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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs Annual 5K frozen foot race lived up to its name this year. It was a brisk 40 degrees when over 50 runners gathered in the early morning of Feb. 4 at the High Springs Civic Center to compete in the aptly named 5K Frozen Foot Race. The weather was cold enough that they moved the registration indoors.

The 3.1 mile run winds through the High Springs Sports Complex, around Bailey Estates and back into town covering varying terrains and elevation changes. Each runner paid a $35entry fee for the 5K run or $15 for a one-mile run. Groups were separated by age and gender into eight groups, with competitors in both male and female categories starting at age 1 to 17, then 18-39, 40-49 and finishing with over 50 years old. Younger kids could accompany their parents in strollers. Awards were given for the top three runners in each group who completed the course. This year they also added a one-mile fun run for kids.

The 1^st place winners received a $25 gift cards to McDonald's, a $30 cash prize and free entry to next year’s race. But aside from the fun, the competition for cash and bragging rights, participants are also contributing to the community’s recreation programs.

The $35 entry fee is for improving and maintaining the City High Springs parks and recreation facilities. High Springs government is the only municipality in Alachua County that sponsors a marathon with the revenue benefiting the community’s recreations programs and facilities.

The event was started in 2016 and all proceeds that year went to the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget to purchase playground equipment and fund facility improvements at parks. Each year the event has grown with increasing numbers of the community participating.

First across the finish line was the overall winner and 1^st place in the Men's 40-49 category, Demarco Andrews, while the winner of the Women’s 40-49 category was Patrice Resendez. The overall female winner and 1^st place in the Women’s 18-39 was Celina Pargo and the winner of the 18-39 Men’s category was Chad Gaither. Winners in the over 50 category were Tom Story and Kathy Hellriegel. In the children’s 1-17 category the winners were Hunter Williams and Olivia Alexander. High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard won 2nd place in the 40-49 category.

While High Springs Fire Department Lt. Kevin Pearson didn’t get any awards for speed, he should have gotten one for endurance. Pearson ran the 3.1-mile course in full turnout gear and on-air tank, similar to a scuba tank. The combined weight of the gear and air pack is over 60 pounds.

“This is what we would wear to an actual fire so doing it for the marathon was good practice to stay fit,” said Pearson. “We wanted to challenge ourselves and always be physically prepared for an actual emergency and this was a cause that benefits the community as well with funding for our parks.”

With High Springs’ recent purchase of the Canoe Outpost on the Santa Fe River off U.S. Highway 441, city officials may also be considering developing a triathlon that would include bike riding to the river, a swim and then back to the Civic Center for the footrace. No decisions have been made, but it is a possibility for the future.

The 5K frozen foot race is a Parks and Rec Department event that enjoys support and sponsorship from local organizations. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has been involved since the first event, as has the High Springs Police and Fire departments. Additional organization that sponsored this year’s event with either funding or supplies were AAA Porta Serve; Campus USA Credit Union; Pepperonis Pizza; Pink Flamingo; The High Springs Brewery; Outdoor Life 4 guys and gals; Heart of High Springs; Decades on Main; and Lloyd Clark Sports.

“We greatly appreciate all these sponsors, and we also want to make sure to thank the Santa Fe Kawanis Club and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, especially Linda and Tom Hewlitt who put a lot of effort into making this event happen,” said Parks Director Damon Messina.

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NEWBERRY ‒ The phrase “Everything Tastes Better with Bacon” took on new meaning this past weekend at the Alachua County Agricultural & Equestrian Center. The Barbeque and Bacon Festival featured over 70 arts and craft vendors and 11 food vendors featuring some of the best barbecue trucks in North Central Florida.

“People love barbecue,” said Margaret Buckler, founder of Buckler Shows who organized the event. “We had people come all the way from the other side of Jacksonville over the weekend. They like to try different barbecues and we had a good variety of styles at the festival.” Buckler says that in addition, several of the food vendors had various recipes for bacon, including chocolate covered bacon.

Buckler has been organizing events and festivals since 1989 and now averages 15 events per year throughout Florida. Originally Buckler Shows did smaller craft shows but has continued to expand and now does six strawberry and two blueberry festivals in Florida. Buckler came up with the idea to create additional festivals based around barbecue due to its popularity in the South.

The event had more to offer than barbecue and craft vendors. “We provide activities including rock painting for kids, a petting zoo, sack race and a bacon relay with contestants carrying a fake bacon strip across a field with tongs,” said Buckler employee June Font. “There are multiple games and activities for all ages as well.”

Font said the idea is to make the event entertaining for everyone so they give free space to other activity vendors including axe throwing, face painting, pony rides and a batting cage. Font says they also had bounce houses and train rides for kids.

“We also keep the entry fee low at $6 with an additional $1 discount if people bring canned goods, which we donate to the Hitchcock Field & Fork Pantry program,” said Font. Part of the proceeds goes to Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 211, which helps homeless or financially troubled veterans get back on their feet. All events feature live music, with local band Centerlane this weekend’s featured entertainment.

Among all the entertainment and activities, the biggest draw was the free Frisbee Dog Show by the group Disc-Connected K-9s. The group uses rescued or shelter dogs to showcase their abilities. Their dogs compete in frisbee challenges and put on exhibits throughout the world including winning several world championships. Disc-Connect also helps find homes for over 30 shelter dogs per year.

“This was our first Barbecue and Bacon event in Newberry,” said Fonts. “We had over 5,000 people attend over the two days so we are happy with the turnout and are hoping to make this an annual event here in January.”

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 GAINESVILLE, Fla. ‒ Experience the timeless classic of Swan Lake this spring with Dance Alive National Ballet and guest artists from Philadelphia Ballet.

The Company is proud to present Swan Lake on March 25 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Gainesville. Tickets cost between $35 and $70, with discounted rates for children, students and seniors.

Guest artists Oksana Maslova and Sterling Baca from Philadelphia Ballet will be featured in the 7:30 p.m. show and Dance Alive Principals Carla Amancio and Gabriel Lopes will be featured in the 2 p.m. show.

“What can you say that hasn’t been already said about Swan Lake? The greatest of the classical ballets, it embodies everything that audiences, dancers and students of ballet love and respect about ballet,” said Executive Artistic Director Kim Tuttle. “Without a doubt, it is my personal favorite, and I feel such joy in presenting it to you.”

Widely considered one of the most beautiful ballets of all-time, Swan Lake is the story of a Prince whose fiancée has been transformed into a swan by an evil sorcerer. This event is family friendly.

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NEWBERRY ‒ Patrick Michael Perkins, 33, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and charged with possession of 10 or more child pornography images and three counts of electronic transmission of child pornography.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provided information to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) regarding a Google account that had uploaded 17 child pornography images and two videos to Google Drive between March 7 and July 12, 2022. The images contained nude, prepubescent female children, approximately 6 to 10 years old, exposing their vaginal area. Three of the images contained “clear sex acts being done to the children.” All of the images and videos were reportedly verified to be child pornography.

Google provided IP addresses for the uploads and logins, along with a name on the account, a date of birth matching Perkins’ date of birth and an email address. A search warrant was executed on Perkins’ residence on Nov. 22, 2022, and Perkins and another resident were interviewed.

The officer reported that as soon as he mentioned child pornography, the second person immediately started asking Perkins about his photography business and whether any of his models were minors. He reportedly told that person that all his models provided identification showing that they are of legal age and completed a form.

The detective also reported that when he read the email address, the second person immediately looked at Perkins, but both of them denied any knowledge of that email address. The detective interviewed Perkins separately, and Perkins reportedly said he didn’t know why the IP address came back to his home or why the date of birth on the account matched his.

The detective reported that information from Google showed that the only phone active on the email account was Perkins’ phone. The detective also learned that a new device accessed the email account on March 8, 2022, and that Perkins activated a new T-Mobile device on that date.

Perkins went to GPD for an interview. Post Miranda, he reportedly said he did not remember getting a new device in March, “due to a bad memory.” He reportedly said he’s the only one with access to his device and that he believed the information showing his device logging into the Gmail account used to upload the images “could be spoofed.” He did not admit to uploading any images.

Bond was set at $50,000.

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OCALA ‒ Marion County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Jordan Tyler Jax, 23, of Newberry and Tarod Deshae Goodman Jr., 23, of Gainesville on Wednesday, Jan. 25, on federal charges of mail theft.

Deputies say that between October and January, Goodman and Jax used a stolen or reproduced key to break into postal collection boxes near Southeast Maricamp Road and 64^th Avenue Road.

If convicted, they could each face up to 15 years in federal prison.

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NEWBERRY ‒ A Newberry High School student is facing multiple charges after bringing a loaded gun to school. Dennis L. Hale, 16, was charged with possession of a firearm on school grounds, theft of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor on Tuesday, Jan. 24, after the School Resource Deputy (SRD) at Newberry High School reportedly found a stolen firearm in his backpack.

According to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, school staff notified the deputy that Hale had checked in late and possibly smelled strongly of marijuana. The deputy escorted him to the dean’s office, where the dean informed Hale that she was going to search his belongings based on the marijuana odor. Hale reportedly said that there was something in his backpack that he shouldn’t have. When asked what that meant, he reportedly said he had a gun, and a loaded .22 caliber handgun was reportedly found in his backpack.

Hale reportedly said he had been given the gun by a friend and had put it in his backpack, then forgotten to take it out; he said he had no intentions of using it at school. The serial number matched a gun that was reported stolen in Alachua County in 2022.

Newberry High School sent a notification to parents about the incident, saying there was no evidence that the student had shown the gun to other students or removed it from the backpack. The message said that Hale “faces serious consequences from both the school and law enforcement” and asked parents to remind students that no weapons, including pellet or “toy” guns, are permitted on campus.

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