Tag Archives: Alachua County

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office investigators are searching for a kidnapping suspect they consider dangerous. ASO Spokesman Art Forgey says detectives are working with the victim to get a good description of the man responsible. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/01/FORGEY3.mp3] A Santa Fe College student was taken from campus yesterday, but escaped her kidnapper around …

Florida has too many empty prison beds and a budget that needs cutting. That means some prisons will be closing starting next month.  The state has 100-thousand inmates. With the crime rate falling, the Department of Corrections has 12,000 prison beds that aren’ t needed.  Steve Bousquet with the Herald-Times …

Governor Rick Scott’s plan to spend one-billion dollars on state public education has yet to become a favorite among Alachua County school officials.  Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Jordan Matich spoke with Alachua County Education Association President Karen McCann who says Governor Scott is taking the focus away from the students.. and into the pockets …

Several months after the Georgia Pacific plywood plant in the Alachua county town of Hawthorne closed, many who worked at the plant have not found jobs yet. As Florida’s 89.1,  WUFT-FM’s Tyler Welt reports, the plant’s closure has hurt not only the individuals at the plant, but the community as well. …

A Bronson woman and her eight-week old infant are in serious condition following a one-car crash on County Road 337 at the Alachua County line Saturday afternoon.  The Florida Highway Patrol reports 24 year old Ashley Wilcox from Bronson was traveling southbound on CR 337 when she suffered some kind …

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to study household dust in residences near the Cabot-Koppers Superfund Site. Alachua County Environmental Protection Director, Chris Bird says the study was prompted by concerns contamination may be making its way into area houses. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/media/audio/Bird1KoppersEPA.mp3] A pool of 400 households have been …

Alachua County experienced a loud burst of cold earlier this week. And for visitor attractions, keeping the ice of the plants isn’t the only concern. Florida’s 89.1, WUFT-FM’s Jordan Matich spoke with Florida Museum of Natural History Visitor and Operations Coordinator Jeff Hansen, who says keeping the butterflies warm is a seasonal …

Agriculture agents are working to assess exactly what a hard freeze and persistent cold weather will mean to crops currently growing. Alachua County Extension Agent Barton Wilder says strawberries and citrus would be most affected at farms if freeze protection steps were not effective. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/01/WILDER1.mp3] He says these farmers have …

School grades released by the state show Alachua County High Schools performing very well. Alachua County Public Schools Spokeswoman Jackie Johnson says the school district is happy with the across-the-board improvement. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/01/Johnson1grade.mp3] She says the scores go beyond just FCAT performance. [audio:http://www.wuft.org/news/files/2012/01/Johnson2grade.mp3] Among the 6 high-performing schools, Buchholz, Newberry and …

A school bus taking students to Kanapaha Middle School was involved in an accident Wednesday morning when it was rear ended by a car on Archer Road. 60 students were on the bus at the time of the accident.  Alachua County Schools Public Information Officer Jackie Johnson says the students …