Page 8 - 2021 MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APARIL

1B MAHOGANY REVUE 02 APRIL 2021
GAINESVILLE & MORE NEWS

PUBLIX PARKING LOT FLORIDA SPRING COUNCIL
INCIDENT LEADS TO FELONY AND SANTA FE RIVER FILE
LEGAL CHALLENGE
HATE CRIME CHARGES AGAINST APPROVAL TO

State Attorney Katherine kick him and try to crush the tim/witness – 2nd Degree EXTRACT AROUND ONE
Fernandez Rundle and phone to keep the victim from Felony
Hialeah Police Chief Sergio using it. MILLION GALLONS OF
Velazquez announce on She lost her job at the Miami
Tuesday that hate crime As Ms. Wright began to Beach hospital shortly after WATER PER DAY NEAR
enhancement charges were leave the scene, the victim the news broke.
being made against 58-year- attempted to take a picture of GINNIE SPRINGS
old anesthesiologist Jennifer Ms. Wright or of her vehicle’s “It is sad that in such a
Susan Wright. license plate. Ms. Wright then diverse, multi-ethnic commu-
pretended to go into a vehicle nity like Miami-Dade County, send the challenge to the
Wright's original arrest was that was not hers, but then ran Covid precautions can trigger Division of Administrative
made a month ago at her Hearings, or hold an inter-
Miami Springs home, and the
attack took place Jan. 20, Joe nal hearing.
Biden's inauguration day. A
shopper says he admonished “Another thing they can
wright for standing too close do is just deny the petition
to him in the store, which outright and say, you
threw her into a rage, causing know, we don’t see any-
her to follow him to the park- thing here that needs to be
ing lot, screaming derogatory litigated, in which case we
anti-Hispanic ethnic slurs and could appeal their decision
telling him to go back to his
country. to do that to the District
Court of Appeals,” Smart
According to the arrest said. “So, there’s three dif-
report, Wright shouted "We ferent options and the
should have gotten rid of you timeline for the case really
when we could... this is not depends on what the dis-
going to be Biden's America, trict’s next move is.”
this is my America" and "we has
should have burned it all." until March 31 to finish As deliberations continue,
The Florida Spring deliberations regarding the
After scratching his car with Council and Santa Fe River legal challenge. the pumping continues.
a key, causing nearly $600 in towards her true vehicle and such alleged outbursts of eth- have filed a legal challenge
damages, a news release from fled the scene. nic hate. Hate crimes are against the approval of the “With receiving a petition, “See, they’ve been
the Miami-Dade State advertisement always meant to demean and extracting water the whole
Attorney's office says that intimidate their intended tar- Seven Springs we have to answer two time. Because Seven
when the victim went to grab Wright is being charged gets,” said State Attorney Consumptive Use Permit questions, which is, if it is Springs already has a water
his phone to dial 911, the then with: Katherine Fernandez Rundle. that allows the extraction timely and then the other use permit, and as long as
Mt. Saini Hospital physician “I am proud that this victim of around one million gal- question is, if it substantial- the litigation is ongoing
allegedly punched him, caus- **Battery with Prejudice – would not be terrified into lons of water per day near ly complies with rules, and they can continue to
ing the victim to drop his Publ3rd Degree Felony silence, allowing my Hate Ginnie Springs for Nestle’s if it does do both of these,
phone on the ground. As the **Criminal Mischief with Crimes prosecutors to bring bottling operations. then we refer the petition to pump,” Smart said.
victim attempted to pick his Prejudice – 3rd Degree this case before our criminal DOAH,” she said.
phone up from the ground, Felony courts.” The Suwannee River A decision from the
Ms. Wright allegedly began to **Tampering with a vic- Suwannee River Water
Water Management Florida Springs Council Management District
District communications director Ryan Smart fears board is expected by the
DUKE ENERGY ANNOUNCES manager, Lindsey they may deny it entirely if end of the month.
Covington, said the board the board chooses not to
PLANS FOR TWO NEW SOLAR
SITES IN CITRUS AND GAINESVILLE CITY
COMMISSION ELECTION
HARDEE COUNTIES RESULTS: INCUMBENT GAIL

Plant will be built on 500
average-sized homes. acres in Citrus County, and JOHNSON REELECTED, GIGI
Duke Energy Florida is
building two additional solar Hardee County Manager will power approximately SIMMONS DEFEATED
sites, one in Citrus County Lawrence McNaul explains 23,000 average-sized homes.
and the other in Hardee how excited Hardee County
County. is for the project. “It’s definitely going to be an
economic boost for our
Duke Energy spokesperson “We welcome any county,” Citrus County Com-
Ana Gibbs explained the two opportunity,” McNaul said. missioner Scott Carnahan
new solar sites. “Being a fiscally restrained said. “We welcome that.”

“There’s probably more
similarities than there are
differences, in that, this is
just — not all of these
solar power plants are built
on mines, but just these
two particular sites happen
to be on the Bay Trail,
which is in Citrus County,”
Gibbs said. “That one is on
the site of a future mining
location, and then Fort
Green was a former partnership with my Johnson spent just $350 of
phosphate mine. So, Incumbent Gail Johnson colleagues at the county and the $1,405 she raised en
they’re both examples of won reelection to a second school board,” she said. route to beating her
how we can use mining term on the Gainesville City opponent, who raised and
sites and develop them for Commission on Tuesday Both were first elected to spent nothing.
renewable energy, and night, but it was Desmon their seats in 2018. Simmons
that’s really a benefit for Duncan-Walker’s victory represents District 1 — Duncan-Walker had
the communities and the over incumbent Gigi comprising the Porters outraised and outspent
environment.” Simmons that showed neighborhood, much of Simmons as of last
county in a kind of rural District 1 voters were ready Wednesday’s campaign
The Fort Green Power Plant environment, we are very Duke Energy has now for a change. finance reporting
will be built on excited to have this installed more than 1.9 deadline.
approximately 500 acres in opportunity.” million solar panels in Johnson defeated her
Hardee County and will Florida. opponent, Gabriel Hillel, in a “I’m feeling a deep
power more than 20,000 The Bay Trail Solar Power landslide with nearly 90% of sense of gratitude not
the vote, but Simmons fell to just to the people who
challenger Duncan-Walker worked on my
by 119 votes, according to campaign,” she said,
ALACHUA COUNTY unofficial results. “but obviously to the
voters in District 1.”

EMERGENCY RENTAL FUND Johnson’s spirits were high No District 1 incumbent
on the night of the win.
OPEN AND ACCEPTING “I’m feeling fantastic. I’m so has won a second term
since Scherwin Henry
APPLICATIONS optimistic about my second did so in 2009. Yvonne
Hinson, Charles Goston
term in office,” she said.
and now Simmons each
Payments will Her plans for her upcoming served a single term
A new emergency rental generally be term include improving thanks to successful
funding program has opened made only to education, housing and food challenges from their
in Alachua County Monday. landlords/proper- access. DESMON DUNCAN-WALKER successors.
ty managers
Alachua County’s applica- and/or utility “Continuing to advocate for Johnson and Duncan-
tion for the new program is companies, not a grocery store on the East downtown and parts of the Walker will each be sworn in
more user-friendly than the to the households side of Gainesville, equitable east side — and Johnson later this spring and serve a
previous version was through themselves. Each development and saving our holds an at-large seat three-year term.
the CARES Act. County household is lim-
spokesperson Mark Sexton ited to $15,000 of neighborhood, working in representing the entire city.
said this is a big improvement assistance.
from the last application.
Priority will be tion or need assistance, please Eligibility criteria for BOTH
The fund is taking applica- given to house- call the Alachua County NOTE: Much of the corre- Tenant AND Landlord are out-
tions through Sept. 30 or until holds who meet ERAP Helpline at 352-704- spondence for this Program is lined below. Before proceed-
the funds run out. the “high-priori- 0301. via AlachuaERAPhelp ing, it is recommended that
ty” conditions as defined by The Alachua County @alachuacounty.us, so please both parties discuss and agree
The Alachua County the U.S. Department of the Emergency Rental Assistance If any accommodations are check your Spam email folder that they are both willing and
Emergency Rental Assistance Treasury of either being below program (ERAP) is designed needed for persons with dis- if you have not received any able to proceed and that both
Program (ERAP) is a Federal 50% of Area Median Income to assist Alachua County resi- abilities, please contact the emails from Neighborly Soft- will complete the online appli-
Grant which is intended to (low income) and/or having a dents impacted by COVID-19 Equal Opportunity Office at ware or from AlachuaERAP- cation, provide all required
assist households who are household member who is and with rent and utility assis- (352) 374-5275 or (352) 374- help@ alachuacounty.us. items, and abide by all
unable to pay or are having has been unemployed for at tance. Various forms of docu- 5284 TDD. required terms.
difficulty paying rent and/or least ninety days. Only high mentation are required by this
ENJOY LIFE TO ITS
utilities due to the COVID-19 priority applications will be program to determine eligibil- ENJOY LIFE TO ITS
pandemic. It can assist eligible processed for the first three ity, and if eligible, to deter-
households with the payment weeks of the program (time- mine the amount of financial
FULLEST
of late rent and/or utilities and line may be extended based on assistance available per FULLEST
may also assist with the pay- volume of applications household. If you have ques-
ment of rent in advance. received). tions regarding this applica-