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ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County is accepting applications from individuals interested in serving on the Children's Trust of Alachua County. There is one appointment coming available. Applications must be received by Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, to be considered at the Jan. 23, 2024, County Commission meeting for possible recommendation to the Governor's Office.

The Children's Trust is governed by a ten-member board of which the Governor appoints five members. The Governor makes appointments from a list of names recommended by the Alachua County Board of Commissioners. The Governor's Appointments Office has requested three additional names for consideration. 

Applications are available online. Applicants should fill out the application in its entirety, save it, and email it to ttonkavich@alachuacounty.us.

The Children's Trust of Alachua County is an Independent Special District with taxing authority empowered to provide preventive, developmental, and treatment services for local children.

Learn more about the Children's Trust of Alachua County.

 For more information, contact Alachua County Community Support Services Assistant Director Tom Tonkavich at 352-264-6738 or ttonkavich@alachuacounty.us.

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Waste Pro Director of Government Affairs, Dayna Miller, and Rebecca Ipatenco from the Malcom Randall VA Center in Gainesville, FL.

GAINESVILLE, FL – Dec. 7, 2023 – Waste Pro continues its program of giving back to veterans with a recent donation of four laptops to the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida. Waste Pro’s North Florida Director of Government Affairs, Dayna Miller, was honored to deliver four new Microsoft Surface Pro laptops to Paula Cummings and Rebecca Ipatenco, two Voluntary Service Specialists at the Center for Development and Civic Engagement, part of the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System.

“This partnership with Waste Pro has been fantastic. They asked what our needs were and answered the call to help when asked,” shared Robert Coon, Voluntary Service Officer and head of the department handling corporate partnerships and events. Mr. Coon went on to share that since their facilities’ libraries have been closed, access to information has been limited. “We plan to use the computers with veterans and their caregivers to access information, share critical documents, and stay in touch with experts throughout the veteran’s medical community during treatments.”

The VA North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is the country's largest VA health care system, with two medical centers, a 45-bed domiciliary, three large multi-specialty outpatient clinics, and nine community-based outpatient clinics spanning 40,000 square miles. In 2021, the facility network served 176,915 veterans and completed 1.9 million outpatient visits.

For more than 15 years, Waste Pro's Laptops for Veterans program has assisted veterans across the company's regional footprint. Waste Pro President/CEO Sean Jennings is thrilled that the program continues to give back, “Waste Pro is founded on a mission to care for our communities, and it is our privilege to extend a hand with these donations to those who served in the military. Many here at Waste Pro are veterans, so it’s a worthwhile partnership we hope to continue for many more years.” Funding for the laptops comes from Waste Pro employees who regularly contribute to the Laptops for Veterans program.

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Donation from local broadband provider used to purchase Walmart Gift Cards for families in need

 HIGH SPRINGS – Today, representatives from Cox Communications (Cox) presented High Springs Police Chief J. Antoine Sheppard with gift cards totaling $4,000 to support Operation Holiday Cheer. The gift cards will be distributed through the Police Department’s annual holiday-giving initiative to families in need of a little extra support this holiday season.

“Private and public partnerships are essential during community outreach. Through this relationship, we all win by giving back”, said High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard.

“In my mind, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without good food to share with family and friends,” said Aimee Pfannenstiel, Central Florida market vice president for Cox. “When we learned of the opportunity to enhance the Operation Holiday Cheer program by providing funds to also feed families in need, it was an easy yes.”

The High Springs Police Department with the help of our wonderful community has been overseeing the Holiday Cheer program annually for many years. The program works with the local schools to coordinate a list of candidates to receive items each year around the holiday season to spread Christmas magic and cheer.

Cox expanded its services into High Springs earlier this year. Currently, more than 500 homes now have access Cox’s fiber broadband network, with plans for more than 1,500 more to be connected throughout 2024.

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• Florida Legal Services eviction prevention helpline - 888-780-0443
• Three Rivers Legal Services - 352-372-0519

HIGH SPRINGS, FL – The seasonal Art Walk event returns to historic downtown High Springs on Saturday, Dec 16, 2023, from 12pm to 5pm featuring 15-20 local artists and makers situated on the sidewalks of downtown.   Downtown High Springs also offers many eclectic restaurants and shops showcasing High Springs’ walkable, charming small-town hospitality they have become famous for.

This seasonal event is an opportunity for local artisans and artists to demonstrate and display their talents and offer their works for sale in front of storefronts throughout the downtown area. Participating merchants will offer specials and sales during the event.  

Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies, 1 -3pm, will feature local potter Diane Hornby doing a demo about building her unique pieces of pottery. 

Artists/creators interested in showing and selling in the High Springs Artwalk Events, should send an email with a picture of their items to downtownhighsprings@gmail.com.

 For customers or media needing more information call Unique Notions, 352-318-5719 or Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies 352-474-1049. 

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ALACHUA ‒ While the day after Thanksgiving is typically reserved for recovering from overindulging in too much turkey and pumpkin pie or joining in the holiday season shopping fray, there is a group of dedicated individuals who are on a mission. And odds are they wear green and gold and proclaim themselves “Hornets.”

Just as surely as Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday in November each year, by the following day, A.L. Mebane High School alumni are busy putting the finishing touches on their homecoming celebration, which traditionally commences on Friday and continues into the weekend.

This year was no different as the A. L. Mebane High School Homecoming Reunion put into motion a full schedule of weekend festivities that brings former students and the community together as each graduating class boasts its preeminence over the others.

Sponsored by the A.L. Mebane High School Alumni Association, the event serves to keep the school's history alive. In 1996, the Alumni Association held their first Homecoming event. For the Alumni Association, keeping their history alive is a matter of community pride with an eye to the future.

This year on Saturday, Nov. 25, crowds began to gather on the sidewalks along Main Street in anticipation of the upcoming parade. Alumni classes designed a float or decorated a car, along with some community organizations and churches that also participated. Led by a police escort, the parade kicked off with sirens wailing and lights flashing.

Sidewalks were lined with spectators as cars and trucks carrying homecoming queens and dignitaries were interspersed with floats sponsored by the various alumni classes, many tossing candy for the excited children attending the parade.

The A.L. Mebane High School Alumni Association holds various fundraisers and community projects throughout the year in Alachua and surrounding communities. Money raised during the weekend’s festivities contributes to the scholarship fund of the alumni association.

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