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 The following is a press release provided by Alachua County. It has been published here as received, without additional reporting or editing by Alachua County Today staff.

ALACHUA COUNTY - Alachua County Fire Rescue’s 9-1-1 Office, in partnership with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Gainesville Fire Rescue, and the Combined Communications 9-1-1 Center, is proud to introduce Smart911, a free and secure public safety tool available to all residents.

 Smart911 allows individuals and families to create a personalized safety profile at www.smart911.com. When someone calls 9-1-1 from a registered phone number, the profile automatically displays to operators, providing details about the caller, household members, medical needs and even pets or vehicles. Officials said the information helps first responders respond more quickly and effectively in emergencies.

 “This service allows residents to plan for an emergency,” said Alachua County 9-1-1 Section Chief A. Keith Godwin. “The more information first responders have before arriving, the quicker they can provide lifesaving help.”

 Who should consider signing up:

 Residents who live alone

• Families with members who have allergies, take prescription medication or use medical devices
• Households with individuals who have physical disabilities
• Anyone relying solely on cellular service (without a landline)
• Homes that may be difficult to locate at night

 Key things to know:

 A single household safety profile can include multiple family members.

• Each cell phone number can only be linked to one person in the nationwide system.
• Emergency contact numbers can be added to more than one profile.
• Medical history, medications and special needs can be included.

 In addition to Smart911, residents are reminded that Text-to-911 is also available. This service allows individuals to send a text message directly to 9-1-1 when calling is not possible or safe. Officials advise: Call if you can, text if you can’t.

 Watch the Good Morning America feature to learn more about Smart 911.

 No one plans to dial 9-1-1, but now you can plan ahead. 

 For more information, contact 9-1-1/Communications Section Chief Keith Godwin at 352-338-7361 or kgodwin@alachuacounty.us.

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ALACHUA – On Aug. 11, 2025, the Alachua City Commission voted 3–2 at the end of its regular meeting to terminate its contract for legal services with Robert A. Rush P.A., closing a chapter of more than two decades of service from City Attorney Marian B. Rush.

Rush, the sister of firm founder Robert A. Rush, has served as the City of Alachua’s attorney for over 20 years. Under the current contract, she is paid approximately $138,000 annually, plus $200 per hour for work outside the scope of the agreement.

The commission’s majority — Commissioners Jennifer Ringersen, Dayna Williams, and Vice-Mayor Shirley Green Brown — are the three most senior members of the board. Collectively, they have spent years observing the interactions between the city attorney, city managers, and other staff. All three said the city’s growth, along with a desire to have the city look ahead, has convinced them it is time for a change.

When the City constructed its new city hall in 2007 — nearly 20 years ago — it included an unfinished office space intended for a future in-house attorney and legal assistant. Despite that foresight, no steps had been taken to fill those positions until now.

“This city has grown enough to warrant an in-house city attorney, to have a city attorney whose sole focus is on the City of Alachua not necessarily to take away anything from our current city attorney,” said Commissioner Dayne Williams.

Rush indicated during the meeting that she might be interested in applying for the position if it were created.

The motion to terminate was introduced by Ringersen after the commission unanimously voted to waive its rules and procedures, allowing the matter to be brought before the commission. Mayor Walter Welch and Commissioner Jacob Fletcher — both of whom have served fewer years on the commission — voted against the motion, citing the lack of notice to city staff, fellow commissioners, or the public.

“I feel blindsided by this,” Fletcher said, adding that the abrupt timing allowed just 30 days to advertise, hire, and bring a new attorney up to speed on pending litigation and local code.

Welch said he also had no prior knowledge of the proposal and voted no “because I’m confused right now.”

Public comment on the motion was minimal, with one resident describing the scene as “disturbing.”

The commission’s vote starts a 30-day clock to formally end the current legal services agreement. During that period, the city is expected to advertise for a full-time, in-house city attorney — a position that, if created, would mark a significant shift in how Alachua handles its legal affairs.

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The following is a press release provided by the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County. It has been published here as received, without additional reporting or editing by Alachua County Today staff.

The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (DOH-Alachua) advises residents that there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Alachua County. Several sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus infection. DOH-Alachua, Alachua County, and local municipal mosquito control departments are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by continued monitoring, larviciding breeding sites, and adulticiding certain areas within the county.  

 DOH-Alachua reminds the community to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes by taking these basic precautions.

 The Department continues to conduct statewide surveillance for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile virus infections, Eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis, malaria, chikungunya, and dengue. Residents of Florida are encouraged to report dead birds to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s site.

 For more information, visit the department’s website or call 352-334-7900.

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NEWBERRY – The Newberry City Commission on Aug. 11, 2025, approved budget amendments, annexations, a solid waste assessment agreement, a roadway connection, a plat approval delegation, and a tolling agreement, while also advancing several land transactions.

Budget Amendments Adopted

Assistant City Manager and Chief Financial Officer Dallas Lee presented proposed changes to the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget. Lee reported that as of June 30, city departments were 75 percent through their budgets — in line with projections — and that all departments were operating within or below their allocated amounts. The commission unanimously adopted Resolution 2025-35.

Solid Waste MSBU

Commissioners held a legislative hearing on first reading of Ordinance 2025-67, granting consent for the entire city to be included in Alachua County’s Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) for solid waste management.

The MSBU rate for residential customers in Fiscal Year 2025-26 will remain at $25.27. The ordinance also provides multi-year consent, provided annual rate increases do not exceed 10 percent. If they do, the commission would have to reauthorize participation.

The county’s solid waste assessments fund waste collection, recycling programs, household hazardous waste disposal, and monitoring of solid waste facilities, along with rural collection centers — including a planned facility in Newberry. The measure passed unanimously.

Annexations Approved

The commission gave final approval to 13 voluntary annexations, bringing 14 parcels — totaling about 196.17 acres — into city limits from unincorporated Alachua County. The annexations, down from an initial 203 acres after two applications were withdrawn, will help eliminate enclaves.

Roadway Connection

Commissioners authorized acquisition of about 0.33 acres to connect Southwest 254^th Street to Southwest 253^rd Terrace in the southwest quadrant along Seaboard Drive. The city will replace the landowner’s fence and provide a $1,000 deposit. The connection is intended to improve traffic flow.

Platting Authority Delegated

In line with a new state statute, the commission approved a resolution delegating administrative platting and re-platting authority to the city manager or designee. Plat approvals will appear on consent agendas, with commissioners able to pull them for discussion.

Tolling Agreement

The commission approved a tolling agreement with Gaston in a dispute over a stop-work order. The agreement pauses litigation while the Alachua County Property Appraiser determines whether the property in question qualifies for agricultural use.

Other Business

City Manager Jordan Marlowe noted Fire Department assistance with first-day-of-school traffic control. Commissioner Mark Clark condemned the theft of flags from the Veterans’ Memorial, offering a $1,000 reward for information. The next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25.

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THEN — August 2008: Students line up at the bus loop at Mebane Middle School in Alachua on the first day of the 2008-09 school year. The warm afternoon sun and chatter of friends marked the end of the first day — a scene that remains familiar more than a decade later. / Alachua County Today file photo

Familiar Scenes Blend with Fresh Faces

ALACHUA – As buses pulled up outside schools on Aug. 11, the first day of the 2025-26 school year in Alachua County felt both familiar and fresh — a blend of new beginnings and deeply rooted traditions.

NOW — August 2025:  Members of the Alachua Lions Club assist with traffic control at W.W. Irby Elementary School on Aug. 11, 2025, the first day of the 2025-26 school year. This year marks the club’s 33rd consecutive year providing safety support for the school’s youngest students.

In classrooms and hallways, students returned from summer break with new backpacks, sharpened pencils, and the familiar hum of first-day excitement. Teachers greeted children at doorways, parents lingered for quick hugs, and crossing guards in bright vests ushered families safely across busy intersections.

The rhythms of the day echoed a moment from 17 years ago, captured in a 2008 photograph at Mebane Middle School: students lining up at the bus loop in the warm afternoon sun, ready for the ride home after their first day back. Though fashions and technology have changed, the anticipation and energy remain timeless.

Educators say the first day of school is about more than finding classrooms and learning schedules — it’s about setting the tone for the year. In 2008, middle schoolers gathered in small clusters, chatting while waiting for the buses. In 2025, those clusters still form, but cell phones are in hand and buses come equipped with updated safety systems and air conditioning.

The first-day bustle is most visible in neighborhoods surrounding schools, where traffic patterns shift and sidewalks quickly fill before and after the bell. For students, the day marks the start of new academic challenges, sports seasons, and friendships. For parents and educators, it’s a reminder of the responsibility — and privilege — of shaping another year of learning.

The back-to-school season is also a coordinated community effort. Public works crews refresh crosswalk paint and prepare school-zone signals, local police increase patrols near campuses, and volunteers help stock classrooms with supplies.

A long-running first-day tradition is found at W.W. Irby Elementary School in Alachua. This year marked the 33rd consecutive year that the Alachua Lions Club provided traffic control during the first few days of school.

Since 1993, members have donned their gold and purple vests each August to guide parents through the drop-off and pick-up process at the school, which serves kindergarten through second grade. On Monday and Tuesday this year, club members once again lined the sidewalks, helping keep the city’s youngest learners safe and ensuring a smooth start to the year.

A current photo from this week shows Lions Club members on duty — a visual reminder of how civic groups, schools, and families work together to support children.

Whether remembered through a faded photograph from 2008 or experienced firsthand in 2025, the essence of the first day of school remains the same: anticipation, energy and the start of another year in the classroom.

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ALACHUA COUNTY – As the new school year gets underway, local and state officials are reminding drivers, parents and students to make safety a top priority when traveling to and from school. From bicycle safety to hands-free driving laws, agencies are working to reduce crashes and keep children safe.

Bicycles Are Vehicles Under Florida Law

The Alachua County Public Works Department is urging families to remember that bicycles are considered vehicles under Florida law, and cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. Riders should always travel on the right side of the road, follow traffic signs and signals, and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks when entering a street from a driveway, sidewalk or bike path.

Cyclists are encouraged to remain alert for hazards such as potholes, wet leaves, storm grates and parked vehicles. Personal electronics that can distract attention should be avoided.

Gear, Helmets and Visibility

Public Works stresses the importance of helmets—required by law for riders under 16—and recommends bright or fluorescent clothing to improve visibility, especially in low light. Reflective gear and lights are strongly advised for dawn, dusk, night or bad weather conditions.

Before riding, cyclists should check that bicycles are in good working condition and that helmets fit properly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers a free “Fitting Your Bike Helmet” guide for reference.

Communication on the Road

The department also reminds riders to use verbal and non-verbal communication, including turn signals, pointing out road hazards to other cyclists, and announcing “on your left” when passing pedestrians or other riders.

Hands-Free Zones in School Areas

In addition to bicycle safety, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and Florida Highway Patrol are reinforcing the “Put It Down: Focus on Driving” campaign, which prohibits the use of handheld wireless devices in active school zones and school crossings. The hands-free law, in effect since 2019, requires drivers to put away phones and other handheld devices while traveling through these areas. Violations can result in fines and points on a driver’s license.

Enforcement and Education Efforts

State and local officials say the law is meant to reduce distracted driving, which is a leading cause of crashes near schools. Enforcement is already underway across Alachua County, with Gainesville Police and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office conducting school-zone patrols during morning and afternoon drop-off and pickup times.

The combination of distracted driving enforcement and bicycle safety education is designed to create safer travel routes for all students — whether they walk, bike or ride in a car or bus. Officials urge drivers to slow down, be alert for children crossing the street, and respect the reduced speed limits in school zones.

For more information on bicycle safety, contact Alachua County Public Works Senior Engineering Technician Clark Collins at 352-548-1271 or email cccollins@alachuacounty.us. Details on Florida’s hands-free driving law are available at www.flhsmv.gov.

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