ANIMAL RESOURCES AND CARE’S MAY THE FOURTH ADOPTION EVENT |
In celebration of Star Wars Day 2022, Alachua County Animal Resources and Care (AR&C) is hosting a “May the Fourth” adoption event. AR&C is lowering adoption fees to just four dollars next week (May 3, through May 7, 2022). The shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character, make crafts, eat snacks, and take home your chosen one.
In an animal shelter very, very close by, a “chosen one” will bring balance to the light. For good to triumph and balance to be restored, AR&C needs the community’s help. The shelter took in more animals than it could find homes for last year. To prevent the unwarranted euthanasia of healthy, adoptable shelter pets, staff have been working extra hard to find homes for all of them. Good progress was being made until the March intakes and lack of adoptions broke that winning streak. With puppies and kittens already starting to come in, the shelter needs to place upwards of 100 animals in loving homes to restore the balance (aka capacity for care).
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Alachua County Sports Event Center Topping Off Ceremony |
Alachua County and Celebration Pointe (Viking Inc.) are hosting a “Topping Off Ceremony” at the Alachua County Sports Event Center on May 6, 2022, at 5 p.m. at the construction site located adjacent to 5001 Celebration Pointe Avenue. The event will celebrate the placement of the final steel beam of the Center’s structure.
Speakers at the event include:
- Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman
- Alachua County Commission Chair Marihelen Wheeler
- Florida State Senator Keith Perry
- Svein Dyrkolbotn, Principal Owner, Viking Inc./Celebration Pointe
- Alachua County Commissioner Ken Cornell
“Alachua County’s public/private partnership with Celebration Pointe in the building and operation of this facility is a game-changer for our region,” said Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman. “It will have an estimated net economic output of $77 million/year, create 1,150 jobs with $25.9 million in yearly wages, bring in 117,000 annual hotel room nights with over $12 million in hotel spending, generate $1.2 million in sales tax, and over $600,000 in bed tax.”
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Parks and Recreation Survey and Masterplan Workshops |
The Alachua County Parks and Recreation Department develops management plans for the Parks and Recreation Master Planning Process. Community input is an important part of this process to better understand County residents’ programs and facility usage. Community feedback will be used to help guide decisions.
A random sampling of residents has been invited to take a survey, and these responses will provide statistically valid results. In addition, The Parks and Recreation Department invites all residents to provide feedback and input through an open-link survey.
“Alachua County Parks and Open Space is excited to provide this opportunity to hear from our communities during this process,” said Alachua County Parks and Open Spaces Manager Jason Maurer. “The citizens of Alachua County will have a direct impact on the future growth and development of our parks.”
Alachua County is preparing a Parks and Recreation Master Plan that will provide guidance for future development and redevelopment of the County’s parks and recreation resources. The Master Plan will guide park improvements and prioritize implementation. The County has scheduled three interactive public workshops, which give residents opportunities to provide input on the Master Plan. The workshops are set up as open houses, allowing people to come and go during the listed dates and times.
All three workshops are from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
- Tuesday, May 10, in the Freedom Center in Veteran’s Memorial Park (7400 S.W. 41st Place, Gainesville)
- Wednesday, May 11, at Rotary Park at Jonesville (14100 N.W. 32nd Avenue, Jonesville)
- Tuesday, May 24, at the T.B. McPherson Center (1717 S.E. 15th Street, Gainesville)
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Watermelon is the May Plant of the Month |
The UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office is pleased to announce that the May “Plant of the Month” is watermelon.
Watermelon isn’t just for dessert. It can be used in a salad, on a sandwich, as a snack or grilled. What is the nutritive value? Watermelon is fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free, a good source of vitamin C, contains vitamin A and is 92 percent water.
May is a good time to grow watermelon in North Central Florida. Check the Plant of the Month website for information on planting, harvesting, recipes, and more.
The Plant of the Month program is a collaborative effort between Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County, Alachua County Master Gardener Volunteers, Alachua County Public Library, and Working Food.
“Watermelon is fun to grow and produces a delicious treat during the spring and summer months,” said Alachua County Commissioner Mary Alford.
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Alachua County Announces Community-Wide Study Weather-Related Survey |
Alachua County today released a County-wide survey to assess the weather-related risk perceptions and their impacts on the community’s quality of life and how to best respond.
Participants must fill out the online survey by Sunday, May 15, 2022. The survey takes approximately ten minutes to complete, with an opportunity to elaborate on responses if desired. All individual responses will be treated with confidentiality, and no personal data is gathered or stored without consent.
Survey results will be analyzed and presented to the County Commission and County Staff in an executive summary. The results will help the County prioritize infrastructure improvements (roads, pipes, services, etc.), policies, and community programs. In addition, the survey explores future potential weather impacts with a variety of unique potential improvements and strategies for addressing them. To aid these objectives, the County solicits the participation of its residents, workers, students, and visitors of all ages and backgrounds in an effort to foster effective and equitable solutions.
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Alachua County Named an Innovator County by the Stepping Up Initiative |
Alachua County has been selected as one of Stepping Up’s growing cohort of Innovator Counties – counties that are successfully using the Stepping Up suggested three-step approach to collect and analyze timely data on the prevalence of people who have mental illnesses in jails. Alachua County will be sharing its experience and expertise and helping other counties across the nation learn to collect accurate and accessible data on the number of people with mental illnesses in their jails.
"We are proud of the support and collaboration with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and Jail,” said Alachua County Court Services JMHCP Program Manager David R Johnson. “Being nationally recognized as one of only 38 Innovator Counties across the country showcases the wide-reaching partnerships' dedication and focus on improving the quality of life for our citizens living with behavioral health concerns."
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Workshop for Businesses that Generate Very Small and Small Quantities of Hazardous Waste |
The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department (ACEPD), in conjunction with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), is offering a virtual “Workshop for Businesses that Generate Very Small and Small Quantities of Hazardous Waste.” The virtual workshop is on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants must register online by May 16.
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