LEDA CARRERO/Special to Alachua County Today

The red, white and blue wreath, which included a tribute to law enforcement, was place anonymously on the front lawn of the High Springs Police Department.

HIGH SPRINGS – A beautiful red, white and blue American flag wreath and sign dedicated to the five police officers slain in Dallas appeared Friday afternoon in front of the High Springs Police Department. There was no fanfare, no acknowledgment of who donated the wreath or who placed it.

It became clear that the patriotic wreath and sign had been quietly placed in that location by High Springs resident Leda Carrero. The wreath itself was created and donated by David and Mary Moyer, owners of Thompson Florist Shop in High Springs.

“I wanted to honor those officers out of my own sense of respect, honor and duty,” said Carrero. “There was no need for fanfare. It was just something I thought our community should do to honor the five police officers and our own police officers who keep us safe here in High Springs.”

The sign reads, “In loving memory of those officers killed in Dallas. With respect and appreciation for their service.”

In the past, Carrero has spearheaded several other honorary actions and events in the area. She sought donations and raised money for a 9-11 memorial (which has been placed on U.S. Highway 27) honoring the people who died that day and continues to remember them each year with a memorial ceremony on Sept. 11.

She raised money again for a memorial honoring service dogs, which support the nation's military and first responders. Again she created a dedication ceremony when the memorial was placed in front of the High Springs Fire Department.

Carrero, who is now retired, served two communities for a total of 33 years through the U.S. Post Office. “I never served as a first responder or in the military,” she said, “but I thank those people who have served in those roles on my behalf.”

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Memorial Gathering for Peace and Healing

Following the events of the past few weeks in Dallas, Baton Rouge and Minneapolis, area pastors have asked the High Springs Police Department (HSPD) to join them in a Memorial Gathering for Peace and Healing.

Anderson Memorial Church of God in Christ Associate Elder Adam Joy, who is also a HSPD sergeant, is coordinating the gathering, which will begin at 9 a.m., Saturday, July 23. All will assemble in front of the High Springs Police Department, located behind City Hall.

“All law enforcement officers, first responders and members of the public are invited to attend,” said Joy. HSPD Chaplains Pastor Derek Lambert, First Baptist Church of High Springs, and Evangelist Jessica Hall, as well as other area pastors will be offering prayers for the officers and people slain in officer-involved shootings.

“Even though the recent incidences happened in cities far from Alachua County, we want to pray for all lives lost and mourn for their families and friends. We also want to wash peace and healing over them and over our local communities as well,” said Joy.

“We hope to inspire unity and peace to all area communities and foster a healthy relationship between the police and the citizens we have sworn to protect and serve,” said Joy.

Anyone wishing to donate coffee, juice or pastries is encouraged to do so.

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Photo special to Alachua County Today

The Smithsonian Institution Water/Ways Exhibit's Museum on Main Street (MoMs) in High Springs is scheduled to open July 16 and will run for six weeks.

HIGH SPRINGS – For the past year, members of the High Springs Historical Society have been working diligently towards their goal of creating the best water-related display and event possible as part of the Smithsonian Institution Water/Ways Exhibit's Museum on Main Street (MoMS).

MoMS brings the Smithsonian to small towns across America. The museum's locally-created display is called the High Springs Community Rivers and Springs Exhibit.

Organizers chose High Springs as one of only six locations in Florida as a venue for the Smithsonian's Traveling Exhibit. High Springs and Palatka are the only locations in north Florida to have been chosen to participate in this historic event. Other events in Florida are in Miami Springs, Okeechobee, Sanibel and Tampa.

The High Springs exhibit is scheduled to open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, July 16, and will run for six weeks. It is located inside the High Springs Historic Museum, which is housed in the refurbished High Springs Elementary School and Community Center behind City Hall.

Several other supporting events will be going on opening day.

“Educational booths, interactive activities for kids, Springs Lunch, Music in the Park entertainment and the High Springs Farmer's Market are all part of the event,” said Kristina Young, MoMS Program Director. Mayor Byran Williams and other guest dignitaries will be on-hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony to be held beginning at 11:30 a.m. Museum exhibit tours are scheduled from 1 – 4 p.m. on opening day.

Criteria for application approval included, among other things, the community's willingness to support the exhibit and the host organization's willingness to create their own exhibit to draw attention to the state-wide importance of Florida's rivers and springs.

In early communication with the Florida Humanities Council, the organizing agency coordinating the traveling exhibit, approximately 28 supporters had signed on to assist the historical society in their production of a complimentary exhibit and in the coordination of other community-wide participation and publication of the event.

According to the MoMS web page, the reason for creating this educational experience is their recognition that “water is a critical resource. An essential component of life on our planet, water powers the environment’s engine, impacting climate and helping to shape and sculpt the landscape.”

“Water also plays a practical role in American society. The availability of water affected settlement and migration patterns,” according to the site, which is particularly true of High Springs, as the city grew in size in the late 19^th Century when railroads chose to converge there due to the convenient location of a spring that was diverted for use in many service and repair shops.

Water Matters, a water initiative from the Smithsonian, is designed for small and rural museums and focuses on the relationships between people and water.

The Water / Ways Exhibit is a six-week exhibition which runs from July 16 through Aug. 27. It will be open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and 1 – 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Further information about the exhibit can be found at www.HighSpringsMuseum.org.

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RAINA BARNETT/Alachua County Today

Local residents and other interested individuals turned out to hear about Florida Power & Light's proposed solar farm that would be built on 1,300 acres just outside Hawthorne. The meeting was held in Hawthorne City Hall.

HAWTHORNE – Clean energy may soon be coming to the City of Hawthorne.

Florida Power and Light (FPL) has plans to build a 1,300 acre solar farm just outside of town.

On the evening of July 6, city commissioners, FPL associates and several Hawthorne residents gathered in City Hall to discuss the pros and cons of solar panels.

The solar panels would be placed near NE CR 219A, approximately 2.5 miles north of Hawthorne.

Hawthorne City Manager Ellen Vause said, “It would have no immediate impact on the city of Hawthorne, but over time, could run both Waldo and Hawthorne with 0 emissions.”

FPL currently operates two more solar farms, one in Martin County and one on the Space Coast with cooperation from NASA.

This year, FPL will build three more solar farms: one in Manatee County, one in DeSoto County and one in Fort Myers. Each will produce 74-megawatts, the same output expected for the proposed Alachua County site.

FPL spokesperson Stephen Heiman said, “Currently we are building three other universal scale plants down in south Florida. They’re clean and plants like these benefit our customers in the long run, help keeping their bills low.”

FPL will go before the Alachua County Commission in September before official construction will begin.

“It would be clean,” Vause said. “We all need to be cognizant of cleaner energy sources.”

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NEWBERRY – The City of Newberry is closer to establishing a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) District in the downtown area.

A CRA focuses attention and resources in a blighted area of town. A City can take advantage of financial and planning tools provided under State law as part of a CRA to help create programs and projects to foster private market investment in the CRA.

Following several discussions between staff members for the City of Newberry and Alachua County on the creation of a CRA in Newberry, the City proposed details of an interlocal agreement to outline the terms and conditions of the CRA at a joint meeting between the two commissions.

Following a lengthy discussion, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously voted to authorize City and County staff to put together an interlocal agreement for final review by both commissions. BOCC Chair Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson asked that the two entities complete wording on the agreement in time for the County to begin collecting funds on Jan. 1, 2017.

Seven key elements of the proposed agreement were discussed, and both commissions reviewed the City's proposed CRA district map, which clearly showed the CRA boundaries. In addition, a CRA funding scenario at 1.5 percent average growth in taxable valuation was also outlined by Bryan Thomas, Planning Director, City of Newberry.

Following his presentation, BOCC members said they were glad to see the City was listening to their concerns which had been expressed during earlier joint discussions and that they were pleased that the City incorporated several changes into their proposed plan.

The seven elements of the proposed agreement include:

* The County's Contribution to the CRA Trust Fund will be based on the City's millage rate, rather than the County’s higher millage rate.

* The Proposed CRA Boundary would encompass approximately 690 acres.

* County Input on Projects Funded by County Contribution to Trust Fund is proposed to be met through the County’s approval of the CRA plan.

* County Input on Future Amendments to the CRA Plan

* Restrictions on CRA Funds for the specific benefit of Undeveloped Property in CRA District.

* Term of CRA and Extension – The City requested a term “not to exceed 40 years” with a review of the CRA plan every 10 years.”

* Evaluation of Tax Increment Funding (TIF) Contributions to CRA Trust Fund to allow renegotiations of a lower contribution to the TIF, while providing for the continued accomplishment of the mutual goals established in the district CRA plan.

If the interlocal agreement is approved by both City and County governing bodies, the City's contribution each year will mirror the County's contribution. The first year's total contribution to the CRA would be $5,743 or $2,862 each contributed by City and County. At an increase of 1.5 percent per year, by year 30, the City/County contribution to the CRA will be $107,243 each, or a total of $214,845. By the end of 30 years, the CRA District will receive an infusion of funds to the total of $3,091,252.

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