Local

NEWBERRY ‒ At approximately 7:38 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, a black Ford SUV, driven by a 45-year-old Newberry woman, was traveling south on State Road 45/U.S. Highway 27/41. The SUV collided with a silver Chevrolet pickup truck, driven by a 29-year-old Newberry woman, which was traveling north on SR 45.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the driver of the Chevrolet pickup truck was taken to UF Health emergency room where she was pronounced deceased. The driver of the SUV suffered serious injuries.

The FHP report indicates that the driver of the pickup truck was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. The driver of the SUV was wearing a seatbelt.

The crash is still under investigation by FHP.

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alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA ‒ A local author book launch provided a sneak peek Saturday of the “Good Life Station,” a new community hub on Main Street in Alachua that will have its grand opening in March.

Several interactive digital displays showcased the first book from David Wisener, a lifelong county resident who is Economic Development Manager for Alachua and pastor of Redeemer, a church plant with the Free Methodist Church.

The book launch included discounted copies of Wisener's book, an author autograph and reading session, free baked treats from Nancy's Bake Shop, and a gift card raffle.

Wisener said his book, ‘Lost the Plot: Finding Our Story in a Confusing World,’ is a memoir that mixes theological and philosophical reflection, asking and attempting to answer questions surrounding human identity and how we understand life.

“I struggled to make sense of my life for many years,” he said, “and over a long process, I finally realized a lot of that had to do with the kinds of stories I believed about myself. 

“We all have these ideas—these stories we cling to that we allow to define who we are.  A lot of the time, those stories aren't good reflections of reality, so we need help parsing out what to believe about ourselves, which I hope this book helps others do.”

Wisener said the book is intended for anyone who is asking deep questions about the meaning of life and trying to find their place in the world.

“I want people to feel hope and see that they have reasons to hold on to hope,” he said.  “Much of society is at its base deeply nihilistic and dehumanizing, so hope is getting harder to come by. 

“But the main point of my book is showing that God loves you, and God's story for you is more wonderful than anything you've come up with yourself or been told by others, often including others within a church.  You were made for a purpose by the Author of creation, so cling to that reality, and don't lose hope.”

Wisener's book is available now in hardcover, paperback, and e-book through Amazon, Bookshop.org, and the publisher, Wipf and Stock.

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alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ The early voting period for the 2024 Presidential Preference Primary Election will begin on Friday, March 8 at 9 a.m. From March 8 to March 16, Republican voters in Alachua County will be able to vote early at any of the county's seven early voting locations between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Only registered Republican voters will have a contest to vote on in the March 19 Presidential Preference Primary. The deadline to declare a party for the Presidential Preference Primary Election was Feb. 20.  

During the early voting period, voters will be able to deliver their completed vote-by-mail ballot to any of the secure ballot intake stations located outside of each early voting site. The secure ballot intake stations will be available during early voting hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and will be continuously monitored by trained secure ballot intake station attendants.

Early voting ends on Saturday, March 16. Voters can still return their vote-by-mail ballot on Sunday, March 17 and Monday, March 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to the secure ballot intake station located only at the Supervisor of Elections Office. On Election Day, March 19, the secure ballot intake station will be available only at the Supervisor of Elections Office from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The seven early voting locations are:

• Supervisor of Elections Office: 515 N. Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601
• Millhopper Branch Library: 3145 N.W. 43rd St, Gainesville, FL 32606
• Tower Road Branch Library: 3020 S.W. 75^th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
• Hawthorne Community Center, 6700 S.E. 221^st St, Hawthorne, FL 32640 (New Location)
• Legacy Park Multipurpose Center: 15400 Peggy Rd, Alachua, FL 32615
• Wayne Reitz Union: 655 Reitz Union Drive, UF Campus, Gainesville, FL 32611
• Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center: 23100 W. Newberry Rd, Newberry, FL 32669

Voters must present valid photo and signature identification to vote early. To find a full list of acceptable photo and signature ID, please visit VoteAlachua.gov or call the Supervisor of Elections Office during normal business hours at 352-374-5252.

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ALACHUA – The field of candidates is set for the City of Alachua’s City Commission election. The City of Alachua’s qualifying period for the scheduled April 9, 2024 election ended at noon on Feb. 27, 2024.

Both incumbents, Shirley Green Brown, Seat 4 and Jennifer Blalock, Seat 5 filed for reelection, but only one candidate drew an opponent.  

Brown is unopposed and will automatically be returned to Seat 4 to serve another three-year term. Blalock will face off against challenger Eric L. Ford for Seat 5.

The election will be held Tuesday, April 9, 2024, to fill Seat 5 on for a three-year term ending in April 2027. Seat 4 will not appear on the ballot as Brown was the only qualifier for Seat 4.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at the Legacy Park Multipurpose Center, the Cleather Hathcock, Sr. Community Center and the Clubhouse at Turkey Creek.

Candidate documents are available for review in the Deputy City Clerk’s office at Alachua City Hall.

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ALACHUA ‒ With beau tiful weather that seemed more springlike than winter, the Okito Tech City Fun Fest kicked off Saturday morning to crowds of festival goers. The event was billed as a way to “bring the community together for a day of pure fun, with over 125 vendors and food trucks, music, interactive games, and raffles, including a $1,000 scholarship for school supplies for one lucky Alachua County teacher.” Okito America partnered with San Felasco Tech City, Fun 4 Gator Kids, and Coca-Cola for a day of fun for all ages.

If attendance was any indication, the festival lived up to its claims as crowds started arriving mid-morning. Using geofencing, organizers estimate that some 4,000 people were on site at the event. To make accommodations for parking the many vehicles bringing in festival goers, a shuttle bus carried people from a designated parking area on U.S. Highway 441 to the San Felasco Tech City where the event was staged.

Kicking off the festival was the official ribbon cutting of Okito America’s newest location in San Felasco Tech City. Surrounded by a group of people including San Felasco Tech City founder and developer Mitch Glaeser and Alachua Chamber of Commerce President Adam Boukari, Okito America’s owner, Orlando Milan, wielded the oversized ceremonial scissor, cutting the ribbon and officially opening the martial arts studio.

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ALACHUA ‒ Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) spokesperson Jackie Johnson on Feb. 23, 2024 issued a statement about a website by ACPS to provide information to the public about the proposed conversion of Newberry public schools to public charter schools.

The City of Newberry and a group called Newberry Education First have requested a vote by classroom teachers and parents on the conversion of Newberry Elementary School, Oak View Middle School and Newberry High School to charter schools beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

The proposed conversion has both proponents and critics with some questioning what such a system would look like to current employees and students. The website created by ACPS attempts to answer some of those questions and can be reached at http://www.sbac.edu/charterconversion.

The ACPS website reads in part, “We don’t yet have all the answers, and a lot of the questions will have to be answered by the City of Newberry and Newberry Education First. Even if the conversion is approved, the new operators and the district will have to agree on a charter outlining roles, responsibilities, operations and more.

“On this site we will be answering some of the most commonly-asked questions about the potential impact of a conversion.  An FAQ for employees and fact sheet for parents has already been posted.

“Please note that some of this information comes from the Newberry Education First website, which is being revised frequently.”

The ACPS website also provides links to information about the voting process. A timeline for conducting the vote is under development and will be posted when available.

A host of information is provided about the status of current school employees if the conversion moves forward.  Topics include employer, job guarantee, collective bargaining, benefits, salaries, health insurance, and retirement.

Among other areas of information are student attendance and zoning, transportation, special needs students, athletics, and school resource officers.

Newberry First has created its own website of frequently asked questions and responses at https://www.yesnewberry.org/faq.  Newberry Education First will be holding town halls in Archer and Newberry for parents, teachers and interested parties ahead of the April timeline of voting about the public charter school system.

A town hall meeting will be held in Archer on Feb. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Archer Community Center, 16671 S.W. 137th Avenue, Archer.  Additional meetings will be held March 6 and March 26 in Newberry at 6 p.m. at the Mentholee Municipal Building, 25420 W. Newberry Road, Newberry.  To RSVP online to the meeting go to https://www.yesnewberry.org/. 

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