Local

NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission has approved a tentative property tax rate and budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, taking the first step toward finalizing how the city will fund services and projects in the year ahead.

At a public hearing on Monday, Sept. 8, commissioners unanimously adopted a tentative millage rate of 5.8800 mills and approved the city’s tentative budget of just over $75 million. The decision came after the property appraiser certified taxable values in June and after residents received Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices in August that explained proposed changes.

What the Millage Rate Means for Property Owners

The millage rate determines how much property tax residents and businesses pay to the city. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of taxable property value. At the approved tentative rate of 5.8800 mills, a property assessed at $200,000 — after exemptions — would owe about $1,176 in city taxes.

The approved rate is slightly higher than the rollback rate of 5.6995 mills, which is the rate that would generate the same amount of revenue as the previous year, not counting new construction. Because the new rate is above the rollback level, it represents about a 3.1 percent increase in revenue for the city.

Although commissioners had previously approved a preliminary rate of 6.0623 mills in July, state law prevents them from raising the rate beyond that ceiling. By adopting 5.8800 mills, they chose a lower figure heading into final budget approval later this month.

Budget Overview

Alongside the millage rate, commissioners adopted Resolution 2025-43, establishing the city’s tentative budget. The plan totals $75,124,284 in revenues, financing sources, and reserves. That figure includes:

• $34 million is grant related earmarked for the city’s wastewater treatment plant expansion, the single largest project in the budget.
• $66.7 million in total revenue and other financing sources, plus $8.4 million in reserves carried forward.
• Appropriations of $32.4 million, with an additional $42.7 million set aside in reserves.

Next Steps

The unanimous city commission vote does not make the millage rate and budget final. State law requires two public hearings before adoption. The second and final hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. in City Hall’s Commission chambers. At that meeting, commissioners will set the official property tax rate and adopt the final budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

For Newberry residents, the tentative vote offers a preview of how the city plans to fund services, manage growth, and invest in infrastructure in the coming year. The final decision later this month will determine the property tax bills included on county tax notices.

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alachuatoday.com

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs City Commission has formally recognized Sept. 17–23, 2025, as Constitution Week, joining a national observance that highlights the enduring importance of the United States Constitution.

Mayor Tristan Grunder issued the proclamation during the Sept. 8 commission meeting, noting that Sept. 17 marks the 238th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution by delegates of the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

The observance is supported by federal law. Public Law 915, passed by Congress in 1956, requires the President of the United States to issue a proclamation each year designating Sept. 17–23 as Constitution Week. Communities across the country participate by encouraging civic education and public awareness of the nation’s founding principles.

By issuing its proclamation, High Springs joins municipalities nationwide in emphasizing the relevance of the Constitution to modern life. The city’s proclamation encourages citizens to reflect on the liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, including the freedoms of speech, press, religion and assembly, as well as the system of checks and balances designed to protect those rights.

While High Springs has not scheduled additional events, city leaders expressed hope that the proclamation itself will encourage residents to pause and consider the significance of the nation’s founding charter.

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alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ Alachua County will host its third and final Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) action-plan community workshop in the city of Alachua on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. The session runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Swick House, 15100 N.W. 142^nd Terrace, and will focus on proposed projects and policies intended to improve transportation safety for all road users.

County staff will present key elements of the draft SS4A Action Plan, including a list of proposed safety projects and recommendations aimed at reducing crash risks on local streets. The initiative seeks to identify systemic issues that contribute to serious and fatal crashes and to outline actionable steps — both policy changes and on-the-ground improvements — to address them.

Holding the final workshop in the city of Alachua is intended to broaden participation from residents and stakeholders who use corridors in and around the area. Organizers say community feedback at this stage will help refine the draft recommendations before the plan moves toward adoption.

What the Workshop Covers

According to the county’s announcement, the session will:

• Present draft recommendations and proposed safety projects that form the core of the SS4A Action Plan.
• Invite public input on priorities and locations where safety improvements could have the greatest impact.
• Explain how the action plan will guide future projects and policy updates aimed at making streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users.

The county describes the plan as a major public-safety initiative that emphasizes both infrastructure and policy improvements to reduce risks for all road users.

How to Participate

Residents are encouraged to RSVP for the event on Facebook. Those who cannot attend in person can learn more by visiting the project website at tinyurl.com/SS4AActionPlan or by checking the project’s Facebook page. Input gathered at the Alachua workshop will help finalize the countywide action plan, which is intended to guide next steps for safety investments and related policies.

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alachuatoday.com

NEWBERRY ‒ A 34-year-old Newberry man has been arrested on felony charges of sexual battery and lewd or lascivious battery after authorities say he inappropriately touched a girl beginning when she was 12 years old.

The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office reported that the victim recently disclosed the incidents to family members, who then contacted law enforcement. She told investigators that the inappropriate contact occurred on multiple occasions over a period of years. She explained that she had not spoken up earlier because, as a child, she did not realize the behavior was improper. She also described one incident in which she immediately pulled away after he touched her genitals.

Following the disclosure, deputies opened an investigation and identified Michael D’artagnon Kesselring as the suspect. He was arrested Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

Kesselring has been formally charged with sexual battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 18 and lewd or lascivious battery on a victim between the ages of 12 and 16. Both are serious felony offenses under Florida law that carry the possibility of lengthy prison terms, mandatory registration as a sex offender, and long-term restrictions on employment and residency if convicted.

Deputies said that after being read his Miranda rights, Kesselring declined to answer questions.

At his first appearance, Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered Kesselring held without bail while the State Attorney’s Office pursues a motion to keep him detained until trial. If the motion is denied, the court will consider bail at a later hearing.

Court records show Kesselring has one prior case in Alachua County. In 2017, he was charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving with alcohol. The DUI charge was later dropped after he completed a deferred prosecution agreement. Adjudication of guilt was withheld on the reckless driving charge.

Kesselring remains in custody at the Alachua County Jail pending the outcome of the State Attorney’s motion and future court proceedings.

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alachuatoday.com

GAINESVILLE – Local and federal authorities seized firearms, cash and large amounts of illegal narcotics in a months-long investigation that culminated in the arrest of a convicted felon last week.

The Gainesville Alachua County Drug Task Force, made up of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, executed search warrants at a residence and several storage units tied to Donray Byrd, investigators said.

Inside, detectives recovered seven firearms, $120,700 in cash and substantial quantities of drugs. Seized items included approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, 5.5 pounds of methamphetamine, nearly three kilograms of cocaine, 1.7 kilograms of substituted cathinone (known as “Molly”), 23 pounds of cannabis, and a smaller amount of oxycodone. A cocaine press and other drug-processing equipment were also confiscated.

Authorities underscored the danger represented by the haul, noting that even small amounts of fentanyl can cause fatal overdoses. Sheriff Chad Scott said the amount of drugs seized could have destroyed countless lives in the community and vowed that his office, along with local and federal partners, will continue targeting traffickers. He added that the “peddling of deadly poison in Alachua County will not be tolerated.”

Byrd was arrested Aug. 22, 2025, and charged with 10 felony counts. The charges include trafficking in fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone and phenethylamines; multiple counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and possession with intent to sell controlled substances near schools or parks. His bond was set at $1.6 million, and he remains in the Alachua County Jail.

Investigators said the bust was the result of extensive surveillance and multiple investigative techniques. They credited interagency cooperation with the success of the operation.

Officials added that the task force will continue targeting large-scale traffickers in an effort to disrupt networks that distribute narcotics throughout Alachua County and beyond.

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alachuatoday.com

ALACHUA – A Raiford woman was arrested early Aug. 29, 2025, after Alachua Police Department (APD) officers said she drove northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 441 and led officers on a high-speed pursuit before being stopped with a precision maneuver.

APD responded to reports of a wrong-way driver at 1:49 a.m. and located the vehicle near Northwest U.S. 441 and Northwest 125th Street. Police said the driver ignored commands to stop and continued traveling in the opposite lanes, displaying signs of impairment.

The chase reached speeds of 70 mph in a 30-mph zone and included additional wrong-way driving, according to police. Officers used a Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, near Northwest State Road 235 and Northwest County Road 239 to end the pursuit without injuries.

The driver was identified as 35-year-old Christina Anne Thomas of Raiford. Officers said methamphetamine and multiple hypodermic needles were recovered from the vehicle. Police confirmed Thomas is a convicted felon.

Thomas faces the following charges:

• CHRG0001 — 316.1935.2: Fleeing or eluding law enforcement with lights and sirens active (felony).
• CHRG0002 — 316.192.1a: Reckless driving, first offense (misdemeanor).
• CHRG0003 — 316.193.1a: Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (misdemeanor).
• CHRG0004 — 893.13.6a: Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (felony).
• CHRG0005 — 893.147.1: Possession or use of drug equipment (misdemeanor).

Thomas was medically cleared before being booked into the Alachua County Jail, where her bond was set at $155,000.

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