ALACHUA ‒ The Alachua Commission Chamber was standing room only on March 25, 2024, as parents and friends of Irby Elementary students came to witness a presentation of certificates.

In a display of creativity, Alachua’s City Hall foyer was transformed into a colorful gallery showcasing the imaginative works of young artists from Irby Elementary School.

The artwork, created by students in Mrs. Chapov and Mrs. Fischer's 1st grade classes, was in recognition of January’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration.

As each student’s name was announced, the child walked to the front of the commission chambers to receive his or her Art Certificate from Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper.

After the last child was awarded, all the young artists and the City Commission posed for a group photograph as parents proudly took pictures of the memorable event.

Organized by the Deputy City Clerk’s Office in collaboration with local schools, Art in City Hall aims to highlight the importance of arts education in fostering self-expression and imagination among young learners.

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ALACHUA COUNTY  - Registration for summer camp at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center is open. This year's theme is "EPIC Summer Adventure. Where campers will Explore, Play, Investigate, and Create!" Those registering for summer camps should visit the Camp Cuscowilla program page.

Day camps are offered for seven weeks from June 10 to July 26, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Children ages 7 to 12 can register for one week or the whole summer. Each week offers archery, swimming lessons, recreational swimming, outdoor skills, arts and crafts, kayaking, and more. Campers will also attend field trips once a week to places in Alachua County, such as the Santa Fe Zoo, the Alachua County Sports Complex, Poe Springs, the Cade Museum, and more.

 Specialty camps are offered for ages 10 to 14, with themes such as Fish Camp from June 10 to June 14. There is also an all-new Teen Week from July 29 to August 2. Fish Camp is a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission-based curriculum for campers to learn proper catch and release techniques while exploring George's Pond at Cuscowilla. The all-new teen camp allows campers to choose a track based on their interest, such as art and music, leadership skills, or outdoor adventure.

 These weeks have spaces available:

 Week 2: June 17 – 21 is for the sports enthusiast in your family. Campers will play throughout the week and learn some new games, too. The field trip location this week is the Alachua County Sports Complex. There will be no camp on Wednesday, June 19. 

 Week 3: June 24 – 28 UF IFAS Alachua County Extension will join us for some incredible programming and field trips. Campers will take a look at their areas of expertise, such as Entomology, Vet Science, Livestock, and Wilderness Survival. This is sure to be a week you don't want to miss. 

 Week 4: July 1 – 3 is our half week of camp celebrating the 4th of July. Campers will enjoy all that Cuscowilla has to offer and wrap up the week with a Cookout and Carnival. 

 Week 8: July 29 – August 2 is newly added for ages 7-9. Campers will enjoy a traditional week at day camp during the same week as our all-new Teen Week. 

 Teen Week: July 29 – August 2 is new for ages 10-14. Campers will choose a tract based on their interest and take a field trip to the Cade Museum. 

Art and Music – for those campers who want to learn new ways to create art or work on their skills. Local teachers and musicians will join us this week to help perfect their craft. 

Leadership — This is designed for campers to learn the attributes of a great leader. Campers will learn from local leaders and put their skills to practice working as a team. 

Outdoor Adventure – campers will experience all that Cuscowilla has to offer and work on their outdoor skills. 

 "This summer, we're teaming up with some incredible educational partners such as UF IFAS Extension, Micanopy Library, Harn Art Museum, and many more," said Camp Manager Jamie Bass. "Camp provides an increasingly rare opportunity for children to unplug and immerse themselves in the natural world right here in Alachua County."

 The weekly rate is $150 for day camps and $175 for specialty camps. Campers will receive breakfast, lunch, and a snack. Daily bus transportation to and from Lincoln Middle School (1001 SE 12th St., Gainesville) is included. Campers can also be dropped off and picked up from the camp (210 SE 134th Ave., Micanopy).

 Qualifying campers can also receive a scholarship from Alachua County Children's Trust and the Friends of Cuscowilla with completed applications and proof of documents.

 For more information, contact Jamie Bass at 352-574-2372 or jbass@alachuacounty.us.

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ALACHUA ‒ The crack of the bat, the cheers from the crowd, and the smell of freshly cut grass filled the air as the Babe Ruth 38th Opening Day Jamboree kicked off on Saturday. Good weather and a full schedule of baseball drew crowds to the much-anticipated opening day of the season at Alachua's Hal Brady Recreation Complex World Series Field.

Babe Ruth Baseball is one of the largest and most respected youth baseball organizations in the world. Catering to players ages 4 - 18, the program offers a range of divisions suited to players of all skill levels, from T-Ball for beginners to the elite Cal Ripken Major/70 division for experienced players.

The jamboree, which brought together young athletes from various schools and communities, was designed to foster sportsmanship, teamwork, and healthy competition. All teams participated from Tball to Seniors (13-15). Afterwards, games were played throughout the remainder of the day.

Ben Boukari served as the jamboree emcee, offering enthusiastic commentary highlighting the determination and skill of the young athletes. Dignitaries present for the opening ceremony were City of Alachua Commissioners Shirley Green Brown and Ed Potts. Also attending were Alachua Police Department Sgt. Hunt, Recreation & Culture Assistant Director Stephanie McDonald and Crew Leader Jack Hansen as well as Parks & R.E.C Director Jennifer Applebee. High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard attended representing the City of High Springs.

“The Babe Ruth opening day celebration is an exciting and fun experience,” said Commissioner Brown. “It’s always a pleasure to see the children.”

Al Beckelheimer Jr., received the “Hal Brady Award” for his service to the community. Beckelheimer served as president of the league during the 2014 World Series when the local boys team came in third place. Also, before becoming president, Beckelheimer volunteered as a league advisor, player agent and vice president.

“Thank you to all the volunteers how put in countless hours for the event,” said City of Alachua Recreation & Culture Department Director Damon Messina. “Santa Fe Babe Ruth’s Will Moore and his board did a great job.”

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ In a tight race, Wayne Bloodsworth Jr., has won a seat on the High Springs City Commission. In the March 26, 2024 special election, Bloodsworth faced off against Chad Howell for Seat #2 on the Commission.

Bloodsworth won with 369 votes to Howell’s 305 votes.

The City Commission called a special election when the seat was vacated by Steve Tapanes who declined to fill out a financial disclosure Form 6 required by the State of Florida and resigned less than two months into his term. Elected on Nov 7, 2023, Tapanes cited a new law passed by the Florida Legislature in 2023 requiring elected officials to file Form 6 by Dec. 31, 2023.

Prior to the new law, mayors and elected city or town council members were required to file Form 1. However, Form 6 requires a more in-depth report of the filer's finances, including disclosure of net worth, information not required by Form 1. Form 6 filers must also disclose assets over $1,000, while the Form 1 threshold is over $10,000. Form 6 also requires filers to disclose clients that make up more than 10 percent of the filer's income.

Tapanes tendered his resignation as of Dec. 30

Bloodsworth will fill out the remainder of Tapanes’ three-year term.

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