ALACHUA COUNTY - Due to increased infection rates, the Alachua County COVID-19 Dashboard has returned with the latest COVID-19 infection and vaccination information. The link will be available on the home page of the Alachua County website and will be released weekly on social media. The source of the data is the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Weekly Situation Reports. This report replaced the daily reports on June 11, 2021.

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HAWTHORNE ‒ The City of Hawthorne recently received a grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for $500,000. The funding will allow Hawthorne to install green infrastructure stormwater gardens, also known as rain gardens, on Southeast 221^st Street (Johnson Street).

The grant will also allow the city to add curbs and gutters to the existing roadway. Landscaping and stormwater gardens will go into the unused areas of downtown as well.

The grant will enable the city to take another step toward the vision its citizens have for the downtown area and attract more businesses to that part of town.

In addition to helping to beautify the downtown, this project is a benefit to the environment as well. “Instead of sending the runoff out to the lake and draining it out in the wetlands, the gardens will help filter the water before it goes into the stormwater system,” said Mayor Matt Surrency.

Residents, commission and staff conducted a visioning workshop approximately seven years ago. “This is continuing the vision of what we’ve done in downtown already,” Surrency said. “We have a vision of what we want to see downtown look like. This is just another component of that vision.”

Surrency said the city has about 30 grants in process at any one time. “Some may be starting. Some are almost finished. We go after any grants that we feel we are qualified to submit on in order to help us accomplish the city’s vision,” he said.

One of the things the city did prior to submitting the grant was to complete the design process. “That gave us some extra points and makes it so that we can hit the ground running with the bidding process.”

Surrency is hopeful that they can quickly go out to bid and begin implementing the project by the end of the year. However, it is unknown at this time when the project will be completed.

The city is currently working with engineers and FDEP to begin the next steps in the procurement and bidding process.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Summer can be hard on parents trying to balance work and accommodate time for young children. Pastor Adam Joy of the Deeper Purpose Community Church is offering parents of nursery and pre-school children an all-day program at the church called the Kid's Academy for toddlers and preschoolers ages 1-5.

Parents needn’t worry this is just a babysitting situation. In addition to meals and play time, youngsters will also receive educational assistance. Children will be helped to prepare for the Florida Department of Education approved Pinnacle Program curriculum, which offers a wide range of both secular and faith-based age-appropriate lesson plans and activities for children ages birth to 5.

The Academy is available Monday -Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The church also offers transportation by bus for parents who can’t bring their children to the church. While the program currently is for children over 1 year old, there are plans expand it to accept ad enroll infants in August according to Pastor Adam Joy.

“We feel it’s vital that we have the best teachers, assistants and childcare workers assisting us in ensuring your child is always able to play, learn and grow in a safe, caring and loving Christian environment,” Joy said. “We believe it is important to offer educational opportunities and socialization with other children to help children grow and expand their abilities.” Joy said the preschool is a member of Green Apple Accreditation of Children Services that licenses and accredits childcare centers and preschools nationwide.

In addition to the Kid's Academy program, the church also offers a summer camp for kids age 5-12, with educational classes in math, art, social studies, English and writing. The summer camp runs Monday -Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Wednesday evenings they also offer a youth services for kids ages 12 to 18, which provides teens an opportunity to learn about the bible, play games and hold group discussions about issues involving their age group. It also includes a free dinner.

The church may also be offering a Head Start Program and an Early Head Start Program this fall that will start Aug. 18. In addition, there will also be before and after care for school aged children in the upcoming 2021-22 school year.

Joy said the church also plans to offer programs to families during the Alachua County Public Schools Thanksgiving break, and spring and winter breaks, based on the school calendar.

“We have also decided that since we now have the room, we will do our own pre-kindergarten program for this coming school year beginning Monday, August 16,” said Joy. This program will have 20 spots for students who are turning 4 no later than Sept. 1. Unlike VPK, which is only a three-hour program, this will be a full day for students to better prepare them for kindergarten.

“We really feel that three hours just isn’t enough,” said Joy. “Children are our future, and we have a responsibility to provide as many opportunities as we can to help them build successful lives.”

Deeper Purpose Community Church is located in High Springs at 19930 N U.S. Hwy 441. Additional information and registration can be discussed at 386-454-5300 or at https://www.facebook.com/KidsOfPurpose.

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TALLAHASSEE - Consumers can purchase qualifying back-to-school supplies exempt from tax during the 2021 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. Passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the sales tax holiday begins Saturday, July 31 and extends through Monday, Aug. 9. 

The sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of the qualifying items. Additionally, the sales tax holiday does not apply to sales in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment or airport.

For more information on implementing the sales tax holiday, please see the Department of Revenue's Taxpayer Information Publication on the 2021 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday or the 2021 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday FAQs for Businesses.

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