. The proposed rate increase is 12.5 percent bringing the water fee to $866.50 and the wastewater fee to $4,158.

Development fees are collected to offset the impact development has on the utility infrastructure. These fees are charged against new construction at the time of permit issuance to offset the cost of new infrastructure needs of the utility. The City Commission last increased fees in 2007.

Commissioners approved on second and final reading the Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU) fee in a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Tim Marden in dissent. Alachua County levies a $20.47 one- time annual fee per household for providing solid waste services to the City. The MSBU rate for residential customers in FY 2022-23 is the same rate as levied in the previous two years.

The Commission, anticipating impacts by Hurricane Ian, declared a state of emergency due to the likelihood that the area would receive high winds and significant rainfall.

City Manager Mike New said the resolution authorizes the City to waive certain requirements in an emergency situation such as the competitive bid process prior to hiring a company to assist in repairs. In the meantime, Newberry city employees have been patrolling the area to eliminate potential hazards due to high winds and are asking residents to remove potential flying debris from their yards. New said Easton would be set up as a pet friendly shelter, sand will be available at the Public Works Building and city staff will be going home early on Tuesday afternoon to address their own hurricane preparedness measures. He also announced that the City would be closed on Thursday. Assistant City Manager Dallas Lee suggested residents check at the City’s website to view changes, updates and any other hurricane-related information.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA ‒ James Allan Garrison, 62, was arrested on Saturday, Sept. 17, after allegedly grabbing an Alachua Police Department officer around the throat and resisting arrest.

The officer responded to a verbal altercation in the 13300 block of Northwest 151^st Place in Alachua. Garrison allegedly pushed and grabbed the officer around the throat while trying to get past him while the officer was trying to prevent him from attacking another person. The officer reportedly told Garrison that he was under arrest and to put his hands behind his back. Garrison allegedly refused to comply until the officer displayed his Taser.

Garrison has been charged with resisting arrest without violence and battery on a police officer. He is a registered Career Offender with 13 felony convictions, 26 misdemeanor convictions and eight state prison sentences. His most recent release was in March. He was arrested on July 31, 2022, for battery and released on $5,000 bond. He is being held on $30,000 bond on the current charges.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com