Retired Alachua City Mayor Gib Coerper (Navy, Ret.), Jackson Gold Star Family, Horace Jenkins (Navy) and Major (Ret.) Charlie Jackson / Photo special to Alachua County Today

ALACHUA – The Young Men of Manhood Youth Development Foundation, Inc., hosted its first All-American Veterans EXPO-2025 @ Alachua on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, bringing together veterans, Gold Star Families, mentors and young people for a day of storytelling, education and recognition at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex.

The event opened with a 9 a.m. brunch before shifting into a full day of intergenerational engagement. Local veterans, parents, mentors and mentees spent the morning sharing their experiences with attendees and with the young men of the foundation’s mentoring program.

Foundation members used the expo to launch a long-term oral history project aimed at preserving the stories of Alachua County veterans. According to the organization, the young men “seized this event as an opportunity to kick off their first in a series of interviews with a goal of producing a video of Alachua County veterans telling their stories.”

The initial round of interviews captured accounts from veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam Conflict, the Gulf War — including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm — Operation Dawn, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The foundation plans to continue conducting interviews throughout 2025, with the goal of completing the project by Veterans Day 2026.

Throughout the day, representatives from the Malcolm Randall Veterans Hospital and the Florida Veterans Office in Gainesville provided attendees with information on available military benefits. Their presentations covered housing, medical and health care services, education, suicide prevention, homelessness prevention and the process for filing disability claims.

The program also included recognition of the 3396th Reserve Reception Battalion for its military service. Major (Ret.) Charlie Jackson, former Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper (Navy, Ret.) and Mr. Jenkins (Navy) led the honors. Accepting on behalf of the battalion was First Sergeant Larry McDaniel.

The event concluded with a tribute to members of Gold Star Families, whose loved ones died in military service. Organizers extended “special thanks to our many sponsors who helped in making the first All-American Veterans EXPO-2025 @ Alachua a success.”

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HIGH SPRINGS – The sidewalks of historic downtown High Springs will turn into an open-air gallery on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, as the seasonal Art Walk returns from noon to 5 p.m. with 18 – 20 local artists and makers setting up along Main Street storefronts. The recurring event, a favorite on the community calendar, blends art, small-business specials and the easy, walkable charm that has come to define the city’s downtown.

The Art Walk is designed as a showcase for North Central Florida talent: painters, printmakers, potters, jewelry designers, woodworkers and other creatives demonstrating methods and selling finished work just a few steps from cafés and boutiques. Visitors can browse handmade goods, then pop into one of downtown’s eclectic restaurants for a late lunch or grab a pick-me-up from a coffee counter before circling back for a second look.

What sets the High Springs version apart is the setting. The compact downtown makes it simple to cover the entire route at a leisurely pace, turning the afternoon into a choose-your-own itinerary: start at one end of the district and stroll past easels and display racks, detour into a vintage shop, or linger where a maker is explaining process. Participating merchants plan event-day specials and sales, adding a second layer of discovery for shoppers who want to support local businesses while taking in the art.

The format also gives emerging artists a low-barrier way to meet customers. Sidewalk booths create natural conversations about technique and materials, and return visitors often look for familiar names from past Art Walks. For residents, it’s a chance to connect faces to the work they’ve spotted around town—on café walls, in gift shops, or at previous installments of the event.

Families typically find plenty to engage younger browsers — bright color studies, whimsical ceramics, nature-inspired prints — while seasoned collectors can scout original pieces or small, affordable editions. With the holidays approaching, the November date tends to spark early gift buying; shoppers often leave with something wearable, something for a wall and a few stocking stuffers tucked into a reusable tote.

Plan on comfortable shoes and unhurried timing; the Art Walk rewards meandering. Many visitors make a loop, take a break for a bite, then return to favorite booths for a final decision. Payment options vary by vendor, so having both a card and some cash on hand can help move purchases along.

Downtown’s hospitality is part of the draw. Restaurants and bakeries add to the festive vibe, and shopkeepers frequently set out sidewalk displays that complement the artists stationed nearby. The result is a small-town streetscape animated by easels, stands and friendly conversation — an afternoon that feels as much like a neighborhood gathering as an arts market.

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ALACHUA COUNTY - Due to a minor sinkhole opening, the Alachua County Public Works Department announced an emergency road closure on SW 24^th Avenue between SW 91^st Street and SW 87^th Way.

 Drivers will be detoured around the area using SW 87^th Way to SW 91^st Street. Residents of the Shannon Woods subdivision, exiting the neighborhood using SW 88^th Street, will only be able to go east on SW 24^th Avenue.

 Drivers should use caution, stay alert and focused, follow the designated detour signs, and maintain a safe speed and following distance when traveling through the detour. Drivers should expect delays and plan ahead during this construction.

 For more information, contact Alachua County Construction Inspection Superintendent Aaron Burke at 352-548-1240.

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ALACHUA — The holiday season will take center stage in Alachua as Dance Alive National Ballet presents a free community performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, at the Legacy Park Multipurpose Center. The City of Alachua is hosting the event, which features two showtimes, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and is open to all residents at no cost.

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