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ALACHUA – Alachua County Public Schools ended its “courtesy busing” effective Jan. 16, 2024. This sparked some discussion during the Monday, Jan. 22 joint meeting between the Alachua County School Board and the Alachua City Commission.

“Courtesy busing” are those stops and rides provided to students who live within two miles of their zoned school and are not ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students. The school district announced the changes in fall 2023.

On the heels of those changes, speaking at the joint meeting, School Board Member Tina Certain expressed concern that Alachua did not have adequate school crossing guards.

As the discussion developed however, it became clearer that the School District had not contacted the Alachua Police Department (APD) to discuss how the changes in busing policy might affect the number and location of student pedestrians.

“We certainly haven’t been made aware of any bus route changes that would require us to add any additional school crossing guards,” said Alachua Police Department Chief Jesse Sandusky.

Certain claimed to have received calls from parents regarding the crossing guard issue in Alachua. She also alluded to a Jan. 20, 2023 pedestrian accident that claimed the life of 5-year-old Kaiden Mincey, an Irby Elementary School student.

Chief Sandusky noted that the department does have a school crossing guard placed in the area where the 2023 accident occurred. Sandusky and Alachua City Manager Mike DaRoza both also noted that all four of the City’s school crossing guard positions are filled, and when a crossing guard calls out from work, a police officer steps in to handle school crossings.

Still, Sandusky said the police department could evaluate if there are any other areas in need of a crossing guard. “We can take a look and see how the change in bus routes affected our area, but I was not made aware of anything,” he said.

The apparent lapse in communications became clear when Alachua Vice-Mayor Dayna Miller inquired as to how the Alachua Police Department would know there was a change in need for crossing guards. Alachua County Public School Superintended Shane Andrew responded that the school district’s transportation department would need to contact the police department to inform them of the changes.

Andrew said the police department would typically be working with the school district’s director of transportation.

“[I]f we created [a need for a crossing guard], then they would bring that forward from the school district’s department of transportation,” Andrew said.

Andrew vowed that the school district administration would follow up with the Alachua Police Department to discuss the changes and assist in evaluating needs for crossing guards.

Alachua County school district officials estimate that courtesy routes required 16 buses district wide at an annual cost of about $1.8 million. The district reports that it does not receive reimbursement from the State for these additional costs. The changes in “courtesy busing” are believed to affect about 1,200 students in the district.

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This information is public record and the booking report is provided by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Department of the Jail.  The charges listed are at the time of arrest and and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. For more details on a specific inmate use the Sheriff’s Office inmate search (for inmates currently at the jail). More specific information on charges is available by searching court records.  Jail booking logs are removed from the Alachua County Today website after 30 days.

GAINESVILLE - The Alachua County Commission and the City of Gainesville Commission will conduct a joint meeting on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. The meeting begins at 3 p.m. The meeting is in the Jack Durrance Auditorium on the second floor of the Alachua County Administration Building (12 SE 1st St., Gainesville).

L-R: Three finalists for Teacher of the Year honors are Sarah Rendek, a reading teacher at High Springs Community School; Jenifer Knowles, a science teacher at the Professional Academies Magnet @ Loften High School; and Dwynette Smith, music teacher at Metcalfe Elementary School

GAINESVILLE -  Alachua County’s Teacher of the Year will be announced this Thursday, Jan. 25 at a special ceremony hosted by The Education Foundation for Alachua County Public Schools and sponsored by Cox Communications, Florida Credit Union, SWI Photographers and many other business, organizations and individuals.

The three finalists for Teacher of the Year honors are Dwynette Smith, music teacher at Metcalfe Elementary School; Sarah Rendek, a reading teacher at High Springs Community School; and Jenifer Knowles, a science teacher at the Professional Academies Magnet @ Loften High School.

Smith, the elementary finalist, has been teaching music in private settings and public schools since 1998. She’s been teaching at Metcalfe for nearly four years, and also spent six years at Buchholz High School. She says music can be a ‘spark,’ a catalyst for students to succeed in other areas.

“I love giving them that joy, that place where they can be successful,” she said. “Even when you have a child that’s struggling, to have that one victory, where they can play the notes you want, play their own melody or create something that they know is theirs, there’s nothing that can compare.”

Rendek, the middle school finalist, has been a teacher for more than 13 years, more than eight of them at High Springs, where she teaches reading. She says she loves teaching middle school students, who are starting to consider who they are and where they want to go in life.

“I want to be a light in their lives, their positive role model and their cheerleader,” she said. “In class I give them the freedom to express themselves, which allows them to grow as human beings, but also under the guidance of appropriate expectations.”

Knowles, the high school finalists, has been teaching science for 19 years in a variety of locations, including Michigan and even in New Zealand. Here in Alachua County she taught at Oak View Middle in Newberry in addition to the three years she’s been at Professional Academies Magnet @ Loften High School. She wants her students to understand that science and learning in general is ongoing.

“I’m excited to share science with my students,” said Knowles. “It’s important for them to see how what they’re learning translates to life outside the classroom. Sometimes the content lends itself well to this goal and other times the less are in life, technology, collaboration or other soft skills.”

The three finalists and 36 other nominees from Alachua County Public Schools will be honored at the upcoming Robert W. Hughes Teacher of the Year ceremony, which is named after the former Superintendent of Schools who established the program. The winner will go on to represent the district in the state recognition program.

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LAKE CITY, FLA.- On Dec. 26, 2022, Florida Highway Patrol Troopers responded to reports of a black Chevy Trailblazer in the ditch on the side of the road in the area of Interstate 10 (I-10) East of Mile Marker 307 in Columbia County. Upon arrival, Troopers observed an unresponsive individual in the driver seat, later identified as Jeffrey Keith McLendon, 51, of Pelham, Georgia.

Following several failed attempts to elicit a response from McLendon by first responders, E.M.S. was requested by Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.  He was transported McLendon to the Lake City Medical Center by ambulance for treatment.

The white powder was identified as Fentanyl, weighing over 29 grams.

McLendon was charged with the following, and Troopers later transported McLendon to the Columbia County Jail, where he was booked.

• Trafficking in Fentanyl 4 grams or more-Felony
• Drug Equipment or Possession-Misdemeanor
• Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol (D.U.I.)-Misdemeanor

Last week, on January 17, 2024, Jeffrey Keith McLendon was convicted on the above charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Below are the updated City of Gainesville traffic impacts scheduled for Jan. 19-26, 2024. 

New Notices 

SE First Street: On Wednesday, Jan. 24, Southeast First Street will be closed to through traffic between Southeast First Avenue and Southeast Second Avenue between 7 a.m.-12 p.m.

Southeast First Ave.: Southeast First Avenue (eastbound only) will be closed between South Main Street and Southeast First Street until April 1, 2024.

SE Fifth Ave.: Southeast Fifth Avenue will be closed with detours between Southeast Third Street and Southeast Sixth Terrace until Feb. 23, 2024.

Continuing Notices 

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. This will end March 3.

SW 52nd Street: There is a single-lane closure on Southwest 52nd Street between the front entrance of Cabana Beach and Southwest 20th Avenue for drainage pipe installation until Feb. 22. Flaggers will be present to assist in traffic control.

Clark Butler Blvd. area: The new traffic signals at Clark Butler, Southwest 62nd Boulevard, Southwest 43rd Street are not turned on, but the traffic is guided through the intersection with traffic control devices. This should be complete by Feb. 1.

SW 52nd Street: Southwest 52nd Street is closed from Southwest 18th Place to Southwest 16th Place (front entrance of Cabana Beach to rear entrance of Cabana Beach). This closure will be through January 24.

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