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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ It has been a long journey—one that Clarence Hope Sr. had never imagined. A truck driver by trade, a husband, and a father to three young children, Hope had no inkling of what was to come and how it would change his life. But in January 2010 he began having health problems including trouble breathing and extreme fatigue causing multiple trips to the Emergency Room (ER).

Over the next 12 years Hope would go through a series of tests, misdiagnosis, and multiple hospital stays. At one point he was told by hospital doctors that he had only days to live. But thanks to the UF Health Heart and Vascular Care unit, High Springs resident Hope has a new lease on life after receiving a heart transplant in October 2022.

When his health problems first appeared in 2010, Hope was initially diagnosed as having pneumonia, but the problems persisted and the symptoms worsened including swelling of the legs, dizziness, rapid heartbeats, chest discomfort and issues with internal organs.

Continued tests and hospital stays were inconclusive and he was diagnosed with a variety of ailments with no conclusive proof and no relief. At one point they claimed it was caused by STD's or AIDS, which Hope knew was wrong.

Finally, after a year of tests and frustrations, another doctor said the hospital had been reading the signs wrong and that the issue was his heart, a condition termed cardiomyopathy, which is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Ultimately, cardiomyopathy can lead to heart failure and death. At first Hope was being treated with medications. Later, his medical team put in a pacemaker, a small device that's surgically implanted in the chest to help control the heartbeat and to prevent the heart from beating too slowly.

For a while, things seem to improve. Hope’s primary care physician, Doctor Nasir Ahmed of High Springs Pediatric and Primary Care, monitored his condition in between hospital stays and tests. Hope was able to return to work part time and do activities with his family, watching the kids while his wife Marion worked.

But this came to an end one day when Hope was talking to friends while sitting on his riding lawnmower. Suddenly, the pacemaker seized up, sending a shock through his body and knocking him unconscious onto the ground.

After another extended hospital stay and repairs to the pacemaker, Hope developed gout, which was treated with steroids, but other issues complicated the problem. During another trip to the ER, his blood sugar registered high at 138 although Hope had no history of diabetes. He developed gall bladder problems due to his enlarged heart, which was pressing against the gallbladder. Also, his other organs were being affected and beginning to fail.

In 2017, due to gall bladder issues, doctors installed a biliary drain. Also called a biliary stint, it is a thin, hollow, flexible tube with several small holes along the sides that is used when too much bile collects in the bile ducts. If something is blocking the bile duct, bile can back up into the liver and start causing multiple organ failures.

As time passed, his condition did not improve and actually worsened. As 2018 began, Hope received devastating news. Doctors at the hospital said he was septic and nothing could be done. They suggested he gather his family and friends to say goodbye and he would probably not last the weekend.

“That news was gut wrenching,” Hope said. “I was suddenly facing my own mortality and would never have a chance to see my children grow.” Not wanting to die in the hospital, Hope’s wife took him home to be with family.

One of his first stops to say goodbye was to his physician, Nasir Ahmed, who had monitored Hope’s health for eight years. Ahmed refused to accept the hospital’s diagnosis and was dismayed that they couldn’t diagnose the problem. Ahmed reached out to a friend, Mustafa Ahmed, a leading cardiology surgeon at Shands.

The following day, Hope received a call from the surgeon stating that if he could go to Shands ER the following day, his team would reevaluate his situation and admit him to Shands’ cardiology unit. The next day after that, Hope awoke in the hospital to find himself in a room full of doctors. The lead doctor asked Hope if he wanted to live. When Hope replied, “of course,” the doctor fist bumped Hope and told his team, “Let’s go guys, we got work to do.”

With Hope's heart only working at two percent, doctors installed an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), which is a therapeutic device that helps the heart pump more blood as a temporary fix. Their realization was that Hope’s heart had to be replaced, but unfortunately there were no donor hearts available.

To keep Hope alive, a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) was surgically installed until a heart could become available. A LAVD is a pump that for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure. The battery-operated mechanical pump helps the left ventricle pump blood to the rest of the body to keep the patient alive. During this time in 2018, Hope spent almost five months in the hospital.

It would be almost four years of being on the wait list for a heart transplant, when on Oct. 2, 2022, Hope received a call that a transplant was available. Within an hour he was at Shands with the operating room ready.

Within three weeks from the surgery, Hope is up with no problems and no signs of rejection of the new heart. Marion Hope expressed their gratitude to all the medical staff at Shands and their primary care physician who refused to give up on him.

“We are also eternally grateful to the family that provided the donor heart,” said Marion Hope. “We know it was a great loss to their family, but they provided life to another family.”

Marion Hope said that the rules of donorship prevent both the donor and the recipient from knowing each other’s identity for a year. “We can correspond with letters and they can decide after the year whether to establish contact with us,” said Marion Hope. “We hope they will so we can tell them how much this meant to our family”.

Now, Clarence Hope, Sr., has a new lease on life and the future with his wife and children that he dreamed of.

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ALACHUA ‒ For the second straight year, Santa Fe High School is the winner of the Class 4A Volleyball State Championship. The Raiders (29-2) took down Academy of the Holy Names (22-5) in four sets at Polk State College in Winter Haven to claim their second consecutive state title on Nov. 12. This is the first time Santa Fe faced the Academy of the Holy Names since Santa Fe swept the Jaguars in last year’s semifinals when they went on to beat Calvary Christian Academy for their first crown in the school’s history.

Under the direction of Coach Eric Marshall, the Santa Fe Raiders played four sets in the Championship game. Early in the first set, it was a back-and-forth battle between the teams, 8-6, until the momentum shifted in the Raiders’ favor with an 8-0 run, stretching the score to 15-6. The Jaguars attempted to close the gap but fell short 25-13.

The Jaguars stepped up in the second set and forced a Santa Fe timeout after leading 8-6. After the timeout, the Jaguars didn’t let up, stretching the score to 22-14. The Raiders never gave up and fought their way back into the game 22-19. But, in the end, the Jaguars took set two, 25-21. “The second set was lost due to errors in our playing,” said Marshall. “We gave them 10 free points. We talked about the team calming down and reminded them to take a deep breath and focus on their playing.”

The Raiders responded and dominated the court, taking an 8-2 lead early in the third set. Sparking the rally were seniors Jalyn Stout and Anisa Dorlouis. Both delivered multiple kills while the defense shut down the Jaguars, resulting in the Raiders winning the set, 25-12.

In the fourth set, Santa Fe went ahead 12-5 early on, highlighted by Miya Thomas’ seven service points and an ace. The domination continued as the Raiders pulled ahead 23-13, paced by Stouts’ five digs and five kill assists. Stout finished with 28 kills, 17 digs, 13 assists and two aces.

Thomas added 23 digs, nine assists, nine service points and two aces. Anisa Dorlouis had 18 assists, 15 digs, 12 kills and one ace. 

Senior Jalyn Stout played a pivotal role in the win, including the match-winning kill to close out the victory in style. Stout has helped lead the team in both championships with over 1,500 kills in her career at Santa Fe, as well as over 1,000 digs. Saturday’s game was the fourth time in five seasons Santa Fe has advanced to the state championship match, finishing runner-up in 2018 (6A) and 2019 (4A) before winning its first title last year.

“Winning two championships has been an incredible feeling for both me and the team, but it is also somewhat bittersweet since I am losing five great senior players this year, including Jaylen and Anisa.”

Stout is headed to college at Costal Carolina University while Dorlouis is going to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

“I have known these girls since they were 12, and I coached them in Gainesville Juniors Volleyball,” said Marshall. “For them to go out and win back-to-back state titles is a big deal. That locker room got emotional for the girls and me after the game.

“They are a special group of girls, so while it’s bittersweet, I am happy I did it with them,” said Marshall. “I have to give a shoutout to the crowd that came down to support us. They have been here all year long and for several hundred to make the trip on a Saturday afternoon is just incredible.

Marshall said that student “Rowdy Raiders” made the difference and “Coach 6” kept the crowd pumped up all year long. “We have something special here at Santa Fe, from our boosters, to fans, to an awesome administration in Principal Tim Wright and Athletic Director Michel Faulk,” said Marshall.

Santa Fe High School Athletic Director Michele Faulk added, “Sweet to repeat!” About the win Faulk said, “So sweet to see a good group of kids be successful on the court. It’s bittersweet because the senior group is special and have left a legacy that will be here forever.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Darren Phillip Brown, 24, and Jenipher Lisbet Milan, 25, both from the Miami area, were arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in High Springs after allegedly trying to pawn a stolen laptop.

Brown and Milan allegedly pawned a computer in High Springs on Oct. 24. The pawn store owner told a High Springs Police Department (HSPD) officer that when they turned on the computer to verify that it worked, he saw personal information belonging to another unknown individual, indicating possible fraud. The pawn shop owner contacted law enforcement, and it was determined that the pawn form showed Milan’s name but Brown’s thumbprint and signature. The owner was advised to contact law enforcement if either or both returned to the store.

On Nov. 8, both Brown and Milan returned to the pawn shop to collect the computer, but the computer had already been seized by Florida Department of Law Enforcement pending a search warrant. HSPD officers responded to the pawn shop and saw both Brown and Milan in a vehicle in the parking lot. They told Brown he was being detained. He allegedly ran from the officer, but she was able to apprehend him and put him in handcuffs.

Milan and Brown both reportedly told a detective they didn’t know who owned the computer and Brown allegedly refused to identify himself. After he was told a Rapid ID system was being brought to identify him, he reportedly gave his name and told the officer that his ID was in his pocket. The officers also reported that the vehicle they were driving was not registered to either one of them. A second laptop and two cell phones were found in the vehicle, along with nine credit cards, all with different names on them. None of the cards matched either defendant. The officers wrote that they believed the pair is involved in racketeering and further charges may be forthcoming.

Brown has been charged with fraudulently pawning an item, possession of stolen debit/credit cards, resisting arrest without violence and obstruction by a disguised person. He has a criminal history in Arizona and is wanted on a warrant out of Texas for human trafficking. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $145,000.

Milan has been charged with fraudulently pawning an item and possession of stolen debit/credit cards. She has no criminal history. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $75,000.

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GAINESVILLE ‒ A 28-year-old Micanopy woman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail, three years of probation and 300 hours of community service on 20 charges of animal cruelty. Erin A. Douglas is also prohibited from having any animals.

Douglas was initially charged with 24 counts of aggravated animal abuse, all third-degree felonies, and five counts of improper disposal of a dead animal. She entered a plea of nolo contendere to 20 first-degree misdemeanor charges of tormenting or depriving animals.

Seven others were also charged after investigators found 19 malnourished dogs, two dead puppies, and three puppy skeletons. Dawson Hicks has also been sentenced to three years of probation on four misdemeanor charges and one felony charge, with adjudication of guilt withheld on the felony charge. The remaining cases are still pending.

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies and Alachua County Animal Control responded to the 17400 block of Southwest County Road 234 on April 27 after a report of animal cruelty. At that time, they found a large number of dogs in “obviously frail and neglected condition.” They reported that “several dogs could be heard yelping and wailing in physical pain.”

They reported that they saw young puppies lying in the driveway, too weak to physically stand on their own. Other “extremely malnourished” dogs were around the house. All dogs also had a large number of fleas and ticks, “with flies circling them.”

According to the report, investigators found 19 dogs alive, along with five dead dogs, three of which were skeletal remains only. Three living puppies were found in a cage with the two dead puppies. The living puppies were lying on top of the dead animals, which were in the water bowl inside the cage. The cage and water bowl both had obvious mold on them. Two other dogs were found in cages in the woods without any food or water. One female dog had several puppies which were too weak to stand on their own. The female dog was malnourished and injured but was still trying to care for the puppies and pull them under a vehicle to get out of the rain.

Six more dogs were inside the house, which did not appear to have electricity or running water except in one bedroom, but the dogs did not have access to that room. According to the report, animal feces littered the house and there were holes in the flooring. Large amounts of trash littered the front yard. In addition, a camper on the property had an open waste line that poured human feces directly onto the ground.

Investigators concluded that all animals on the property showed signs of a long-term lack of care and the lack of food, water, clean or adequate shelter and veterinary care directly led to the condition of and death of several of the dogs on the property. All residents on the property were directly responsible for care of the animals, yet all failed to take action to protect the animals from death and unnecessary pain and suffering.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The Newberry City Commission on Nov. 14 approved an ordinance amending the City’s Alcoholic Beverages regulations on first reading in a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Monty Farnsworth casting the dissenting vote citing concerns over liability.

The new law, if passed in a second public hearing, will allow for open consumption of beer and wine within a defined area of downtown Newberry during special events sanctioned by the City. The ordinance limits consumption of beer and wine to that purchased from merchants within the approved zone or a licensed vendor operating within the zone during the special event.

The area specified by this ordinance is a two-block area of the downtown district, plus the area south along the Seaboard Drive right-of-way. City sanctioned events include the Newberry Main Street Organization’s Fall and Spring Festivals, but are not limited to those events.

The special events offering open consumption shall be set by Resolution of the City Commission, either annually for multiple events or on an individual event basis.

Individuals consuming beer and wine in the zone will be identified by some means, such as an event wristband or special “Sip and Shop” cups. The ordinance will also include penalties for violating the Code.

Cottage Industry Permit

In other business, the Commission approved a Cottage Industry Special Permit application by Brittany Huffman, owner of Southeast Perimeter Solutions, Inc., to allow an electrical contractor business ancillary to an existing single-family residence within the Agricultural (A) zoning district.

The approval came in the face of existing violations on site, which are in violation of the criteria for conducting a Cottage Industry. The business has been operating on-site in violation of City Code since at least 2020, more than two additional employees are working at the site, and the accessory structures that support the business are in excess of the 50 percent of residential structure limitation as outlined in the City’s code.  The property is located at 27317 N.W. 78^th Avenue.

“Cottage industries are uses which are also a form of home occupation, but due to the intensity of the use, are only allowed within the Agricultural (A) zoning district,” said Planning and Economic Development Director Bryan Thomas.

Thomas said, “because the business has been operating for several years without complaint from neighbors, staff does not believe that granting this special permit will negatively impact the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city of Newberry.”

The special permit will sunset in five years and will be reviewed again at that time.

Changes to P&Z and HARB Appointments

Under the direction of the City Commission, City of Newberry staff will be preparing an ordinance changing the appointment process for the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Board and Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB). Under the new procedure, board member appointments will be reduced to two years as opposed to the three-year terms currently in place, board members will be assigned seat numbers and the mayor will chair both meetings as an ex-officio non-voting member. Openings will continue to be publicly noticed when they become available, but criteria will be developed for the review and ranking. Staff will present their findings to the Commission for a final decision on appointments to both boards. Applicants will still be able to address the Commission prior to the Commission’s vote on board appointments.

Five Percent Salary Increases

The Commission has agreed to five percent salary increases for the city manager and city clerk. Five percent is the highest amount the Commission could approve. It is expected that City staff will provide a resolution at the next Commission meeting to formalize the action.

In other business, Duke Energy has pledged $20,000 toward the $50,000 cost of a feasibility study on an ag-tech business incubator. City Manager Mike New said the City also plans to seek funding from the Department of Economic Opportunity to help make up the rest of the funds needed for the study.

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GAINESVILLE ‒ They are sometimes called the “One Percent” because they make up under one percent of the country's population. They are the men and women who put their lives on hold to serve in the military to protect their fellow Americans. There were nearly 2.4 million military personnel in the five branches of the Armed Forces in 2020. Comparing this with the U.S. population of 329.5 million, active military only makes up 0.727 percent.

Military service can leave scars, both mental and physical, that can affect a veteran’s future once out of the military. There has always been a large number of veterans who fall on hard times and homelessness, and on any given night, 40,056 veterans are homeless. Over the course of a year, approximately twice that many experience homelessness. Only seven percent of the general population can claim veteran status, but nearly 13 percent of the homeless adult population are veterans.

Additionally, a large number of displaced and at-risk veterans live with lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse, which are compounded by a lack of family and social support networks.

In Alachua County, there is a group that offers support for all veterans and active military. The American Legion Auxiliary 16 (ALA) is comprised of spouses, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters of U.S. war veterans. They are a separate entity from the American Legion, which is a veteran’s organization, but share the same values and dedication to supporting those who served. For the past 10 years, the ALA has held an event for homeless or in transition veterans, providing a thanksgiving dinner, clothing and footwear donations and what’s called a “blessing bucket,” which contains needed household and sanitary supplies as well as blankets.

Most of the supplies are either donated by other veterans’ organizations or provided as monetary funds or supplies from sponsors such as Rural King, Sav A Lot, Winn Dixie, Home Depot and Sandy's Place. The veterans were also offered free haircuts provided by volunteer barbers.

This year’s event held in early November featured a number of veteran supporters, including local singer Josh Tayler who sang the National Anthem. ALA Chaplain and event coordinator Ronna Jackson spoke to the veterans, expressing that the ALA was honored to help these men who had served their country. Jackson, a gold star mother whose son, John Reiners, was killed in action, now dedicates much of her time supporting other servicemen and veterans.

Guest speaker Vicki Jackson-Herndon delivered a moving story of her veteran father who abandoned the family when she was 11 and how he lived in poverty, homelessness and substance abuse. Jackson-Herndon said that for years she hated her father for what he did, but after finding religion she reached out in her early twenties. Over the next few years, she saw the hard times her father suffered mentally, and they reconnected until his passing. Her message to veterans is that there are people who care about them, and they are not alone. In dedication to her father's memory, she created the Blessing Bucket program.

State of Florida ALA President Jane Hardacre expressed the state's support for veterans, and Ronna Jackson presented her with a stuffed plush rainbow pillow signed by all staff and veterans present. The meal was served by ALA staff, including several male veterans who were associated with ALA women members.

While there were donated shoes and clothes for veterans to take, one homeless veteran could not find a pair that fit to replace his worn-out shoes. A male staff member took off his own shoes to give him. Later, Taylor gathered the veterans in a circle to all sing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” to show the camaraderie between all who served.

“We want them to know they are not forgotten and there are people here to lend a helping hand and support them,” Jackson said. “Everyone deserves a second chance, especially those that served their country.”

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