ALACHUA COUNTY - Spring is on the way, which means wildflowers are starting to bloom on the county’s road right of way thanks to the Wildflower Program maintained by the Alachua County Public Works Department. The county’s wildflower program is a collaborative effort with the Florida Wildflower Foundation, the Florida Department of Transportation District 2, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, and the Gainesville Garden Club.

 Almost 300 acres of the county’s right of ways are included in the Wildflower Program. On these roads, only the first ten feet from the edge of the pavement will be mowed between Valentine’s Day (February 14) and Memorial Day (May 26). The safety strip provides a safe place to pull off the road in an emergency.

Information about Florida wildflowers:

 Roadside wildflowers support Florida farms. 40% of Florida’s crop plants benefit from the same pollinators that are supported by roadside wildflowers.

• Coreopsis, a whole genus of wildflowers, was adopted as the Florida State Wildflower in 1991.
• Coreopsis, commonly called “Tick-Seed,” came from a Greek-derived botanical name that translates to “bug view.”
• There are 15 species of Coreopsis occurring in Florida, 12 of which are considered native.
• Of the five species of Coreopsis found here in Alachua County, four are considered native.
• January and February are peak seasons for native violets (Viola sp.) and Innocence (Houstonia procumbens).
• Whenever we have a rain event, it is common to see our native rain lilies (Zephyranthes sp.) emerge with blooms.

 The Alachua County Wildflower Program is under the supervision of Public Works Horticulturist Neil Greishaw.

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GAINESVILLE – An all-white jury handed down a more than $15 million verdict after a weeklong trial in which Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) Seargent Kevin Davis claimed racial discrimination.  

The jury awarded Davis, the plaintiff, $115,724 for lost earnings David Macpherson, Ph.D., an economic expert witness, claimed Davis would have realized had he been promoted.  The jury also awarded an astounding $15 million for emotional pain and mental anguish, although there were not any medical or psychological expert witnesses listed in the plaintiff’s witness list to testify to the extent of such pain and anguish.  Oddly, the jury passed on awarding $54,545 in lost pension benefits that the economic expert estimated Davis lost due to the non-promotion.

Davis, a white man who has been employed with ACSO off and on since 1999, filed his lawsuit in February 2023 alleging discrimination by then Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr.’s administration.  The crux of Davis’ complaint is that less qualified black candidates at the sheriff’s office were promoted into lieutenant positions instead him.  Davis claimed that although he was ranked in the top five candidates for a slate of positions, he was intentionally passed over based on his race.  The defense, however, stated that at the time of Davis’ lawsuit, there had been some 150 promotions, 120 of which were filled with white candidates and approximately 30 were filled with black candidates.

Witnesses for the sheriff’s office, however, testified that Davis has specifically not been recommended for promotion.  Notably, Davis had been seen as problematic, filing multiple Equal Employment Opportunity and other complaints against multiple sheriffs, both black and white.  And despite Davis’ many years on the force, under several sheriffs he had not been highly promoted by any of them.

Davis also claimed that he was retaliated against when he was placed on paid administrative leave during an investigation into Davis’ potential violation of ACSO’s social media policy.  Davis said this paid administrative leave was retaliation for his filing of an Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint.

Former Sheriff Watson testified that he was greatly bothered by assertions that he or his administration acted in a racially biased manner against any of his officers.  Watson harkened back to his time as a former city manager in the City of Alachua where he oversaw the promotion of numerous white employees, including white men and women, who ultimately became city managers in Alachua and elsewhere around the state.

The trial began Monday, Jan. 3, 2025, with jury selection and opening statements.  The plaintiff was scheduled to conclude its case by Wednesday at noon, but by Thursday at noon, it appeared that plaintiff would not rest until Thursday at 3 p.m., leaving little time for the defense, who would need to rush its case or hold the jury late into the evening and possibly through the weekend.  Apparently, the court broke for lunch Friday and sent jurors out to begin deliberations.  By early afternoon, the jurors returned with their surprising verdict.  

The $15 million award seems unlikely to be paid out of public coffers anytime soon.  It’s possible that presiding Judge Gloria Walker could reduce the award, especially if the jury had no evidentiary basis for arriving at the number.  It also seems likely ACSO will appeal the decision based on numerous objections and motions raised before and during trial.

Representing ACSO, Attorney R. Wayne Evans of Allen, Norton, and Blue, P.A. in Tallahassee, Fla., was tight-lipped about the defense’s plans going forward, saying, “They put on their case-in-chief, and we put on our case-in-chief.  We are considering all of our options.”

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The Alachua County Commission continues its community input sessions for the Forward Focus initiative, designed to enhance quality of life, boost economic opportunities, and address community needs in Eastern Alachua County. Following productive meetings in Hawthorne and Waldo, the project team will hold two additional sessions this month.

“The feedback we’ve received so far has been incredibly valuable,” said Missy Daniels, assistant county manager and Forward Focus team lead. “We’re learning so much about the priorities and concerns of residents in Eastern Alachua County, and we encourage everyone to participate in these important conversations.”

The upcoming community input sessions are:

• Micanopy: Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. at Micanopy City Hall (706 NE Cholokka Blvd., Micanopy)
• Monteocha Area: March meeting place and time to be announced soon

At each meeting, attendees will:

• Learn more about the Forward Focus project goals and timeline.
• Provide feedback that will help shape a community-wide survey.
• Network with neighbors and local leaders.

Forward Focus: Eastern Alachua County is a three-year project designed to improve the quality of life, boost economic opportunities, and address community needs in the eastern part of the county. These community input sessions are crucial for developing a comprehensive plan that reflects the unique needs and aspirations of this region.

Learn more about the project and provide comments directly to the county.

For more information about Forward Focus: Eastern Alachua County, please contact us at 352-374-5204 or ForwardFocus@alachuacounty.us.

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ALACHUA – A new Chick-fil-A restaurant is slated for construction in the City of Alachua.  The news was first shared in a neighborhood meeting notice shared in the Oct. 31, 2024 edition of Alachua County Today.  The new fast-food restaurant is to be located in the new Santa Fe Crossings Plaza, a few parcels west of the recently-opened Wawa convenience store.  Between the Chick-fil-A and Wawa is expected to be a Firestone Tires shop and a car wash.

Chick-fil-A has more than 3,000 locations across 48 states.  Six other Chick-fil-A restaurants already exist in Alachua County, but all are within Gainesville.  Chick-fil-A would be yet another chicken-based fast-food restaurant on Alachua’s 441 corridor, which is already home to Popeye’s, KFC, and Zaxby’s.

The intersection of County Road 235A and U.S. Highway 441 is fast becoming a hotbed of development.  The Alachua County Fire Station 21 in Alachua will soon be relocated from its current facility across from Alachua Elementary School to a newly constructed station on County Road 235A, a short distance south of Ellianos Coffee.

Also, under construction on the southside of U.S. 441 is the headquarters of Tower Hill Insurance, which first broke ground Nov. 28, 2023.  The state-of-the art 65,000 sq-ft two-story building will feature more than 25,000 sq-ft of energy efficient glass and was designed by local architectural firm Paul Stresing Associates. When completed, the facility will house 300 of the company’s 500-plus employees. Tower Hill currently has offices in Gainesville, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Lexington, Ky, and operates in 17 states in the U.S. Anticipated construction completion is planned for spring 2025.  

The soon-to-be Tower Hill Insurance headquarters for the 50-year-old firm will be accessed from U.S. Highway 441 at Northwest 167th Boulevard traffic signal, the same signal used from primary access to Alachua’s Publix.

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