Alachua County Today

Be sweet to honeybees

Youngsters at Sprout Learning Resources enjoyed a visit by Earlea Bee, a special bee that helps children understand the importance of bees in the food supply.

ALACHUA – Earlea Bee, the mascot for the Alachua County Beekeepers Club, made a surprise visit to the Sprout Learning Resources Summer Camp on Main Street in Alachua recently to share information on National Honey Bee Day.

This annual event is held in August each year.  The public can spend a day learning how they can all help save the important honey bees and other pollinators.

Emcee for this year’s event is the American Honey Queen, Alyssa Fine, from Monongahela, Pennsylvania, who travels throughout the United States promoting the honey industry.

The event will be held at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala. There will be a live bee beard along with great speakers and a fundraising auction with great bargains along with lots of door prizes and raffles.

For additional event information, visit www.floridabees.org or contact Alachua beekeeper Chappie McChesney at 386-462-2637 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

At Sprout Learning Resources McChesney came along to help Earlea Bee teach the children just how important honey bees are as pollinators for all the foods people enjoy.

Each child received some sweet honey candy, a coloring book, and a taste of Chappie’s honey produced right here in Alachua.

Visits by Earlea Bee can be arranged for schools, parties, or other venues to share information on the need for everyone to take the time to learn how to help save all pollinators from the many stressors that are taking a toll on them.

The Alachua County Beekeepers Club has joined with beekeeping clubs from other counties to form the North Central Florida Beekeepers Association.

The newest member will be the Lake City Beekeepers Club.  The club will be celebrating their kickoff on Sept. 24 at the fairgrounds in Lake City. For more information, visit http://columbia.ifas.ufl.edu/ or contact Derek Barber Columbia County Extension at 386-752-5384 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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Jonesville gets jazzy

Hosts 10^th Annual Jazz Festival

The Square at Tioga Town Center near Newberry was the site of the 10th Annual Gainesville Jazz Festival Saturday night.

NEWBERRY – Frank and Emily Gallo had just dropped off their son at the University of Florida. As the couple from Boca Raton drove down Newberry Road, they noticed a crowd forming.

“I said ‘we gotta stop by,’” Frank Gallo, 56, said to his wife Emily, 52.

The couple pulled the car over at The Square at Tioga Town Center near Newberry for the 10^th Annual Gainesville Jazz Festival. As the sun set and the evening began, the sound of saxophone and acoustic guitar echoed in the town center.

Four different bands performed on the outside stage Saturday night. The local bands included Mercury’s Refrain, the Karl Weismantel Trio, the Marty Liquori Jazztet and the Scott Wilson Quintet.

The event began at 7 p.m. and ended with an after party at 11 p.m.

Shari King, 49, travelled all the way from Fort White to check out the musicians and to see 100.9 dejay Qquincy.

“I’ve heard him a million times on the radio, but it’s great to actually see him,” she said.

The event was put on by Gainesville Friends of Jazz, a non-profit group whose goal is to raise awareness of jazz. Several local musicians and fans formed the group in 1983 to promote jazz music and concerts. Jazz is a type of music that is truly American in its roots, the group’s president Scott Koons explained.

He estimated that between 2,000 and 3,000 attended the free event last weekend. This year, the festival meant a return to local talents. This year’s event also marked the first time the festival was held outdoors.

“We were very pleased with the outcome of this event,” Koons said. “We were able to reach out to a larger, more diverse audience this year.”

Even Buddy and Dixie, two canine attendants seemed to be having a good time.

They liked the crowd and getting to meet lots of new people, their owner Karen Garren said. She brought the dogs to the outdoor concert to get some exercise and enjoy the atmosphere.

“If they hadn’t come with me, I would’ve just felt too guilty going down here,” she said.

Gainesville Friends of Jazz regularly hosts concerts at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 4225 NW 34^th Street.

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Snow White like you’ve never seen her

Even if you've heard the story of Snow White countless times, you've probably never heard it quite like this.

Shows are at the High Springs Community Theater Aug. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, and 19. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m.

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Los estudiantes de educación migrante presentes las canciones y los bailes

   ALACHUA – Elementary students enrolled in the Alachua County Migrant Education Summer Program entertained Alachua Elementary's extended year students and guests with the play "Stone Soup," a "La Raspa" dance and a musical presentation with songs sung in both English and Spanish.

The Migrant Ed Summer Program included students attending Irby Elementary as well as other schools throughout the county, and was held at Alachua Elementary School.

Under the direction of teachers Liz Alza, Mike Maren, Mike McCarthy, Judy Beverly and high school volunteer Ryan Beverly, students spent three weeks practicing math skills, increasing reading skills and completing art activities, as well as rehearsing for the Alachua County Migrant Program's third annual summer performance.

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