Local

• Alachua County Housing Authority Board – one tenant alternate.
• Animal Welfare – Two vacancies, including one alternate and one mental health professional.
• Health Care Advisory Board – One alternate and one representative of a healthcare agency serving primarily low-income patients.
• Historical Commission – Two At-Large citizens and one alternate vacancy.
• Housing Finance Authority – Three At-Large citizens vacancies, with one being knowledgeable in labor, finance or commerce.
• Human Rights Board – Three vacancies, including one alternate, one lending institution representative, and one residential rental manager.
• Infrastructure Surtax Oversight Board – One Alachua County resident (alternate), one representative incorporated cities – not Gainesville (alternate), and one representative incorporated cities – not Gainesville.
• Public Safety Coordinating Council – One representative county state jobs programs community groups who work with offenders and victims.
• Recreation and Open Space Advisory Committee – One At-Large citizen vacancy.
• Regional Transit System Advisory Board – Three vacancies, including one citizen who is one (or more) of the following: Chamber of Commerce representative, member of the environmental community, member of the MTPO Citizen's Advisory Committee; one citizen who is one (or more) of the following: major employer in the local area, senior citizen, person with a disability; and one citizen who is one (or more) of the following: regular user of transit system, UF student, SFC student, member of a neighborhood and/or homeowners association.
• Rural Concerns: Two vacancies for a member actively involved in agriculture and/or silviculture and one At-Large citizen.
• Tourist Development Council – One hotel owner or operator vacancy.
• Value Adjustment Board – One At-Large citizen who owns a business in Alachua County.
• Veteran Services Advisory Board – One At-Large citizen, one disabled American veterans representative, one American Legion representative, and one VA Medical Center Representative.
• Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center Advisory Council – Five At-Large citizens and one alternate vacancy.

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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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Dec. 15, 2023) – Gainesville City Manager Cynthia W. Curry is encouraging community organizations that receive support from the City of Gainesville to consider Fiscal Year 2025 budget plans that do not rely on city funding.

In a message sent today to community-based service providers, City Manager Curry outlined the uncertainties facing the City of Gainesville as her office begins the Fiscal Year 2025 budget process.

In past years, the city has relied on funds from Gainesville Regional Utilities to help support public services and programs. But as the members of the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority Board continue to analyze the utility’s debt level and rate structure, this Government Services Contribution (GSC) — formerly called the General Fund Transfer —could potentially be lowered or eliminated.

The City Manager’s message reads:

Dear Community-based Service Providers,

On behalf of the City of Gainesville, I would like to thank you for your dedication to our residents and your continued partnership with the City. Your presence in the community and involvement with the City helps us to deliver important services, enrich our cultural resources, and improve the quality of life for our neighbors.

When developing the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget, General Government was faced with unprecedented challenges – including navigating a $19.0 million revenue deficit as a result of a 55.4% reduction to our second largest revenue source – the General Fund Transfer – now referred to as the Government Service Contribution, remitted to General Government by the Gainesville Regional Utilities. Through reductions in personnel, including eliminating 125.5 positions, increasing the millage rate, and making other revenue and expenditure adjustments, we were able to balance the budget and preserve outside agency grant funding.

We are now working on the Fiscal Year 2025 operating budget, and at this time, we are facing similar uncertainties regarding revenue sources. Future discussions and budget development processes will bring these uncertainties to resolution. However, we are preparing for additional reductions in our key revenues such as the Government Services Contribution and indirect costs, which could potentially further reduce our available resources. This will surely impact our ability to maintain current funding levels for General Government programs, services, and the level of outside agency support you have come to rely on.

I share this information with you in the spirit of transparency as you begin to prepare your budgets and develop your fundraising plans for the upcoming year.

Again, thank you for making Gainesville the special place it is. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with questions.

Cynthia W. Curry

City Manager

City of Gainesville

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Alachua County lost a dedicated doctor on December 4, 2023.  Mitchel Peterson Fearing was born in Chattanooga, TN, to Dexter Fearing, Jr. and Edna Jarman Fearing.

Florida became Mitch’s home when he moved to Winter Haven as a boy. He was a proud graduate of the University of South Florida and the University of Miami Medical School. It was at UM where Mitch met and married his beloved wife, Pat. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, he returned home to Winter Haven to practice medicine and start his family, later moving to Gainesville.

He is survived by Pat, his children, Annmarie and Mitchell Fearing, and his sister, Hunter Gandy. He is predeceased by his sister, Jarman Lowder, and brother, Dexter Fearing III.

Mitch greeted every day with a smile and cared deeply for his family, friends, patients, and staff. He will be remembered for his kindness, dedication, and perseverance—nothing could stop him from coming into his practice every day, even after his accident.

A reception in honor of Mitch’s life will be held at Swick House, Alachua, on Dec. 29 from 3–5 p.m. If desired, donations may be made to NPR or the Humane Society.

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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