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Santa Fe College President Jackson N. Sasser addressed a packed audience on Wednesday as the college was named one of 10 finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The Aspen Institute, a national educational organization dedicated to fostering leadership, looked at student academic achievement in four areas in choosing their finalists.  Student learning outcomes, degree and college completion, labor market success in students securing jobs after college, and minority and low-income student success were criteria for judgment detailed by The Aspen Institute in their news release.

As one of the top 10 colleges in the nation, Santa Fe College now becomes a finalist for the prestigious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.  The winner and up to four finalists with distinction will be awarded a $1 million prize fund in March in Washington, D.C.

Florida is one of only two states in the U.S. with multiple finalists.  Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward College has also been named as a finalist.

The award announcement was made by Santa Fe College Student Body President David Durkee Wednesday morning, Sept. 5 to a packed audience of college and community dignitaries, alumni and media.

Josh Wyner, Executive Director of Aspen’s College Excellence Program said, “Santa Fe College’s high graduation and workforce placement rates speak for themselves.  The college understands that students must both complete degrees, and be able to apply their learning in the labor markets, getting good-paying jobs after college.”

“This is a singular recognition of the very broad shoulders upon which the college has built its success,” said Santa Fe College President Jackson N. Sasser.  “We acknowledge our former employees together with each current employee, and thank them profusely for their work.  This commendation is all about their rigor and high expectations,” he said.

Established in 1965 by the Florida State Legislature as a community college, today Santa Fe College is a four-year institution with more than 18,000 students enrolled in credit classes and an additional 12,000 students taking non-credit classes. In addition to the three Gainesville based campuses, the Northwest Campus, Gainesville’s downtown Blount Center, and the Kirkpatrick Institute for Public Safety in East Gainesville, classes are also offered in Starke, Keystone Heights, Archer and Alachua.

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The 143-acre property is located north of U.S. Highway 441 and south of Meadowglen Subdivision. The current plans have allotted a 250,000-square-foot plot for commercial development. There are also 590 residential units that will be built.

In 2005, the zoning designation on the land was changed from Agriculture to a Planned Unit Development. After the Planned Unit Development status expired on June 15, the developers moved to change the zoning of the property to allow for residential and commercial developments.

The current proposal states that about 74 acres will be used for residential single-family units and about 36 acres will be used for residential multi-family units. About 33 acres are reserved for commercial development.

According to Brandon Stubbs, Alachua city planner, an informational meeting was held on May 17 for property owners within 400 feet of the property. No members of the public attended.

Monday’s city commission meeting focused on zoning, and there weren’t any discussions about what businesses or subdivisions might be built on the land.

“Nothing is being reserved here for them,” city attorney Marian Rush said. “This is just the zoning.”

The City has scheduled a second public hearing on Sept. 10.

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Santa Fe High School’s new principal Beth LeClear has big plans for the school’s 1,000-plus students.  In addition to her goal of boosting the school’s graduation rate to 90 percent, she also wants to claim the highest graduation rate in the state.

Beth LeClear, 48, has been in education for most of her life.  She holds multiple education degrees, including a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Florida.

She taught for eight years before switching to administration 20 years ago. LeClear said she decided to try out an administrative position and ended up loving it.

LeClear became principal at Santa Fe High School six weeks ago. Santa Fe is the only high school in Alachua and has an enrollment of 1,087 students.

“When you’re a teacher, you can touch 150 students,” LeClear said. “When you’re an administrator and you can hire great teachers and support them, you can touch 1,000 students.”

LeClear has set several long-term goals for Santa Fe High School. She wants to boost the graduation rate to 90 percent.

“I would like to see us have the highest graduation rate in the state of Florida,” she said.

She also wants to increase the passing rates for standardized exams like the FCAT and the ACT.

“I would like to see our students not only passing all the state-mandated required tests, but also passing them with a really great degree of knowledge,” she said.

LeClear said she believes that will happen because of the quality of Santa Fe’s teachers. She said the teachers are hardworking and genuinely care about students.

LeClear shared a story that she said shows how much Santa Fe High parents love their children.

“I sat while the band played for parents after band camp,” she said. “It’s so exciting to see parents appreciate their children and really care about their kids.”

Lacy Colson, a Santa Fe High School senior, likes Principal LeClear so far.

“She’s cleaned up the school a lot,” Colson said.

Senior Wayne Kemp agreed with Colson.

“We’ve had a lot more spirit days,” Kemp said.  “I think she’s really cool.”

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After months of work by volunteers from area civic organizations, churches and businesses, the Alachua Police Department has re-opened the Merrillwood Annex as a home to after school programs.

APD has utilized the building in the Merrillwood Subdivision for approximately nine years. During this time, the building has served as an after school gathering place for the children of the Merrillwood community and the surrounding area.

Many sponsors donated time, hard work, and materials to make the renovations possible. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, as well as Lowes of Alachua, Alachua County Housing Authority, Walmart Distribution Center, Early Learning Coalition of Alachua County, Alachua Self Storage and Bethesda Outreach Ministries of Alachua contributed.  The remodel includes new tile, kitchen cabinets and sinks, bathroom fixtures, shelving, storage space, new furniture, games/activities and a fresh coat of paint.

“We at the Alachua Police Department and the City of Alachua are excited about the fresh look of the annex and look forward to the many programs that will be offered here for the children in our community,” said APD spokesman Jesse Sandusky.

The use of the structure is being donated to the Police Department by the Alachua County Housing Authority and will primarily serve as a home to the after school program. The Alachua Police Explorers, who also helped with the renovations, will utilize the Annex for meetings and training.

The Alachua Police Department Merrillwood Annex is located at 15305 Merrillwood Drive. For information regarding the Annex and programs that will be offered, contact the Alachua Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 386-462-1396.

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Kenneth Smith of Fort White, Fla. is currently in a Columbia County Jail and is being called as a witness according to Chipperfield’s notice.  He also calls on Jeannie Morris of Statenville, Ga.

In addition to these witnesses, Chipperfield, an attorney with the Office of the Public Defender, also said he intends to use family photographs depicting Hogg along with his wife, Trenda, and son, Anthony, a booking photograph of the defendant and photos of the crime scene provided by the State.

Over the last several months, the court has seen a long list of legal maneuvering in Hogg’s case.  In mid-August, Hogg’s defense moved to have the court prohibit a 1986 conviction of lewd and lascivious assault as a prior violent felony conviction.   The defense argues that in the more than 25-year-old case, Hogg was placed on community control and probation and that the crime was not “violent.”

The State Attorney’s Office provided notice in April that it intended to call on a firearms analyst with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a biology and DNA analyst and to introduce jailhouse call logs and telephone audio in addition to scene photographs, video and forensic evidence.

Hogg, who turned 59 years old on Aug. 31, is being charged with two counts of first degree murder in the September 11, 2011 slaying of his 48-year-old wife and 22-year-old son.

In the days preceding the shooting, High Springs Police Department (HSPD) officers were called out to the Hogg home in reference to a verbal altercation.

Apparently at the center of the dispute was a 2005 Ford pickup truck registered to Russell or Trenda Hogg, but driven by their son, Anthony.

Russell Hogg was reportedly angered when Anthony Hogg attempted to leave in the truck, which officers noted had an expired tag.

One HSPD officer wrote in a report, “All parties separated.  There was no physical violence.”  The officer also reported that he was dispatched to the home again, but the disturbance was “simply verbal.”

A source has reported to Alachua County Today that during the Sept. 9 incident, officers handcuffed Russell Hogg, but never charged him, allegedly because family member weren’t interested in pursuing the matter.

The State is seeking the death penalty against Hogg, who has been charged with premeditated murder.

In the week following the September shooting, a grand jury indicted Hogg on two counts of first degree murder, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Hogg is being held without bail on the murder charges and on $100,000 for each of the other three charges.  His legal counsel initially submitted a plea of not guilty on his behalf on Sept. 22.

According to an ACSO arrest report, just before 1 p.m. on Sept. 11, Russell Hogg pulled into the driveway of the family home at 240 Poe Springs Road in High Springs.  He allegedly exited his vehicle, pulling out an AK-47 rifle and pointed it at his son stating, “I told you I was going to kill you,” to which Anthony Hogg replied, “shoot me then.”

Russell Hogg reportedly fired two rounds at his son, striking him in the torso.  The report states, “[Russell Hogg] then walked up to him and shot one round to his face.”

Upon realizing Anthony Hogg had been shot, Trenda Hogg ran outside where “Russell [Hogg] pointed the gun at her and fired several rounds at her,” the arrest record states.

Russell Hogg then threw the gun down and an eyewitness grabbed the gun and threw it under the house to prevent further access to it.  Russell Hogg then got into his car and left, officials report.

Two witnesses told investigators that Hogg stated his intentions to commit the crime beforehand.  “Russell was at their home and made the statement he “was going over to kill them.”  After the shooting, Russell Hogg allegedly returned to the witnesses’ home where he stated, “I told you I was gonna’ kill them,” the report states.

Columbia County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Russell Hogg on U.S. Highway 441 a short time after the shooting.

Hogg made several statements acknowledging that he killed his wife and son, according to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sandra Myers.

Among his statements to investigators was that, “Tony [Anthony Russell] had gotten too big for his britches,” and that if he could have whipped his son, he would have, “rather than having to kill him.”

Myers wrote, “Russell [Hogg] also stated that it hurt him to see his wife laying there barely breathing because he did not want her to die.”

“I just killed my family and the bread winner of the home,” Russell Hogg allegedly said.

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Editor's note:  This story will be updated as new information is available from meetings on Sept. 6 and 7.  Please check back for the latest information.

[Sept. 6 3:59 p.m.]

Recently hired City Engineer John B. Morrison, Jr. turned in a letter of resignation, effective noon on Wednesday, Sept. 5, following a budget meeting on Tuesday in which his salary was completely eliminated from the proposed 2012/13 fiscal year budget.

Approximately $45,000 in salary and benefits were slashed by commissioners as part of their attempt to eliminate approximately $500,000 from their initial budget.

Morrison was hired by the City on April 23, 2012 to oversee the city’s engineering needs following the commission’s elimination of the city planner position.

As part of their action, commissioners set aside $10,000 for engineering contractual services, thereby eliminating a total of $35,000 from their bottom line.

Commissioners were back at again with a meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 6 and 7 to discuss further budget cuts.