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ALACHUA COUNTY - The third annual "Artwalk for the Animals" is on Saturday, April 18, 2020, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alachua County Animal Services (3400 N.E. 53rd Ave, Gainesville). Proceeds from the Artwalk for the Animals are used for the Heart 2 Heart program, which provides medicine for heartworm positive animals. 

Irby Elementary School students have painted original portraits of shelter animals, and the shelter animals themselves have created their own original artwork, which will be on display in the shelter lobby. Community artists will also be onsite to sell their art during the event. There will be chances to win prizes throughout the day.

Donations of non-toxic acrylic paint, canvases, art supplies, and prizes for the event can be dropped off at the shelter during normal business hours (Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).

For more information about the Artwalk for the Animals, visit the Facebook event, call Alachua County Animal Services at 352-264-6870, or contact Samm Wehman Epstein at sammwehman@gmail.com.

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NEWBERRY – This year marks Newberry’s 125th year, or quasquicentennial year, of incorporation as a city. To celebrate the milestone, the City of Newberry has adopted the motto “125 years at Home,” announced Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe during the Jan. 13 City Commission meeting.

“Throughout the year we will commemorate the quasquicentennial by highlighting it in our local events such as the State of the City Address [which is the kick off to the quasquicentennial year], WestFest, the Watermelon Festival and the Fall Festival,” said Marlowe as a preliminary to reading the related proclamation.

“Whereas, in our 125 years, Newberry’s citizens have worked with dedication and resolve to build a community of farming and family values while adapting to the many changes that come with a growing city; and Whereas, Newberry has embraced new residents who are as diverse as the world is wide but are committed to making this community, our community, successful in every way; and Now, therefore I, Jordan Marlowe, Mayor of the City of Newberry, Florida, do hereby proclaim in commemoration of the 125th anniversary, 2020 as our Quasquicentennial Year!”

He said that the organizational group working to develop appropriate celebration activities is comprised of diverse Newberry interest groups and residents. Included are representatives from the Newberry Lions Club, Main Street Organization, Dudley Farms, the Watermelon Festival Committee, the Newberry Garden Club, Concerned Citizens of Newberry, the Newberry-Jonesville Chamber of Commerce, the City Commission and various City staff.

At the completion of Marlowe’s announcement, he presented Commissioner Matt Hersom with a copy of the full proclamation in recognition of Hersom’s chairmanship of the Quasquicentennial Committee.

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ALACHUA COUNTY — Nearly 22,000 vote-by-mail ballots for the 2020 Presidential Preference Primary and City of Gainesville Regular Election will be mailed by Feb. 6.

Voters signed up to receive a vote-by-mail ballot should expect to receive their ballots no later than Monday, Feb. 17. Domestic vote-by-mail ballots are being mailed today, while overseas ballots were mailed Jan. 31. Any voter who does not receive their vote-by-mail ballot by Feb. 17 should contact the elections office at 352-374-5252 or email Vote-by-Mail Coordinator Mike Bruckman at mbruckman@alachuacounty.us.

The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Vote-by-mail ballots can be requested online, in person, or by phone, fax, mail or email. Until the deadline, vote-by-mail ballot requests will be filled as they are received. Any voter can sign up to vote by mail.

The Supervisor of Elections must receive domestic vote-by-mail ballots by 7 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, March 17). Voters who vote by mail are encouraged to have their completed ballots mailed by Tuesday, March 10, to ensure ballots arrive at the Supervisors of Elections Office by the deadline. Voters should also make sure that their voter information and signature are updated before they return their ballot if they have moved or their signature has changed.

Additionally, voters are encouraged to be alert when filling out and mailing a vote-by-mail ballot. Advice from the Supervisor of Elections includes:

Completely color in the oval next to your choice on your ballot — do not circle or mark an “X” over the oval.

If you make a mistake on your ballot, call the Supervisor of Elections at 352-374-5252.

Be sure to sign your own mail ballot certificate envelope.

Return your mail ballot in the official envelope provided. Return postage is prepaid.

Any voter who does not sign their ballot or whose signature on the vote-by-mail ballot certificate does not compare to the signature in their voter record will be contacted by the Supervisor of Elections and provided the opportunity to correct the ballot. According to Florida Statutes, voters have until 5 p.m. Thursday, March 19, to complete an affidavit to correct a vote-by-mail ballot that does not have a signature or has a signature that does not match the person’s voter record signature.

Starting Sunday, March 8, voters may authorize another person to pick up a vote-by-mail from the Supervisor of Elections’ office. A designee must have a note signed by the voter and a picture ID. They must also complete an affidavit, which is available online at https://dos.myflorida.com/media/701775/dsde37.pdf. Designees may not pick up more than two mail ballots per election, excluding their own ballot and ballots for their immediate family.

Voters can drop off completed vote-by-mail ballots at the Supervisor of Elections office, located in Gainesville at 515 N. Main St., during normal business hours — 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday — or can use the secure, white afterhours drop-box located outside of the office’s main entrance. Voters have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to deliver vote-by-mail ballots to the Supervisor of Elections.

For more information, contact the Supervisor of Elections at 352-374-5252.

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ALACHUA COUNTY — A one-car crash on Interstate 75, half-way between Gainesville and Alachua, resulted in the death of a passenger and the critical injury of the driver. Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officers were called to the vicinity of northbound I-75 and mile marker 395 at 4:34 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

A 2001 Ford F250, driven by 79-year-old Willard Crowder of Greenville, Florida, had been traveling north on I-75. Near the 395 mile marker, Crowder lost control of his truck, which traveled onto the east shoulder and collided with a tree.

Following the crash, the truck erupted into fire. Crowder was able to escape, but his passenger, 82-year-old Lee Bishop of Lee, Florida, was not. Bishop was pronounced dead at the scene.

Crowder was transported to UF-Health Shands in critical condition.

It is unknown whether either the driver or passenger were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. According to the FHP, alcohol was not suspected as a factor in this incident.

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ALACHUA – Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officers were called to U.S. Highway 441 at Turkey Creek Boulevard in Alachua at 6:45 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28, following a truck vs. pedestrian accident.

George Metz II, 58, from Lake Butler, was driving a 2009 International truck heading in an easterly direction on U.S. Highway 441. William Moore, 45, from Alachua, was walking across U.S. 441 in a northerly direction.

For unknown reasons, Moore entered the path of the truck and was struck by the truck’s front. Moore was transported to UF-Health Shands Hospital where he was later pronounced dead by hospital staff.

It is currently unknown whether alcohol may have played a part in Moore’s actions, but the FHP indicates that it was not considered a factor for Metz.

Charges in this case are pending while FHP completes their investigation.

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HIGH SPRINGS – On Jan. 23, the High Springs City Commission weighed the pros and cons of the letter produced by the city attorney regarding the Seven Springs’ renewal permit request to increase the allowable amount of water withdrawn from their wells. The discussion lasted more than an hour and resulted in the Commission directing the attorney to go back to the drawing board.

Commission concern stemmed from the observation that the letter only represented the citizens against the permit renewal and made no mention of those area citizens who spoke on behalf of issuing the permit during the previous Commission meeting.

As part of the lengthy discussion, Commissioner Nancy Levin remarked about the thoroughness of the minutes from the previous meeting. In an effort to represent both sides of the comments heard during that meeting, commissioners agreed to keep the next letter short, but to refer members of the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) and their Governing Board to those minutes rather than try to incorporate the detailed comments into a letter.

Rather than advocating for or against the application, the letter will be written in such a way as to remind SRWMD members of the importance of the health of area springs and rivers to surrounding communities. Commissioners directed the attorney to suggest that the water management district should be mindful of the relationship between the health of the springs and the economic health of the surrounding communities while also considering the overall use of that water.

Commissioner Scott Jamison strongly suggested that the letter reflect the belief that the permit, if issued, should be for the amount of water that has been extracted in the past, rather than the amount of water Seven Springs wishes to extract. Other Commissioners seemed to agree.

The proposed permit renewal, if approved, would allow for an increase in water withdrawal from 270,000 gallons per day, which is what has been taken in the past, to 1.152 million gallons per day

Additional concerns expressed by citizens and commissioners involved increased truck traffic if increased production was to be approved as well as the damage that could result to the roadways.

In addition to those area citizens who previously expressed concern that they may lose their jobs should the permit not be granted, another issue was brought up by Jamison.

He expressed concern that the nearly 100 acres now being managed by Nestle in a natural state would be sold should the plant close. “It’s a matter of economics,” he said. “If the land is sold, it would probably be to a developer who will build on that property and could end up sending more contaminants into the water.”

Following those comments, the city attorney agreed to rewrite the letter to Virginia Johns, Chair of the SRWMD Governing Board, and bring it back to the next meeting for Commission approval.

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