Get social with us!
June 9, 2021 edition
Journey to Juneteenth continues!
The month-long celebration from Florida's Emancipation Day (May 20) to the national Juneteenth Celebration (June 19) continues! Journey to Juneteenth features a series of events and activities for neighbors of all ages and interests.

From art exhibits, to historical lectures, scavenger hunts, movies and musical performances, we are proud to partner with our community and many partners to recognize and celebrate this season of freedom. View our website for more information on the Journey to Juneteenth and the accompanying events.
Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m. - Racial Justice Essay Contest Awards Celebration (in person)

Saturday, June 12, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. - Lincoln Legacy Celebration (in person)

Monday, June 14, 7-8 p.m. - The Continued Struggle for Democracy (on Zoom)

Tuesday, June 15, 6-8 p.m. - SYNERGY magazine's Women of Color edition launch (in person)
10th Annual Gainesville-Alachua County Employment Law Seminar
Join us for this free virtual seminar on employment law! It includes training on the following topics:
  • Recent developments in employment law
  • Essential workers, essential protections
  • The interplay of workers comp/FMLA/ADA
  • Equity and inclusion in the workplace

This virtual event is Wednesday, June 23 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Online registration is now available.
Heartwood Neighborhood Drive-Through and Open House
Explore Heartwood at the Heartwood Neighborhood Drive-Through and Open House on Wednesday, June 16 at 3 p.m. See which models fit on each lot. Potential homebuyers are welcome to drive through or park and walk - the Heartwood Team will be on-site to answer questions. We look forward to seeing you there!
Save the Date for the Tire Roundup!
Mosquito Control is holding a Tire Roundup Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Public Works (405 NW 39th Ave.). At the event, residents may bring up to six tires (removed from the rims) to the location for recycling at no charge.

Tire recycling helps eliminate breeding grounds for mosquito species, such as the Asian tiger mosquito, which thrive in containers holding water. Residents are encouraged to empty uncovered buckets holding water and recycle old tires in an effort to beautify our community and help keep our mosquito populations low.
Resources and Support Services
WIC expansion for fruit and vegetable vouchers
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) authorized state Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agencies to enhance the WIC benefit for a period of four months, expanding the vegetable and fruit voucher from $9/month for children and $11/month for women to $35 per month, per participant. WIC’s vegetable and fruit voucher is known as the Cash Value Benefit (CVB). The CVB is credited with improving the dietary quality of WIC participants and reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity among WIC toddlers.

Florida WIC began implementing the CVB increase on June 1, and will run until Sept. 30. All women and children 1–4 years old who participate in the WIC program will receive an increase in their fruits and vegetables cash voucher to $35 per participant, per month. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned. They can be any brand, variety, size, with no added sugar, syrup, artificial sweeteners, fat, or oil. Organic fruits and vegetables are allowed.

For additional info, contact local WIC customer service representatives, Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at 352-225-4343 or 1-800-494-2543.

Alachua County Public School Summer Programs
Alachua County Public Schools is offering a variety of academic/enrichment programs this summer. For middle and high school students, this includes credit recovery programs. For elementary students, the district offers RISE (Reading Intervention Summer Experience), Title I Extended Learning, the 21st Century program and EDEP (Extended Day Enrichment Program). Alachua eSchool is available for elementary and secondary students. Eligible students may also take advantage of ESE (Exceptional Student Education) and ESOL (English for Speakers of other Languages) programs during the summer. For more details about these programs, please contact your child’s school.
Upcoming Small Business Virtual Workshops
Join us for these free virtual workshops:
Rentable E-Scooters Arrive As New Form Of Transportation ...

The Gainesville city government and University of Florida have partnered to launch a one-year pilot program to bring to town two-wheeled, electric scooters for rent. The program starts Monday. Three companies will provide the e-scooters for use:...

Read more
www.wuft.org
Strategic Connections
Connecting the city's strategic plan to our daily work to build an equitable and sustainable community for all neighbors.
best in services icon
"Best in Class" Neighbor Services

Develop a city organization culture that emphasizes professionalism, service, teamwork, results and performance accountability

City of Gainesville completes workplace culture assessment: The City of Gainesville conducted a cultural assessment to compare their work environment right now to how they would prefer it to be. The majority of employees believe they work in a controlling culture. They said they want to work more collaboratively.  Read more...
sustainability icon
Sustainable Community

Increase the city’s use of renewable resources with the goal of 100% by 2045 or sooner

Early performance reports from the city's new electric buses are showing high marks on all key indicators. April 2021 was the first month in which RTS deployed its new fleet vehicles. The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) tracked several key performance measures of the first month and the results show measurable value. Read the report

Emissions Reductions
In the month of April alone, RTS avoided emitting 8.5 U.S. tons of greenhouse gases by using three electric buses in place of three diesel buses.
 
This is the equivalent of:
• Powering 1.4 homes over the course of a year or
• Charging 938,000 smartphones or
• Planting 128 trees and letting them grow for ten years or
• Saving 9.4 acres of U.S. forest for a year 
 
In future months, RTS can expect these equivalencies to grow exponentially as the buses are more regularly put into service.
Zero Waste
Gainesville Zero Waste News

Create Less Waste By Eliminating Disposal Products
 
Did you know the average American generates about 4.5 pounds of trash per day? That totals more than 1.6 tons per person in a year or the equivalent weight of one mid-sized SUV. A major contributing factor to all this waste is the immediate disposal of various products and goods. We can lessen the amount of waste we generate by choosing to purchase and use more durable reusable products. While durable products may cost a little more upfront, in the long run, you’ll save money, and it will be better for our environment.
 
Let’s compare using disposable plates versus reusable plates. Yes, your initial cost with disposable plates will likely be less, and you’ll get out of having to wash dishes afterward. However, once you use up that supply of disposable plates, you’ll have to go out and buy more and then more again. Don’t forget to factor in the amount of water and energy needed to manufacture and transport that new supply of disposable plates. Alternatively, ceramic, glass, wooden and heavy-duty plastic plates can be washed and reused repeatedly. Reusable plates only need to be manufactured once, and have a significantly lower impact on our environment. For example, a glass plate only needs to be reused 15 times to be more sustainable than a disposable plate. Purchasing dishware from discount stores or second-hand thrift stores is a great way to reduce the expense of buying reusable products.
 
Here are some other great reusable swaps you can make to reduce your waste:
  • Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins.
  • In place of paper towels and cleaning wipes, use cloth rags and reusable microfiber cleaning cloths.
  • Avoid accumulating plastic shopping bags by bringing in your own reusable shopping bags every time you shop.
  • Use refillable/reusable spray bottles for household cleaners.
  • Invest in a quality reusable water bottle and stop buying overpriced, individually bottled waters.
  • Swap disposal plastic baggies for reusable silicone packs or sealable glass food storage containers.
 
Give your wallet and the environment a break, and opt for reusable, durable products whenever you can.
Advisory Board and Committee Openings - Applications due June 30
Get involved in your community by volunteering to serve on one of these advisory boards/committees! The Gainesville City Commission is accepting applications for consideration to the following boards/committees:

- Historic Preservation Board, SHIP - Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Citizen's Advisory Committee for Community Development, City Beautification Board, Fire Safety Board of Adjustment, Gainesville/Alachua County Regional Airport Authority, Wild Spaces Public Places Citizen Oversight Committee
 
Apply by Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if online) at http://bit.ly/2p8huvo. For more info on terms or residency requirements, please visit https://tinyurl.com/GNVBoards. Please note that applications are only accepted for currently advertised openings, and are valid only for 30 days. 
The Time to Prepare for the 2021 Hurricane Season is Now

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season officially began this week and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects an “above average” season.

Let’s be sure we’re all prepared! To sign up for emergency notifications, visit www.AlertGNV.org.

For other hurricane preparedness tips, visit www.SafeGNV.org.
City Commission Meeting Updates
Individuals wishing to comment on specific agenda items are invited to comment live during the meeting via the public participation line at 1-800-876-7516. Neighbors may also submit written comment on agenda items in advance of the meeting using the e-comment feature on the city website.
 
The Gainesville City Commission will begin taking general public comment for City Commission meetings by voicemail recording. Neighbors may leave their 3-minute general public comment by dialing 352-334-5003. General public comment periods will end at 12 p.m. the Wednesday before the commission meeting. All voice recordings submitted before the deadline will be played during the designated General Public Comment period of the City Commission meeting. Voice recordings will be played in subsequent order until all comments have been played or the 30-minute time limit has been reached..
At the time of publication, the following City Commission meetings/workshops have been scheduled:

  • Thursday, June 10 at 1 p.m.: General Policy Committee meeting
  • Monday, June 14 at 5 p.m.: Special City Commission meeting
  • Wednesday, June 16 at 3 p.m.: Joint City/County Commission meeting
 
For a listing of other board/committee meetings and agendas, please click here.

Live meeting coverage is available on Cox Cable Channel 12 and the City of Gainesville website.