Local

GAINESVILLEL, FLA. -  As a part of the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department’s 352walls initiative, local artist Turbado Marabou created a mural at the Clarence R. Kelly Community Center & Park, located in East Gainesville's Duval Community. The artwork is on the south wall of the community center's exterior and faces the park's event lawn and playground. 

Turbado Marabou is a talented muralist and storyteller. He uses his art to speak to the African traditions of moving from youth to adulthood in rites of passage ceremonies, and to foster community engagement, exposure, encouragement, health, cultural education and sustainable art forms. Throughout the summer, Turbado, along with community partners, held engagement sessions with youth and seniors to build community and foster community pride.

The Clarence R. Kelly Community Center & Park mural was funded by the City of Gainesville’s Wild Spaces & Public Places program through the Arts in Public Places Trust. The mural cost $5,000.

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Gainesville, Florida – Santa Fe College will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. for the new Ralph W. Cellon Jr. Institute for Skilled Trades and Advanced Manufacturing. It will be built on SF’s Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83^rd Street across the street from the SF Gymnasium.

The facility is being named in honor of Ralph W. Cellon, a longtime supporter of the college. Cellon has been a central figure throughout the college’s history. He helped lead the effort to secure the land where the college’s Northwest Campus is located, served as an inaugural trustee on the college’s District Board of Trustees, and has continuously served for 54 years on the Board of the Santa Fe College Foundation.

“Ralph Cellon has been integral to the growth of Santa Fe College since its inception and it is fitting that this new facility be named in his honor,” SF President Paul Broadie II said. “He knows the power of a college education, and the need for highly skilled workers in the trades. As demand continues to grow in these industries, students graduating from our programs will be able to enter their career field knowing that they have been trained utilizing the latest technology and are poised for success.”

When the facility opens, the increased space will enable the college to see a 275% increase in the number of students that can be trained in HVAC and Welding. In addition, the college plans to add a new degree program in Advanced Manufacturing to help address the needs of business and industry within the community.

Construction on the facility is expected to begin next year with a projected opening of Fall 2025.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ It may be BBQ like you’ve never had before and its coming to High Springs. Bobby and Crystal Gay have been involved with competition Bar-B-Q for a long time and have placed or won many contests including across the Southeast, from the Big Pig Jig in Georgia to the Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam in Florida. They were also featured on the Food Network's BBQ USA show.

Burnt out in the corporate world and eager to find a business to match their passion for BBQ, inspiration struck during a lunch break when Crystal Gay called her husband and suggested they should open their own barbecue business.

In November 2022 Bobby and Crystal purchased a three-acre plot with a 3,100-sq-ft building in High Springs on Highway 441 near Bev's Burgers toward Alachua. Naming their business Sweet Meats BBQ, the couple set out to share their expertise with the public and provide a high-quality butcher shop.

Crystal says they were surprised to find there were no butcher shops or BBQ supply stores in the area, and although they live in Gainesville, property values were too high to buy property there.

“We didn’t want to rent in case a landlord changed the rent or ownership since we wanted to establish a permanent business where we had control and the ability to expand,” said Crystal. “So, we looked at other locations in the area.” Crystal says they both fell in love with High Springs and its small-town feel.

Coming from a small town in Georgia, Bobby is a firm believer that BBQ is a great way to bring people together. “We wanted to keep a family feel to our shop” he said. “Our business will be more than just a butcher shop, we will be a barbecue supply store, smoker manufacturing company with a variety of smokers, including one with a built-in sound system for backyard parties and catering company.

Sweet Meats BBQ will also be offering BBQ cooking classes from some of the most renowned experts in competition class styles and has been approved by the City of High Springs to build a pole barn to hold cook-outs, events and concerts as well.

“We want to be a destination point for everything BBQ for the community and a place to gather as well,” said Bobby. “We plan to expand our services over the next year to include whole hog cooking on a brick pit doing old-school style.”

While the store will focus on the full-service butcher portion of the business, Bobby and Gay want to make it a community gathering spot as well with events, concerts and, of course, food and cookouts.

The butcher shop will offer a wide variety of high-quality competition and commercial meats, including pork, beef, ribs, chicken, lamb and Wagyu beef.

“We will offer better quality custom cut meats at a lower price than supermarkets,” said Bobby. “We want people to be able to customize their order in any way they want.”

Sweet Meats will also offer cooked meats and BBQ for takeout and a catering service for delivery. The classes will offer lessons on BBQ cooking and education on cooking styles and what meats are best for each style. Bobby says they want to help customers increase their skill level of grilling no matter where they start out.

Sweet Meats is planning a grand opening on Friday, Sept. 1 from noon to 5 p.m. Regular store hours will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. More information and takeout or catering can be done by phone at 352-474-3040.

“We want to make this site a one stop location for all things BBQ and provide a place for the community to gather and have a good time,” said Bobby. “BBQ is an American tradition that brings family and friends together.”

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ALACHUA  COUNTY - Alachua County Public Schools will be using two days in December to make up for the two instructional days lost to Hurricane Idalia.

The two days school will now be in session are Thursday, Dec. 21 and Friday, Dec. 22. Both were designated as ‘flex days’ in the 2023-24 school year approved by the School Board in February.

Flex days are built into the school year calendar in case the district has to make up days lost to severe weather or other emergencies. Alachua County Public Schools has been incorporating flex days into its school year calendars for several years.

Make-up days are necessary to meet state requirements for instructional time.

The use of the Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 flex days as regular school days will still leave two full weeks for the Winter Holiday, which will run from Monday, December 25 through Friday, January 5.

School year calendars are developed by the district in collaboration with the Alachua County Education Association and typically approved in February or March for the following school year.

A notice about the make up days will be sent to families this afternoon through email and phone and through text for those parents/guardians who have opted in to the district’s text messaging system.

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BY JENNIFER CABRERA/Alachua Chronicle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During its regular meeting on Aug. 22, 2023, the Alachua County Commission voted to stop working toward a controversial meat processing facility in Newberry, with Commissioner Chuck Chestnut saying he wouldn’t vote to put any County facilities in Newberry “because why would we put County resources into a city that wants a new county, a Springs County?”

RFP for a developer-operator for the facility

The agenda item, which asked the board to approve a Scope of Work so staff could issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a developer-operator for the proposed meat processing facility, went off topic almost immediately when Commissioner Ken Cornell objected to updates on a soil analysis report and the proposed solid waste facility at the same site “because those things are separate.” Cornell also objected to the Scope of Work referring to a “developer-operator” because “this board has never had a discussion about a developer-operator; we have always only ever had a discussion about an RFP for an operator.”

County Manager Michele Lieberman said the facility has always been discussed as being similar to the Sports Event Center, which was built and operated by a third party with County funds. 

Cornell said he had thought the County was putting up $2.5 million, along with $2.5 million from the State, and would then build it and put out an RFP for an operator: “The State said, ‘You can’t have the money,’ and I thought that was our off-ramp, we’re done. But no… I don’t even understand why we’re talking about it.”

Chair Anna Prizzia said the RFP is to look for “a partner to bring forward the remaining money that would be necessary to build this project and to collaborate with us on building and operating this project… I feel like you’re trying to make it sound like there’s something that was done that was sneaky… and I don’t see that sneakiness in here; I see them bringing forward a Scope of Work for us to talk about, and we’re talking about it today.”

No contamination at the site

Environmental Protection Department Director Steve Hofstetter told the board that soil samples taken in July at the proposed site for the three County facilities (fire training facility, solid waste facility, and meat processing facility) found no pesticide constituent concentrations above soil or groundwater clean-up target levels. The site hosted a crop dusting business in the past, so there have been concerns about whether the site is still contaminated. 

Solid Waste Director Gus Olmos said his department has been working with the City of Newberry on the location of the solid waste processing facility “and also looking at potential alternatives, if necessary.”

Cornell asked whether they have a Plan B, and Olmos said, “This is Plan B. We’re on Plan C right now.” Cornell said, “I think it’s really difficult for us to even talk about this if we can’t meet with the City of Newberry, and they don’t want to meet. Well, they don’t want to meet about the meat processing facility; I don’t know if they want to meet about this. So I’m interested in pursuing Plan C.”

“I’m not trying to kill the meat processing plant, but I will kill it if it goes to Newberry”

Commissioner Chuck Chestnut said, “I do not support anything going to Newberry… because of what I’ve been reading in the paper and what I’ve been seeing on the news. I don’t like it. I thought that we came in good faith to talk to them about a meat processing plant. What occurred was, there was a talk about a County Road 337. And it’s like… it was a setup for us that night because we never did talk about the processing plant at all.

And then we hear these comments about–I’m trying to be nice–to talk about a new county, I’ll put it that way, or Springs County, but I didn’t want to say it, but it pisses me off, I’ll just be honest with you, because why would we put County resources into a city that wants a new county, a Springs County? So why would we put Alachua County assets in a city that they’re talking about Springs County–it keeps coming up when we don’t agree with the City of Newberry about something. And that’s frustrating to me… If you want to be in Springs County, create a Springs County, but don’t come to the County asking us to put facilities in your backyard… I don’t play those games like that.”

Chestnut went on to say he was upset that Newberry asked the County to move CR 337 up on their list of priorities in exchange for the land for County facilities: “We have a pavement management plan. We hired a consultant to do an equity issue in that plan. And now you want us to deviate from our plan to meet you, when you didn’t even support the surtax for transportation. So I don’t play games. And so I don’t support any of our projects going into the City of Newberry, and I will vote against it and continue to vote against it… I’m not trying to kill the meat processing plant, but I will kill it if it goes to Newberry.”

Chestnut asked whether the County has identified other locations for the proposed facilities. Prizzia said the County had originally looked at the Newberry location because they offered land and have a wastewater treatment facility there.

“What I’ve done is switch lanes”

Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler said instead of taking an off-ramp, “What I’ve done is switch lanes.” She said she wanted various organizations to “form a co-op or work in cooperation with the University of Florida… I am ready to let this go into the hands of the people who will actually make this happen for the community. I am not interested in sending out an RFP at this point.” Wheeler favored making a grant available but not having staff work on it anymore. She continued, “I’m not on the off-ramp, because I do support the idea of meat processing… I’m trying to pull us out of it until we have a clearer path with people who are engaged in the profession.”

Prizzia said the RFP is exactly that – an opportunity for an organization to use $2.5 million in County funds to put toward a meat processing facility – but Wheeler said she didn’t think there would be any interest in that, and she didn’t want staff to keep working on it. 

“I think that Newberry has put us into a corner”

Prizzia said, “I get you, but it is an off-ramp. I mean, you are killing the project. And that’s fine… I understand why… Because I think that Newberry has put us into a corner.” She said she hoped the board would keep the $2.5 million “solidly in the local food bucket… and then we ask our staff to come forward with actual plans and proposals for how we can use that $2.5 million to increase food security and local food projects across Alachua County and not just derail the conversation about local food development and economic development in this arena.”

Wheeler said she disagreed with Chestnut about Newberry’s request to move up work on CR 337: “I was looking at it as good horse trading,… you make deals, you try to find the best angle to get what you need for your community. So I wasn’t offended by all of that. I realized that the mayor and the Commission there was trying to get a road taken care of, and they were willing to move the pieces around in a way that would get them the leverage that they wanted for that.”

Commissioner Mary Alford supported asking for proposals to put the facilities in another location, although applicants would need to be able to process the waste, among other requirements. She supported going forward with the RFP to see whether a local meat processing facility would be financially viable.

Motion to discontinue working on the meat processing facility

Cornell pointed out that 31 people had spoken about the meat processing facility during Early Public Comment, and 74% were against the facility. He made a motion to “direct staff to discontinue working on the development of a County-owned meat processing facility.” Wheeler seconded the motion.

During public comment on the motion, eight people spoke in favor of the motion, and two spoke in favor of continuing to work toward a meat processing facility. 

“I am truly outraged by the behavior towards this board”

After public comment ended, Wheeler scolded the public for being disrespectful to Alachua County and Newberry Commissioners: “I don’t appreciate my fellow commissioners being called by their first name. We have a certain protocol… The disrespect that I see coming towards this commission makes it very hard to agree with whatever it is you’re saying… It makes it very hard to be a part of a solution.”

Speaking to one family that has shown up to multiple County and Newberry meetings and who mentioned that they had interrupted their vacation to be at the meeting and might move here in the future if the meat processing facility was not stopped, Wheeler said, “The fact that you all have given up your vacation to be here is not our problem; that has nothing to do with us. Your personal life has nothing to do with us, particularly when you don’t even live in this community… I am truly outraged by the behavior towards this board.”

Prizzia had to stop Wheeler several times to ask people in the chamber to stop calling out responses to what she was saying, and one man was removed by a deputy after multiple requests from Prizzia to be quiet. 

“I thought our community was further along in terms of… its ability to… embrace a project like this”

Prizzia said, “I think that [the reason] this project isn’t moving forward is because of a lack of education and understanding of our food system as a whole and where the industrial food system is and the stranglehold that it has on our overall ability to provide healthy and sustainable and resilient food systems for our world. And you know, I’ve been working in that arena for a long time, so I take some personal responsibility for the fact that I thought our community was further along in terms of its understanding and its ability to sort of embrace a project like this, which is a leading-edge project. But we’re not there yet, and I get that, and I accept it.” She said she hoped the motion would fail and that they would keep the money in a bucket for local food systems development and direct staff to look at other options for supporting a local food economy and building resilient food systems in the community.

Cornell said he would work with Prizzia on food security issues, “but I can’t support a meat processing facility in Alachua County right now.” He said he would look at unsolicited proposals for a meat processing facility but would not support a facility led or owned by the County. 

Prizzia asked if they could keep the $2.5 million set aside for local food systems development, and Cornell replied, “No, I’m not ready to do that. That’s the next conversation I want to have.”

“Every time Newberry wants its way, they bring up Springs County, and I don’t like that”

Chestnut said he supported food security, but “I will state this over and over again: I will not support anything going to Newberry because they keep talking about Springs County, and most folks don’t want to talk about it, but to me, it’s very, very important. Either you want to be a part of Alachua County or you don’t. And if you don’t, then develop your own county and do what you want to do. I don’t respect that… Every time Newberry wants its way, they bring up Springs County, and I don’t like that.”

Alford asked whether Chestnut would be open to a substitute motion to remove the City of Newberry from the RFP and go ahead and issue it, and he said, “I’ll be honest with you–no.”

Cornell’s motion passed 3-2, with Alford and Prizzia in dissent, effectively ending the meat processing facility.

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