Local

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ On March 14 the High Springs Fire Department invited residents of the High Spring community to join them for a traditional “Push-In Ceremony” to celebrate the purchase of two new fire trucks at the High Springs Fire Department, 18586 N.W. 238^th Street, High Springs. The addition of a heavy rescue unit and a pumper unit represent a major investment protecting citizens in and around High Springs and provides advanced tools for firefighters for the next 20 years.

The Push-In Ceremony can be traced back to its roots in the 1800s, when a fire apparatus was horse-drawn, and firefighters would unhitch horses and push the apparatus back into the station after returning from a call. With the advent of motorized fire apparatus, the need to push apparatus into the station was no longer necessary, but the tradition lives on.

Some 100 people attended the High Springs Push-In Ceremony. High Springs Mayor Gloria James led the invocation and welcomed guests. Other speakers included City Manager Ashley Stathatos and Fire Chief Bruce Gillingham. Commissioner Byran Williams blessed the new trucks and firefighters following the ceremony.

The new equipment includes a Heavy Rescue 29 and a new Engine 29. The new Heavy Rescue 29, a 2023 E-One Cyclone custom chassis rescue, replaces Squad 29, a 2006 Kenworth commercial cab “light rescue” unit, and will respond to calls in and around High Springs, including technical rescues, vehicle accidents, fires, and medical emergencies. Heavy Rescue 29 greatly enhances the available resources as compared to Squad 29 in technical rescue capabilities, including rescues from sinkholes, roofs, trees, and major auto accidents involving large commercial vehicles or farm equipment.

The new Engine 29, a 2023 E-One Cyclone custom chassis pumper, replaces a 2012 Pierce/Kenworth commercial cab pumper. Engine 29 will respond to medical emergencies, vehicle accidents, and fires, as well as other types of emergencies.

While the tab for the two trucks totaled $1.4 million, both vehicles have a 15-to-20-year useful life and will enhance the ability of the fire department to cover a wide variety of emergencies. The replaced vehicles were reaching the end of their useful service life and had fewer of the advanced technical equipment developed in the last 20 years.

The two new fire trucks on display for the Push-In Ceremony offered a stark contrast to an apparatus situated in the back of the engine bay. As if standing vigil, a 1923 fire engine is a reminder of bygone days and is of historic interest as the first motorized vehicle purchased by the City of High Springs.

“Changing the addition from squad program, which is a light rescue technical style vehicle, to a heavy rescue style vehicle helps us enhance our capabilities to responding to semi accidents on the interstate to low- and high-angle calls in the county,” said Gillingham. “[It] allows us to broaden our level of service and helps our ALS [Advanced Live Saving] capability.”

#     #    #

Email rcarson@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. ‒ The Alachua County Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, to discuss the proposed Newberry Meat Processing Facility. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Jack Durrance Auditorium on the second floor of the County Administration Building at 12 S.E. 1^st Street, Gainesville.

The Federal government provided Alachua County funding through the American Rescue Plan as COVID relief. Alachua County has budgeted $2.5 million to construct a USDA-certified meat processing facility/workforce training center.

Learn more about the Meat Processing Facility.

The County Commission approved the preliminary work plan at their Dec. 6, 2022, Special Meeting.

View the December 6 discussion.

View the backup items from this meeting:

• • Alachua County Farm Bureau LoS 10-17-22 (1).pdf
  • Angle Support for Meat Processing Facility.pdf
  • CSNCFL Letter of Support - Alachua County Meat Processing Plant (2).pdf
  • Final Meat Processing Job-Training Facility SLFRF-Recovery-Plan-Performance-Report 11-17-22.pdf
  • LargeAnimalMeatProcessSupportLtr_Nov2022.pdf
  • Santa Fe College LoS Sept 2022 (1).pdf
  • BA - ARP2021x014.pdf

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A storied group of Gators is set to be inducted into the 2023 UF Athletic Hall of Fame class, the University of Florida F Club and Gator Boosters announced on Wednesday.

UF Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are chosen by the F Club Committee based on three categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners, and Honorary Letterwinners.
The 2023 class is composed of eight Gator Greats and one Honorary Letterwinner.
The list of Gator Greats on this year's class includes Kelsey Bruder (Softball), Omar Craddock (Men's Track and Field), Lauren Embree (Women's Tennis), Jabar Gaffney (Football), Corey Hartung (Gymnastics), Kelly Murphy (Volleyball), Erika Tymrak (Soccer) and Marc Valdes (Baseball).
Additionally, former swimming coach and long-time UAA administrator Skip Foster will enter as an Honorary Letterwinner.

Gator Greats are Letterwinners who brought recognition and prominence to the University of Florida and themselves by their athletic accomplishments as a student-athlete.

An Honorary Letterwinner is a coach or athletic official (after retirement) who was not a letter winner or athlete at the University of Florida, yet rendered outstanding service to the program through personal time, effort, interest and through many years of continued service.
The Hall of Fame Banquet will occur Friday, October 6, 2023, prior to the Vanderbilt home game.

2022 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Gator Greats
Kelsey Bruder | Softball, 2008-11
Bruder is the fifth softball player to be inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame as she joins Chelsey Sakizzie (2008), Jenny Gladding (2014), Stacey Nelson (2019) and Michelle Moultrie (2022) among the Gator Greats to come through the program.

In 2011, she became the program's first NCAA Top VIII Award winner, the first Collegiate Women Sports Award (CWSA) Honda Award softball winner and the third SEC Player of the Year. She also garnered a spot on the 2011 Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team along with being named a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American in 2009 and 2011, a two-time All-SEC First Team selection in 2009 and 2011, and finally a 2009 SEC All-Tournament Team member and 2009 SEC All-Defensive Team selection.

Academically, Bruder was a two-time Academic All-American in 2009 and 2011 and a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member.

Omar Craddock | Men's Track & Field, 2010-13
Omar Craddock competed for the Gators from 2010-2013, earning multiple national titles during his time at Florida. Craddock was a seven-time All-American, winning the 2012 Indoor NCAA Triple Jump Title and was the back-to-back Outdoor Triple Jump National Champion in 2012 and 2013. He holds the fifth best mark in school history in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump.

In 2010, Craddock helped the Gators men's team to their first ever Indoor National Championship and their first SEC Outdoor Championship since 1987. Two years later in 2012, he swept the SEC titles in men's indoor and outdoor triple jump. Craddock also earned the sixth and seventh consecutive NCAA triple jump titles for the Gators. The following year, Craddock won every outdoor competition he took part in and was named the 2013 USTFCCCA South Region Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. The Killeen, Texas native also won the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Triple Jump Title.

Lauren Embree | Women's Tennis, 2010-13
One of the most accomplished athletes in the prestigious Florida women's tennis program, Lauren Embree competed for the Gators from 2009-2013.

During her time with the Orange & Blue, Embree left her mark all over the history books, owning an .880 singles winning percentage and .935 winning percentage in dual match singles, the third and second-best marks in UF history, respectively. Between singles and doubles, Embree collected 236 total wins, putting her with the fifth-most in program history.

In addition to helping lead the Gators to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA titles, Embree was named the 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Player of the Year while garnering five All-American honors, which included a singles and doubles honor during the 2012 campaign. A Honda Award finalist in 2011 and 2013, Embree was a three-time SEC Player of the Year and four-time First Team All-SEC selection. On the national stage, Embree was twice named the NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Player. Most recently, she served as an assistant coach for the Gators from 2019-2023 where she played a key role in the development of Gator-great, McCartney Kessler, who also claimed an SEC Player of the Year honor.

Jabar Gaffney | Football, 1999-2001
Jabar Gaffney was a wide receiver for the Gators football team from 1999-2001. He appeared in 24 games with 20 starts and finished with 138 catches for 2,274 yards (17.2 avg.) and 27 touchdown catches. He is the only player in school history to register back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons (2000-01) and is the last player to have a 1,000-yard receiving season. Gaffney ranks first in 100-yard games (15), consecutive 100-yard games (6), second all-time in receiving yards (2,274) and fourth in receiving touchdowns (27).

A two-time First Team All-SEC selection went on to set numerous freshmen receiving records that still hold today and was named The Sporting News and SEC Freshman of the Year. He set freshmen NCAA D1 records for touchdowns receptions in a season with 14 as well as most receiving yards in a season at 1,184 yards. Gaffney became the first UF freshman WR to be named an All-American. He would go onto play 10 years in the National Football League and was second round pick by the Houston Texans.

Corey Hartung | Gymnastics, 2006-09
Right from Meet One of her Gator career, it was evident that Corey Hartung was going to be special. That all-around win was the first by a Florida freshman in her collegiate debut in 20 seasons.

Hartung's 58 titles came in every event. The majority of wins came in balance beam and floor exercise as her beautiful lines and incredible flexibility dazzled collegiate gymnastics fans across the nation. Her 2008 Southeastern Conference balance beam win was the first for the Gators in nine seasons. Hartung earned All-America honors each of her four seasons, totaling 10 for her career.  She advanced to the NCAA floor exercise final each year, placing a career-high third as a senior. Hartung finished at No. 6 on Florida's Career All-Around Wins chart with 14 titles.

A four-time All-SEC selection, Hartung also earned Academic All-SEC and National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches Scholastic All-America honors. She received her degree in Sports Management in spring of 2010.

Kelly Murphy | Volleyball, 2008-11
Kelly Murphy was a dual-threat on the court for the Gators in both her setting and hitting abilities and because of that, the Wilmington, Ill., native was the first Florida volleyball player to earn four AVCA All-American honors during her career.

Murphy has a plethora of accolades to her name, including Bronze Medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. While at Florida, she was named SEC Player of the Year, AVCA National Freshman of the Year and was a finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award.

She was tabbed as the AVCA National Player of the Week three different times during her tenure at Florida, while also registering 30 career triple-doubles and 76 career double-doubles (all-time Florida leader).

Erika Tymrak | Soccer, 2009-12
It wasn't hard to envision Erika Tymrak as an ice skater as she glided around the pitch for Gator soccer. Florida benefited from Tymrak's decision to pursue soccer over performing lutz jumps, as she scored 32 goals during her Gator career that included three Southeastern Conference titles.

The 2012 SEC Offensive Player of the Year helped lead the Gators to a league title sweep that campaign, as the Gators won the regular-season and tournament titles.  Tymrak's ability to set up her teammates led to 40 assists, which still shares No. 3 all-time for the Gators. A two-time All-American, Tymrak continued her soccer career with the National Women's Soccer League and is currently playing for the Orlando Pride.

A three-time All-SEC first-team selection, Tymrak also earned Academic All-SEC honors. She received her degree in Criminology in December of 2012.

Marc Valdes | Baseball, 1991-93
The winningest pitcher in University of Florida baseball history is now officially a UF Athletics Hall of Famer.

As one of 23 first-round draft picks in the history of the program, Marc Valdes won a team-record 31 games for the Orange & Blue from 1991-93. Across his three-year career, Valdes pitched to a 31-13 record and appeared in 61 games. No Gator has made more starts than Valdes, who posted 55 times over the course of his Gainesville tenure.

In addition to holding the program record for wins, Valdes also ranks first all-time in innings pitched (394 2/3) and lowest opponent batting average (.200). Powered by 16 complete games (second all-time at UF), the right-hander fired more than 120 frames in all three of his collegiate campaigns. Valdes posted a stellar 3.13 career ERA and struck out 351 batters, which ranks second all-time at Florida.

At the conclusion of the 1993 season, Valdes was selected 27th overall in the first round of the MLB Draft by the Florida Marlins. The Tampa, Fla. native went on to make his MLB debut in August of 1995 and pitched six years in the big leagues with the Marlins, Montreal Expos, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.

Honorary Letterwinner
Skip Foster | Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving, 1981-1995
Skip Foster accumulated an 18-4 record overall in two years as the head men's swimming coach from 1990-92, winning two SEC Titles in that span. Foster was the 1991 SEC and NCAA Men's Coach of the Year, and earned the Bill Harlan Spirit Award in 2011, exemplifying a genuine commitment to the University of Florida swimming program.

Foster worked as assistant coach with both the men's and women's programs 1981-90 and spent three additional seasons as a men's assistant coach from 1992-95. He won two men's national championships (1983, 1984) and one women's national championship (1982) as an assistant coach. Over the course of his 14 seasons, Foster helped Gator swimmers achieve 818 All-American honors.

Florida's annual men's and women's Most Valuable Swimmer awards are named for Foster. Following his time as coach, Foster worked 21 years with the University Athletic Association until his retirement in 2016 and continues to stay involved with athletic events at UF in his retirement.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

TALLAHASSEE ‒ The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program is accepting applications for a contracted nuisance alligator trapper in Levy County.

Applicants must pass a criminal history check, have no fish or wildlife law violations and possess a valid, working email address.

To learn more about becoming a contracted nuisance alligator trapper and to apply online, visit MyFWC.com/Alligator and click on “Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program.”  Applications must be received by Monday, April 10. For more information, email FWCGator@MyFWC.com.

Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats.

Contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state are used to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property. People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation. 

The FWC also works to keep Floridians and visitors informed, including providing advice about living with alligators.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

L-R: Commissioners Bryan Eastman and Cynthia Chestnut at the March 23 General Policy Committee meeting

By JENNIFER CABRERA/Alachua Chronicle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At the March 23, 2023 meeting of the Gainesville City Commission’s General Policy Committee, Mayor Harvey Ward put an item on the agenda to discuss the local bill proposed by Rep. Chuck Clemons that would establish an independent governing board for Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), appointed by the governor. Ward said he put it on the agenda because he has “a tremendous amount of anxiety” about the bill, particularly the uncertainty inherent in working on next year’s budget when the final language of the bill has not been set. Ward said Clemons had encouraged amendments to the draft language, and “this is the best opportunity for us as a commission to have a discussion about that.”

Commission Bryan Eastman said he thought the voters spoke in 2018 when a referendum that would have created an independent board appointed by the City Commission failed. Regarding a governing board, he said, “It’s a structure that can work. Our voters didn’t want that structure, but it can work.” However, Eastman a board appointed by the governor “experimental” and said it could “force us into odd angles that we’re not sure where they’re going to go.”

Eastman preferred a referendum or at least getting input from the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce or the Finance Department at GRU to get “a replicable, just normal authority, board, that is not as experimental as this is.”

Commissioner Casey Willits agreed that the bill is “experimental, even the word ‘radical,’ it’s a radical consolidation of power at the state level, as opposed to the local; I think it’s hard to argue against that.” He said he hoped Clemons would seek feedback from “people who live in Gainesville, people who have been active on our Utility Advisory Board, people who have been active on this commission in the past who have been, you know, the board of GRU.” He wondered whether the City Commission would continue to set the salary for the GM or would have to pay a salary they have no control over. 

“We cannot sit back, let it happen, and not take any action. So we need somebody out there fighting our battle for us because it is a battle. This is not a little nice gentleman’s agreement; this is not a little nice gentleman’s bill. This demands action on our part.” – Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut

Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut recommended continuing to work on their response to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, cutting the General Fund Transfer from GRU to General Government, and sitting individually with their lobbyist to discuss amendments to the bill. Chestnut asked her fellow commissioners to “seek a consultant or outside counsel to assist us in this process. As Professor Little pointed out to us, there are severe constitutional defects in this bill. We cannot sit back, let it happen, and not take any action. So we need somebody out there fighting our battle for us because it is a battle. This is not a little nice gentleman’s agreement; this is not a little nice gentleman’s bill. This demands action on our part.”

Ward said, “Folks have come to understand over the decades that it’s the job of the people that sit up here to deliver [City] services, through our excellent City staff of more than 2,000 Community Builders. What I’ve read from the bill put in front of us… leaves so many questions open that I cannot, with a straight face, go to any of our constituents and say, ‘I trust that everything’s gonna keep working if this passes.’ I can’t say that with a straight face.”

“Nothing being contemplated is going to change your pensions.” – Mayor Harvey Ward

However, Ward said he was confident that “nothing being contemplated is going to change your pensions… Beyond that, particularly as it pertains to the utility, there are so many unanswered questions in this draft bill that I can’t tell you that everything’s gonna work just fine… We, I believe, have a responsibility to make sure that the people of Gainesville are cared for… and that if they are not, we speak loudly enough so that they know we’re on their side.”

Ward said the situation is “entirely unique” because the local bill was filed in the middle of the legislative session, “not before the legislative session, as the constitution requires.” The legislative dates document for the 2023 legislative session states that March 7 (the date Clemons announced the draft bill) is the deadline for a bill to be approved for filing.

Commissioner Ed Book requested that staff provide a full update on the City’s response to JLAC at the April 6 City Commission meeting “because that April 10 deadline looms large, and if there’s any opportunity for us to say, ‘Wait just a minute–we are taking very significant fiscal actions,’ that’s the date.”

“For example, if there’s going to be a board, I want a seat [representing this commission] on that board… maybe two.” – Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut

Chestnut said, “The lobbyist must sit down with us. The lobbyist must know what we would like as amendments in the bill. For example, if there’s going to be a board, I want a seat [representing this commission] on that board… maybe two.” She added, “If we don’t work to get anything in the bill, we get nothing… We’ve got to ask.”

Chestnut made a motion, which was seconded by Willits:

• Hire outside counsel to help defend the City of Gainesville constitutionally from this bill.
• Set individual meetings with the City’s lobbyist to provide amendments. 
• Continue to meet the requirements of JLAC and look at a “severe reduction” in the GFT. 

Chestnut said they would need an attorney “to take this into the federal courts.” City Attorney Daniel Nee said the Commission should wait to see what comes out of the legislature. He said that having a board appointed by the governor “is a significant twist that might have a fatal flaw in it, when it comes to review in the federal courts. That is a twist that provides an executive empowered to do what is typically a legislative function, but we don’t know if that’s what it’s going to be.”

Eastman said, “My hope for how this whole thing turns out is–Clemons says, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I had a bad day. I’m gonna go back to being Speaker Pro Tem,’… that he come out with something we can live with… Whatever happens with this, it’s all on Representative Clemons.” Eastman said they need to be prepared “right afterwards” to react. 

Chestnut said the commission needs “to get a seat or two on that board, to protect our citizens, because the citizens will not be represented on that board. The citizens are only represented by their elected representatives–that’s who represents them. We need a seat on the board. That should be very clear.”

Willits said, “We have to go to war to fight for what is truly worthy and important and vital for our residents and our neighbors… We need a full-court press.”

Book said, “I do believe that regardless of the track we take, we would want to push for proportionate representation. That’s the default… If something is in fact legislated, then we would need to have a seat at the table, and it wouldn’t be one seat… my preference would be all the seats, but it would be that proportion thing.”

Ward said a board like the Gainesville Regional Airport Authority makes sense; a majority of those members are appointed by the Gainesville City Commission “because we own the dirt, the people of Gainesville own the land under the airport, so that authority is mostly appointed by the Gainesville City Commission on behalf of the people who own the darn thing.” Ward added that the GFT will probably be less than half what it has been recently.

After public comment, which was mostly in favor of the motion, the board voted unanimously for the motion. Nee asked for a clarification on the timing of hiring outside counsel, pointing out that the City already has relationships in place with law firms who specialize in utility services. Chestnut replied, “Let’s prepare and be ready to jump into action once the bill is signed… maybe we can get an injunction.” 

Alachua Chronicle asked Rep. Clemons whether he had a comment about the City’s intention to sue if they don’t like the bill. He responded, “This proves why the bill is necessary. Instead of addressing the issues, they continue to sidestep the problem. I look forward to opening up their books and their entire operations during the discovery process, should they choose to litigate. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. This won’t end well for the City.”

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com