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GAINESVILLE, FLA. - The Builders Association of North Central Florida, a 500+ company member professional and trade association representing the building industry recently installed its 2024 leaders during its 68th Annual Installation Banquet held on Dec. 1, 2023.

Outgoing 2023 BANCF President, John Jones, presented the following awards:

Individual “President” Awards – Fred Lesperance, Gator Solutions LLC; Brad Stumpff, 2 College Brothers, Inc.; John Roscow, Holden, Roscow & Caedington, PL; Luis Diaz, Dibros Design & Construction

Big Spike of the Year – Justin MacDougall, Santa Fe College

New Spike of the Year – Beth Phillips, CHW; Michelle Vickers, Scherer Construction of North Florida LLC

Retention Spike of the Year – Barry Rutenberg, Barry Rutenberg & Associates

Ambassador of the Year – Beth Phillips, CHW

Distinguished Spikes – Barry Rutenberg, Barry Rutenberg & Associates; Justin MacDougall, Santa Fe College

2023 Chairs of the Year – Debby Knopf, Millhopper Family Dentistry, PA; Dianne Gates, The Best Restoration, LLC

George Barnes Spirit Award – Beth Phillips, CHW

2023 Associate of the Year – Debby Knopf, Millhopper Family Dentistry, PA

2023 Builder of the Year – Matt Marino, Oelrich Construction, Inc.

The following 2024 Officers and Directors were installed: President: Don Kellogg, Scorpio.

Associate Vice President:                       Jason Cason, First Federal Bank

President Elect:                                       Fred Lesperance, Gator Solutions, LLC

Associate Vice President Elect:              Sue Fisher, BHGRE Thomas Group

Treasurer:                                                David Hilman, Custom Design Renovations, LLC

Secretary:                                                Kevin Brown, Renasant Bank

2024 Board of Directors

Amber Beckham

Andreana Graham

Arlene Stewart

Barry Rutenberg

Brad Stumpff

Bryce Hartley

Carly Waters

Chancey Padgett

Chris Trowell

Christopher Decker

Craig Brashier

Debby Knopf

DJ Samples

Erik Anderson

Ian Brown

Jake Plein

Jason Robinson

Jay Brown

Joe Burns

John Jones

John Roscow IV

Juddy Carter

Kara Bolton

Keith Perry

Kim Wolfmeyer

Larry Hartfield

Lisa Rutenberg

Luis Diaz

Madi Joyner

Margarita Purvis

Mark Hurm

Matt Marino

Michelle Vickers

Rob Edmunds

Rob Lash

Ryan McGriff

Stephanie Sutton

Steve Burroughs

Toney Sullivan

Wesley Emmanuel

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ALACHUA ‒ Alachua Boy Scout Troop 88 and the Alachua Lions Club broke ground on a new scout hut Nov. 10, 2023 at the site of the existing scout hut, located on N orthwest142^nd Terrace across from the Alachua Post Office. Chartered in 1912, and one of the oldest Boy Scout troops in the United States, Troop 88 has a long history in Alachua and with the Alachua Lions Club.

After the Alachua Lions Club was chartered in 1931, it began sponsoring Troop 88. According to Alachua Lions Club records, the first scout hut in Alachua was built in the 1930s with the assistance of the Alachua Lions Club but was burned down in 1983 as result of arson.

Continuing its dedication to Boy Scout Troop 88, Alachua Lions Club members, headed by Lion Gil Whitman, spearheaded the construction of a new scout hut to replace the one that burned down. Funds were raised by the Lions and many “man-hours” were donated to construct the new building, Lions Club records state.

In February 1984, the concrete slab for the current scout hut was poured and the building began to take shape. The building was enlarged from the original size, giving the troop a chance to grow and include more scouts into the scouting program. Upon the completion of the building, Boy Scout Troop 88 decided to dedicate the new scout hut in memory of Lion Gilbert Whitman who was killed in a car accident on Feb. 14, 1984 after spending the day pouring the concrete for the hut.

In 2017, Alachua Lions Club member Gib Coerper began heading up an effort to raise money for a major expansion and renovation of the scout hut. The expansion comes with a price tag of about $185,000. All of the construction and design costs and efforts have been donated either in cash or in-kind.

The project will be a complete renovation of the existing building, plus a major expansion increasing the scout hut by two-thirds. The existing restroom will be renovated, and an additional wheelchair accessible restroom will be constructed. The expansion also includes an entirely new HVAC system and a covered front porch.

Coerper said he expects construction on the project to move at a fast face, with completion as early as mid-December. While the scout hut undergoes the renovations, scouts will utilize the Alachua Lions Club building next door.

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GAINESVILLE, FLA. – Santa Fe College (SF) will celebrate Fall 2023 graduates with in-person commencement ceremonies that will be held in the SF Gymnasium on the Northwest Campus, 3000 N.W. 83rd Street, Gainesville.

The pinning/graduation ceremony for Nursing program graduates is Thursday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m. No tickets are required to attend this ceremony.

Students earning a bachelor’s, A.A., A.S., A.A.S. or certificate degree will be recognized at the ceremony on Friday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. Students who are walking in the Friday ceremony will receive four tickets each. Only people with tickets will be admitted.

Doors to the gym will close once the procession begins. On Friday, guests arriving late and/or without tickets can view the ceremonies on the big screen inside the Fine Arts Hall. Seating in both the gym and the Fine Arts Hall is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Everyone should plan their travel routes accordingly. North Road at the gym intersection will be closed at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 and 8.

Visit the graduation website for parking information and more.

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Photo by MICHAEL P. MAUER special to Alachua County Today / Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 Quartermaster Avery Owen, left, and Commander Chester Lundy display the flag that was rescued and returned to the Gainesville post after being thrown away in a dumpster 350 miles away.

GAINESVILLE ‒ More than 350 miles away outside of Atlanta, a United States flag carefully folded into a display case was casually thrown into the trash. Rescued by a patriotic citizen, it was placed in the hands of Michael T. Brown, adjutant of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5255 in Lawrenceville, Ga.

As Brown removed the back from the display case to properly prepare the flag for disposal, a newspaper clipping dated July 2, 1989 fell out. The topic of the article was flag desecration, and a court ruling that upheld flag burning as an expression of speech. It featured remarks from Past Alachua County VFW Post 2811 Commander Adrian K. Stitt.

“To be free, you’ve got to have patriotism, and patriotism is part of who I am as a person,” Stitt was quoted in the article. “I will not speak against our government yet – until they give me something to speak out against.”

Stitt, a veteran of World War II and Korea, served as commander of the Alachua County post 34 years ago. A few years later following his term, he moved to be closer to family near Atlanta.

And there he stayed until he passed. Part of his legacy were the words read by the VFW Post 5255 adjutant.

Motivated by the newspaper article and a sense of duty, adjutant Brown – a veteran of the Vietnam War – delivered the flag to the Gainesville VFW. Instructions with the national emblem and case read that the flag should be displayed proudly with honor.

Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 Quartermaster Avery Owen received the display case earlier this month. A retired master sergeant with the 3rd Bn, 20th Special Forces Group of the Florida Army National Guard, Avery said he felt honored by the adjutant’s request.

“Those of us who’ve served overseas have seen firsthand what countries are like where people have few rights and freedoms,” he said. “It helps make you understand that the U.S. flag truly represents protection of liberties, and deserves to be respected and honored.”

With dozens of combat veterans in its ranks, the Alachua County post is dedicated to honoring the U.S. flag. On Nov. 4, for example, members of the post and its auxiliary spent part of the day decorating the graves of former servicemembers with American flags for Veterans Day.

Also, carefully displayed on the walls of the post’s main meeting hall are scores of U.S. flags in wooden presentation cases. Each is marked with a small brass plaque inscribed with the name of the servicemember it honors.

Avery said he understands that some of the freedoms he’s fought for include the right of fellow citizens to desecrate the flag as a form of protest. He is quick to add, however, that it is also his privilege and that of many others to honor the flag at all times.

“We could argue what is right or what is wrong,” said Avery “But in the end, respecting our country and its founding principles and our fellow citizens is paramount.”

Etiquette taught to those in the military and service organizations is based on the premise that the American flag should be respected as a symbol of freedom. According to the VFW, proper protocol should be followed in the disposal of a flag. This process includes reverently burning the flag, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and burying the ashes. Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 accepts donations of old and worn flags, and regularly retires them according to these guidelines.

“It’s never right to just throw the United States flag into a dumpster,” said current VFW Post 2811 Commander Chester Lundy. “That’s like throwing away all your rights and privileges as a citizen of this country.”

Lundy, a retired Marine master sergeant and Desert Storm veteran, said that he’s glad the flag arrived under his watch.

“It gave myself and a few others a chance to reflect about how many different opinions there are, and how good it is to be in a country where differences are allowed,” the commander said.

Those interested in VFW Post 2811 and its activities can call 352-376-7660

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Michael P. Mauer is a life member of VFW Post 2811. He served as an Army photojournalist during Operation Desert Storm, and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal by Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf for his actions during the war. This year, Mauer won the Grand Award for top feature article in the VFW National Publications Contest.

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OCALA, Fla.- Last week, three vehicles were involved in a hit-and-run crash with serious bodily injury in Marion County. In the early morning of Saturday, November 18, 2023, a Ford Mustang and a Chevrolet Corvette were traveling west on State Road 200, operating their vehicles at a high rate of speed, making multiple lane changes, and driving recklessly for the purpose of racing.

In the area of Southwest 80th Street, the Corvette struck a Toyota Prius that was also traveling west. The Corvette then traveled off the roadway before hitting a utility pole and a tree; the Prius remained in the median.

The driver of the Ford Mustang briefly parked, concealing his car in a local business parking lot. At the same time, he checked the injury status of the driver of the Corvette, who had been ejected, before fleeing the scene. The driver of the Corvette, a 38-year-old male from Ocala, was seriously injured.

At the time of the crash, Florida Highway Patrol (F.H.P.) investigators released images of the Ford Mustang driver to the public in hopes of identifying him. The male driver appeared to be a heavy-set white male with tattooed arms, wearing a baseball hat and a beard. The Mustang was also described as a silver-in-color 2020-2023 model with tinted windows. Anyone with information was asked to contact F.H.P. or their local Crimestoppers to provide tips.

Through investigative efforts and help from the public who volunteered tips following the crash, the suspect driver of the Mustang was identified as white male Jacob Steven Michael Carmack, 23, of Ocala.

Carmack was arrested on Tuesday, November 27, 2023, and booked into Marion County Jail on the following charges:

• Reckless Driving which resulted in serious bodily injury to another- 1 count (Felony) F.S.S. 316.192.3a2
• Crash Involving Death or Personal Injuries for the failure to remain on scene of a crash which resulted in the serious bodily injury to another- 1 count (Felony) F.S.S. 316.027.2b
• Racing on Highways-1 count (Misdemeanor) F.S.S. 316.191.2a

This investigation remains active and ongoing. To learn more about the dangers of street racing and how you can report information on upcoming events or identify participants, visit Street Racing/Takeovers, Stunt Driving - Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (flhsmv.gov).

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Air Liquide Advanced Materials, Inc., is facing a six-figure Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalty following a workplace explosion according to industrial safety and training organization, Safety.BLR.

OSHA announced on Nov. 16 that, “Air Liquide Advanced Materials, Inc., of High Springs, a global manufacturer of industrial gas, faces $201,573 in penalties following a May 2023 explosion that severely injured several employees.” According to their report OSHA found that, “The employer could have prevented the accident by following required operating procedures in the manufacturing process.”

After the explosion, OSHA investigators conducted an inspection at the manufacturing site where “diborane — a toxic, colorless, and pyrophoric gas — is produced, distilled, mixed, and transferred.”

“Inspectors determined that the explosion occurred as a 25-year-old product technician used a heat gun to transfer gas from an aluminum source cylinder to a steel cylinder. The technician was flown to a trauma center and treated for brain injuries, third-degree burns, and a leg amputation. Four other workers suffered various injuries and were treated at the hospital.”

According to Safety.BLR, OSHA cited Air Liquide for “willfully exposing workers to fire and explosion hazards by requiring them to use equipment intrinsically unsafe in the presence of flammable chemicals and vapors.”

OSHA also cited the employer for 12 serious violations for the following failures:

“Not containing safe upper and lower limits for temperatures, pressures and flows, and thermal and chemical stability data on the process safety information documents;

Failing to conduct a process hazard analysis to adequately address hazards related to impure or contaminated materials produced in mixing and reaction processes;

Not retaining and addressing hazard analysis recommendations promptly and tracking resolutions;

Failing to address requirements for the operating limits specified for cylinder temperatures in written operating procedures;

Not removing equipment in hazardous locations with ignitable or combustible properties of specific dust, fibers, gases, or vapors present; and

Not properly classifying buildings as process safety management sites and documenting that equipment complied with recognized good engineering practices.”

In an agency statement, OSHA’s Jacksonville area office director Scott Tisdale said, “By putting production ahead of safety, Air Liquide Advanced Materials altered a young worker’s life permanently. Our investigation found the company worked to increase productivity at its High Springs facility but failed to employ safety measures required for the production of a toxic chemical, diborane.”

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