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Eastside High School Thepsians Aaiden Cotton & Patrick Ford

ALACHUA COUNTY - Alachua County Public Schools students swept the top awards at the recent high school thespian competition for Florida’s District 12 and the middle school thespian competition for District 1, beating out all other schools in those districts for the opportunity to compete in the statewide thespian competitions in the spring.

Eastside High School students Aaiden Cotton and Patrick Ford took top honors in the competition’s performance category for their musical duet ‘Feed Me’ from the show Little Shop of Horrors. Kaley Bleaker of Gainesville High School won the technical theater category for her marketing campaign for the musical Aladdin. All three students will now go on to represent District 12 in the Florida State Thespian Festival for high school students in Tampa in mid-March.

For the second straight year, a performance by students from Lincoln Middle School was selected as Best in Show and the District Representative in the District 1 Florida Junior Thespians competition. Jayden Arduser, Esther Thompson, Khloe’ Ayala-Vermont, Payton Howell, Carys Maltby, Megan Hoover, and Gracie McMillen won the top award with their performance of ‘King of New York’ from Newsies. They will be competing at the Junior Thespians State Festival in Orlando in late February.

Many other local students earned high ratings and awards from their competitions. The Buchholz, GHS and Eastside troupes combined to earn 47 Superior ratings and 48 Excellent ratings. Nine students won Top Honors, including Camilla Lowry and Maya Zaldivar from Buchholz; Emma Bennett, Anna Niemann, Megan Godwin, as well as Cotton and Ford, from Eastside High; and Fin Peck and Kaley Bleaker from GHS. Lowry also won a $1000 scholarship for costume construction.

In the middle school competition, the Westwood and Bishop/Lincoln troupes combined for 20 Superior and 19 Excellent ratings. Eight students won Top Honors, including Arduser, Thompson, Ayala-Vermont, Howell, Maltby, Hoover, McMillen and Juliet Anderson.

The directors of the programs include: Ted Lewis, Buchholz; Daniel Lytton, Eastside; Shannon Hewitt and Natalia Pegg, GHS; Jackie Collins, Lincoln and Bishop; and Amy MacCord, Westwood.

A list of the students earning Superior ratings, Top Honors, best in show and District Rep status follows.

ACPS Thespian District Results

Buchholz High School - Ted Lewis, director

32 Excellent Ratings

25 Superior Ratings: 2 Top Honors:

1 Scholarship recipient

Top Honors:

Camilla Lowry - Constume Construction

Maya Zaldiver - Constume Construction

Scholarship Recipient - Camilla Lowry - $1,000 - Costume Construction

Superiors:

Maya Zaldivar - Costume Construction Maya Zaldivar - Costume Design Olivia Marvin - Costume Design

Caitlin Roe - Costume Design

Aislin Chronic, Jasmine Miranda, Taiden Roberts - Small Group Musical

Anna Tomlinson, Camilla Lowry, Quinn Horwitz, Riley Bauer - Small Group Musical Camilla Lowry - Costume Construction

Anna Tomlinson and Vijay Hans - Duet Acting Christopher Marshall and Sydney Widder - Duet Acting Lindy Mack and Lola Davis - Duet Acting

Daphne Charles and Grace Yoon - Duet Acting Pedro Prado - Pantomime

Quinn Horwitz - Monologue Lola Davis - Monologue Madison Belcher - Monologue Daphne Charles - Monologue

Daphne charles and Evie Sutton - Duet Musical Jasmine Miranda and Patrick Bethel - Duet Musical Jasmine Miranda - Solo Musical

Eowyn Verhoeven and Riley Bauer - Duet Musical Anna Tomlinson - Solo Musical

Patrick Bethel - Solo Musical Spencer Miller - Publicity Design Eowyn Verhoeven - Monologue

Eastside High School - Daniel Lytton, director

9 Excellent Ratings

12 Superior Ratings

3 Top Honors

District 12 Representtive:

Aaiden Cotton and Patrick Ford - Duet Musical - Feed Me (Little Shop of Horrors)

Top Honors:

Emma Bennett and Anna Niemann - Duet Acting - Stairway to Heaven
Megan Godwin - Monologue - Eye of the Beholder/Midsummer Night’s Dream
Aaiden Cotton and Patrick Ford - Duet Musical - Feed Me

Superiors:

Evan Daley - Monologue - The Crucible/The Importance of Being Earnest
Megan Godwin - Solo Music - Carrie
Rory Sowers - Monologue - Death of a Salesman/Peter and the Starcatcher
Aaiden Cotton - Solo Music - Celies Curse
Aaiden Cotton, Elizabeth Offerle, Patrick Ford - Small Group Musical - Make Me Happy
Rose Concannon - Stage Management - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Rebecca Levin - Costume Design - Macbeth
One Act - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Emma Bennett - Monologue - All for Love/Dryden Thank You So Much for Stopping

Gainesville High School - Shannon Hewitt and Natalia Pegg, directors

7 Excellent Ratings
10 Superior Ratings
2 Top Honors

District 12 Representative - Technical Theater:

Kaylee Bleaker - Theater Marketing - Aladdin

Top Honors:

Finn Peck - Makeup Design - Alice in Wonderland
Kaylee Bleaker - Theater Marketing - Aladdin

Superior Ratings:

Alessandra Deleon - Monologues - “Honor/Nerds”

Diamond Vo - Solo Musical - On the Steps of the Palace (Into the Woods)

Gianna Malorzo, Diamond Vo, Sean Bernard - Small Group Musical - The I Love You Song (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)

Bethany Anderson, Alanis Mitchell, Kailani Jackson - Small Group Musical - Make Him Mine (The Witches of Eastwick)

Bethany Anderson - Solo Musical - I know Where I’ve Been (Hairspray)

Finn Peck - Makeup Design - Alice in Wonderland

Kaylee Bleaker - Scenic Design - Beauty and the Beast

Kaylee Bleaker - Theater Marketing - Aladdin

Yara Cartagena - Student Directed Scene - Little Women

Norma Wayne - Costume Design and Construction - She Kills Monsters

Westwood Middle School - Amy MacCord, Director

8 Excellent Ratings

Bishop/Lincoln MS - Jackie Collins, Director

11 Excellents

20 Superiors 2 Top Honors

1 District Representative

Jayden Arduser, Esther Thompson, Khloe’ Ayala-Vermont, Payton Howell, Carys
Maltby, Megan Hoover, Gracie McMillen - Small Group Musical - King of New York,
Newsies - Superior + Top Honors, Best in Show/District Representative
Juliet Anderson - Solo Musical - Diva’s Lament, Spamalot - Superior + Top Honors
Jayden Arduser, Khloe’ Ayala-Vermont, Juliet Anderson, Megan Hoover, Xander
Emma, Elijah West, Payton Howell, Carys Maltby, Reese Johnson, Yasmin
Hassan, Esther Thompson, Gracie McMillen, Samantha Murad, Jussara
Love-Leonor, Julia Wynn, Aleah Henderson - Large Group Musical - Freak Flag,
Shrek
Wilder Schwich-Helm, Elijah West, Kario Hill, Lula Ney, Sophia Neighbors, Finnley
Gordon - Ensemble Acting - Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread
Julia Wynn, Halen Herchel, Savannah Smith, Aleah Henderson, Mia Nakanishi,
Maliyah Mincey, Samantha Tisher - Small Group Musical - Fearless, Mean Girls
Aajenae Bannister, Mia Walker, Lincoln Russell, Alexis Murad, Jessica Han, Kate
Bishop, Jackie Kramer - Small Group Musical - Join the Circus, Barnum
Yasmin Hassan, Kaayana Sharma, Jayden Arduser, Juliet Anderson, Megan
Hoover, Esther Thompson, Gracie McMillen, Khloe’ Ayala-Vermont - Pantomime -
A Day at Disney
Jayden Arduser, Megan Hoover - Duet Musical - BFF, Spongebob
Hannah Reeves, Yasmin Hassan - Duet Acting - Antisocial
Kaayana Sharma, Anni Maxwell, Elliana Fields, Jaliyiah Mcnish, Tavya Joshi,
Reese Johnson, Samantha Murad - Small Group Musical - Brand New You, 13
Aleah Henderson - Solo Musical - I’m Here, The Color Purple
Esther Thompson - Solo Musical - Watch What Happens, Newsies
Kario Hill - Solo Musical - Mr. Cellophane, Chicago
Halen Herchel - Solo Musical - Grow For Me, Little Shop of Horrors
Kaayana Sharma - Solo Musical - Mama Who Bore Me, Spring Awakening
Gracie McMillen - Solo Musical - Never Fall in Love with an Elf, Elf
Sophia Neighbors - Monologue - Nervous Girl
Kristopher Ramos - Monologue - 10 ways to Survive Zombies
Halen Herchel - Monologue - Ladies Man
Elijah West - Monologue - Midsummer Night’s Dream

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GAINEESVILLE, FL – Snta Fe College has received $3 million dollars from FloridaCommerce’s Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to develop an associate degree track in Engineering Technology with a specialization in Advanced Manufacturing that addresses the needs of business and industry throughout the region. 

The new Engineering Technology degree will be among the programs featured in the college’s new Ralph W. Cellon Jr Institute for Skilled Trades and Advanced Manufacturing, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025. This grant will enable SF to implement aspects of the program, in advance of constructing the new facility, with a particular focus on semiconductor training, as early as the spring of 2024. Grant funding will also accelerate the full development of the Engineering Technology program. 

“Santa Fe College is committed to both addressing the needs of the business community, while providing training and educational programs that will lead to excellent career opportunities throughout our service district,” SF President Paul Broadie II said. “This grant bolsters our effort to support students interested in entering careers in the emerging semiconductor industry, and we greatly appreciate the state’s continued support of our institution and the work we do transforming lives of our students.”  

President Broadie has repeatedly voiced support for implementing innovation and new technology into the curriculum to better prepare students for the more interconnected global economy they will see upon entering the workforce.  

The college anticipates the Cellon Institute will be able to serve approximately 1,300 additional students over the next decade by more than doubling the capacity of its existing Welding and HVAC programs, in addition to the new Engineering Technology degree. The $3 million is in addition to $1.8 million the college received in the last legislative session to help the college acquire the equipment needed in the new facility. 

The $3 million Santa Fe College is receiving is part of a larger $28 million Florida Job Growth Grant announced by Governor DeSantis.  

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Alachua County Today Staff Reporter / This youngster was getting into the holiday spirit at Friday night’s Christmas on Main Street as a Santa Fe High School cheerleader paints a colorful snowman on her face. Dozens of kid’s activity stations offered a variety of holiday themed arts and crafts, treats and refreshments.

ALACHUA ‒ Downtown Alachua was host to throngs of merrymaking crowds who showed up for the annual Christmas tree lighting event Friday, Dec. 2. New this year was the addition of Christmas on Main Street, a collaborative effort between the Alachua Chamber of Commerce, City of Alachua, and local businesses that sponsored all manner of festivities, music, activities, and Christmas trees lining Main Street.

The holiday season in Alachua officially kicked off at 6 p.m. with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree next to Skinner Park on Main Street. City Manager Mike DaRoza and Mayor Gib Coerper welcomed families to downtown Alachua.

But no Christmas tree lighting would be complete without an appearance from the one, the only, Santa Claus. And to the delight of youngsters, Jolly Old Saint Nicholas and Mrs. Claus did roll in on a shiny sleigh led by reindeer that slightly resembled miniature horses. All this with an escort from Alachua’s finest, the Alachua Police Department.

After leading the countdown to the tree lighting and saying a few jovial words to the youngsters gathered to catch a glimpse of that magical man in red, Santa and Mrs. Claus hopped back on their sleigh for a short ride down Main Street to his workshop. Children, and some adults as well, had the opportunity to sit with Santa, have their photographs taken, and share their Christmas wishes.

But the magic continued as all of Main Street was decked out with boughs of holly, garland and sparkling Christmas trees and festive light displays. Shops stayed open with lights ablaze welcoming the merrymakers as they made their way up and down the street.

Dozens of children’s activity stations and giveaways lined Main Street as children hurried to sample hot cocoa, pizza, popcorn, pastries, and cider and to pick up gift boxes and more. Youngsters had the opportunity to play in a bounce house, make ornaments, take a miniature train ride or a sleigh ride, try their hand at holiday crafts or have their faces painted. All activities and refreshments were free for children to enjoy.

At the south end of Main Street, Music Junction provided live music, while midway along Main Street, Randy and Antoinette Hunt also provided live seasonal music courtesy of Boukari Law. Theatre Park was the site of plays performed by the Children’s Theater as gaily costumed children entertained crowds gathered in the historic park that once served the community as a theatre.

Event sponsors included the City of Alachua, Visit Gainesville, Alachua County, Boukari Law, Alachua County Today, Dollar General Distribution, Walmart Distribution and the Alachua Chamber of Commerce.

Activity sponsors included the City of Alachua, Alachua Sports Pub & Grill, Good Life Station, Kelly’s Kreations, Pink Threads, Tony and Al’s, Alachua Flowers, Valerie's Loft, Mother Lode, City of Alachua and Youth Council, Cardinal's Nest, Alachua Police Department and Explorers, Boukari Realty with Santa Fe High School Cheerleaders, Boy Scout Troop 88, Mi Apa, Alachua Business League, Okito America, Capital City Bank, Polaris, Santa Fe Ford, Alachua Women's Club, Alachua Flowers & Tuxedo Rentals, Florida Phone Systems, Ryan Larmann State Farm, Music Junction, Alachua County Today and Boukari Law.

Sharing his excitement, one young child exclaimed, “Everything is free? What kind of town is this?” The efforts and generosity of many made the evening possible as the City’s official tree lighting and the Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas on Main Street proved to be a winning combination this holiday season as hundreds of people undoubtedly made magical memories to remember for years to come.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Dec. 14, 2023) – With the New Year come new changes to the City of Gainesville’s "open container" ordinances following measures finalized today by the Gainesville City Commission.

 Beginning Jan. 1, open container restrictions, which were in place before the pandemic, will return for most of Gainesville. The new rules will prohibit people from drinking or having open containers of alcohol on public property in most areas of the city. The only exceptions are two newly designated areas known as the Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE) Districts. The ACE Districts will permit open containers on sidewalks, in public parks or other public rights of way between the hours of 8 a.m. and midnight daily.

The ACE Districts are located where there are high concentration of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. The Downtown ACE District encompasses a section roughly bordered by NE 2nd Avenue to the north, NE 3rd Street to the east, SW 6th Street to the west, and south to Depot Avenue. This area includes Bo Diddley Plaza and Depot Park. (Both municipal parks will continue to permit open containers daily from 8 a.m. to midnight.)

 The Grove Street ACE District is an area between NW 2nd Street and NW 4th Street, bordered to the north by NW 12th Avenue and to the south by NW 8th Avenue. This area excludes a mostly residential area north of the 6th Street Rail Trail.

 “These ACE Districts are areas of our town that showcase the incredible arts and culture that Gainesville is famous for,” said Gainesville City Commissioner Bryan Eastman. “Entertainment districts like these are common across Florida, from Mount Dora to West Palm Beach, and give more flexibility for small business owners and artists to use their outdoor areas to create lively, thriving events,” he said.

 In advance of the upcoming changes, City staff provided downtown business owners with a list of frequently asked questions and answers, and responded to queries at a group meeting earlier this month. Early next year, establishments inside the borders will receive district maps and window decals for display. To help make the boundaries clear for all, the City also plans to install signs on streets in the districts where open containers are permitted.

 Although the Downtown parking garage and some public parking lots are located within the districts, the new ordinances prohibit open containers of alcohol in those areas.

 The Gainesville City Commission approved these changes at meetings beginning in September and October 2023 in the interest of public safety. Gainesville Police Department officers can issue either civil citations or criminal infractions to those found in violation of the ordinances. If there is drunken, unsafe or disorderly behavior, police may impose stiffer criminal penalties.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs City Commission on Nov. 28 approved rated hikes that have been a sore spot with many in the community. The Commission raised solid waste rates on residential 96-gallon cans by $4.62 to $27.75. Commercial Cans increased based on the number of pickups per week from $36.10 for one pickup, $72.20 for two pickups, $108.32 for three pickups, $144.43 for four pickups and $180.54 for five pickups per week. Dumpster rates for two-yard dumpsters will be $119.77 for one pickup per week, $199.37 for two pickups, $296.58 for three pickups, $380.35 for four pickups and $494.30 for five pickups per week.

If proposed negotiations with current waste hauler Waste Pro result in decreases, the Commission said they would reduce the waste prices. Rate increases will take place in January.

The Commission also approved water and sewer rate hikes based on the CPI rate of 5.7 percent. A previously approved resolution allows the City to make those rate hikes automatically each year without having to approve each item by ordinance. The rate increases will take effect as of the next meeting on Dec. 14 and will be included in the late December billing cycle.

The Commission remains concerned about rate increases proposed in the contract with Waste Pro, the City’s new waste hauling company. High Springs Finance Director Diane Wilson said there had been no complaints about Waste Pro’s service, although the former waste hauler amassed several citizen complaints daily.

During the meeting, some Commissioners initially said they thought Waste Pro said they would maintain the same costs as the former waste hauling company until October. Later in the meeting one person said they remember hearing that, but that it wasn’t Waste Pro’s representative who had said it. Commissioners seemed unsure who had said it, but all seemed to remember it being said.

Commissioners stressed that they had not seen the actual numbers of the new waste contract prior to voting on it, and believed information had been withheld by City staff.

City Clerk Angela Stone researched the issue during the meeting and found that Assistant City Manager Bruce Gillingham had sent a final draft of the contract, which included all the costs, in an email to Commissioners a day or two prior to the vote on the new contract. Further, she said Addendum A, the item detailing the contract costs, had actually been printed out and placed at each Commissioner’s seat prior to the April meeting, the date when the vote on the Waste Pro contract was taken.

Since the new contract with Waste Pro, the City has been billed at the new waste rates, but has not passed along those rate increases to the customers. Wilson said the City was in a deficit situation and needed to, at a minimum, increase the rates by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) amount of 5.7 percent. Wilson said that would not fix the issue, but it was better than nothing.

The Commission agreed to set up a workshop with Waste Pro to discuss the contract and determine if the company would consider reducing the rates from the contract signing date in April to October 1, an amount that could be as high as $350,000.

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Cont.:     City seeks to recover $350,000 in waste hauling charges