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HAWTHORNE ‒ Kaytee Kaitlyn Hesters, 31, of Hawthorne, was arrested on Sunday, July 23, and charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening her ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend with a gun and accelerating her car toward the same woman.

At about 12:20 p.m., an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call about an armed disturbance at the Holden Park Boat Ramp. The victim, who is the current girlfriend of Hesters’ ex-boyfriend, said that she, her boyfriend and her four-year-old son were fishing at the boat ramp when Hesters arrived, parked in the entrance way, got out of her 2017 Dodge Journey and began arguing with the victim.

The victim told the deputy that Hesters said, “I got something for y’all,” then took a small pink and white bag from the back of her car, pulled a black semi-automatic handgun from the bag and held it up so the victim could clearly see she was holding a weapon. The victim said she interpreted Hesters’ actions as a credible threat of bodily harm.

The victim began recording the incident on her cell phone. Hesters allegedly got back in her car and accelerated directly at the victim who was attempting to walk away and avoid the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant’s vehicle then came to a quick stop about eight inches from the victim. Hesters then reportedly put her car into reverse and left the area. The victim reportedly provided the video, which showed parts of the incident, to the deputy.

A deputy pulled Hesters’ car over a short time later on Southeast Hawthorne Road and detained her. The deputy reported that a pink and white bag was in plain view in the car and that a gun was found inside the bag. Several children were in the defendant’s vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.

Post Miranda, Hesters reportedly said she was at the boat ramp first and that the victim arrived and started the argument. She said the victim brandished a firearm and that she accelerated quickly to leave but did not drive directly toward the victim. When she was asked about the events shown in the video, she reportedly said the victim walked in front of her as she was trying to turn to leave the parking lot. When she was asked about the gun, she reportedly said she didn’t know how the victim knew about the pink and white bag because she never removed it from the back seat of her car.

Hesters has a juvenile criminal history but no adult convictions.

Judge Thomas M. Jaworski released Hesters on her own recognizance.

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PALATKA, Fla., Aug. 2, 2023 — Now entering the eighth year of its Blue School Grant program, the St. Johns River Water Management District, with full support of its Governing Board, is offering up to $60,000 in grants for education projects that enrich student knowledge of Florida’s water resources through hands-on learning. The application period runs Aug. 1–Sept. 15 and is available to K–12 teachers within the District’s 18-county area.

“This is such a meaningful program, and I’m honored to play a small role in teaching kids how to be good stewards of the environment,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Education and Outreach Coordinator Laura La Beur. “We've made some exciting changes to the Blue School Grant program this year, including increasing the funding by $40,000. Last year we were able to help over a dozen teachers educate students on the importance of water conservation, and with this increased funding, we will be able to reach even more students across our 18-county service area.”

To date, the District has funded 89 water resource education projects with a total of over $125,000 awarded to local schools.

Through the District’s Blue School Grant program, up to $3,000 per school may be awarded to educators working with grades K–12 to enhance student knowledge of Florida’s water resources. The application is intentionally created to be quick and easy, keeping in mind the challenging workload we know all teachers face. The District aims to support teachers by enhancing current lesson plans to create a bigger impact for students studying water resources in any subject area. Public and charter teachers within the District’s boundaries are eligible to apply.

Examples of previous successful grant applications include:

• Service-learning projects where middle and high school students partnered to study water quality
• Water quality comparison of stormwater ponds on campus
• Conversion of traditional irrigation to micro-irrigation in school landscape
• Water conservation awareness posters and videos

Teachers receiving grants will be notified in late October.

Information about criteria and deadlines, and the online application can be found at www.sjrwmd.com/education/blue-school or contact Laura La Beur at LLaBeur@sjrwmd.com or 321-473-1339.

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ALACHUA ‒ The Alachua City Commission on July 24 appointed five members to the City’s Education Task Force (ETF). The ETF advises the City Commission by recommending policies, procedures, and suggestions for improving the quality of childhood education in Alachua, including cooperation with all public, private, and charter schools, and early childhood centers that offer preschool, daycare or Head Start.

Appointments vary on length of service, with two seats serving a three-year term expiring July 24, 2026, two additional seats serving a two-year term expiring July 24, 2025 and one seat serving a one-year term expiring July 24, 2024. The five newly appointed members are Lynn Hayes and Travis White serving three-year terms, Tonya Floyd and Jeffrey A. Means serving two-year terms and Jeremy Grimm serving a one-year term.

In other City business, Mayor Gib Coerper and Ladtetre (Dee Dee) McClain presented certificates to three student artists who attended the City’s Legacy Park Summer Camp Program and had their artwork featured on display in the foyer of City Hall.

The Commission took action on the final plat for Convergence Research Park Residential Phase 2. The proposed development subdivides a 32.27-acre property into 103 lots with associated common areas and road rights-of-way. The proposed Convergence Research Park Residential subdivision has three phases consisting of lots ranging in size from 5,750 to 15,500 square feet, with the majority of lots between 5,750 to 10,000 square feet.

The subdivision will include common areas throughout the property with pedestrian pathways connecting to existing sidewalks located along the San Felasco Parkway. There will also be two roadway access points to San Felasco Parkway for the subdivision.

Development within the subdivision will connect to City of Alachua water and wastewater facilities. The developer will provide a Common Law Performance Bond of $5.59 million to the City as the surety instrument for infrastructure improvements as well as an additional $233,654 for the residential sidewalks. The Commission approved the final plat.

In other business, the Commission approved the return of two surety bonds for completion of sidewalk infrastructure in Savannah Station Phase 2A in the amount of $5,036 and $7,602.

Turning to budgetary matters, the Commission approved a proposed a tentative millage rate 5.9500 for Fiscal Year 2023-24. The Commission can set a final millage rate at a lower amount once the City’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget is finalized. The first budget public hearing has been set for Sept. 6.

Alachua Finance Director Robert Bonetti reported a $37,437 uptick to the City’s Fiscal Year 2022-23 General Fund Budget by the acceptance of unanticipated revenue of three grants. The 2023 Duke Energy Economic Development grant of $25,000 was awarded to create a strategic plan for the downtown area.

The other two grants were from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants Program. The Alachua Police Department received $2,727 to purchase 17 tactical gun lights to enhance officer safety and effectiveness in low light or no light situations and $9,710, to purchase 19 ballistic rifle plates and one traffic radar kit. The ballistic rifle plates provide officers protection from rifle calibers and the radar kit will serve to update the technology on the existing speed trailer.

In other business, the City awarded two contracts to complete the City of Alachua Water Quality & Resiliency Improvement Project. Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. was approved for $399,900 to complete the tasks for Engineering Construction Services on the project. SGS Contracting Services, Inc. was approved for $7,962,700 to provide a new raw water well, treatment facilities and operations building, sanitary sewer extension and a diesel engine generator. Both contracts will be paid for from the City's Water Fund.

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BY JENNIFER CABRERA/Alachua Chronicle

ALACHUA COUNTY – Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr., has announced his resignation. In a letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dated July 31, Watson announced his “retirement” effective Oct. 1, “due to my personal health.” The letter said that he had intended to serve out his term, which would run through 2024, “but I have accepted that my health is such that I fear that I may not be able to meet my own expectations for performing my sworn duties.”

Watson announced on June 20 that he would not be running for re-election and that he was making the “tough decision to step aside and prepare the organization for new leadership that will continue to advance our agency toward the future.”

Watson recently reversed disciplinary actions against three deputies after Judge Donna Keim found that his office had violated their rights under Florida law. A large number of subpoenas were also issued to agency members in April, and State Attorney Brian Kramer’s office told Alachua Chronicle they could not comment on an active investigation.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 3, 2023) – The City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department invites all neighbors to attend a community workshop to help shape the vision of a cultural arts center in East Gainesville.

When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 9

Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center, 1028 NE 14th Street

Similar to the initial community workshop in May, the upcoming workshop is designed to hear from neighbors about their needs, interests and expectations regarding a cultural arts center in East Gainesville.

A survey also is open to gather input from neighbors. The survey is accessible online through this link. Copies of the survey also will be available at the workshop.

The input will provide vital information in a study by AMS Planning & Research Corp., a national arts management consulting firm hired by the City. The AMS study will help determine the feasibility of either creating a new cultural arts center or renovate an existing structure in Gainesville.

For more information, contact Parks Operations Manager John Weber at WeberJF@GainesvilleFL.gov or 352-393-8532.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Gauging by sizzling temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit and a heat index well over the century mark, the dog days of summer are officially here.

Summer camps are quickly becoming only fond memories, as are the thoughts of a seemingly endless summer. With the first days of August around the corner, back-to-school time is looming just over the horizon as school in Alachua County is scheduled to begin Aug. 10.

In the meantime, hot, humid and sticky is an appropriate explanation for the lethargy that seems to have not only affected people, but our four-legged friends as well.  Mother Nature has indeed blessed Florida with sunshine — and heat.  It’s just too hot to think about doing much of anything – unless Ichetucknee Springs comes to mind.

As many locals know, Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a refreshing experience. Its unspoiled beauty, together with surrounding wilds, has become and remains a Florida treasure.   Each of us discovers this treasure only once, but is likely drawn back again and again to experience firsthand what Native Americans called “Ichetucknee,” meaning “pond of the beaver.”

North Central Floridians often, and mistakenly, take for granted this virtual paradise consisting of 2,669 acres. Inside the boundaries of the park, a series of springs creates the clear Ichetucknee River, which flows toward the southwest for approximately six miles.  It is often the visitor who reminds us of the magical bounty we have in our own back yard.

To the uninitiated, floating down a crystal-clear meandering river in an inner tube for one to three hours is exhilarating.  Add to that, the Florida sun casting shadows through the cedar and maple trees as first-time tubers leisurely float down the cooling waters.  Not much can surpass the serenity of leaning back against a gently rocking tube and drinking in nature’s beauty while dangling one’s feet in the refreshing water.

But the real thrill experienced by visitors is their amazement about the springs that were declared a “National Natural Landmark” by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1972.

Millions of gallons of pristine water gush out of the earth, forming crystal pools of water reflecting colors of pale blues and mysterious blacks in Florida’s sun.  The constant average temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round refreshes the hot and weary.

Now is the time to “take the remedy.”  Visit Ichetucknee State Park, if only for a few hours.  Visitors don’t have to take all day, but why not?  What better place to spend time communing with Mother Nature than in this land of raw beauty and sparkling waters? And Memorial Day through Labor Day, fun seekers will find a full-service concession that offers food, refreshments, and outdoor items.

The park is open 365 days a year, from 8 a.m. till sundown for the bargain rate of $6 per vehicle. But according to the park’s Web site, if you are planning on a Saturday or Sunday float down the river, arrive early as the park is quite popular on weekends and when the parking lot fills up, you may not be able to enter. Effective June 19, 2023: Ichetucknee Springs State Park frequently closes due to capacity limits. During this time, gates will be closed and visitors will not be able to enter. Gates reopen when space is available. Also, effective June 19, the South Takeout is closed to vehicles through Oct. 1. Unless capacity has been met, visitors can access the South Takeout via tram or trails located at the south main entrance.

The south entrance to the park is located west of Ft. White, off U.S. 27. Total distance from Ft. White to the park’s north entrance is 5.9 miles. Ticket windows in the front of the general store sell transportation wrist bands for the park tram shuttle servicing primarily those tubing the Ichetucknee as well as van/bus transportation for paddlers to the river’s headwaters at the north entrance.

Rather than spending another day wiping your brow, kick back, cool off and relax.  Mother Nature gives us “dog days” so we will appreciate her other gifts all the more.

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