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ALACHUA COUNTY – Beginning Jan. 3, 2026, Alachua County residents will have a new option for reducing household waste as the county launches a year-long food waste collection pilot at its Rural Collection Centers.

The program, which will run through Dec. 31, 2026, allows residents to drop off food scraps for composting rather than sending them to the landfill. The initiative is a partnership between Alachua County and O-Town Compost and is funded through a Circular Economy Grant.

County officials say the pilot is designed to reduce landfill waste while creating a useful end product. Food waste collected through the program will be processed into compost that can be used by farmers, gardeners, landscapers, and other agricultural or land-use operations.

“Food waste makes up a significant portion of what ends up in landfills,” county officials noted in announcing the program. “By diverting that material into composting, the county can reduce environmental impacts while supporting local food and agricultural systems.”

The food waste drop-off will be available at all five of the county’s Rural Collection Centers:

• Alachua/High Springs — 16929 NW U.S. Highway 441
• Archer — 19401 SW Archer Road
• Fairbanks — 9920 NE Waldo Road
• North Central — 10714 N State Road 121
• Phifer — 11700 SE Hawthorne Road

All Rural Collection Centers are open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Alachua/High Springs location also offers additional hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The pilot program is limited to residential food waste and is intended as a test to evaluate participation levels, operational needs, and overall impact before any potential expansion. County officials will use data gathered during the year-long trial to determine whether the program should become permanent or be expanded to additional locations.

Residents seeking more information about the program can contact Patrick Irby with the Alachua County Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Department at 352-338-3233 or by email at pirby@alachuacounty.us.

Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations to participate in a county program, service, or public meeting may contact the Alachua County Equal Opportunity Office at 352-374-5275 at least two business days in advance. TTY users may call 711 through the Florida Relay Service.

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HIGH SPRINGS – Santa Claus arrived early for dozens of children across North Central Florida this holiday season, thanks to a regional gift drive organized by Palms Medical Group in partnership with child advocacy organizations serving foster families.

Palms Medical Group supplied Christmas gifts for 120 children within its service area, working alongside Guardian ad Litem in Levy and Gilchrist counties and Partnership for Strong Families. The effort focused on ensuring children involved in the foster care system experienced the joy of the holiday season.

In November, wish lists from the 120 children were distributed among Palms Medical Group employees. Team members across the organization selected and purchased gifts tailored to each child’s requests, transforming individual wish lists into personalized holiday surprises.

Once all items were collected and counted, Palms’ marketing department coordinated the delivery of the gifts to Guardian ad Litem and Partnership for Strong Families during the week of Dec. 1, ensuring the presents reached children in time for the holidays.

“Seeing the impact Palms gets to make for these children is truly an event I hold close to my heart,” said Ashley Chesney, a participating Palms team member from the High Springs office. “A personal impact for myself has been reflecting on my adopted brother, especially knowing his sibling is still in foster care and might not have the same experience during this season. Knowing our staff provides such joy for all these children really brings the Christmas magic to life.”

The holiday gift initiative is one of several community-focused efforts Palms Medical Group undertakes each year as part of its mission to enhance the health and well-being of the communities it serves. Beyond the Christmas season, the organization regularly supports holiday food giveaways, back-to-school book bag distributions and a wide range of local sponsorships aimed at addressing community needs.

“The organization possesses a posture of giving with an open hand,” said Kyler Burk, director of marketing for Palms Medical Group. “What never ceases to amaze me, though, is that our team members mimic that same posture to give in the same way. Our company values not only hang on the walls, they walk the halls, the city streets and the town squares.”

Palms officials said initiatives like the holiday gift drive underscore the organization’s belief that strong communities are built through consistent engagement, compassion and partnerships that extend well beyond clinical care.

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NEWBERRY – A 22-year-old Newberry man was arrested early Saturday and charged with attempted homicide after a woman was allegedly beaten inside a Newberry apartment, according to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded at 2:16 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, to the Vanguard Apartments, where a deputy reported hearing a faint cry for help while checking the area. Moments later, the victim ran from an apartment yelling for assistance before collapsing on the ground, the arrest report states.

The deputy reported that the woman was actively bleeding from her head, covered in blood and limping. She had extensive bruising and scratches and said she had been in and out of consciousness.

Inside the apartment, deputies reported finding Jayce Benjamin Timmons standing in the hallway with blood on his pants and shoes but no obvious injuries.

According to the report, the victim said Timmons punched her earlier in the night at a restaurant. She returned home without him, but he later followed her and entered the apartment using a key he had taken without her consent. The victim said Timmons took her car key and snapped it, preventing her from leaving.

The victim told deputies that after an argument, Timmons began striking her with his closed fist and kicking her. She reported that he said he did not care if she died and later told her he was going to kill her.

She said the assault stopped when a deputy rang the doorbell, at which point Timmons allegedly said, “Oh, look, they came to save you; now I’m going to go to prison.” The victim told deputies she believed Timmons intended to kill her and would have succeeded had law enforcement not arrived. She said she scratched him so he could be identified if he killed her.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Timmons reportedly told deputies the victim was “acting crazy” when he arrived at the apartment. He said he did not know where the blood on his pants and shoes came from or how the victim and apartment became covered in blood. Deputies observed blood on Timmons’ hands and knuckles and scratches on his face and throat.

Timmons was charged with attempted homicide, committing a felony that could lead to death, hindering a victim’s communication with law enforcement, false imprisonment and misdemeanor property damage for breaking the car key.

His full criminal history was not immediately available, but records indicate he is on pretrial release for a hit-and-run crash in Hillsborough County and faces an Alachua County charge of driving without a valid license. A sworn complaint for domestic battery was filed against him in September 2025 but was later dropped.

Judge Julie Johnson ordered Timmons held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office seeking to keep him jailed without bail until trial. If the motion is denied, bail will be set at that hearing.

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TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has launched a Statewide Youth Advisory Board designed to give young people with experience in the child welfare system a direct voice in shaping policy and practice across the state.

Announced during Foster Youth Voice Month, the new youth-led group aims to elevate lived experience and expand opportunities for former and current foster youth to influence decisions affecting their peers.

The advisory board will serve as a structured platform for young adults to communicate ideas and concerns to state leadership, with the goal of improving programs supporting youth transitioning into adulthood and life after care.

According to DCF, the initiative builds on the department’s Youth Subcommittee, established in 2023, and responds to requests from young leaders for a more formal statewide avenue for participation and leadership.

“Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ leadership, we continue to put the people we serve at the very center of everything we do,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor N. Hatch. “The very idea to create a Statewide Youth Advisory Board originated from youth voice – and its establishment ensures their voices are not just heard, but are the driving force – informing, creating, shaping and guiding how we strengthen supports and services to drive outcomes and relatability for youth and families across our great state.”

DCF says members of the board will receive training in leadership, public speaking and policy development, and will collaborate with state officials and community partners. Meetings will be held throughout the year both virtually and in person.

Membership eligibility

The advisory board will include up to 21 voting members ages 18 to 23, along with non-voting seats for youth and young adults ages 14 to 26 who want to engage in statewide advocacy.

Applicants must have personal experience in Florida’s child welfare system, live in the state during their term and be sponsored by a community-based care lead agency or youth advocacy organization. Sponsors will help support the member’s participation in board activities.

DCF says the goal is to expand youth leadership while giving young people who have experienced the system the tools to advocate for change.

Interested applicants can apply online at www.myflfamilies.com/statewide-youth-advisory-board.

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CROSS CREEK – A late-night vehicle fire destroyed a large barn in rural Alachua County on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, but quick action by firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby structures or brush, according to Alachua County Fire Rescue.

Crews from Alachua County Fire Rescue, along with Cross Creek and Windsor fire departments, were dispatched at approximately 9:37 p.m. after reports that a vehicle parked inside a barn had caught fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found the vehicle fully involved, with flames already spreading to the wooden structure.

Firefighters established a water supply using a tanker and deployed two hose lines to attack the fire. Despite the intensity of the blaze, crews were able to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading beyond the barn to nearby vegetation or adjacent buildings.

According to fire officials, the property owner was able to safely remove all animals from the barn before emergency crews arrived. No injuries were reported.

Photos from the scene show heavy fire involvement inside the barn, with flames consuming vehicles and equipment stored within. Firefighters worked amid thick smoke and intense heat, both from outside the structure and from inside the barn, where the roof and support trusses were heavily damaged.

The Alachua County Fire Marshal was consulted regarding the cause of the fire. Officials indicated that no further investigation will be conducted.

Alachua County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Harold Theus credited the coordinated response and rapid establishment of a water supply for preventing a larger incident.

The incident remains under review for documentation purposes, but fire officials emphasized that the outcome could have been far worse had the fire spread beyond the barn or if animals had still been inside.

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ALACHUA – As the year winds down and the temptation to celebrate early builds, Florida law draws a bright line in the sand.

Under state statute, fireworks may only be legally discharged on three days each year: the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Outside of those dates – including Dec. 30 and Jan. 2 – the booms, bangs, and bursts many associate with celebration are strictly off limits.

On the approved holidays, the law allows traditional consumer fireworks such as firecrackers, roman candles, skyrockets, and similar devices containing explosive or flammable compounds. On all other days, their use is illegal, regardless of intent or enthusiasm.

Not everything that sparkles is banned, however. Items like sparklers, pop-its, party poppers, glow worms, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers are not classified as fireworks under Florida statutes and may be purchased year-round.

Law enforcement officials urge residents to be mindful not only of the law, but of their neighbors – many of whom include veterans, pets, and families sensitive to loud noise. As celebrations approach, officials emphasize that courtesy and compliance go hand in hand.

In short: celebrate responsibly, celebrate legally, and save the fireworks for the days Florida law says they belong.

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