Local

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Below are the updated City of Gainesville traffic impacts scheduled for March 22-29, 2024. 

New Notices

SE Second Ave.: Southeast Second Avenue, between Southeast First and Southeast Second Streets, will be closed from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through April 1. Access to the parking garage will not be affected from Southeast Second Street.

Continuing Notices 

SW 2oth Ave.: Southwest 20th Avenue, between Southwest 52nd Avenue and the I-75 bridge, will have nighttime construction from 8 p.m.-7 a.m. through March 31. This will lead to nighttime lane closures or single-lane flagging on the road.

NW 12th Drive: Northwest 12th Drive from Northwest Fifth Avenue to Northwest Third Avenue is currently closed northbound, but is open as a one-way street heading southbound through May 1.

SW 52nd Street: The eastbound right turn-lane onto Southwest 52nd Street from Southwest 20th Avenue is closed until April 7.

SE First Ave.: Southeast First Avenue (eastbound only) will be closed between South Main Street and Southeast First Street until April 1.

Clark Butler Blvd. area: The new traffic signals at Clark Butler, Southwest 62nd Boulevard, Southwest 43rd Street are turned on (in flashing mode). The traffic is guided through the intersection with traffic control devices.

Please be advised that this report covers the roads maintained by the City of Gainesville. For roads within Gainesville maintained by other agencies, please visit the following: 

• University of Florida campus road closures
• Alachua County right-of-way road and lane closures
• Florida Department of Transportation right-of-way road and lane closures
• Gainesville Public Works Facebook page

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Tap into the Florida Museum of Natural History’s grand opening of its new, permanent exhibit, “Water Shapes Florida,” with a celebration March 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This free, family-friendly festival includes hands-on learning activities, workshops, food trucks and more! Water-themed local music and art performances will include jazz band Porch Swing from 12 to 1 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. “State of Wonder,” performed by Danscompany of Gainesville, will take place from 11 to 11:30 a.m.

Visitors can explore the art and science of water through activities for all ages and skill levels. Discover the magic of watercolor resistant-art, in which crayons and watercolor paints repel each other to create stunning effects; create an artistic topography map based on how water and the elements interact with the landscape; and bottle up your creativity by decorating a bottle.

The first-place, second-place, third-place and Judges’ Award winners of the Water Shapes Florida photo contest will be recognized during the opening celebration at 10 a.m.

The museum will also be hosting workshops as part of the celebration. Get out in nature and explore the wetlands in the University of Florida’s Natural Area Teaching Lab with Alberto Lopez, the museum’s youth outreach coordinator who is also a naturalist and photographer. Once guests reserve their spots, they can uncover tips and tricks to capturing interesting subjects and great cellphone pictures through the Exploring Wetlands with Mobile Photography workshop from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Attendees will also learn how their pictures can be submitted to iNaturalist’s worldwide City Nature Challenge to further scientific research on conservation.

Refresh your backyard’s biodiversity through the Water Wise Planting for Your Home Habitat workshop from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Led by Ryan Fessenden, the museum’s “Butterfly Rainforest” manager, registered guests can learn how to improve their personal ecosystems, conserve water and local habitats. Both workshops are free, require pre-registration and limited to 20 participants each.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase at B’z Gelati. Community organizations that will educate visitors on local natural resources include the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, Florida Museum ichthyology collection and Lubee Bat Conservancy.

Water is one of Florida’s most valuable renewable resources, as the state is home to more than 1,000 freshwater springs. This new, engaging exhibit will follow the history of Florida’s waterways, from underground aquifers to rivers and lakes and the clouds in the sky.

“Overall, I just think that it ties a lot of different disciplines together because there’s not only people that study water but also those that study the animals that live in the water, the plants that use water and the way the water-cycle processes occur,” said Janelle Peña-Jiménez, public programs coordinator at the Florida Museum. “It’s a great tool for engaging audiences to learn about what’s happening and why we should care about springs and protecting them.”

The “Water Shapes Florida” exhibit replaced the “Northwest Florida: Waterways & Wildlife” exhibit, which closed its doors in early 2023. The new display has revamped the immersive cave experience that has captivated visitors for over 20 years.

“Our beloved cave has been given a fresh look with new content, lighting and media screens, giving visitors a peek into the aquifer beneath their feet. We have also created a glass-bottom-boat theater that takes visitors on a magical journey to visit some of Florida’s iconic springs,” said Florida Museum exhibit coordinator Julie Waters.

The Springs Gallery, Recharge Lounge and Water Lab areas invite guests to learn about the history of Florida’s aquifers, the biodiversity of freshwater biomes and current research with various multimedia displays, interpretative graphics, and real objects and specimens.

“Being surrounded by water, it’s easy to forget that the water supply is currently threatened by pollution and overuse,” Waters said. “We are living in a critical time where the choices we make will impact the future, either positively or negatively. We hope that this exhibit will inform and inspire visitors to protect this valuable resource.”

Alongside the opening day celebration of the “Water Shapes Florida” exhibit, the museum will host the following events:

• March 24, 1 to 4 p.m. – Science Surprises: Splash into Science
• March 25, 9 to 10 a.m. – Monday with the Manatee Storytime
• March 28, 6 to 9 p.m. – Trivia Night: Water Shapes Florida

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY - The Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery Department invites residents to participate in two “Community Reuse & Recycle Days” on Saturday, April 6, 2024, and Saturday, May 11, 2024. The events are free and all residents are encouraged to participate.

 Non-profit organizations will be on-site to receive clothing in wearable condition (no dirty or damaged items); non-perishable food (no expired or open items); housewares in usable condition; school, office, and art supplies; household hazardous waste, such as paint, chemicals, old electronics, etc., for recycling or proper disposal. Household garbage, general recycling, damaged/soiled items, and other materials unsuitable for donation will not be accepted.

 The April 6 event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Santa Fe College Northwest Campus, Construction Institute Parking Lot 9 on North Road, across from the gym. 

 In honor of Earth Day and in conjunction with the Santa Fe Zoo’s Party for the Planet Weekend, donors will receive a discount voucher for Zoo Admission (while supplies last). The zoo will have special events, food trucks, and informational tabling on Saturday. 

 The other event will be held on May 11, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, at the Alachua County Health Department (224 SE 24th St., Gainesville). Signs and volunteers will be on-site at both events to allow for safe and efficient offloading of donations and hazardous waste materials. 

 Local non-profits, including Haven Attic Resale Store, The Repurpose Project & Reuse Planet, Tools for Schools, Santa Fe College Saints Share Wear, Santa Fe College Saints Food Share, and Gainesville Free Grocery Store, will collect donations. 

 “Residents can make an immediate impact by taking action locally to help their neighbors, protect valuable resources, encourage reuse, and reduce what we send to the landfill,” said Alanna Carinio, a public education program coordinator for Alachua County’s Office of Waste Alternatives.

 Learn more about recycling in Alachua County.

 For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact the Alachua County Office of Waste Alternatives at 352-374-5213.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Updates to the Alachua County Landscape Irrigation Design and Maintenance Standards code took effect on June 12, 2023. Commercial properties within Alachua County with permanent irrigation systems are now required to register their system and submit an annual irrigation system maintenance report detailing water conservation activities to repair leaks, correct overspray, adjust scheduling, and address other issues that reduce efficiency and wastewater.

 “Annual maintenance has been required for all permanent irrigation systems since the code was adopted in 2016,” said Eliana Bardi, a water conservation coordinator with the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. “The addition of the annual reporting requirement for commercial systems aims to curb unnecessary water waste that results from damaged systems and changing site conditions that may go unaddressed. We often find that the person paying the water bill has never seen the site and does not realize the bill is high due to leaks.”

 Rebates are currently offered through the irrigation level-up rebate program to assist property owners with repairs and upgrades. Eligible commercial properties may qualify for a 50% rebate up to $8,000 per property for repairs and upgrades that curb water use and improve efficiency. 

 Learn more about the annual maintenance reporting requirement.

 Learn more about the Irrigation Level Up rebate program.

 For more information, contact Eliana Bardi at 352-264-6801 or ebardi@alachuacounty.us.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA (March 21, 2024) – The Santa Fe Winds will include traditional classics along with new musical selections in the annual “Spring Winds and Classics” concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, 2024, in the Lyceum at the Northwest Campus of Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83 Street, Gainesville. The Lyceum is the renovated auditorium in Building E on the west side of campus.

The concert is free, but tickets are required because of limited seating. For tickets, call the Santa Fe College (SF) Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit Showpass online at: showpass.com/spring-winds-and-classics.

“I invite people to come out for a joyful experience in the Lyceum, the home of the Santa Fe Winds,” said SF Associate Professor of Music and Band Director David L. Smith, who will direct the 11 musicians. “You’ll hear some of the greatest pieces from the classical wind repertoire that feature students performing challenging selections in different styles.”

New selections on the program this year include “Fanfare and Flourishes,” written in 1991 by American tuba player James Curnow; “Nimrod” from “Enigma Variations” by English composer Edward Elgar, written between 1898-1899; and “March of the Belgian Paratroopers,” written during World War II by Belgian composer Pierre Leemans.

The opening fanfare in Curnow’s “Fanfare and Flourishes” gives way to Renaissance-inspired melodies that feature multiple sections of the Santa Fe Winds in turn.

The title of “Nimrod” in Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” refers to the composer’s publisher, Augustus Jaeger, because “Jäger” in German means “hunter” and Nimrod was the name of a great hunter in the Bible. “Nimrod” was played at the funerals of Princess Diana and His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Leemans wrote “March of the Belgian Paratroopers” in one night, basing the musical themes on one of his earlier compositions.

“For our students, there is nothing like the experience of performing in front of a live audience,” Smith explained. “The reward for the audience is that you can take something with you when you leave, because music has the power to do what words cannot—change your mood, relieve stress and inspire you!”

“Spring Winds and Classics” is organized and sponsored by the Santa Fe College Fine Arts and Entertainment Technology Department.