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ALACHUA COUNTY – All 16 students from Alachua County Public Schools who were previously recognized as semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship program have now been named finalists, a distinction earned by fewer than 1% of the nation’s high school seniors.

The National Merit Scholarship program is among the most competitive academic recognition programs in the country. Approximately 1.5 million students nationwide took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as juniors during the last school year. Of those, about 16,000 students were named semifinalists based on their performance on the exam.

To advance to finalist standing, semifinalists were required to submit detailed applications outlining their academic achievements, honors and awards, leadership activities, teacher recommendations and a personal essay. The finalists now move forward in consideration for National Merit Scholarship awards.

The ACPS students named finalists represent five high schools across the district.

At Buchholz High School, finalists are Annika Caedington, Pranay Gadikota, Shailey Karri, Evan Rotchford and Keith Zheng.

Eastside High School finalists include Francheska Melendez, Irma Rahman, Juhyung Seong and Miles Smith.

Gainesville High School finalists are Rowan Archer, Lina Dos Santos, Madeleine Goodrich, Irma Impink and Elizabeth Rant.

Logan Rockwell of the Professional Academies Magnet at Loften High School also earned finalist recognition.

At Santa Fe High School, Robert Hu was named a finalist.

National Merit Finalists are selected based on a comprehensive review process that considers academic performance, the rigor of coursework, extracurricular involvement and leadership, in addition to standardized test results. Students must also maintain strong academic standing throughout their senior year.

The designation places these students among an elite group of high-achieving seniors nationwide. In the coming months, finalists will compete for National Merit Scholarships funded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, corporate sponsors and colleges and universities.

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HIGH SPRINGS – The High Springs City Commission opened its Feb. 12, 2026, meeting by recognizing two standout public servants — one from the classroom and one from city government.

Commissioners honored Alachua County Public Schools Teacher of the Year Barbara Brock, an eighth-grade science teacher at High Springs Community School. Commissioner Katherine Weitz presented Brock with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the commission.

School Principal Jenni Roberson also spoke about Brock’s impact, highlighting what she has brought to her students and the school community.

The commission also recognized the city’s Employee of the Year, Public Works Director Jason Kytle, presenting him with a plaque commemorating the achievement.

Along with the celebrations, city leaders noted staffing challenges ahead. City Manager Jeremy Marshall said the city is seeking both a new finance director and a new public works director.

Marshall told commissioners the city has received applications for the finance director position but may need to re-advertise.

“Our auditors tell us that what we need in a Finance Director is a CPA-level person without the CPA-level salary,” Marshall said, adding that the city cannot afford that level of pay.

Fire Chief Joseph Peters also addressed commissioners with a request to amend the city’s Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual to adjust paid time off accrual for Fire Department personnel.

Peters explained that current PTO calculations are based on the standard 2,080-hour work year used for general employees, but that system does not match the schedule worked by firefighters.

“Fire personnel operate on a 2,912-hour annual schedule, which equates to approximately 1.4 times the hours worked by general employees each year,” Peters said.

The current system, he added, “has caused inconsistencies in how accrued leave translates into actual time off for those working a 2,912-hour schedule.”

Marshall said the change would also benefit the city financially.

“The change in this method will save the City some money,” Marshall said.

Commissioners unanimously approved the adjustment.

The remainder of the meeting focused largely on city engineering services. Commissioners approved three resolutions authorizing agreements with qualified engineering firms, all passing unanimously in roll-call votes:

• Resolution No. 2026-B, an agreement with Woodard & Curran Engineering
• Resolution No. 2026-C, an agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.
• Resolution No. 2026-D, an agreement with CPH Consulting LLC

Marshall noted the city has worked previously with Mittauer and Associates, now operating as CPH Consulting, which is owned by Conklin, Porter & Holmes.

Before adjourning, commissioners asked Marshall to schedule a workshop ahead of their next regular meeting Feb. 26. The session will focus on certified recovery residences, which typically are structured sober-living homes that meet state-recognized standards and are designed to support individuals transitioning from addiction treatment back into the community.

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Alachua celebrates the ribbon cutting for Theatre Park. / Photo special to Alachua County Today

ALACHUA – Theatre Park officially opened Thursday morning, Feb. 12, 2026, with a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the City of Alachua and the Alachua Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), marking the completion of the park’s long-awaited downtown reconstruction.

City commissioners, CRA representatives, and community partners gathered at 9 a.m. at the park site, located at 14900 Main Street, to celebrate the transformation of what was once an aging and flood-prone space into a redesigned centerpiece for public events and performances.

The ceremony served as the formal dedication of the renovated park, which city leaders describe as a key investment in the continued revitalization of historic downtown Alachua.

“This is a place where stories will be played and the community will gather,” organizers noted, echoing the theme of the park’s reopening.

Theatre Park has long held a central location along Main Street, but in recent years its deteriorating condition limited its use for public programming. The city’s reconstruction effort addressed drainage and structural concerns while preserving the park’s historic character.

The renovated space now features restored brickwork, new clay-fired pavers, enhanced lighting, Florida-friendly landscaping, and a permanent stage area designed to support performances, small concerts, theatre groups, and seasonal celebrations.

Funding for the improvements included substantial support from the Alachua CRA and outside grant assistance, including the $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant awarded in 2025.

Residents first experienced the rebuilt park during the city’s Dec. 5 Christmas on Main celebration, when Theatre Park reopened to the public in a festive debut filled with lights, decorations and live entertainment.

Thursday’s ribbon cutting marked the park’s official opening and signaled its readiness to serve as a year-round gathering space for the community.

City officials said the new performance-oriented design will strengthen downtown’s ability to host events without relying on temporary infrastructure.

Located just steps from other downtown landmarks, Theatre Park is expected to play a central role in future community programming and economic activity along Main Street.

Local leaders expressed optimism that the renovated venue will support everything from cultural events to civic celebrations, further reinforcing downtown Alachua as a hub for residents and visitors alike.

With the ribbon officially cut, Theatre Park now begins its next chapter — not only as a restored public space, but as a renewed stage for community life in the heart of the city.

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GAINESVILLE – As schools across the country observe National Career and Technical Education Month, Alachua County Public Schools is receiving national recognition through the election of one of its career education leaders to a prominent board position.

Jennifer Breman, a career and technical education program specialist with Alachua County Public Schools, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing career and technical education.

Breman was chosen by ACTE’s national membership to serve as Counseling and Career Development Division vice president-elect. She will begin a one-year shadow term in July 2026, followed by a three-year term beginning in July 2027.

In the role, Breman will help guide national initiatives focused on career counseling, workforce readiness and student success, according to the district.

ACTE represents nearly 30,000 educators, administrators and workforce development professionals nationwide and works to promote education programs that prepare students for careers in a global economy.

Breman has worked with Alachua County Public Schools for five years in the district’s CTE office, supporting middle and high school programs, teachers and students. A former school counselor, she is known for a student-centered approach that emphasizes helping young people explore career pathways and postsecondary opportunities.

Throughout her career, Breman has worked closely with students to strengthen job-seeking skills through résumé development, mock interviews and soft-skills training. She also mentors students through the Take Stock in Children program and supports Career and Technical Student Organizations, assisting with competition preparation and serving as a judge at events at the local, state and national levels.

Before joining the district office, Breman taught in the Jobs for Graduates program, where she helped broaden students’ exposure to career options through field trips, guest speakers and employer engagement.

“Jennifer’s election to the ACTE Board reflects both her professional expertise and her deep commitment to student success,” said Shannon Ritter, director of career and technical education for Alachua County Public Schools. “She is an outstanding representative for Alachua County and for career and technical education in Florida.”

District officials said Breman’s appointment will bring local insight to national conversations on workforce development and career counseling, highlighting the growing role of career and technical education in preparing students for life beyond high school.

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GAINESVILLE – One year after an Alachua County jury awarded Sgt. Kevin Davis $15 million in his discrimination and retaliation civil lawsuit against the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), settlement talks have failed and the case is now moving into the formal appeals process.

Sheriff Chad D. Scott has asked Florida’s First District Court of Appeal to resume briefing deadlines after court-ordered mediation ended in an impasse, with the Sheriff expected to challenge both the size of the verdict and key legal issues surrounding whether jurors were required to find the alleged wrongdoing stemmed from an official agency policy.

Because the court paused the appeal deadlines while the parties tried mediation, the Sheriff now wants the appellate court to confirm that his first brief is due March 27, 2026, about 45 days after mediation ended.

The appeal stems from a February 2025 jury verdict awarding Davis $15 million in non-economic damages in his discrimination and retaliation lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office. Circuit Judge Gloria Walker denied post-trial motions seeking a new trial but trimmed the back pay award, ruling the jury had mistakenly added compensation for future earnings, and reduced it from $115,724 to $16,457.

The size of the verdict remains central to the Sheriff's appellate challenge. The $15 million award was 130 times the original back pay amount submitted to the jury. After reducing the back pay award, it is more than 900 times larger than the $16,457 in back pay allowed by the court. Defense attorneys have argued the large gap shows the jury’s award was not supported by the financial evidence presented at trial.

At trial, Davis testified that he suffered emotional distress during a 19-week paid administrative suspension. But in post-trial filings, the Sheriff’s Office argued that no medical records, counseling documentation, psychological evaluations or expert testimony were presented to support any claims of mental health or physical harm. The agency has also maintained that Davis was never demoted, never lost pay and never had his rank reduced.

On appeal, the Sheriff is expected to argue that Davis was required by the federal Monell doctrine to show the alleged discrimination or retaliation stemmed from an official Sheriff’s Office policy or practice and that jurors were never asked to decide that specific issue on the verdict form. Davis has pursued similar retaliation claims in the past, including a lawsuit against former Sheriff Sadie Darnell that he later dismissed voluntarily.

The appeal may also revisit a separate criminal investigation that unfolded alongside Davis’ civil lawsuit. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) opened the probe at the request of Davis’ attorney, Bobi J. Frank, on the same day the discrimination and retaliation case was filed. Frank was also allegedly involved in the incidents reviewed by FDLE and represented several witnesses questioned during the investigation, including Brandon Kutner, who later testified in Davis’ civil trial.

Ultimately, the Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney declined prosecution, saying the allegations did not warrant prosecution and that the alleged incidents rested largely on the testimony of immunized witness and Frank’s client, Kutner, and found insufficient evidence implicating former Sheriff Clovis Watson or his administration.

Defense attorneys for ACSO have argued that repeated references to the FDLE investigation during Davis’ civil trial unfairly cast Sheriff’s Office leaders in a negative light, even though the investigation ended without charges.

With mediation unsuccessful, the focus now shifts to written briefing before the First District Court of Appeal. The Sheriff's initial brief, expected by March 27 if the court confirms the deadline, will outline the legal grounds for reversal or further reduction of the verdict.

For now, the record is set, settlement efforts have ended, and the $15 million judgment stands pending appellate review.

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HIGH SPRINGS – The High Springs Fire Department has launched a free Narcan distribution program aimed at expanding public access to the overdose-reversal medication naloxone as part of a broader community health and safety effort.

The initiative, developed in partnership with the Hanley Foundation, the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Health, includes the installation of Narcan distribution units at publicly accessible sites throughout the city.

Current cabinet locations include High Springs City Hall and the High Springs Fire Department, with additional sites expected as the program grows. The cabinets contain free Narcan nasal spray, available for emergency use or prevention.

Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, is a medication used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Public health agencies across Florida, including in Alachua County and surrounding North Central Florida communities, have increasingly promoted wider access to naloxone in recent years as part of ongoing opioid-response and overdose prevention strategies.

Fire departments, law enforcement agencies, nonprofit organizations and health providers throughout the region have expanded education and prevention efforts, recognizing that overdoses can occur in a variety of settings and may involve both illegal opioids and legally prescribed medications.

High Springs Fire Department Risk Reduction Coordinator Kyle Livingston emphasized that the city’s program is intended as a proactive safety measure.

“This resource is not a reaction to a problem,” Livingston said. “But rather, another preventative tool in the toolbox of community health and safety.”

Livingston said Narcan is often placed alongside automated external defibrillators because overdoses require immediate medical intervention.

“In many locations, Narcan is placed with AEDs because an overdose is a medical emergency, and every second matters,” he said. Placing the tools together, he added, empowers the public “to help before first responders arrive.”

The program is intended to provide quick access to naloxone in moments of need by placing it at strategic locations where community members can obtain it without cost.

Fire department officials said free Narcan distribution can support a range of situations beyond illicit drug use, including individuals managing chronic pain with opioid prescriptions, patients experiencing cognitive decline where accidental double-dosing may occur, and cases of accidental exposure to opioids.

Health experts have noted that naloxone has become a key component of overdose prevention strategies because it can be administered quickly and has no effect if opioids are not present, making it a widely recommended tool for emergency preparedness.

The Narcan outreach effort is part of the department’s broader Community Outreach mission and complements several other ongoing public safety initiatives.

Those programs include bystander thank-you cards that provide mental health resources, an American Red Cross smoke detector distribution program, child car seat safety checks, the CarFIT program for older drivers, bicycle helmet fittings, CPR instruction and Stop the Bleed classes.

Officials said the department hopes the Narcan cabinets will serve as another accessible community tool while strengthening partnerships already active across Alachua County’s public health and emergency response network.

Organizations or businesses interested in hosting a Narcan cabinet or receiving overdose response training are encouraged to contact Community Risk Reduction Coordinator Kyle Livingston at 386-454-6210 or klivingston@highsprings.gov for more information.

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