Sunday’s Alachua Spring Festival brought beautiful weather and upbeat crowds to the downtown Main Street area.  Spring flowers were on the list of this shopper as she wheeled her colorful purchases along the street.

ALACHUA – Explosions of colorful flowers and art lined Main Street on Sunday afternoon. The sound of bands and vocalists filled the street at this year’s Alachua Spring Festival. The annual festival took place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured a variety of vendors, such as homemade dog treat bakers, churches, charities, artists, flowering plant vendors and a host of activities geared toward children..

Cap’n Jack trotted down the sidewalk, taking in the full effect the festivities could have on such a little guy as he.

There was food at every turn, children playing and laughing, music and even some dancing; entertainment all around, and Cap’n Jack, or C.J. as he is called, enjoyed every bit of it.

“It’s his first time here, but I’ve been to the last five or six at least,” said Susan Dotson, C.J.’s walking partner. Dotson, from Lake Butler, was referring to the Alachua Main Street Festival, and she brings a different dog every year. This time, it was C.J. taking a walk on the town.

“I get dogs through a program called Paws on Parole, and foster them until they’re ready for an inmate to take them,” Dotson said. “I’ll more than likely be back next time around with another dog too.”

Dotson did not just go out for the food and family atmosphere, although she said that adds to the experience. She has a friend who owns one of the shops that sets up a booth each time the festival takes place.

“I always come out and support her, and look for some things myself from the shops,” Dotson said. “It’s a great place to find some things for dogs, too.”

Cap’n Jack wasn’t the only one to visit the festival for the first time though. The Lam family also made their way to Alachua as newcomers to the event. Gwen Lam, of Fort White, said her husband, Frank, was volunteering at the Irish Water Dogs booth, and she figured if he was going to be there the whole day, it was a great chance to take the kids along, too.

Lam stood with her children, daughter Autumn and son Joseph, as they petted some of the goats near the pony rides.

“The favorite part for us would have to be feeding the animals,” Lam said. “I know my kids enjoyed that the most.”

Whether it was walking a dog, or walking a child, the crowd enjoyed a wonderful day on the town. There were food vendors at every corner, offering anything from fried specialties to cotton candy.

“It is a beautiful day,” Lam said. “I would certainly come back again.”

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L-R: Long-time Alachua Lions Club member Ralph Cellon,  Alachua County Director for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Dr. Ashby Green and Jim Strickland.  Strickland was the 2014 Lions Club Cattlemen of the Year award recipient.

ALACHUA – It was another fun filled evening of laughter, good food and music at the 75th Annual Alachua Lions Club Cattlemen’s Banquet on March 27.

A change of venue was in store this year as the banquet was held at the Santa Fe River Ranch. The evening’s program this year included the addition of a social hour and silent auction leading up to the main event, as well as a live auction afterward.

Opening the banquet and welcoming guests was Alachua Lions Club President John Hopkins, who then handed off the evening’s agenda to Master of Ceremonies J.K. “Buddy” Irby, Clerk of the Circuit Court, who has strong ties in Alachua and graduated from Santa Fe High School.

As is tradition, Gussie Lee led the crowd in singing “God Bless America” to kick off the evening’s program. Providing musical entertainment during dinner was Zack Emerson.

Before presentation of the Cattleman’s award, Irby used his time at the podium to share a few jokes and offer a good ribbing to some in attendance, eliciting roars of laughter from the crowd.

Dr. Ashby Green presented Jim Strickland with the 2014 Cattlemen of the Year award. Green said, “From his early days as a ‘cow hunter’ or ‘day worker’ on central and south Florida ranches, to today’s leadership roles in the state and national cattle industry, Jim Strickland epitomizes service.”

Strickland currently serves as Director of the Agriculture Department for the Manatee County property appraiser. He is a former president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association and has served on a number of statewide and national boards and committees.

Keynote Speaker Jim Handley, a fourth generation Floridian from Sebring, Fla., shared his experiences and insights on the agriculture and beef industry. Handley is currently the Executive Vice President of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Beef Council and Executive Director of the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation, all of which are located in Kissimmee, Fla.

In keeping with tradition, the Santa Fe High School Chapter of FFA was on hand to assist as guests helped themselves to the choice aged controlled steaks, loaded potato casserole and dessert.

Following dinner, an animated, and oftentimes comical live auction was led by Alachua Lions Club member and “auctioneer for the evening” Rod Smith.

The Cattlemen’s Banquet is the Alachua Lions Club’s largest fundraiser of the year, and all profits from the banquet support charitable sight, hearing, youth and community service activities.

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L-R: Roger Chambers, High Springs Historic Society (HSHS) Secretary, Jim Dyksterhouse, HSHS Vice President and Bob Watson, HSHS President picked a sunny day in March to begin recreating a garden in front of the High Springs Elementary School and Community Center, which also houses the Historic Society Museum. The beautification project is just one of several currently underway.

Illustration special to/Alachua County Today

The proposed site for the Publix Supermarket is located between Santa Fe High School and NW 167th Boulevard along U.S. Highway 441.

ALACHUA – Publix Super Markets, Inc. has tentatively approved an Alachua site for a new store to be built in 2016, according to an Orlando-based development group.

WindCrest Companies is conducting studies for a shopping complex to be located on the parcel of land between Santa Fe High School and NW 167^th Boulevard that it says will include Publix.

The proposed development would consist of an approximate 46,000 square foot Publix Supermarket, 9,100 square feet in adjacent retail stores and an outparcel with a 3,500 square foot fast-food restaurant.

An email from WindCrest Vice President Tom Murray dated Jan. 7, 2014 stated that some contingencies were still being worked through, but proposals from consultants were being requested to develop the site.

The City of Alachua has not received an application from Publix, though it has been in communication with WindCrest regarding development proceedings since late last year, according to Assistant City Manager Adam Boukari.

Most recent events include the submission of Traffic Impact Analysis and Signal Warrant Analysis reports to the Florida Department of Transportation on March 18 by Traffic Planning and Design, Inc. of Maitland.

The purpose of these studies is to assess the impact the complex would have on traffic in the surrounding areas, notably on U.S. Highway 441, which would run adjacent to part of the development.

The study estimates the development will generate 5,134 new daily trips on affected roadways, which it states will still keep roads at satisfactory Levels of Service as determined by FDOT.

Two points of access to the complex are currently being proposed, one directly off NW 167^th Boulevard and the other as a right-in only driveway on US 441.

A traffic light will be required at the intersection of US 441 and NW 167^th Boulevard, however, the study states.

Other roadway impacts that were analyzed were on NW 188^th Street, County Road 235A, NW 147^th Drive, and I-75 ramps and segments north and south of US 441.

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