NEWBERRY ‒ The phrase “Everything Tastes Better with Bacon” took on new meaning this past weekend at the Alachua County Agricultural & Equestrian Center. The Barbeque and Bacon Festival featured over 70 arts and craft vendors and 11 food vendors featuring some of the best barbecue trucks in North Central Florida.

“People love barbecue,” said Margaret Buckler, founder of Buckler Shows who organized the event. “We had people come all the way from the other side of Jacksonville over the weekend. They like to try different barbecues and we had a good variety of styles at the festival.” Buckler says that in addition, several of the food vendors had various recipes for bacon, including chocolate covered bacon.

Buckler has been organizing events and festivals since 1989 and now averages 15 events per year throughout Florida. Originally Buckler Shows did smaller craft shows but has continued to expand and now does six strawberry and two blueberry festivals in Florida. Buckler came up with the idea to create additional festivals based around barbecue due to its popularity in the South.

The event had more to offer than barbecue and craft vendors. “We provide activities including rock painting for kids, a petting zoo, sack race and a bacon relay with contestants carrying a fake bacon strip across a field with tongs,” said Buckler employee June Font. “There are multiple games and activities for all ages as well.”

Font said the idea is to make the event entertaining for everyone so they give free space to other activity vendors including axe throwing, face painting, pony rides and a batting cage. Font says they also had bounce houses and train rides for kids.

“We also keep the entry fee low at $6 with an additional $1 discount if people bring canned goods, which we donate to the Hitchcock Field & Fork Pantry program,” said Font. Part of the proceeds goes to Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 211, which helps homeless or financially troubled veterans get back on their feet. All events feature live music, with local band Centerlane this weekend’s featured entertainment.

Among all the entertainment and activities, the biggest draw was the free Frisbee Dog Show by the group Disc-Connected K-9s. The group uses rescued or shelter dogs to showcase their abilities. Their dogs compete in frisbee challenges and put on exhibits throughout the world including winning several world championships. Disc-Connect also helps find homes for over 30 shelter dogs per year.

“This was our first Barbecue and Bacon event in Newberry,” said Fonts. “We had over 5,000 people attend over the two days so we are happy with the turnout and are hoping to make this an annual event here in January.”

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs Annual 5K frozen foot race lived up to its name this year. It was a brisk 40 degrees when over 50 runners gathered in the early morning of Feb. 4 at the High Springs Civic Center to compete in the aptly named 5K Frozen Foot Race. The weather was cold enough that they moved the registration indoors.

The 3.1 mile run winds through the High Springs Sports Complex, around Bailey Estates and back into town covering varying terrains and elevation changes. Each runner paid a $35entry fee for the 5K run or $15 for a one-mile run. Groups were separated by age and gender into eight groups, with competitors in both male and female categories starting at age 1 to 17, then 18-39, 40-49 and finishing with over 50 years old. Younger kids could accompany their parents in strollers. Awards were given for the top three runners in each group who completed the course. This year they also added a one-mile fun run for kids.

The 1^st place winners received a $25 gift cards to McDonald's, a $30 cash prize and free entry to next year’s race. But aside from the fun, the competition for cash and bragging rights, participants are also contributing to the community’s recreation programs.

The $35 entry fee is for improving and maintaining the City High Springs parks and recreation facilities. High Springs government is the only municipality in Alachua County that sponsors a marathon with the revenue benefiting the community’s recreations programs and facilities.

The event was started in 2016 and all proceeds that year went to the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget to purchase playground equipment and fund facility improvements at parks. Each year the event has grown with increasing numbers of the community participating.

First across the finish line was the overall winner and 1^st place in the Men's 40-49 category, Demarco Andrews, while the winner of the Women’s 40-49 category was Patrice Resendez. The overall female winner and 1^st place in the Women’s 18-39 was Celina Pargo and the winner of the 18-39 Men’s category was Chad Gaither. Winners in the over 50 category were Tom Story and Kathy Hellriegel. In the children’s 1-17 category the winners were Hunter Williams and Olivia Alexander. High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard won 2nd place in the 40-49 category.

While High Springs Fire Department Lt. Kevin Pearson didn’t get any awards for speed, he should have gotten one for endurance. Pearson ran the 3.1-mile course in full turnout gear and on-air tank, similar to a scuba tank. The combined weight of the gear and air pack is over 60 pounds.

“This is what we would wear to an actual fire so doing it for the marathon was good practice to stay fit,” said Pearson. “We wanted to challenge ourselves and always be physically prepared for an actual emergency and this was a cause that benefits the community as well with funding for our parks.”

With High Springs’ recent purchase of the Canoe Outpost on the Santa Fe River off U.S. Highway 441, city officials may also be considering developing a triathlon that would include bike riding to the river, a swim and then back to the Civic Center for the footrace. No decisions have been made, but it is a possibility for the future.

The 5K frozen foot race is a Parks and Rec Department event that enjoys support and sponsorship from local organizations. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has been involved since the first event, as has the High Springs Police and Fire departments. Additional organization that sponsored this year’s event with either funding or supplies were AAA Porta Serve; Campus USA Credit Union; Pepperonis Pizza; Pink Flamingo; The High Springs Brewery; Outdoor Life 4 guys and gals; Heart of High Springs; Decades on Main; and Lloyd Clark Sports.

“We greatly appreciate all these sponsors, and we also want to make sure to thank the Santa Fe Kawanis Club and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, especially Linda and Tom Hewlitt who put a lot of effort into making this event happen,” said Parks Director Damon Messina.

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ALACHUA, Fla. ‒ On Oct. 27, 2022, the Alachua Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), arrested Larry Charles Lee, 56, of Trenton, Florida, for possession of child pornography and the investigation revealed that Lee had been storing it at his place of employment in Alachua, Florida.

On Sept. 19, 2022, the Alachua Police Department was made aware that an employee of a local Alachua business had violated company policy by connecting an external storage device to a company computer, which contained child pornography.

During the initial investigation into the allegations, the Alachua Police Department’s ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) investigator, Detective Jacob Eady, confirmed that the material was indeed child pornography.

An arrest warrant for Lee and a search warrant for his residence and any digital devices owned or possessed by Lee that could be utilized in storing child pornography were obtained.

On Oct. 27, 2022, the Alachua Police Department and the FBI conducted a joint operation and arrested Lee. A search of Lee’s residence and his work area located at his place of employment was executed and 16 USB drives were located at Lee’s work desk.

The FBI took possession of the USB drives to obtain search warrants and examine the drives for possible child pornography. After conducting a thorough search of the USB drives by the Alachua Police Department and the FBI, several files containing child pornography were located. Lee was arrested for two counts of possessing child pornography and has since been released on a $200,000 bond.

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