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NEWBERRY - The City of Newberry reports that one a team member has tested positive for COVID-19. This employee was working in City Hall and was last in a city facility on June 18. The positive result was confirmed over the weekend. Because of privacy laws, specific details about the employee will not be released.

Newberry officials state, "Our top commitment is to the safety of our customers, neighbors, and employees. As a result, we want to reassure you that the employee is under quarantine and being monitored by health professionals. A detailed contact tracing is being performed by health officials to identify others who may have come in close contact with the infected employee. Employees who worked closely with this employee are being tested and quarantining. If you have concerns about your exposure, please contact your medical professional or the Department of Health."

The City of Newberry will continue to follow CDC guidelines for workplace safety, require employees to use facial coverings, promote good hygiene practices and share health, safety and travel guidelines with all employees.

Officials further state, "We want to reassure our residents that there is staff on hand for ongoing operations and customer service inquiries. Many departments are working from remote locations until the pandemic eases. We are here and working to support you every day."

As a precaution, City Hall has been closed to visitors and customers due to the exposure, but the drive-thru is available for customers wishing to make payments. The City is working with professional cleaners to disinfect the building before re-opening.

The City of Newberry encourages the community to practice social distancing by making account inquiries or paying bills online or by phone to help flatten the curve of COVID-19. For questions about Newberry’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.ci.newberry.fl.us or call 352-472-2161.

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ALACHUA – Dayna Miller, Municipal Marketer for Waste Pro and City Commissioner in Alachua, has been selected to join the Board of Directors of Recycle Florida Today, Inc. (RFT).

RFT is Florida’s premier recycling organization representing recycling and environmental professionals throughout Florida from both the public, private and non-profit sectors.

“I am proud to represent Waste Pro on the Recycle Florida Today board, the leading recycling organization in Florida,” Miller said. “RFT’s mission walks in step with the Waste Pro Way, and I am honored to have been chosen to be a part of such an influential organization in our industry.”

Miller is heavily involved in organizations in the Alachua-Gainesville area, including the Gainesville Elks Lodge and the Alachua Lions Club, for which she serves as immediate past president and first vice president, respectively. She will serve as President of Alachua Lions Club effective June 25. She additionally serves as Vice President of Keep Alachua County Beautiful. In 2012, she spearheaded the creation of Waste Pro’s company-wide community watch program, Waste Pro-Tection, which allows Waste Pro drivers to alert first responders if they see suspicious activity or encounter an emergency situation while on their routes.

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ALACHUA COUNTY – Qualifying for statewide, multicounty, county and special district candidates ended at noon Friday. 

The Alachua County candidates who have qualified to have their name appear on the ballot, as well as the seat for which they are running, are listed below.

Alachua County Sheriff

Robert Walter Brinkman

1815 SE 50th Street

Gainesville, FL 32641

robertwbrinkman@gmail.com

352-318-4934

Party Affiliation: N/A

Write-in candidate in General Election

Sadie Darnell

2603 NW 13th Street

PMB #276

Gainesville, FL 32609

darnell.sadie@gmail.com

352-281-5990

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Clovis Watson Jr.

16591 NW 129th Terrace

Alachua, FL 32615

cwatsonjr@windstream.net

352-225-6264

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Alachua County Property Appraiser

Glen Tyler Foerst

306 NW 148th Terrace

Newberry, FL 32669

gt2089@gmail.com

352-318-3018

Party Affiliation: N/A

Write-in candidate in General Election

Matt Geiger

5432 NW 45th Drive

Gainesville, FL 32653

matt.geiger1968@gmail.com

352-222-4338

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Susan M. McQuillan

12516 SW 9th Avenue

Newberry, FL 32669

mcsusan@cox.net

352-359-2409

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Wendy Sapp

PO Box 5451

Gainesville, FL 32627

wendymsapp@gmail.com

352-328-4134

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Ayesha Solomon

1559 NW 29th Road

#6

Gainesville, FL 32605

s.ayeshasolomon@gmail.com

352-562-2111

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Kelly F. Suggs

9000 SW 106th Terrace

Gainesville, FL 32608

kellysuggs@cox.net

352-495-9603

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Alachua County Commission District 1

Mary Alford

5208 SW 91st Way

#110

Gainesville, FL 32608

mary.alford@gmail.com

352-317-4480

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Mike Byerly

PO Box 776

Micanopy, FL 32667

byerly4@gmail.com

352-234-7010

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Raemi Eagle-Glenn

9932 SW 54th Lane

Gainesville, FL 32608

raemi@eagleglennlaw.com

352-316-7091

Party Affiliation: Republican Party of Florida

Name will appear on General Election ballot

Randolph L Kaufman

8729 SW 145th Place

Gainesville, FL 32618

randyandjean77@hotmail.com

352-495-2564

Party Affiliation: N/A

Write-in candidate in General Election

Alachua County Commission District 3

Joy W. Glanzer

190 NW 266th Street

Newberry, FL 32669

joyglanzer@cox.net

352-665-3534

Party Affiliation: Republican Party of Florida

Name will appear on General Election ballot

Anna Prizzia

2530 NW 11th Avenue

Gainesville, FL 32605

annaforalachua@gmail.com

910-894-3441

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Jason Stanford

PO Box 6175

Gainesville, FL 32627

jasonforalachua@gmail.com

404-545-9077

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Kevin Thorpe

230 SW 2nd Avenue

#108

Gainesville, FL 32601

vote4kevinthorpe@gmail.com

352-219-2218

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot to determine General Election candidate

Alachua County School Board District 2 (Nonpartisan)

Khanh-Lien R. Banko

601 NW 23rd Street

Gainesville, FL 32607

klbanko@gmail.com

386-717-4965

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot

Diyonne L. McGraw

4331 NW 21st Terrace

Gainesville, FL 32605

mcgrawforstudents@gmail.com

352-246-8071

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot

Alachua County School Board District 4 (Nonpartisan)

Sande Calkins

628 CR 234

Gainesville, FL 32641

sande4schoolboard@gmail.com

352-214-1027

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot

Leanetta McNealy

1266 SE 12th Avenue

Gainesville, FL 32641

lee.mcnealy@gmail.com

352-219-3898

Name will appear on Primary Election ballot

The following candidates were elected without opposition:

Alachua County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller

J.K. "Jess" Irby

Protected Information

irbyforclerk@gmail.com

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Elected without opposition  

Alachua County Supervisor of Elections

Kim A. Barton

5212 NW 27th Drive

Gainesville, FL 32605

bbartonkim@aol.com

352-278-6062

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Elected without opposition

Alachua County Tax Collector

John Power

Protected Information

votejohnpower@outlook.com

352-339-1406

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Elected without opposition

Alachua County Commission District 5

Charles S. "Chuck" Chestnut IV

11827 NW 71st Terrace

Alachua, FL 32615

charleschestnutiv@ymail.com

352-215-0659

Party Affiliation: Florida Democratic Party

Elected without opposition

Alachua County Soil and Water Conservation District Group 2 (Nonpartisan)

Emily Faulconer

8119 West Newberry Road

Gainesville, FL 32606

emily.faulconer@yahoo.com

434-485-9021

Elected without opposition  

Alachua County Soil and Water Conservation District Group 4 (Nonpartisan)

Daniel "Danny" Gordon

910 NW 40th Drive

Gainesville, FL 32605

dtg10e@my.fsu.edu

352-301-0587

Elected without opposition

Qualifying for statewide, multicounty and special district candidates is handled by the Florida Division of Elections. For a list of those candidates, go to http://dos.elections.myflorida.com/candidates/.

The list of Alachua County candidates and additional information can also be found at https://www.votealachua.com/Candidates-Parties-Committees/Candidates-For-Office.

If you have any questions or need more information, call the Supervisor of Elections at 352-374-5252.

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• A child is less than two years old
• An individual has one or more medical conditions or disabilities that prevent him from wearing a face covering
• An individual is obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the facial covering is required to perform the service.
• An individual works in a profession where the use of a facial covering will not be compatible with the duties of the profession.
• An individual is participating in outdoor recreation or work with appropriate social distancing

NEWBERRY – Gatorback Cycle Park in Newberry has been given the green light for another five years. During the City of Newberry’s May 26 Special Commission meeting, Principal Planner Wendy Kinser Maxwell highlighted her findings after investigating compliance with the City’s Land Development Regulations by Gatorback Cycle Park. Kinser explained that the Special Exception (SE) provided to the business requires that a review for compliance take place every five years.

Kinser said that following a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Board, they recommended approval of the Special Exception application.

Kinser said the proposed use is in conformance with the City’s Comprehensive Plan and that continuing to allow the SE would be compatible with the established land use pattern. “The intended use will not materially alter the population density pattern or overtax the load on public facilities,” Kinser said. "The proposed use also will not have an undue adverse influence on living conditions in the neighborhood.”

Kinser explained that the park would not excessively increase traffic, will not create a drainage issue, will not seriously reduce light and air to adjacent areas, or adversely affect property values in the nearby areas. She also said that the park would not deter improvement or development of adjacent property under existing regulations and the proposed park is not out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood or community.

The 230-acre private recreational sports tourism-related facility, owned by Unlimited Sports MX, is located at 20524 N.W. 46th Avenue and is in an Agricultural Zoning District.

The race track has operated for over 30 years in this location and Kinser said there is no documented history of chronic nuisance complaints although there was an inquiry about fireworks at the park.

Newberry Planning and Economic Development Director Bryan Thomas consulted with Gatorback staff regarding fireworks. “They said that they would only be using fireworks twice during the annual Gatorback Mini-Os event," Thomas said. The first display will take place on Sunday, Nov. 24, between approximately 8:30 p.m.– 9 p.m. and will last about 10-15 minutes. The second display will be mid-morning on Monday, Nov. 25, and will last less than eight minutes.

Following up with the Newberry Fire Chief Ben Buckner, Thomas was informed that the state not only allows fireworks displays but also pre-empts local jurisdictions from regulating them on private property.

"Given the results of our investigation, the Board need take no further action," Kinser said. “We’ll be back with another report on Gatorback in another five years.”

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