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GAINESVILLE – A traffic stop on Interstate 75 earlier this month led to the arrest of a 34-year-old man on multiple felony drug charges after detectives discovered dozens of pounds of marijuana inside his vehicle, according to the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force.

The stop occurred during the afternoon hours of Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, near mile marker 374 on southbound I-75. Authorities said Detective C. Litzkow, assigned to the task force’s Domestic Highway Enforcement Team, stopped a silver Hyundai for a traffic infraction.

The driver, identified as Michael Nguyen, was described as argumentative when the detective made contact. Investigators said Litzkow advised Nguyen that he intended to issue a warning and verify his driver’s license, but Nguyen repeatedly refused to exit the vehicle despite multiple lawful commands.

Nguyen eventually exited the vehicle and was taken into custody on a charge of resisting an officer without violence, authorities said.

A second detective, Det. J. Stadnicki, arrived on scene with a narcotics-trained K-9 named Ozzy, who conducted an open-air sniff around the vehicle. The dog alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics, providing probable cause for a search, investigators said.

During the search, detectives located a large scent-proof duffel bag and a locked suitcase inside the Hyundai. Both containers held numerous vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana with a combined weight of approximately 46 pounds, according to authorities.

As a result of the investigation, Nguyen was charged with trafficking in cannabis in excess of 25 pounds, trafficking drugs while knowingly using a vehicle to transport illegal substances, and resisting an officer without violence.

Nguyen was booked on the felony charges and remains in custody awaiting trial. His bond was set at $75,000, according to jail records.

The case remains under investigation by the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force.

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NEWBERRY – The steady rhythm of blues music, the glow of smokers and the unmistakable aroma of slow-cooked barbecue will take over downtown Newberry on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, when the Newberry Main Street Blues & BBQ Festival returns for a full day of food, music and friendly competition.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., North and South Seaboard Drive — also known as Larry Keene Drive — will be transformed into a lively festival corridor just off Newberry Road (State Road 26). Pitmasters, music lovers, classic car enthusiasts and families are expected to fill the streets for one of the city’s most anticipated annual events.

The centerpiece of the festival is a barbecue competition that brings together both backyard cooks and seasoned professionals. Organized as a non-sanctioned contest, the cookoff features two divisions — Backyard (amateur) and Commercial (professional) — with teams competing in four traditional barbecue categories: chicken, pork ribs, pork and beef brisket.

Judging unfolds throughout the day, beginning with chicken at 11 a.m., followed by ribs at noon, pork at 1 p.m. and brisket at 2 p.m. By late afternoon, anticipation will build as teams and spectators gather at the Main Stage for the awards ceremony, scheduled from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Top teams in each category and division will take home cash, prizes and trophies, along with overall grand prizes in both divisions.

Competition rules emphasize old-school barbecue techniques, with teams cooking exclusively over wood, charcoal or wood pellets. All meats must be USDA inspected before cooking, and strict food safety and sanitation standards will be enforced throughout the event. Teams will work from designated 20-by-20-foot cook sites, turning downtown streets into a patchwork of canopies, smokers and grills.

Beyond the barbecue pits, the festival offers plenty to explore. A popular car show will once again line the streets, with on-site registration available the day of the event. Roughly 100 vehicles participated last year, and prizes will be awarded.

Festivalgoers can also browse a variety of craft and merchandise vendors, selected to complement the barbecue and car show atmosphere. While vendor space is limited, organizers encouraged offerings that match the event’s food-and-fun focus.

With live blues, competitive barbecue, polished chrome and the buzz of downtown energy, the Newberry Main Street Blues & BBQ Festival promises a full-sensory celebration that has become a winter tradition in the community.

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ALACHUA COUNTY – A new student-run food pantry has opened at Buchholz High School, marking a first-of-its-kind effort in the region to address food insecurity among students and their families.

Bread of the Mighty (BOTM), a regional food bank serving four counties in North Central Florida and a branch of Feeding Northeast Florida (FNEFL), announced on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, the launch of the Buchholz High School food pantry. The initiative was funded by the Gainesville-based Mach Charitable Trust and is designed to provide discreet access to food for students in need.

The pantry, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in November 2025, is operated by students in Buchholz’s DECA club as part of the school’s Entrepreneurship Academy. The academy prepares students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management and emphasizes leadership and community engagement.

“This pantry is special because it’s driven by students, fueled by compassion and dedicated to ensuring that no member of our school family goes hungry,” said Terry Hoffer, the pantry’s director and an Entrepreneurship Academy teacher at the school.

The pantry is open every Monday from 3 to 4 p.m. and offers shelf-stable proteins and produce to students, with no questions asked. Organizers said the Mach Charitable Trust has committed to fully funding the pantry’s inventory for the next four years, providing long-term sustainability for the program.

“The Mach Charitable Trust’s goals are to help the most vulnerable and lend a helping hand to those who are in need,” said Lisa Reid, a trustee of the trust. “It’s our hope the Buchholz School Pantry will do just that in a discreet manner for the students and families in our area.”

Reid added that the organization hopes to expand similar pantry programs to other schools in the future.

Bread of the Mighty officials said the program addresses a significant need across the four counties the food bank serves, where food insecurity remains a persistent challenge. One in seven residents in the service area faces food insecurity, including one in five children, according to the organization.

School-based pantries, officials said, help reduce barriers to access by providing food assistance in a familiar and trusted setting.

“We’re excited to partner with the MACH Trust and Buchholz to make this pantry a reality,” said Patrick Dodds, executive director of Bread of the Mighty. “School pantries are one of the best ways to increase access for families, because they meet people where they already are and remove so many of the barriers that can stand in the way of getting help.”

More information about food assistance or volunteer opportunities is available at breadofthemighty.org.

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Golf carts line the staging area at Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club as players check in ahead of the Miracle at Turkey Creek golf tournament Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Alachua. The event marked the fifth annual tournament held since the course reopened following a nearly 10-year closure./Photo special to Alachua County Today

ALACHUA – Golfers from across the region gathered Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club for the Miracle at Turkey Creek golf tournament, marking the event’s fifth annual playing since the course reopened after a decade-long closure.

A total of 144 golfers participated in the tournament, which featured a full field, shared meals and time on the course as players filled the fairways throughout the day.

The men’s first-place team included Joe Thigpen, Ken Vejraska, Ken Radcliffe and Ben Love, while the women’s first-place honors went to Kathy Quelland, Tina Banner, Vicki Glass and Robin Cunningham.

The tournament is held annually at Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club, 11400 Turkey Creek Boulevard, just off U.S. Highway 441 in Alachua. The course originally opened in 1978 and served as a central feature of the Turkey Creek community for decades. Following multiple ownership changes and financial challenges, the course closed in 2011, remaining unused and overgrown for nearly 10 years.

In 2015, the Turkey Creek Master Owners Association purchased the property. In the years that followed, residents and volunteers worked to restore the course, addressing long-standing infrastructure issues and gradually returning it to playable condition. The reopening of the course marked the end of a prolonged period of inactivity and signaled a revival of golf at the site, a feat that many likened to a miracle given the many challenges that the nearly an all-volunteer team of residents and volunteers faced in restoring the golf course.

Saturday’s tournament coincided with the milestone of five years since the course’s reopening, a point organizers and participants recognized throughout the day. Golf carts lined the staging area early in the morning as teams checked in, and players returned to the clubhouse following their rounds for awards and fellowship.

Organizers credited the continued success of the Miracle at Turkey Creek tournament to steady participation and community involvement, noting that the event has grown alongside the course’s return to regular play.

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ALACHUA COUNTY – The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office has begun its annual high school voter education program, continuing a long-running effort to educate students about the voting process and encourage civic participation.

The outreach initiative kicked off Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, with a visit to Hawthorne High School. Staff members from the elections office are visiting the county’s public high schools to explain how elections work and provide students with an opportunity to pre-register or register to vote.

The Supervisor of Elections Office has conducted the school outreach program annually since 1993, making it a cornerstone of its voter education efforts.

Florida law allows residents to pre-register to vote beginning at age 16. Once a pre-registered voter turns 18, the registration is automatically activated, allowing the individual to participate in elections without further action.

As part of the 2026 outreach schedule, the elections office plans to visit the following schools:

• Jan. 26: Hawthorne High School
• Jan. 28: Santa Fe High School
• Jan. 29: Buchholz High School
• Jan. 30: Loften High School
• Feb. 6: Newberry High School
• Feb.11: Eastside High School

A date and time for a visit to Gainesville High School have not yet been finalized.

Students attending the presentations receive information about voter eligibility, registration requirements and the importance of participating in local, state and federal elections.

Residents with questions about the school visits or the Supervisor of Elections Office’s outreach efforts may contact Director of Communications and Outreach Aaron Klein by email at aklein@alachuacounty.us or by phone at 352-275-9404.

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HIGH SPRINGS – A 71-year-old High Springs man was critically injured Saturday night after being attacked by a dog, prompting a responding deputy to fatally shoot the animal to stop the assault, according to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred at approximately 7:07 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, when sheriff’s office deputies and Alachua County Fire Rescue responded to a report of an active dog attack. The first deputy arrived within minutes and observed the dog actively attacking the victim.

Authorities said the dog had already bitten its owner — the adult daughter of the victim — when she attempted to intervene. As the deputy worked to physically separate the dog from the victim, the animal turned and began biting the deputy. The deputy then discharged his service weapon to incapacitate the dog and stop the ongoing attack. The dog later died as a result of the gunshot wound.

Once the attack was stopped, deputies immediately began rendering aid to the victim, who was suffering from significant blood loss. Multiple tourniquets were applied at the scene in an effort to control the bleeding until paramedics arrived.

Fire rescue personnel assumed medical care upon arrival, and law enforcement officers from the High Springs Police Department, Alachua Police Department and Gainesville Police Department assisted sheriff’s deputies by blocking roadways and intersections to expedite the victim’s transport to UF Health Shands Trauma Center.

The victim survived the attack and was last reported to be in stable condition. Medical staff later confirmed that the prompt application of tourniquets by responding deputies played a critical role in saving the victim’s life.

The injured deputy was treated at a local hospital and later released. The dog owner sustained minor injuries during the incident.

Detectives and forensic investigators with the sheriff’s office responded to the scene to conduct an investigation. Alachua County Animal Control also responded and took possession of the dog.

Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott thanked the deputies who worked to save the victim’s life and the multiple law enforcement agencies that assisted to ensure paramedics were able to provide lifesaving care as quickly as possible.

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