Local

ALACHUA – A 50-year-old Jacksonville man was arrested Thursday afternoon in Alachua after police say he stabbed a co-worker during an altercation at a local work site.

According to the Alachua Police Department, officers responded at about 1:33 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2026, to a report of a fight involving employees at a work site at Tower Hill Insurance, 15405 N.W. 173^rd Street. Investigators said Jason Lamar Jones, who works for a temporary employment agency, had been involved in a physical fight with another worker.

Police reported that the victim told officers he attempted to intervene in the altercation. During the incident, Jones allegedly reached for the victim’s work knife and screwdriver. Another co-worker tried to prevent Jones from taking the knife, but Jones allegedly grabbed it and cut the victim’s back multiple times.

The extent of the victim’s injuries was not immediately released.

Jones was taken into custody and charged with aggravated battery and robbery by sudden snatching.

According to court records, Jones told Court Services that he has been in the Alachua area for about two months.

Records show that Jones has 13 prior felony convictions, including three classified as violent offenses, as well as eight misdemeanor convictions, four of which were violent. He has served six state prison sentences, with his most recent release occurring in 2021.

Court records also indicate that Jones has a Notice to Appear in Alachua County for driving without a valid license.

Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $50,000.

The case remains under investigation.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA – Three candidates have qualified to run for Seat 3 on the Alachua City Commission, including incumbent Commissioner Dayna Williams, setting up a three-way race in the upcoming municipal election.

The election will be held Tuesday, April 14, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters may cast their ballots at either Legacy Park or the Alachua Branch Library. Due to ongoing renovations at the Cleather Hathcock Sr. Community Center, voters who normally vote at that location will instead cast their ballots at the Alachua Branch Library.

Dayna Williams currently holds the Seat 3 position and has served on the commission since 2018. During her tenure, she has also served terms as vice mayor and has been part of the commission during a period of sustained residential and commercial growth in the city. Professionally, Williams serves as Director of Government Affairs for the North Central Florida region for Waste Pro USA, Inc., where she works in municipal and regulatory affairs. In addition to her elected service, Williams has been active in a number of civic and service organizations, including the Alachua Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club International, Elks, and other local groups. She has lived in Alachua for many years and resides in the city with her family.

William Menadier has also qualified for the Seat 3 race. Menadier is a member of the Alachua Chamber of Commerce. He also works in real estate and has a background in civil engineering. Menadier serves on the City of Alachua Planning and Zoning Board, where he participated in reviewing development proposals and land-use matters. A University of Florida graduate, Menadier lives in Alachua and is seeking his first term on the commission.

Jackson Youmas rounds out the field of candidates. Youmas works as a store manager at a CVS pharmacy in Gainesville located across from the University of Florida campus. He has also described prior experience in nonprofit, ministry and counseling roles. Youmas is seeking his first elected office and joins Williams and Menadier in competing for the Seat 3 position.

The Seat 3 race will be decided April 14, when Alachua voters head to the polls to select their next commissioner to serve a three-year term.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY – A 41-year-old man from Lexington, South Carolina, was killed Thursday morning after being struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle in the Cross Creek area, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 27 on County Road 325 near Southeast 174^th Place.

Investigators reported that a 66-year-old Citra man was driving a black Toyota SUV southbound on County Road 325 when he encountered a bicyclist who was in the roadway for reasons that remain under investigation.

The SUV struck the cyclist, who was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The bicyclist sustained fatal injuries, according to authorities.

The driver of the SUV was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured.

The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, including why the bicyclist was in the roadway at the time of impact.

No additional details have been released.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY – The School Board of Alachua County has agreed to pay $82,500 to Newberry Community School to cover attorneys’ fees and related costs incurred during the board’s unsuccessful appeal of the school’s charter approval.

The payment follows months of administrative proceedings stemming from the district’s challenge to the conversion of Newberry Elementary School into a charter school.

On Jan. 15, Newberry Community School filed a petition with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings seeking an order requiring the School Board of Alachua County to pay $91,418 in legal expenses. The petition argued that the costs were incurred as a direct result of the district’s appeal of the charter approval.

Newberry Community School submitted its charter application on Nov. 26, 2024, seeking to convert Newberry Elementary School to charter status. The Florida Charter Institute reviewed the application and recommended approval to the Charter School Review Commission.

On Feb. 26, 2025, the Charter School Review Commission unanimously approved the application during a public hearing.

Under Florida law, when the Charter School Review Commission approves a charter school application, the local school district is statutorily obligated to serve as the sponsor and supervisor of the school. Despite that obligation, the School Board of Alachua County appealed the commission’s decision to the State Board of Education.

A letter from the Florida Department of Education indicated that the prevailing party in such an appeal would be able to seek reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

In its petition to the Division of Administrative Hearings, Newberry Community School stated that it had to employ “numerous attorneys, law clerks, and paralegals to individually analyze and respond to each of [the SBAC’s] 92 factual allegations” raised in the appeal. According to the filing, those efforts resulted in $91,418 in expenditures.

Following a hearing on Aug. 25, 2025, the Charter School Appeal Commission recommended that the State Board of Education deny the district’s appeal. On Sept. 24, 2025, the State Board voted to deny the appeal and approve Newberry Community School’s charter application.

The administrative case then shifted to the question of attorneys’ fees.

On Jan. 21, 2026, Administrative Law Judge G.W. Chisenhall issued an order giving the School Board of Alachua County 20 days to respond to Newberry Community School’s petition seeking reimbursement.

However, both parties subsequently requested an extension of the response deadline, informing the court that they had reached a tentative agreement.

During its meeting on Feb. 23, 2026, the Newberry Community School Board announced that the School Board of Alachua County had agreed to pay $82,500 to resolve the matter.

The agreed-upon amount is $8,918 less than the $91,418 originally sought in the petition.

The payment brings to a close the administrative proceedings related to the district’s appeal of the charter approval and the subsequent claim for reimbursement of legal costs.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

Shoppers browse vendor booths at the Alachua County Farmers Market at its new home in San Felasco Tech City. The more than 50-year-old market is now in full swing at the Tech City location, operating Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon. / Photo special to alachua County Today

ALACHUA – With colorful vendor tents lining brick walkways and shoppers filling market bags with fresh produce, the Alachua County Farmers Market is now in full swing at its new home in San Felasco Tech City.

After relocating just months ago from its longtime site along U.S. 441, the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the area has settled into its new location at 13900 Tech City Circle, just a few miles north of its former home. Organizers say the move has allowed the more than 50-year-old institution to continue its mission of supporting local agriculture while welcoming new customers and vendors.

The transition has been marked by a steady turnout of longtime patrons and first-time visitors alike. Vendors offering seasonal produce, meats, eggs, dairy products, seafood, plants and honey now operate beneath a covered structure at Tech City, providing a sheltered and inviting environment for weekly shopping.

Earlier this winter, the market hosted a series of free culinary tastings and organic gardening workshops to introduce the community to the new site. Throughout January, vendors including jam makers, beekeepers, pickle producers, sprouts growers and bakers offered rotating selections of complimentary samples while sharing ideas for incorporating locally produced foods into everyday meals. Vendors also raffled off product packages to encourage residents to make the Saturday market part of their routine.

In February, programming shifted to gardening education as North Central Florida entered its spring growing season. Growers led organic gardening workshops covering topics such as cultivating vegetables, herbs, ornamentals and butterfly gardens in small spaces, along with practical instruction on composting, organic pest control and container gardening.

Organizers emphasize that all items sold at the market are locally grown or produced, reinforcing the market’s long-standing commitment to supporting area farmers and small businesses. Buying local food, they note, not only ensures freshness but also helps keep food dollars circulating within the community.

Market hours remain unchanged. The Alachua County Farmers Market operates every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and is pet-friendly, welcoming well-behaved animals as part of its community atmosphere.

With decades of history behind it, the market’s relocation represents both continuity and renewal. Now fully established at San Felasco Tech City, the Alachua County Farmers Market continues to serve as a weekly gathering place where residents can shop local, learn from growers and connect with neighbors.

#     #     #

email editor@

alachuatoday.com

HIGH SPRINGS – A 26-year-old Crawfordville man was arrested Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, and charged with felony video voyeurism after allegedly recording a consensual sexual encounter without the other person’s knowledge.

According to a report from the High Springs Police Department, the case began when a woman contacted law enforcement regarding an incident that occurred Jan. 30, 2026, at an Airbnb in High Springs.

The woman told an officer she met Dimonte Armand Riles at the rental property and that the two engaged in consensual sexual intercourse. She reported that the encounter itself appeared to proceed without incident and that there were no immediate concerns during their time together.

However, on Feb. 17, the woman said Riles sent her a text message asking whether it was acceptable that he had made a video of them during the encounter. She told police she responded that she was not okay with being recorded.

According to the report, Riles replied in a message stating, “I’m not asking, I already done it.”

The woman told the officer the message upset her and that she asked Riles to delete the video.

The responding officer reported that the woman provided text message exchanges between herself and Riles that corroborated her account. The officer also noted that Riles sent the video to the woman via Snapchat.

Police contacted Riles by phone on Feb. 20. According to the report, Riles acknowledged that he knew the woman and that they had met at an Airbnb, where they had consensual sex.

When asked whether the woman knew she was being recorded, Riles reportedly said that she looked up at the camera and that he believed she was aware of it. When asked if he had obtained her permission to record her, Riles reportedly stated that he had not because it was “kind of in the moment.”

The officer noted in the report that the video he reviewed did not show the woman looking at the camera.

On Feb. 27, Riles appeared at High Springs Police Department headquarters for an interview. According to the report, after being advised of his rights under Miranda, he admitted that he had not asked for or received permission from the woman to record her during sexual activity.

The officer then placed Riles under arrest.

Riles has been charged with video voyeurism, a felony under Florida law.

According to court records, Riles has no local criminal history and only traffic-related violations in Wakulla County.

Judge Jonathan Ramsey released Riles on his own recognizance pending further court proceedings.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com