February 14, 2022
ANIMAL RESOURCES & CARE RESUMES ADOPTION OF SHELTER DOGS
After exposure to the canine distemper virus and a nearly five-week quarantine of the exposed dogs, Animal Resources & Care (formerly Animal Services) resumes adoption of shelter dogs this week. Extensive testing has been performed to ensure dogs that may have had exposure are “clear of distemper and other forms of URI,” according to Shelter Veterinarian Elizabeth Fitzpatrick.

In an effort to find new homes for all these deserving dogs, the shelter is launching its “Meet Your Match” event with $14 adoption fees for February. Staff have categorized the shelter dogs according to their behavioral traits. After adopters answer some basic questions about themselves and their lifestyle, they can match you with the perfect companion. The shelter (3400 N.E. 53rd Avenue, Gainesville) is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays.  

VIDEO: Alachua County Names Criminal Courthouse in Honor of Judge Stephan P. Mickle, Sr.
On January 14, 2022, the Alachua County Courthouse was renamed to honor the life and legacy of the late Judge Stephan P. Mickle.

“It is a tremendous honor to see the courthouse named after my father,” said his daughter Stephanie Mickle. “It's important for others to be able to see themselves in his life. His sacrifices and triumphs will inspire others for generations to come and impact our youth early in their lives and education.”

Soil Collection Ceremony for Waldo-Hawthorne-Rochelle-Campville Community Remembrance Project
The Waldo-Hawthorne-Campville-Rochelle Community Remembrance Project, in partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative of Montgomery, Alabama, is holding a Soil Collection Ceremony as part of their work for truth and reconciliation regarding the history of racial terrorism and lynching in Alachua County during the Jim Crow era. The Soil Collection Ceremony is on Saturday, February 19, 2022, at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park (at the Caboose, 14705 N.E. Waldo Road, Waldo). This event commemorates the traumatic era by memorializing the lives of Waldo-Hawthorne-Campville-Rochelle victims. The public is encouraged to attend.

The soil of a lynching site is a physical connection to the lives lost there, to the events and people who deserve to be remembered. The soil of every lynching site stood mute witness to egregious wrongs. By publicly gathering, displaying, and creating a space for dialogue around a tangible piece of the past that haunts us still today, that soil will no longer be voiceless.

Grove Park Playground Improvements
The Alachua County Parks and Open Space Department is happy to announce the completion of a new playground and ADA accessible sidewalk at Grove Park (6300 S.E. 152 Street, Hawthorne). These improvements provide expanded play amenities and shade over the playground and improved accessibility for the community. 

These improvements were completed with Wild Spaces Public Places funding. The budget was $121,000.

Alachua County Parks and Open Spaces Manager Jason said, “We are very thankful for the Wild Spaces Public Places program, which makes improvements like these possible.”
Call-to-Artists for the Alachua County Sports Event Center
Alachua County is advertising two separate Call-to-Artists for outdoor sports-themed silhouettes and an indoor mural at the Alachua County Sports Event Center. The art site is located at 4870 Celebration Pointe Drive, Gainesville. The ±143,892 sf facility is currently under construction at Celebration Pointe and is scheduled to be completed in January 2023. 

Artists must submit 3 to 6 high-quality (at least 600 x 900 pixels) digital photos of their existing, similar work. The photos should be of the same artwork, both close up and distant, showing details, height, and varying views of the work. Submittals will be accepted through Monochronicle by Wednesday, February 23, 2022, no later than 2 p.m. The budget for each project is $20,000.

Fire Rescue Recognizes American Heart Month
February 1, 2022, marked the start of ‘American Heart Month’, a nationwide initiative to bring awareness to the prevalence and prevention of heart disease. Over 600,000 Americans die from heart disease yearly, and it remains the leading cause of death for most demographics. 

As part of recognizing American Heart Month, Alachua County Fire Rescue encourages citizens to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and engage with community resources such as PulsePoint, a mobile application that allows would-be rescuers to arrive quickly onsite in the event of a nearby emergency. 

Heart disease occurs as a result of clogging in the arteries leading to the heart, and risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use are prevalent in many modern-day lifestyles. However, healthy eating habits and physical activity dramatically aid in lowering the risk of heart disease development. It is also advised that individuals regularly maintain a close eye on cholesterol and blood pressure levels. 

Heart disease is indiscriminative of age, gender, and ethnicity, meaning everyone should actively monitor their own heart health.

Local Planning Agency/Planning Commission Vacancy
​Alachua County is seeking volunteers to fill a vacancy on the Local Planning Agency (LPA)/Planning Commission. The LPA/Planning Commission is responsible for making recommendations to the County Commission for updates to the comprehensive plan, reviewing and making recommendations on rezonings, special use permits, special exceptions, and land development regulations upon the request of the Board of County Commissioners.

The Planning Commission is comprised of eight members serving four-year terms. The membership includes seven citizen-at-large positions and one School Board member (appointed by the School Board).

Request for Proposals: Public-Private Partnership for a County Administration Building RFP 22-319-LS
The Alachua County Commission has received an unsolicited proposal for the design, finance, construction, operation, and maintenance of the County Administration Building. The County has determined that the unsolicited proposal is sufficient for consideration on a preliminary basis and will accept other proposals for the same project during this notification period. 

Additional information on the project, including submittal instructions, is available on the County's Solicitation Opportunities Alachua County Procurement website

All questions regarding this project should be submitted via the question and answer tab in the County’s e-Procurement Public Portal.