BY JENNIFER CABRERA/Alachua Chronicle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dance Alive National Ballet hopes to purchase a 5.5-acre parcel of land in northwest Gainesville that will eventually be the home of a new building with three dance studios, three music studios, an art gallery, a black box theater for rehearsals and rentals, and all the other miscellaneous spaces needed by a performing arts group.

Dance Alive, which makes its home in Gainesville, is the only professional ballet company in North Central Florida and has been a fixture in the world of performing arts for over 50 years. The Company has been sharing space with Pofahl Studios but has outgrown the space, and they will soon be raising money and applying for grants to build a 22,000-square-foot facility that will add to the cultural landscape of North Central Florida.

Dance Alive comprises an international roster of award-winning professional dancers who have full-time contracts and live in the local community; these dancers perform locally, nationally, and internationally and also teach at the resident school. The Company has toured 17 states, Costa Rica, Brazil, Cuba, and Russia, and it is the only arts organization in Florida to be on the State Touring Roster for 40 consecutive years. Dance Alive presents four annual mainstage productions at the Curtis M. Phillips Center, including The Nutcracker. The Company also has an outreach program for students in Alachua and Marion counties and programs to benefit veterans and persons with disabilities.

The proposed new building will include spaces for dance instruction, music instruction, rehearsals, and performances; it will also feature a physical therapy room, a kitchen, a laundry room, storage rooms, dressing rooms, and administrative offices. A large green space behind the building will be available for plein air painting, yoga and meditation classes, and other outdoor events.

Dance Alive National Ballet co-founders Kim Tuttle and Judy Skinner will continue to serve as Artistic and Administrative Directors during the transition to the new facility. Tuttle told Alachua Chronicle, “The arts are in us from childhood and as we grow, they make us better people, filled with humanity. A home for the arts celebrates this, with strength and love.”

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on May 30 signed Senate Bill (SB) 478, sponsored by Senator Keith Perry, to convert the Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program into a permanent program available to school districts across the state. The Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Program provides assistance to school districts in implementing comprehensive music education programs in kindergarten through second grade.

“Music education has been shown to help children with language development, brain development, and fine motor skills,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida has nation-leading early childhood and early literacy programs, and this bill will further help schools build a strong learning foundation for our youngest students.”

The Department of Education will be responsible for administering the program. Eligible schools will receive $150 per student enrolled in a comprehensive music education program. Schools must meet the following criteria to be program eligible:

• Includes all students enrolled at the school in kindergarten through second grade.
• Is staffed by certified music educators.
• Provides music instruction for at least 30 consecutive minutes two days a week.
• Complies with class size requirements under the law.
• Complies with the Department of Education’s standards for early childhood music education programs for students in kindergarten through second grade.

The Early Childhood Music Education Incentive Pilot Program was established in 2017 to assist certain school districts in implementing comprehensive music education programs in kindergarten through second grade. Pilot program schools were selected based on their proximity to the University of Florida and Florida International University. The universities were required to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Good News Arts held its 2^nd annual Paint the Night Gala fundraiser at Rustic Oaks Ranch on Saturday evening, May 20. The event helps raise funds for gallery operation, classes and children’s activities the Gallery sponsors.

Because the gallery is heavily invested in the local community and is a nonprofit venture, fundraising events help cover expenses, and the community has shown their support. The signature event is the Paint the Night Gala. The sponsors, businesses and community volunteers are what makes it a success according to gallery founder and artist Jessica Caldas.

Tickets to attend were $40 in in advance and $50 at the door and over 150 people attended. For that price, attendees were treated to dinner, an open bar and several activities and entertainment including a live DJ, violin quartet, a fire dancer, live poetry readings and a live painting exhibit. There were also gift basket giveaways and a 50-50 raffle.

Most of the activities, food and venue were donations to the event to keep cost down and add more money to the fund raiser. There was also a silent auction of work donated from over 30 artists.

The Rustic Oaks Ranch and venue provided the location free of charge, The Great Outdoors was a sponsor and provided meals free, and Mi Apa served food at cost. Golden Group's Consultants paid for the bar with additional donations from Dorn Liquors and the High Springs Brewery. Porta Serve and The Barber Group also provided funding for the event.

Good News Arts is a registered 501c3 charitable organization that serves arts and culture to the High Springs and Alachua County community in the form of exhibitions and arts programming for all ages. “The gallery is designed to be a community arts space and gallery that collaborates with artists and the community to provide contemporary arts and education that is affordable, accessible, and equitable,” Caldas said. “We want to provide a space for local, regional, and national artists to show challenging and engaging work tied to relevant contemporary issues.”

Caldas says that artists are chosen by the power of their practice and message, rather than the commercial viability of their work. The organization does not take a commission from the artists, but instead allowing the artists to keep all their sales, and also provides honorariums and stipends when possible.

Caldas said, “Outside of curated exhibitions, Good News Arts is an open space for community members to present work including musical performances, spoken word, events, and whatever else serves the community’s needs.”

The gallery partners with local schools, libraries, nonprofits, and other community organizations to broaden their impact and serve the community as thoroughly as possible. This includes classes in the various arts, many geared toward children, and after school care and summer camp focused on the arts.

“We charge a nominal fee on classes and school programs to cover costs,” said Caldas. “But none of it's for profit—it’s all about engaging the community and promoting arts.”

Helping make the 2^nd annual Paint the Night Gala fundraiser a reality, community volunteers provided staffing and the artist and musicians provided their talents as well. Gainesville Event DJ's provided music throughout the event. A high school violin quartet, Joey's Wings, named in memoriam for a fellow student who died of cancer, played classical music. The group performs to raise funds for children's cancer research.

Artist Pam Valcante performed a live painting demonstration and several people gave live poetry readings. Concluding the event, a fire dancer called 1 Girl Fire performed for the crowd.

“It was a wonderful evening with a lot of support for the gallery's mission from the community,” Caldas said. “Everyone had a fun time and we raised more than $6,000 for our programs.”

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ALACHUA - Annually, schools throughout Alachua County select a "Teacher of the Year" to represent their respective schools.  At the May 22 Alachua City Commission meeting, the Commission honored four teachers from Alachua schools as Mayor Gib Coerper presented certificates of appreciation to Jazzlyn Harrell of Alachua Elementary School, Kimberly Young of W.W. Irby Elementary School, Natalie Watkins of A.L. Mebane Middle School, and Ellen Frattino of Santa Fe High School.  These are teachers who inspire students of all backgrounds, and who have the respect and admiration of parents and colleagues alike.

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NEWBERRY ‒ The City of Newberry is moving closer to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection-required Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and development of the remaining land for an environmental park.

At the May 22 City Commission meeting, the Commission approved a large-scale Future Land Use Map Amendment that changes from Agriculture to Public 93+/- acres located on the east side of County Road 336/Southwest 266^th Street, between Southwest 18^th Road and Southwest 30^th Avenue. The development will include the municipal wastewater treatment facility expansion, an educational wetland exhibit and retention area, an Alachua County rural collection center and potential composting and small-farm meat processing facility.

The Newberry Planning and Zoning Board considered this petition on March 6 and unanimously voted to recommend approved of the petition to the Commission at that time. At the March 13 regular meeting of the City Commission, a public hearing was held to consider the request. After receiving a presentation and deliberations, the Commission approved the petition on first reading and authorized staff to transmit the petition to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for review. The reviewing agencies responded and found no objection to the request.

The City also requested to rezone the existing cemetery, wastewater treatment facility and future environmental park from Agricultural (A) and Residential, Single-Family (RSF-2) to Public Facilities (PF) on 217 +/- acres.

The property is located on the east side of County Road 337/Southwest 266th Street, between Southwest 15th Avenue and Southwest 30th Avenue. This request aligns the existing and proposed uses of the site with the appropriate zoning districts and includes the 93 acres listed above.

The Planning and Zoning Board also considered this petition on March 6 and unanimously voted to recommend approved of the petition to the Commission at that time.

Environmental Park Master Plan

Commissioners authorized the City Manager to execute a Task Order with CHW Professional Consultants for the Newberry Environmental Park Master Plan for $220,000. Based on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Administrative Order issued in May of 2021, the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) design is underway. The new facility is to be constructed and operational by March 1, 2026.

The new facility required the purchase of additional adjacent property for plant expansion and wastewater effluent disposal. The City purchased 96 acres adjacent to the existing wastewater plant in 2022. Any acreage not needed for the WWTP expansion is being considered for other City uses such as the relocation of the City Public Works Facility, a proposed privately-operated composting facility, which will accept vegetative waste and the biosolids from the City of Newberry.

The City is also working with Alachua County on locating a County meat processing facility, County communications tower, a joint City/County fire training facility, County solid waste rural collections center and household hazardous waste collections center.

The environmental park design effort must occur in parallel with the WWTP expansion design process to prevent delays on that project.

Funding for this project is identified in the already adopted budget and as a part of the WWTP expansion project. A portion of the funding is eligible for future grant reimbursement. Additionally, the Newberry Environmental Park Master Plan is a required element of the City land development regulations, as well as for future grant and other funding mechanisms.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The City of High Springs sponsored a workshop on Thursday, May 18, to ask citizens, farmers and vendors for input on the High Springs Farmers Market, 23517 N.W. 185^th Road. Approximately 35 people attended the meeting to share their ideas on ways in which the farmers market might best address the needs of the community.

Sharon Yeago, the originator of the market, was on hand along with the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Manager Amy Bohannon and City Manager Ashley Stathatos.

Yeago addressed ways in which farmers markets work throughout Florida and asked for input from attendees, which were then listed on various large paper sheets displayed around the room for review. Ultimately, workshop attendees identified some items they believed were important to the City and the market.

Items identified included a restriction to limit only produce grown by local farmers and gift items that were handmade exclusively by local craftspeople. Participants also requested additional advertising and signage and recruitment of more local farmers to participate in the market.

Yeago said a survey would be designed to obtain more information from the public. Surveys will be online and also in print and will be available during June and July. “We are hoping our citizens will tell us exactly what they want in their farmers market so we can make sure that the market is meeting their needs,” said Yeago. “We will be seeking out community groups, churches and organizations to let them know what we are doing and to get their input.”

A variety of ideas were suggested and every aspect of the market will be reviewed to standardize rules, requirements, hours of operation, and ways in which the Farmers Market pavilion can be used in addition to the market. Some suggestions have included featuring other types of markets, a venue for musical entertainment and a Christmas market to name a few.

Part of the challenge is finding people who used to go to market and don’t any longer. Also, locating farmers who used to be part of the market but are no longer involved would be helpful.

Yeago pointed out that the previous week there were 19 vendors at the market, but only eight were farmers. In 2005, the market was generating $250,000 in sales for its vendors, which at that time, was a growers’ only market. “One of the things we hope to determine is the amount being generated currently,” Yeago said.

The City plans to hold another public meeting in August after they have received the survey responses from the community. The results of the research, including the workshops and surveys, will then be presented to the City Commission in September.

“Any changes that the City decides to make to the Farmers Market will take effect in October, at the beginning of the next fiscal year,” Yeago said.

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 Governor DeSantis also announced his intent to appoint J. Alex Kelly to lead the newly created Florida Department of Commerce

Source: From the Office of Governor Rob DeSantis \ May 31, 2023

TALLAHASSEE —  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on May 31, 2023 signed House Bill 5, creating a singular Department of Commerce in Florida to streamline and modernize Florida’s economic development agencies to meet the needs of today’s businesses. The bill:

• Consolidates the responsibilities and resources of Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) into the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which the bill also renames as the Department of Commerce;
• Creates a new direct-support organization (DSO) responsible for international economic development within the Department of Commerce;
• Reconstitutes VISIT FLORIDA and the Florida Sports Foundation also as DSOs of the Department of Commerce; and
• Repeals several underutilized and duplicative economic incentive programs that often create more confusion than answers for business and industry.

 To lead the newly created Department of Commerce, Governor DeSantis has announced his intent to appoint J. Alex Kelly, who currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor.

 “Florida continues to be the nation’s top destination for new businesses, workforce development, and tourism, and streamlining our economic development programs in the Florida Department of Commerce will further support Florida’s thriving economy,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

 “Floridians deserve a level playing field that empowers local entrepreneurs to thrive,” said House Speaker Paul Renner. “Governor DeSantis is championing good stewardship of taxpayer’s hard-earned money by eliminating wasteful entities like Enterprise Florida. By establishing the new Department of Commerce, we will embark on a revitalized mission to strategically pave the way towards an even brighter future.”

 Florida’s economy continues to thrive under the leadership of Governor DeSantis. Earlier this month, Governor DeSantis announced that Florida has the lowest unemployment rate of the nation's 10 largest states, experienced record tourism in the first quarter of 2023, and outpaced nationwide job growth for the 25th consecutive month.

 The Department of Commerce will continue to support Florida’s robust economic development and growth through performance-driven job creation and capital investment grant programs, infrastructure grants, rural county and small city grants, broadband grants, small business and rural loan programs, and other small business programs.

 Moreover, the Department of Commerce will continue to support and collaborate with Florida’s family of economic development and workforce development partners, including Space Florida, CareerSource, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, VISIT FLORIDA, the Florida Sports Foundation, the Florida Defense Support Task Force, the REACH Office, the Florida Department of Education, and the State University System Board of Governors.

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TALLAHASSEE — In a May 31, 2023 press release from the Office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, it was announced that the governor signed the following bills:

CS/CS/HB 5 – Economic Programs

CS/CS/HB 657 – Enforcement of School Zone Speed Limits

CS/CS/CS/HB 799 – Property Insurance

CS/HB 881 – My Safe Florida Home Program

HB 1169 – Hamilton County

SB 662 – Student Online Personal Information Protection

CS/CS/SB 766 – Enforcement of School Bus Passing Infractions

CS/SB 7052 – Insurer Accountability

To view the transmittal letters, click here and here.

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Nearly two years after a father killed his young sons, burned the family's vacation home and fatally shot himself, Florida's Legislature is nearing passage of a new law that would shield details of autopsies of children.  Sponsored in the House by Rep. Charles “Chuck” Clemons, R-Newberry, and Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, the effort in Tallahassee is on behalf of the boys' surviving mother, 44-year-old Minde O'Sullivan of Gainesville. She said she never wanted to learn details of her sons' murders that were described in media coverage in the case that drew public interest across Florida. The bills would also ban release of photographs, audio or video in all cases when a minor is killed by anyone, not just in domestic violence crimes. The Senate has already passed a version of the bill. The House is expected to vote on the bill Thursday.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Nearly two years after both her sons were killed by her estranged husband, a surviving mother is picking up the pieces of her life to move forward as untold storylines about the murders are just emerging.

Minde O'Sullivan, 44, of Gainesville said her new marriage to the University of Florida baseball coach, Kevin O’Sullivan, and a non-profit foundation she created in honor of her boys, Rex Reinhart, 14, and Brody Reinhart, 11, have given her a new purpose in life. 

Meanwhile, her sons’ legacy may be legislation – “The Rex and Brody Act” – that is so far sailing through the state Legislature. One bill passed the Senate 39-0 earlier this month, and the House is expected to vote Thursday on another, after it passed unanimously through three committee votes. Similar efforts failed in Tallahassee last year.

The bills would ban the public release of autopsy reports for minors killed by domestic violence – and also ban release of photographs, audio or video, such as police body camera recordings or in reports by child abuse investigators, in cases when a minor is killed, no matter the circumstances.

Minde O’Sullivan’s estranged husband, Paul Otto Reinhart, 46, fatally shot the couple’s sons in May 2021 at the family’s waterfront vacation home in western Florida then set the house on fire and killed himself. The family, which ran a lucrative medical device sales company, was prominent in the region’s social and political circles.

The boys’ autopsies, which were released publicly, revealed that their father had shot both sons before he shot himself and set the fire – even though Minde O’Sullivan had initially assured a 911 dispatcher that her husband did not own any guns during the frantic hours when authorities were still searching for her missing family. Sheriff’s investigators also believed Paul Reinhart didn’t have a gun, based on their review of recent firearms transactions. But detectives later found two 9mm Glock pistols in the burned home in Suwannee.

“I was unaware he bought one two weeks prior,” she said in a recent interview. “I had no idea that he was capable of doing anything like this, or else I never would have left my children with him.”

Court and investigative records showed that the murders happened after Reinhart learned about an extramarital affair, the two traded angry texts about her wishing her husband dead and he made moves to withhold the family’s millions of dollars from her.

“You changed your life insurance policies so I don’t get any f***ing money,” Minde O’Sullivan told Reinhart in a conversation that Reinhart apparently recorded, according to a sheriff’s office report. She later said during a deposition in a related court dispute with Reinhart’s family that she had been unaware of Reinhart’s efforts to change his $4 million in life insurance policies.

When the boys’ autopsies were made public under Florida’s public records law, in August 2021, investigators had not yet released any details about how the boys had died three months earlier. Most media coverage then focused on the disclosure that Reinhart had shot the boys, without graphic descriptions. A local television station went further, detailing in a brief news article published on its website how many times and where on their bodies each boy was shot. Photographs and videos taken during autopsies are already blocked from public view under existing Florida law.

Minde O’Sullivan made clear to lawmakers she did not want to learn details of her sons’ tragic deaths – in a case that generated public interest across Florida – because it would be too upsetting.

The proposed law would have kept details secret. A surviving parent or spouse who was not involved in their child’s death could review an autopsy report. The legislation said such reports contain “highly sensitive descriptions of the deceased” and “could result in trauma, sorrow, humiliation, or emotional injury to the immediate family and minor friends of the deceased, as well as injury to the memory of the deceased.”

The bills would also ban release of photographs, audio or video in all cases when a minor is killed by anyone, not just in domestic violence crimes. The ban would cover accidents, such as car or boat crashes or cases when a child falls off an amusement park ride. It would cover killings even by police or sheriff’s deputies and even if there were questions about whether they acted lawfully in such cases. It would also cover evidence of deaths of children in cases that may have been handled or mishandled by government regulators, such as Florida's Department of Children and Families. 

That provision – which was not in the version of the bill that failed last year – was added last month by the House Judiciary Committee, saying it worried that release of recordings of killings may encourage others.

The bills were sponsored by two Alachua County lawmakers: Rep. Charles “Chuck” Clemons, R-Newberry, and Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville.

Clemons said he supports Florida’s public records law, sometimes known as the Sunshine Law, because it shines a light on government programs and activities. “What I’m asking you to do today, with this bill, is to put into the shade the gory photographs, the descriptions, the videos, etc…of minors who have been murdered,” he told lawmakers on the judiciary committee last month. 

Minde O’Sullivan pleaded with lawmakers to draft a bill so no surviving parent has to undergo the same hurt ever again, Clemons said. This year, the Senate version passed on April 11, Minde O’Sullivan’s birthday. When the Senate voted, she broke into tears in the Capitol as her mother, Tammy Prince, put her arm around her to comfort her.

“This was just the biggest birthday gift that I could ever imagine,” Minde O’Sullivan said. “It was so emotional.”

Clemons said he looks forward to Gov. Ron DeSantis signing the law once it passes the full Legislature, as is expected on Thursday. He said it would have prevented young friends of Rex and Brody learning graphic details online about the deaths of the boys. DeSantis is widely expected to sign the measures into law.

“Think about the psychological impact and the hurt it has not only for those young boys but for the surviving parents, the grandparents, the friends, the close-knit community – it's all out there and it's out there forever,” Clemons said.

Under the bill, a judge who finds good cause could disclose autopsy reports in certain cases. The court would have to evaluate the intrusion into the family’s right to privacy and consider whether there is similar information available in other public records.

While Minde O’Sullivan attended legislative hearings in Tallahassee, she also founded and focused her efforts on the Rex & Brody Foundation. The charity honors her sons, who were avid baseball players, to support youth and school baseball teams. Brody regularly served as the unofficial batboy for the University of Florida baseball team. She married baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan on Sept. 24. The two were friends for years and began dating after the murders.

Some details about Reinhart’s actions – and interactions with Minde O’Sullivan – ahead of the murders have not been previously reported.

Eight days before the murders, Reinhart filed paperwork to change two life insurance policies to keep his wife from collecting money after his death. At the time, the couple was separated and intended to divorce. The policies were worth $2 million each and permitted full payouts even in a case of suicide.

The changes by Reinhart named his sons as primary beneficiaries and one of his brothers, Konrad Reinhart of Gainesville, a secondary beneficiary if the boys died. After the murders, Minde O’Sullivan settled a federal lawsuit with Konrad Reinhart last summer over the $4 million. Court records did not specify how the money was divided.

Separately, Paul Reinhart also updated his will 15 days before the murders to prevent his wife from receiving any assets after their 19 years of marriage. He named his brother, in place of his wife, the beneficiary of a retirement account worth more than $600,000.

Two days before the murders, Paul Reinhart began moving large sums of money from the family’s bank accounts: He transferred $299,000 from his business account to a personal account controlled by himself and Konrad Reinhart. He moved $100,000 out of Brody’s account and $100,000 from Rex’s and transferred it to the same account controlled by him and his brother, according to court records. 

The same day, Paul Reinhart used his phone to search: “selfish and having an affair” and “how to break someone psychologically, mentally and emotionally,” according to the final Dixie County Sheriff’s Office report. 

“The thing that is so upsetting is that it was planned out weeks before,” Minde O’Sullivan said in an interview. “It wasn't like he just snapped on a whim. He was still walking around with a smile on his face while he was planning all of this.”

The morning of the murders, Paul Reinhart emailed her a message that read, “You got your wish and you can keep the millions.” Attached to the email was an audio recording Reinhart made of the two arguing. 

In the recording, Paul Reinhart said, “Honestly wish I were dead.” Minde O’Sullivan responded: “Yes, I do. I do, but you know what sucks? Is you changed your life insurance policies so I don’t get any f***ing money,” according to the sheriff’s office report.

As part of their bitter family legal fights over the estate, Konrad Reinhart accused Minde O’Sullivan of a role in Paul Reinhart’s violence. The sides settled their probate fight in July, according to court records.

“Paul told me that she told him… to go kill yourself multiple times, and Paul said, ‘Are you serious?’” Konrad Reinhart said in a deposition. “And she said, ‘Yes,’ and then she got angry because the life insurance was changed into the boys’ name, and that’s all she was concerned about was the money.”

Minde O’Sullivan’s charity, which raised $82,222 last year, pays for baseball facility improvements and sponsors local teams to compete in national tournaments. Its next major fundraiser is Sept. 23 at UF’s football stadium. 

Minde O’Sullivan said the charity gives her a purpose, staying involved with youth baseball. She still attends high school games, she said, and stays in contact with her sons’ teammates.

“I wake up every single morning and think, ‘This is not real, this didn’t happen,’” she said. “But you have choices to make: You either get up and get going, or you choose to give up. And I've never chosen to give up.”

She added: "Staying involved in sports and baseball, which was their true passion, has helped a lot. It gives me a purpose. I knew I won't have my own ever again, but I have hundreds of other children and I'm going to continue to help."

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — This summer and fall, UF/IFAS Extension will host the Ag Entrepreneurship Series, a program designed to help aspiring and beginning farmers sow the seeds of success.

“Extension offices across the state often hear from residents who are interested in starting a small farm or related business. However, many of these folks don’t have an agricultural background and need help getting their idea off the ground,” said Tatiana Sanchez-Jones, commercial horticulture agent with UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County. “In response, a few years ago we created the Ag Entrepreneurship Series, and it’s still going strong,”

Sanchez co-leads the program with Kevin Athearn, regional specialized agent for rural agribusiness development.

“Even those with business experience can benefit greatly from the program,” Athearn said. “That’s because agricultural enterprises are quite a bit different from other types of businesses. Our program helps people factor in those important differences and be in a better position to get financing for their farm and make the most of that investment.”

The program is open to anyone in Florida. Registration for the 2023 Ag Entrepreneurship Series is available through UF/IFAS Extension Online Learning.

The award-winning Ag Entrepreneurship series first launched in 2018 and has since expanded to include three workshops. Each workshop starts with a two-week, online course that includes recorded presentations, case study videos, worksheets and a discussion forum where workshop members can ask questions of the workshop leaders and network with each other.

• Starting a Farm (June 16-30): Introduces learners to the basics of starting a farm business and includes setting a vision and goals, assessing financial readiness, evaluating suitability and feasibility of the enterprise, and the ins and outs of business structures, registration and regulations.

• Farm Business Planning (Aug. 10-24): Takes learners through the more technical aspects of developing a farm business and includes conducting market research and a SWOT analysis, developing a mission statement and plans for marketing, operations, human resources, finances and risk management.

• Marketing for Your Small Farm (Oct. 13-27): Walks learners through business plan implementation and includes marketing and promotional strategies, avenues for selling to consumers, and technologies for taking orders and accepting payment online.

At the end of the two weeks, participants attend a two-hour presentation and Q & A session with industry experts, including representatives from program partners Farm Credit of Florida and the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement. Participants can attend these sessions in person or via Zoom.

People can sign up for one or more workshops in the series. Each workshop is $45, and participants who register for all three get a discounted rate of $100. Workshops are capped at 35 people, so early registration is recommended.

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TALLAHASSEE – This morning, the Lauren’s Kids foundation kicked off a 42+ hour continuous advocacy walk at the Florida Capitol to honor the 42 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse living in the U.S. today. The “42 Hours” event will close out National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month by bringing advocates, survivors and state leaders together to walk inside the walls of the Florida Capitol while raising awareness and advocating for change.

“We are walking together over the next 42+ hours to honor survivors, advocate for change, and bring awareness to something we know unfortunately impacts 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys before they graduate high school,” said Senator Lauren Book, Founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids. “Every 98 seconds, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted – which means that over the course of the next 42 hours, more than 1,500 people will be victimized. We will be shining a light for each one of those survivors to help amplify the messages of prevention, hope, and healing.”

Every 15 minutes, walkers will light a candle on a wall of the “42 Hours” display to symbolize the 10 survivors of sexual assault who were victimized during that time.

“The Florida Council Against Sexual Violence works to ensure victims and survivors have a voice in the Florida Capitol, and to ensure prevention and treatment programs are present in communities throughout the state,” says Jennifer Dritt, Executive Director of the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, a “42 Miles” event partner. “Even if we do not realize it, statistically, each one of us knows someone who has experienced sexual violence – and each one of us likely knows a perpetrator, too. It is up to us all to educate ourselves and become a part of the solution.”

Armed with the knowledge that 95 percent of childhood sexual abuse is preventable through education and awareness, Lauren’s Kids offers families, schools, and youth-serving organizations free tools and EMMY Award-winning video lessons to help teach personal safety from a place of fun and not fear. The Foundation has also created free resources for survivors, including the Guide to Hope & Healing, which helps families navigate the time following a child’s disclosure of sexual abuse.     

This will be Lauren’s Kids’ third year hosting the “42 Hours” event, an offshoot of the Foundation’s 1,500-mile “Walk in My Shoes” statewide awareness walk from Key West to Tallahassee, completed annually from 2010-2018. To learn more and watch the “42 Hours” event livestream, visit www.laurenskids.org.

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OCALA, Fla. - A GoFundMe account has been set up for an 8-year-old Ocala girl to purchase challenge coins to give to first responders.  According to GoFundMe Regional Spokesperson Claudia Curiel,   Aubryn has a huge appreciation for first responders and everything that they do. She's been hosting first responders at her home on Christmas Eve for the past five years. She serves them hot chocolate/coffee, treats and pastries. She plays games, colors and has made ornaments with the first responders that have shown up.

The Marion County sheriff presented her with a challenge coin thanking her for going above and beyond in thanking those who serve her community. She ended up collecting coins from each agency that stopped by. In January, she asked her parents if she could give them something to carry as a reminder that they are loved and appreciated. They had a challenge coin made for her to hand out.

She has since been invited to the Department of Corrections meeting and was honored by them for showing her appreciation. Now she's been invited to participate in a state meeting to honor elite first responders and asked to hand out her coins there. She's also been asked to present her local SRO's (School Resource Officers) with coins.

Her mother has set up a GoFundMe account to help support Aubryn's efforts.  "We would love to take part in these events but we are lacking the funds to have more coins made," said Aubryn's mother.  "We would like to have 300 additional coins made for these events and possibly more to have on hand for her annual events."  Aubryn's mother says that donations will be used to purchase more coins, and if there are any additional funds they will be used for her first responder events and will directly benefit first responders such as firefighters, police, sherriff, Department of Corrections, nurses, doctors, EMTs and veterans.

To view the GoFundMe please visit:https://gf.me/v/c/76rg/appreciation-of-first-responders

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Today, we pause in reverence to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his unyielding courage in the face of adversity, his boundless love in the face of hate, and his servant leadership in the face of supremacy. This great American not only chartered a new course in the fight for civil rights, he also illustrated how we should boldly advocate for our causes while exhibiting grace and humility. 

As a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, the Alachua County Labor Coalition typically avoids weighing in on electoral contests. And we never endorse political candidates. But a recent dark-money mailer attacking one of our dedicated activists who is running for office and two of our signature policies he worked on requires us to speak up.

Residents of Gainesville Commission District 2 recently opened their mailboxes to find a cowardly postcard attacking Commission candidate James Ingle. It was paid for by the so-called Responsible Leadership Committee, Inc.—a dark money PAC. Two of three false claims made in the mailing are that Ingle “worked to limit our private property rights” and “fought for more government control over our wages.” These are references to the Alachua County Renters’ Rights and Wage Theft ordinances, respectively.

The Renters’ Rights ordinance does not limit private property rights any more than do laws prohibiting retail shops on your neighborhood cul-de-sacs or rats in restaurants. The reality is that the ordinance offers three simple, commonsense protections for Alachua County’s tenants. First, it requires universal inspections of rental properties. This merely ensures that landlords are adhering to the rules and regulations of the building code that ALREADY EXIST. Without universal inspections, tenants are forced to choose between blowing the whistle on hazardous living conditions or risking retaliation from a minority of bad landlords. Second, it requires landlords to inform tenants of the rights they ALREADY HAVE. Why should landlords be afraid of their renters knowing the law? Third, it sets reasonable water and energy efficiency standards for rental properties. These are necessary to lower utility costs for renters, reduce greenhouse emissions that cause climate change, and protect our aquifer. Why landlords would want to deplete our aquifer, unnecessarily spew harmful emissions into the air, and subject their tenants to unaffordable utility bills is beyond our understanding. But the bottom line is this: the landlord-tenant relationship is a business relationship, not a relationship between a landholder and their serf, and it should be regulated as such.

Describing the Wage Theft ordinance as “government control over our wages” is possibly more bizarre. This ordinance merely provides an avenue for workers to ensure the contracts between them and their employers are enforced—an avenue much cheaper than seeking recourse in the courts. The ordinance does not limit how much an employer can pay their workers, which is what I presume the mailer attempts to falsely imply. What’s more, the program has been a smashing success! Since, 2014, the ordinance has allowed the Office of Equal Opportunity to win back over $100,000 of unpaid wages for 152 workers.

It should be clear by now that the folks over at the so-called Responsible Leadership Committee, Inc. are not trying to protect your freedoms. They are promoting serfdom!

Lastly, the mailer asserts that James Ingle’s leadership has “failed us.” While we cannot endorse James or any other candidate (and this letter is not an endorsement), readers should know this is as big of a lie as any other in the mailer. James Ingle has been a great leader in the Alachua County Labor Coalition, the AFL-CIO, and his own union—International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 1205. In fact, the basic protections afforded to tenants in Alachua County and the over $100,000 returned to workers would not be possible without him. We thank him for his leadership on these issues. Perhaps the best description for James is, in fact, responsible leader.

Bobby Mermer, Gainesville, Florida, PhD, ACLC Coordinator

It’s high time the local business owners speak up. I am a small business owner in High Springs for seven years now, and before that, helped run the High Springs Art Coop for six years. As we all know, our area is growing at a crazy rate. People have discovered our area for the treasure it is, as we all have at one point, so we have to learn to accept change in a reasonable way. The key word is reasonable.

Landlord greed with unreasonable rents kills business, most of all small business. Even big business suffers. I remember a story before Covid of the famous Barney’s of NYC, an icon for years that closed because the owners of their building raised the rent. They were already paying a million dollars a month!

Locally, look how the lovely town of Alachua went from being a vibrant historic downtown that we in High Springs envied and now it struggles to make it. Why? I feel it is because of large land owners who own the majority of real estate. They get renters in the first year at a low rate and after a year jack up the rent. I was told by a previous store owner than they over charge for utilities, too. These small places can barely make $1,000 to $1,500 a month total and most don’t bring in a monthly salary for themselves. How are they going to pay over $2,000 a month rent? Shame on what has happened in that lovely town.

Micanopy is another depressed town because of unreasonable people and then just look at downtown Gainesville. I wonder how long all those huge apartment houses will sit empty because of the humongous rents they are charging.

We can still save High Springs. We can make it a model historic small-town success. Here we have a few local hero landowners who are logical, honest and smart business owners. They charge rents that these small businesses can sustain.

The Barber and Grady families in our town are a blessing to all who rent from them—unlike some of the newbies who have bought up some of our buildings. The newbies’ unrealistic expectations can kill small businesses, or no one will pay such high rents, so their structures remain empty.

For example, in downtown High Springs there is the corner spot where River Run Olive Oil sat. It is a prime location, and here it is another year that it sits empty. The original owners sold because they wished to retire.

Across the street from me is the largest group of modern local store spaces. There was a quilt store there for a bit, but she couldn’t sustain the high rent. The same with rentals on the other side of her, the buildings have sat empty for years now. The owner is from Miami and thinks she is going to get Miami prices. All of these are prime real estate, front and center on Main Street and empty.

The main inspiration to this letter is The Florida Springs Institute. It is our local nonprofit, which does so much good protecting and bringing awareness to our local waters. I understand they are being kicked out of their corner space by their landlord. I heard they weren’t even given the offer to stay at a higher rate. The landlord is going to put someone in there at a huge increase in rent.

Although the landlord professes to support the springs, it seems that is the bottom line is taking precedence. We will see if the “new” business can sustain the ridiculously high rent or will downtown have another empty store front?

I had to say something and bring attention to this issue, even though I don’t think there is much we can do. The town is at the mercy of landowners who decide the bottom line. We can only hope and pray that our little town of High Springs continues to grow with sweet businesses that add to our charm with newbies coming who want to add to our world.

We are not against “reasonable” change. We welcome new and younger people looking to share in our small-town dream. Younger entrepreneurs bring vitality and freshness. We are just asking new and old landlords to keep it real and not let the over inflated prices for everything else invade common sense business practices. We expect you to make “reasonable” incomes, just not overpriced ones.

The future is determined right now. We either jack up rents, run the little charming business out and we get replaced by offices, empty stores and decay, or we support the small-town flair, encouraging the entrepreneur and make a small local business possible for everyone.

Remember that a store that sits empty for years produces zero rent. The more spaces that are filled, the better it is for all businesses.

Tina Corbett

High Springs, Florida

It is a great honor to serve High Springs as your new Postmaster. In my years with the United States Postal Service, I have seen firsthand the role the Postal Service plays connecting neighbors and our community to the nation.

Our Post Offices serve as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers no matter where they are. Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership and Delivering For America, the Postal Service’s 10-year plan, we are maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and expanded seven-day package delivery, stabilizing our workforce, and spurring innovation to meet the needs of our modern customers.

Just as the Postal Service continues to provide a vital service for our nation, the staff of the High Springs Post Office will proudly continue that same public service in this community.

On behalf of the 650,000 women and men of the United States Postal Service, I thank you for continuing to support the Postal Service. Providing reliable mail delivery while strengthening the future of this treasured institution is our commitment to you.

Angel Cruz

Postmaster High Springs, FL 32643-9998

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As a volunteer and advocate with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, this month I am asking everyone to join us and demand #MoreForMentalHealth.

I am doing more by calling on my legislators at the federal and state levels to support legislation that will fund the implementation of 988 and the suicide and mental health crisis system across our nation, particularly for those in underserved communities.

Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255 and de-escalates the crises of tens of thousands of callers each day. On July 16, those in distress and those that support them will be able to reach the Lifeline through a simple 3-digit number: 988.

By making the Lifeline more accessible through this shorter number, calls, texts, and chats to the Lifeline's network of crisis call centers are expected to increase. It is vital that the federal government work with states to ensure callers in distress will have: 1) someone to call, 2) someone to come help, and 3) somewhere safe to go.

We must act NOW to secure funding to equip call centers and community crisis response services throughout the country with the staff and resources to respond to everyone in crisis.

Join me this month in urging our federal and state public officials to do #MoreForMentalHealth. You can start by visiting moreformentalhealth.org.

Together, we can help #StopSuicide.

Peggy Portwine

Alachua, Florida

“I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” These words are as moving today as when first spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the passionate and influential civil rights leader who stood as a “pillar of hope and a model of grace” in his fight towards equality for all.

On January 17, we will reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King, who, with his brave supporters, stood in strong opposition to racial discrimination, as well as the wrongful and unequal treatment of people who differed in national origin and religious beliefs.

The State of Florida continues to carry Dr. King’s legacy forward, committed to ending discrimination and ensuring all within our state have fair and equal access to employment and housing - because every person deserves to live the American Dream. The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) was established in 1969 to enforce the Florida Civil Rights Act and address discrimination through education, outreach, and partnership. Annually, the FCHR recognizes and honors Floridians who advance civil rights throughout the state in the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

As we take this time to honor Dr. King, let us consider how we can improve our own communities. Everyone should have the opportunity to live the American Dream. Dr. King paved the way for our society to embrace equality, and it is our job as Americans and Floridians to ensure the civil rights of all people.

Angela Primiano, Vice-Chair

Florida Commission on Human Relations

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