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ALACHUA COUNTY – Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) will continue to provide free meals to local children through Aug. 6.

The free meals were scheduled to end on Thursday, July 23, but the federal government has granted a waiver to districts that want to extend their summer meal programs, including ACPS. That means the district’s Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Department will continue to provide free breakfasts and lunches to students age 0-18 at the current 70 sites, including several bus stops in high needs neighborhoods.

Families will be able to pick up enough meals Mondays through Thursdays. On Thursday, they’ll receive enough meals to get them through the weekend as well. The distribution schedule is available on the FNS website at yourchoicefresh.com.

Since the end of March, the district has provided nearly 2.2 million meals for local children. FNS staff have remained on duty during the summer to prepare and distribute those meals, and bus drivers have continued to deliver them.

“We had an overwhelming response from staff who said they wanted to stay at work for the next few weeks to get this done,” said FNS director Maria Eunice. “It’s been heartwarming to me that so many people have been willing to step up.”

Following the last day of the summer program on Aug. 6, which will include the distribution of meals for the following weekend, FNS staff will begin the work of preparing for the upcoming school year, which starts for students on Aug. 24. That will include staff training and additional preparation of kitchens and lunchrooms to promote the safety of students and staff in light of COVID-19.

“We have a lot of work to do, but since this crisis began, our staff have proven that they are committed to our children and schools,” said Eunice.

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COLUMBIA COUNTY – A popular no-fee recreational spot for locals seeking to cool off has been closed since September 2019, but when it reopens there may be a cost. Rum Island is a small spring-fed park on the Santa Fe River, and while it is a popular spot for swimming and launching canoes and kayaks, it is also one of the lesser known parks on the river. This mile of riverfront, encompassing 44 acres was given to Columbia County on Aug. 19, 1965 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Legend has it that the Rum Island name came from the local moonshine and bootlegging operations on the island in the early 1900s.

The park has always been free to use and includes a small parking lot, boardwalks leading to the spring and a boat ramp where canoe outfitters drop customers off for a paddle down the river. Located at the southern end of the county, it offers free access to the Santa Fe River and accommodates paddling by canoe or kayak, swimming, picnicking and fishing.

Since September 2019, the park has been closed for environmental renovations, repairs to the wooden boardwalks and construction of permanent restrooms. Columbia County received two $150,000 grants, one from the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) and the other from the State’s 2019 legislative appropriations.

The legislative appropriations funding was used to construct the permanent restroom facility at the park with separate men’s and women’s restroom with an entry sidewalk for park visitors. The building was designed so that during periods of high-water events, the water could pass through the building. The permanent restroom will replace the porta-lets that have been used in the past

SRWMD grant funds made possible the park’s river bank restoration, as well as funding a portion of the drain field and septic tank work associated with adding a permanent restroom facility to the park. According to SRWMD senior project manager Kristine Eskelin, years of use by visitors and effects of flooding had degraded the river bank, which led to dredging the bank and area around the spring head, putting much of the material on the bank and then covering it with fabric to help hold the bank in place. Sod grass will be planted over it to further stabilize it.

But the restorations and construction are not the only changes to the park. When Rum Island Park reopens, Columbia County officials are considering charging admission and implementing several new fees and rules. According to Columbia County Manager Ben Scott, county officials are considering a plan that would allow Columbia County residents to purchase an annual park pass at a reduced price of $25 compared to an annual pass to out-of-county residents. Senior citizens over 65 years old and veterans could receive the pass at no charge.

The county is also proposing a $5 per vehicle fee for all visitors, with the money placed in an “honor box” at the park. A temporary decal provided would have to be displayed in the vehicle’s windshield or the vehicle could be towed at the owner’s expense. Also, under consideration is banning parking along the entrance road outside the park gate with vehicles subject to towing.

“We’re also setting hours that the park will be opened and closed,” Scott said of the plan. The consensus that county officials reached during a workshop is that the park will be opened from sunrise to sunset. Scott said the proceeds collected from the proposed fees will be used to clean and maintain the park. The Columbia County Commission said that the fee would also serve to limit the number of people at the park. Since parking will no longer be allowed along the entrance roadway there is only a limited number of cars that can come in.

Outfitters or commercial enterprises would be required to purchase a $1,500 annul permit. That amount is higher than other parks or the state park system charges outfitters, which may lead some outfitters to stop using the boat ramp due to cost. This could result in heavier vehicle traffic as outfitters transport multiple people at a time. The board also plans to review a proposal to allocate 20-25 annual passes to the Friends of Rum Island organization, a park support group, whose volunteers periodically clean and maintain areas of the park.

While Columbia County is recommending these changes, there has been opposition from some county residents who maintain they already pay for using the park through taxes. There is also opposition from outfitters about the fee and possible limitations on the number of trips allowed per day.

County officials are not expected to vote on or adopt the new fees and rules until the Board’s first meeting in August. Currently there is no firm date on reopening due to the riverbank sodding. The original projection was for late August or early September.

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GAINESVILLE – The Alachua County Library District is now offering computer and copier use by appointment only at all branches. Patrons will be required to complete a health screening, wear a face covering, and maintain six feet of distance from staff members and other patrons.

One-hour computer appointments will be available at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday at all branches. Fifteen-minute copier appointments are available from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Patrons can make appointments for the current day and the next business day by calling a branch. Patrons can make one appointment per day districtwide.

Due to social distancing recommendations, the library is not able to offer one-on-one computer assistance. Food and beverages are not allowed in the buildings. The copiers and printers accept silver change and $1 or $5 bills; staff members are not able to provide change.

Browsing is currently not allowed, but patrons can pick up their holds as they leave their appointment. Patrons who do not follow the Code of Conduct, including not wearing a face covering or failing to practice social distancing, will be told to leave immediately. Library staff members will sanitize computer stations and copier areas, and high traffic areas between appointments.

Please call individual branches to make computer and copier appointments:

• Headquarters Branch 352-334-3939
• Alachua Branch 386-462-2592
• Archer Branch 352-495-3367
• Cone Park Branch 352-334-0720
• Hawthorne Branch 352-481-1920
• High Springs Branch 386-454-2515
• Library Partnership Branch 352-334-0165
• Micanopy Branch 352-466-3122
• Millhopper Branch 352-334-1270
• Newberry Branch 352-472-1135
• Tower Road Branch 352-333-2840
• Waldo Branch 352-468-3298

Curbside service continues at all branches 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Customers can check out items, sign up for a library card, and renew expiring cards via curbside service. Book drops are open. Please visit www.aclib.us/CurrentServices for updates.

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• Follow CDC Standards of Cleaning and Sanitation
• Wear Face Coverings
• Wash Hands Frequently and Have Hand Sanitizer Available
• Follow Social Distancing and Capacity Guidelines
• Conduct Wellness Screenings of Employees
• Train Employees on COVID-19 Safety Procedures
• Work Toward Contactless Payment

For more information, contact Jessica Hurov at 352-374-5260 or jhurov@alachuacounty.us.

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HIGH SPRINGS – The Great Outdoors Restaurant in High Springs has added another chapter to the storied past of the building that originally was known as the Opera House. Built as a socially acceptable venue for entertainment in the then rowdy railroad town of High Springs in 1895, the second floor was used as an opera house, theater and social hall, and in the 1920s as a movie house.

The first silent movie, The Great Train Robbery, was shown upstairs and was accompanied by piano and violin. Later, the building was used for shows and musicals. In the 1920s, a general store and barber shop occupied the first floor.

The building went through a series of tenants over the next five decades, then finally closed its doors and remained vacant for over two years until Bob and Karen Bentz bought it in 2006 to make it into a restaurant.

They spent more than two years restoring the entire building. Today the first floor of the historic building is home to the award-winning Great Outdoors Restaurant, Springhouse Tavern, Outdoor Patio and River Bar, while the second floor is home to the Opera House Banquet and Conference Facility. The building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. For over a decade the restaurant has been a destination restaurant for locals and tourists with live bands on the patio.

When Florida went into quarantine in April due to COVID-19, all businesses deemed non-essential were forced to shut down, including the Great Outdoors. Statewide, thousands were put out of work, and the unemployment rate in April surged to over 14.7 percent. Jobs associated with restaurants and bars disappeared and employees who often worked at minimum wage plus tips were without a paycheck.

Restaurants were allowed to provide takeout or delivery, and each restaurant was faced with determining if it was profitable to keep at least some staff working. Laid off workers could collect unemployment but the system was overwhelmed, and it could take weeks or even months for payment. Most restaurants tried takeout service to survive financially, but some had to give it up when costs exceeded revenues or if their menu was not suited for takeout. For some, it meant the end of that business.

Just as other restaurants had to, when facing closure in April, the Great Outdoors had to make a decision. For the Bentz's and managers David Richardson and Michael Glazer, that decision was made based on the restaurant’s menu that didn't lend itself to takeout and that some food supplies became unavailable. The decision was made to close. “Most of our meals have several elements that would have been hard to do as takeout and the amount of takeout business versus the cost just wasn't viable,” Richardson said

With staff at the Great Outdoors facing unemployment, management searched for a way to help ease their burden. The owners gave everyone a two-week furlough to take care of their other needs. And when the Small Business Administration (SBA) Payroll Protection Plan became available, it was a way for the business to pay employees. But with the restaurant closed, the question was just what would they be paid for?

Behind closed doors, it was an opportune time to do renovations and repairs to the 125-year-old building. But financially it wasn’t feasible if the money was spent paying contractors. The tightly-knit group of staff and managers decided to do it themselves. Over the next month, the staff refinished the indoor floors, sanded and refinished the bars and outside tables, painted, put in shelving and made repairs.

“We also used this time to do a deep cleaning throughout the entire restaurant. The health and safety of our employees and guests is the most important thing,” Richardson said. “Once we reopened, we have kept that as our top priority. We want to be proactive about following guidelines on cleaning, masks and social distancing. All tables are six-feet apart and every surface is wiped down between diners.”

But with the virus still increasing, some traditions have changed at the restaurant such as a revised and reduced menu to accommodate for certain supplies that are now hard to get. Music was cancelled for a while to avoid larger gatherings, which concerned the management. But the restaurant is now featuring live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Hours have been shortened to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day but Monday.

Both Richardson and Glazer start their day by checking the health department website for a count of cases and any new guidelines. “We just have to continually stay on top of the situation to protect the health of all. No one knows where this situation is going, so we take it day by day,” Richardson said.

Glazer says the staff still talks about working on the renovations. “We made it through the shutdown, while making the place better. It kept everyone employed and gave the staff a sense of ownership in the future of the restaurant. It gave everyone a sense of pride in the renovation accomplishments,” Glazer said. Richardson agreed, “As a business it’s important to have a culture of working together as a family, it creates a stronger bond among us all.”

And that bond helped make it possible to ensure that the historic building that started out as an Opera House 125 years ago continues to prosper despite the hardship brought on by COVID-19.

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• Supervisor of Elections Office (515 N. Main Street, Suite 100, Gainesville)
• Millhopper Branch Library (3145 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville)
• Tower Road Branch Library (3020 SW 75th Street, Gainesville)
• Alachua Legacy Park Multipurpose Center (15400 Peggy Road, Alachua)
• Orange Heights Baptist Church (16700 NE SR 26, Hawthorne)
• J. Wayne Reitz Union, University of Florida (655 Reitz Union Drive, Ground Floor of the Career Connections Center, Gainesville)