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ORLANDO – A Gilchrist County teacher has been named a finalist in Florida’s Teacher of the Year. Trinity Whittington, a fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher at Bell Elementary School in Gilchrist County, is among five finalists vying for the award.

On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis attended Florida’s annual Teacher of the Year Conference in Orlando to recognize the best educators in the state. At the event, Governor DeSantis highlighted five teacher of the year finalists and awarded each one with a $15,000 bonus. Governor DeSantis also highlighted Florida’s continuing education achievements over the past year, including Florida’s ranking as third in the nation for K-12 achievement according to the latest Quality Counts report.

“Florida is the education state not just because we have good policies, but because we have great teachers who go above and beyond for their students,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “It was great to join some amazing teachers today and to show our appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice. We will continue to invest in our schools and educators, while putting policies in place that improve outcomes for students.”

The five teachers who are finalists for Teacher of the Year and were awarded $15,000 bonuses by Governor DeSantis are:

• Melissa Matz, a seventh-grade math teacher at Lakeside Junior High School in Clay County.
• Trinity Whittington, a fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher at Bell Elementary School in Gilchrist County.
• Jennifer Jaso, a social studies teacher at Sarasota Middle School. 
• Deelah Jackson, a fourth-grade teacher at Samoset Elementary School in Manatee County.
• Seema Naik, a fourth-grade teacher at Eagle Ridge Elementary School in Broward County.

The five finalists were chosen for 2023 Teacher of the Year from nearly 185,000 public school teachers throughout the state. After each school district selects its teacher of the year, a selection committee representing teachers, principals, parents, and the business community reviews each district application on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional development, philosophy of teaching, and outstanding school and community service. The winner will serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education, promoting the positive aspects of teaching as a career.

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GAINESVILLE ‒ A LaCrosse man has been arrested and charged with indecent exposure.  John Wesley Mosley, Jr., 28, of LaCrosse, was arrested on Wednesday, June 29, and charged with two counts of indecent exposure after two residents of Lexington Crossing apartments in Gainesville reported a man masturbating in a stairwell.

On the evening of June 28, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Detective Hall organized a detail of plain vehicles and plain clothes detectives to track a suspected indecent exposure suspect who is likely linked to approximately 15 cases this year.  

According to the GPD, within an hour of starting, the detail spotted and followed the suspected vehicle occupied by John Wesley Mosley.  GPD Detectives believe he is a suspect in a series of indecent exposure incidents in Gainesville since January.

For hours Mosley took the detectives on an erratic drive throughout southwest Gainesville, in and out of multiple student complexes.  Finally, he parked and exited his vehicle in Lexington Crossing.  Several detectives got out on foot to follow him as he lingered in different breezeways by apartment doors.

The GPD stated that at one point, detectives presented themselves as unsuspecting students in an effort to draw Mosley out, however, he did not act.  Finally, as two innocent victims approached their doorway, Mosley exposed himself, got the reaction he was looking for and ran back to his vehicle.

Detectives followed Mosley out of the complex as he sped away from the scene.  Patrol was called in and directed to stop the vehicle.  Shortly afterward, the victims identified Mosley for his act, resulting in Mosley being charged with two felonies due to his prior misdemeanor conviction on the same charge.

Post Miranda, Mosley denied being at Lexington Crossing or exposing himself.

Mosley has a previous conviction of indecent exposure from 2017, resulting in one year of probation.  He is currently facing four counts of indecent exposure in two cases.  He has been released from custody.

As GPD detectives further investigate this case and Mosley’s potential past incidents, GPD asks that anyone with any information about Mosley or more possible incidents to contact Det. Hall at 352-393-7663.

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ARCHER ‒ On Saturday, June 25, at approximately 1:21 a.m., Alachua County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to Southwest 169^th Drive and Southwest 170^th Street, the Holly Hills area in Archer, regarding a person being shot.

Several deputies were already in the area due to a large block party that was happening. They located a 28-year-old female suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and were able to provide treatment until she was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.

Law enforcement personnel are asking citizens who may have any information about this incident to call 352-955-1818. They stress that callers can also remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward by contacting Alachua County Crime Stoppers Inc at 352-372-STOP (7867) or by downloading the Crime Stoppers P3 Tips app.

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NEWBERRY ‒ Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of stolen goods at a Newberry residence. Upon arrival Deputies found multiple people who either had active warrants or were in possession of drugs. Jared Adam Butler, 33; Wanda Shelly Snelgrove, 50 and Earl Lee Star, Jr., 43 were arrested and booked into the Alachua County Jail on July 4 just after midnight.

Deputies responded to a 911 call from a woman who said that Star and his daughter had items that had been stolen from her, that the items were at their residence in the 27000 block of West Newberry Road, and that they were refusing to give her belongings back. She also told the dispatchers that Star had an active warrant.

When deputies arrived, they encountered a car coming down the driveway, leaving the property, and they stopped it. Snelgrove was reportedly the front seat passenger. Butler, who was seated in the back of the car, had an active warrant and reportedly had methamphetamines on his person.

The drugs that were found led to a search of the car, which reportedly produced pills that tested presumptive positive for fentanyl, within reach of Snelgrove. Post Miranda, Snelgrove reportedly admitted that the pills were hers.

The deputy reported that a man who came out of the residence told him that Star was inside. However, Star allegedly refused commands to come outside and place his hands behind his back. He was eventually tased and taken into custody. Star has been charged with resisting arrest without violence. According to Alachua County records, he is being held without bond.

Butler was wanted on a warrant from Dec. 29, 2021, for violating multiple provisions of his probation for a petit theft charge. He is being held on $10,000 bond on the drug charge and without bail on the probation violation, pending first appearance.

Snelgrove has a pending criminal traffic case for driving without a valid license; she is being held on $5,000 bond on the drug charge.

Star was arrested in June 2021 on a felony drug charge. He pled nolo contendere to the charge, and adjudication was withheld. A warrant for his arrest was issued in March for violating the conditions of his probation by possessing methamphetamines. He is being held without bond pending first appearance.

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ALACHUA COUNTY - Anyone interested in a job with competitive pay, excellent benefits and other perks is encouraged to attend a career fair this week hosted by Alachua County Public Schools. Qualified applicants can be hired on the spot.

The district is looking to fill a wide variety of full- and part-time positions at schools and district offices, including teachers, counselors and social workers, carpenters, plumbers, bus drivers, custodians, food service and after school workers and others. Many of the jobs require no experience and some include paid training.

Potential applicants are welcome to bring resumes, although they are not required. Registration for the fair is also not required.

The Fair is scheduled for Thursday, July 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the school district’s main office at 620 E. University Avenue, Gainesville.

For more information, email Tonya Nunn at nunntm@gm.sbac.edu or call (352) 955-7039.

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NEWBERRY – The City of Newberry is set to move forward with a new wastewater treatment facility plan. On June 15, the City Commission voted unanimously to move ahead with the plan as described by Woodard & Curran Project Manager Justin DeMello and to also send the plan to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP).

State law and growth management best practices require the City to monitor the capacity of its wastewater system to ensure that the capacity is not exceeded as a result of growth and new development. The wastewater treatment facility is authorized to operate and discharge its effluent into the environment via its Florida Wastewater Operating Permit. Newberry renewed its operating permit in 2021. As a condition of the 2021 wastewater permit renewal, the City is required to comply with higher treatment levels for nutrients and biosolids than the existing facility can accomplish.

Currently, Newberry’s wastewater treatment facility has a capacity of 560 million gallons per day (mgd). Based on an evaluation of anticipated growth rates, the City will need to bring additional wastewater treatment plant capacity online between 2025 and 2030.

Newberry will be working to secure project funding. DeMello said that with Commission approval, his firm will be exploring funding opportunities with USDA, FDEP and various other funding agencies.

He estimated total project costs at 40,897,55 including a new tertiary wastewater treatment facility, construction contingency, engineering and permitting services, construction administration services, and fiscal administration and legal at $849,000.

Florida Statutes provide for loans to local municipalities to finance the construction of wastewater facilities. The Florida Administrative Code requires the authorization by the City Commission to formally adopt a facilities plan outlining necessary wastewater facility improvements to comply with State of Florida funding requirements.

“The Facilities Plan for Clean Water is the basis for future funding to help the City obtain funding to keep citizens costs down,” said deMello. “This is a funding application we are moving forward with tonight.”

Commissioner Tim Marden moved to adopt the resolution and authorize staff to proceed. Commissioner Rick Coleman seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

In other business, the Commission also unanimously approved sending a loan application to the Florida State Revolving Fund Loan Program for Drinking Water Facilities and authorized staff to initiate development of a planning document/facilities plan with a qualified firm. The cost for the planning process is estimated to be $150,000.

Director of Utilities and Public Works, Jamie Jones said Newberry needs an additional elevated tank for fire flow. He said if the larger of the two existing elevated tanks needed servicing, the smaller tank might not be adequate. The City’s FY 2021-2022 approved budget includes funding for construction of additional water storage facilities.

Because of the low interest loan rates and the opportunities for grant funding, staff recommended utilizing the state’s financing program for the project. The City Commission approved the submission application.

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