HIGH SPRINGS – High Springs Mayor Dean Davis convened his final meeting before stepping down on Nov. 20, 2012. As one of his last acts as mayor, Davis presented a plaque to City employee Ginger Travers in appreciation of her actions as a Communications Operator during the May 18, 2011, shooting incident at High Springs Community School.

He said it was something he had wanted to do before retiring and, as this was his last day in office, he wanted to make sure he made the presentation personally to Travers.

Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas presented Mayor Davis with the traditional gavel and plaque in recognition of his leadership and service as mayor to the City of High Springs during 2011-2012.

Davis said he was humbled by the job.

“To my many friends, and I know who you are, that loved me and prayed for me constantly for the last three years…thank you, thank you, thank you and may God richly bless you.”

“For the few vocal and blogging people that have hated me for three years, I have prayed for you those three years and will continue to pray for you. May God bless you and keep you and reveal himself to you.”

“To the commissioners now and the man being seated, good luck and God bless you. It’s been an honor to serve with you. It’s been rocky, but it’s been interesting…and sometimes it’s been fun.”

“I’ll leave you with this thought: If five of us agree, four of us are unnecessary. We’ve been varied in our thoughts. But when we were voted down we didn’t stalk out of the room, we just kept on keeping on. I think you are headed for a great year,” said Davis.

“It is with some fear and trepidation, but more than that, just joy that I adjourn this 2012 commission meeting.”

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GAINESVILLE – The three suspected West Nile virus cases discovered in Alachua County have been declared negative.

Paul Myers, Alachua County Health Department administrator, said one of the victims had symptoms consistent with West Nile.

“The confirmatory blood test indicated that one of the three individuals had been infected with the West Nile virus sometime in the past,” Myers said. “We just don’t know exactly when.”

The men had attempted to donate blood when the antibodies for West Nile were the discovered. Each of the men had been exposed to extensive time outside. One of the men had been infected with West Nile sometime in the past.

Alachua County is still under the Mosquito Born Illness advisory that took effect on Sept. 27, 2012.

West Nile symptoms include sudden onset of headache, fever, stiff neck. Symptoms can appear from 2 to 14 days from the first time of exposure.

The illness first appeared in Sentinel chickens. Myers mentioned at least one horse being infected with West Nile. Alachua County had one confirmed case of West Nile in 2003.

Myers said it is been a particularly bad year for West Nile virus.

“It goes back to the winter of 2011-2012. It was a very mild winter, the mosquito die off was not complete,” he said. “Tropical storm Debby came through and created overwhelming numbers of breeding places for mosquitos.”

Even with the cooler weather, Myers still urges residents to protect themselves

“It’s imminent that I will be lifting the Mosquito Borne Illness Advisory in consultation with the state health office,” he said.

Myers still recommends residents drain any standing water, wear long sleeves and check that window screens are in good repair to ensure protection from mosquitoes.

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ALACHUA – The Alachua County Task Force of Recreation (ACTFOR) recently wrapped up its fall season. The City of Alachua and the Alachua Youth Soccer Organization hosted this year’s Fall Soccer Tournament at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex.  The tournament brought hundreds of participants and their families from all over Alachua County. The tournament was deemed a huge success, due in part to John Salbert, President of the Alachua Youth Soccer Organization, and his dedicated volunteers.

Alachua Girls Youth Volleyball and Alachua Little Jaguar Flag Football expressed their appreciation to all coaches and volunteers, which included Dee Edwards, Gretchen Baker, Lekeesha and Lisa Jenkins, Ed Riess, Chad Scott, Glenn Bryan, Earl Findley, Justin Beck, David Sutton and Hal Brady for their commitment, patience and hard work.

The tournament was enhanced through the support of area business sponsors, which included the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, Integrity Title, T.C.R Construction, McDonald's of Alachua and Gator Domino's. Their generous contribution and support to the local teams was appreciated by everyone associated with the tournament.  But most important, credit is due to all players who participated and represented the organization with great sportsmanship and an amazing work ethic.

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ALACHUA – Motorists traveling through Alachua on U.S. Highway 441 may have noticed a change in speed limits near Progress Corporate Park.

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently ordered reduced speeds in the area as a result of a study the agency conducted. The changes come after what FDOT termed an “in-house request” to conduct a safety study of the U.S. 441 corridor in Alachua. The department determined that congestion in the area surrounding Progress Corporate Park, the Santa Fe College Perry Center and nearby State of Florida office park warranted adjustments in speed limits.

The 45 mile per hour speed limit zone was pushed eastward by about two-tenths of a mile, taking that zone to the edge of the County Road 2054 overpass. But likely more noticeable to motorists will be the extended 55 mile per hour zone, which was increased eastward to nearly a mile long. Under the new speed limit arraignment, the 65 mile per hour speed limit does not occur until the Calvary Baptist Church area.

Former Alachua Mayor Jean Calderwood had long been a proponent of speed limit reductions in that area of the U.S. 441 corridor. In previous years, Calderwood repeatedly requested that FDOT review the area and consider speed reductions due to a growing number of motorists entering and leaving the highway there.

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