MediaUpdate

​I worry about the heavy fist of government crushing the fundamental liberties of the American people.

Taking away our assault rifles.

Forcing us to abide same-sex marriage.

Expecting us to drive 35 mph on Northwest 16th Avenue.

Oh the humanity!

So I feel for the guy who complained in a letter to The Sun this week that county commissioners might force him to slow down on 16th.

He imagines the heavy fist in the form of "a motorcycle meter maid (sorry, police officer)" lurking on 16th to "ticket the poor slobs who paid for this road for, you know, their safety."

Actually it's for, you know, the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other living things that are not encased in a couple tons of Detroit steel. But never mind that.

Because, really, the letter writer is the victim here. It's hard to drive slow on that street.

And let's face it, we auto-Americans feel the need for speed. It is bred into us at a cellular level. Our cars are marketed on the seduction of speed — sleek auto porn.

Heck, my speedometer goes all the way to 140 mph.

And when you are heading west on 16th, with 13th Street in your rear-view mirror, there comes that auto-seductive moment — just past the GHS tennis courts — when you top that hill and see those four beautiful, broad lanes of open road slicing through Gainesville like a surgical scalpel.

And then gravity conspires with horsepower. And by the time you notice the 40 mph sign — if you notice it — you're already doing 45 ... maybe 50.

It is as though the road itself was designed with our cellular need for speed in mind.

Which it was. Over-designed in fact.

And that's the problem. And not just on 16th.

We have been routinely designing urban streets to near interstate standards for more than half a century. Wide, straight, multiple travel lanes, clear lines of sight, road edges unobstructed by dangerous obstacles like trees.

Roads that invite fast driving no matter the posted limit.

And ironically, we've done it in the name of "safety."

We design our roads to be idiot proof so idiots won't kill themselves driving on them.

But by doing so we induce idiots to drive as fast as they feel safe and comfortable driving.

Which is why automobile fatalities have been declining for years while pedestrian and cycling deaths have been headed in the other direction.

The posted speed on 16th is 40 mph. The medium speed is 47 mph.

In his book "Traffic, Why We Drive The Way We Do," Tom Vanderbilt writes "there is something crucial in the fact that above 20 miles per hour, humans begin to lose eye contact" with what's going on around them. At the same time, "our chances of dying as pedestrians if hit by a car" traveling above 20 "soar dramatically."

So why in the world did we deliberately design a road to facilitate death-defying driving at 47 mph in the middle of Gainesville? Especially a hilly road that is lined with neighborhoods, churches and schools?

It is as irresponsible as the Gainesville City Commission's decision to remove bike lanes on a short stretch of Eighth Ave. in order to restore it to the broad, straight, multi-laned speedway that heavy-footed idiots so love.

Right now the travel lanes on 16th are 13 feet (outside) and 11 feet (inside). County Commissioner Robert Hutchinson has suggested that both lanes be reduced to 10 feet to make room for 4-foot bike lanes. And that the speed limit be 35 mph. More importantly than lowering the posted limit, narrowing travel lanes force motorists closer together, which in turn induces them to drive more slowly and carefully.

It's called traffic calming by design.

Forcing drivers to slow down in auto-America is a risky business for politicians. The city commission's reversal on Eighth Avenue was nothing but reckless pandering to our need for speed.

Hopefully, county commissioners will show more courage in regard to 16th Avenue.

For, you know, the sake of pedestrians, cyclists and other living things.

— Ron Cunningham is former editorial page editor of The Sun. He currently serves as executive director of Bike Florida and lives in a neighborhood off Northwest 16th Avenue.

​LACROSSE – Now that the small Town of LaCrosse, Florida, has finalized their 2015/2016 fiscal year budget, some issues relating to their fire services have finally been settled, while some remain to be negotiated.

The town, which houses fire/rescue services for District 22, will continue to maintain its fire station for the 94-sq.-mile district, most of which is in unincorporated Alachua County. In order to do so, the town council had to come up with an additional $50,000 over the $140,764.59 that Alachua County pays the LaCrosse for fire/rescue services.

Once the Alachua County Board of County Commission (BOCC) denied the town their requested increase on Aug. 13, the town council had to seek funding elsewhere. Since the millage rate hadn't been raised in LaCrosse for 35 years and was the lowest in the County at 2.7173 mills, the town council voted unanimously on Aug. 24 to ask for an increase to 7.7173 mills.

The additional $50,000 expected to be earned by the increase was earmarked to pay for another trained fire person, which would provide two-person coverage 24/7, and to provide modest salary increases for their full-time personnel.

Although the council was not able to pass the requested five mill increase, on Sept. 21 they did approve an increase of three mills, bringing their new millage rate to 5.7173. The council also voted to use $20,000 from their reserve funds to supplement the remaining shortfall.

“This is something we can do for this year,” said Mayor Dianne Dubberly, “but the town cannot afford to continue to supplement the fire station in the future. We will have to come back and ask for a two mill increase for the 2016/2017 fiscal year,” she said.

The council also voted to authorize another $20,000 to be expended from reserves to help bring the fire station building up to code, said Dubberly. Electrical repairs, a small roof repair, power washing the building and painting are all expected to be scheduled according to Dubberly.

“Most of our citizens who questioned the reason for such a large millage increase in one year were satisfied to learn that the millage rate increase was for the purpose of maintaining local fire/rescue services,” said Dubberly. “One of our business owners said he would have to close up shop if fire services were not provided locally,” she said. “And of course the people living in the unincorporated areas would not have seen a millage increase as they were already part of the county's Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU).

Still up in the air is a decision regarding a pumper truck the county offered LaCrosse as part of their agreement for continuation of county fire services funding. During BOCC discussion Vice-Chair Robert “Hutch” Hutchinson proposed giving the pumper to LaCrosse with a full tank of gas. However, Commissioner Ken Cornell proposed the tanker be returned to the county if the Town of LaCrosse ceases to provide fire/rescue services in the future.

“We have a pumper and engine or tanker truck in LaCrosse already,” said Dubberly. “What we need is a four-wheel drive vehicle for quick medical emergency response and the ability to get to homes located on dirt roads filled with potholes,” said Dubberly. “We have some concerns about the condition of the vehicle the county wants to provide us, but we thought we could sell it to help us purchase the four-wheel drive vehicle if the county's vehicle is not in better condition than our own. With Commissioner Cornell's comment, we will not be able to do that.”

LaCrosse Fire Chief Paul McDavid and Councilman Tom Ewing are still negotiating with Alachua County Fire Chief Bill Northcutt on that issue, said Dubberly.

Meanwhile, the LaCrosse Town Council is expected to meet again on Oct. 12 to consider modest raises for their chief, assistant chief and full-time fire personnel and to learn the outcome of negotiations with Northcutt regarding the tanker.

ALACHUA – John Weber calls it the war zone because as of Monday afternoon, he hadn’t cleaned up the blood splattered across the wall of the stables that once housed his five miniature horses.

According to Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), deputies responded to 12808 NW 142nd Terr. in Alachua on Sunday, Oct. 4 to the report of aggressive dogs that had mauled a group of miniature horses. Upon arrival, deputies encountered several severely injured horses, the report said.

“One of the animals sustained fatal wounds from the dog (s) and another horse had to be put down due to the severity of its injuries,” the report continues. “Deputies used their issued trauma kits to provide emergency medical treatment to the other horses and contacted Dr. Randy Emmons, DVM, who responded to the scene to provide veterinary services to the surviving animals.”

By Monday morning, a third horse had died, said 69-year-old owner Weber. And, according to ACSO Public Information Officer Art Forgey, the case was handed over to the Alachua County Animal Services.

“Sparky, the little white one, died this morning,” Weber said while standing near the stalls where the incident happened.

“One mare was dead right here,” he said as he pointed to the doorway. “The others got attacked in here,” he said as he pointed to the blood-stained stalls.

“I’ve got two of them left,” he said of his heard of five purebred miniature horses.

“The mother took good care of them. She kicked the hell out of those dogs.

“There was five here, three of them got killed. Bella, my wife’s first horse was four. Another mare here was 17, she belonged to my vet. She got killed right over here. And the little stud, Sparky, died in my son’s arms when we moved him today.”

Weber buried all three horses in the pasture on Monday in an 8-foot deep grave, he said. Now, he said he wants to meet the owner of the dogs.

According to Forgey, Christa Goon was determined to be the owner.

“Goon was out of town and care for the dogs was being handled by Edmond Sermons,” Forgey stated in an email. According to the report, Sermons was contacted and advised the dogs escaped from the house where he was caring for them. Sermons was issued a citation for the dogs being at large by Animal Control Officer Kirby. Both dogs were seized by animal control.”

When Weber’s grandson arrived home from school on Monday, Oct. 5, he ran to the stall where Sparky was resting earlier that morning.

The A.L. Mebane Middle School student called out to Sparky, but as he approached the stall and realized it was empty, Weber delivered the bad news.

“Sparky was five months old,” Weber said. “My grandson named him.”

Weber’s wife Nancy has been up in New York since the attack happened and at first, he said he wasn’t going to tell her until she came home, but Weber said social media postings forced him to share the bad news.

“She was up there picking apples to bring home for the horses,” he said.

Weber plans to bleach the scene and paint the stalls with a fresh coat of white paint, he said.

He’s already taken wire panels used for a dog kennel apart and started putting them up around the pasture to keep another attack from happening.

The incident is not something he will ever forget the details of, he said.

“The dogs were over the top of here,” he said. “A dark brown and lighter colored one.”

The remaining two horses were skittish at first, but are starting to let visitors approach them.

“Wendy and her baby,” he said. “Wendy got cut underneath her jaw. Under her chin, big time, and they grabbed her hind leg. Curly Sue got just a scratch on her leg.

Weber is still not sure why the dogs attacked his horses and none of the livestock nearby.

“My neighbor’s got goats, they never touched them,” he said. “Why they came through here, I don’t know. And they went for the barn. That’s what got me.

“It’s life though. The ironic part is, that the goat up there was my granddaughter’s 4-H goat. That goat was in the corner shaking.

While the last two horses grazed in the pasture on Monday, Weber asked a question out loud as he watched them.

“I’ll always wonder, will they remember what they saw?”

He turned his attention back to Curly Sue, the smallest and youngest survivor.

“I’m glad she didn’t get hurt,” he said. “That’s my wife’s baby, right there. Her foot is still a little tender. The vet says she’ll be fine.”

Weber said he’ll be writing a letter to ACSO Sheriff Sadie Darnell about how deputies treated him and his herd.

He tears up when he explains what one deputy did upon arrival.

“The deputy stayed here the whole time,” he said about Deputy Montana Sayers.

“The lady was in the pen with a compress on that horse for 45 minutes trying to stop the bleeding.

“All she asked for was two things, he said.

“She wanted a bucket to sit on and she said, ‘give me some tissues.’ ”

“They were absolutely awesome,” he added.

“I’m not going to be mad,” Weber said about his upcoming meeting with the owner of the dogs who was away in Arizona when the attack happened.

“I don’t hold it against the dogs. I hold it against the owners.”

Other attacks

When Weber’s neighbor on the same street saw the news posted on ACSO’s Facebook page, she commented that her family has also had pets attacked and killed by dogs of similar description.

“I used to take my children to the bus stop,” Tracey Neel said.

But a year ago, a dog came out and tried to attack us,” she said. “We had to hide at our landlord’s house.”

Both Neel and Weber live within less than half a mile from W. W. Irby Elementary School located at 13505 NW 140th St.

Neel describes one dog as black and the other as blonde or brown that have both come to her fenced in yard on multiple occasions.

“It still comes in our yard from time to time,” she said about one of the dogs. “ It’s been probably two weeks since they we have seen the black dog.”

According to Neel, who resides five houses north of Weber on the same street at 13208 NW 142 Terr., she called Alachua County Animal Services last year when the dog was out back by the rabbit hutch and “ an hour later, the dog was gone, the rabbit was gone and we never saw animal control.”

According to a Alachua County Animal Services, a report of a dog attack was filed by Neel on Oct. 16, 2014, but the report says Neel called back and cancelled when the dogs left. At that point animal services did not pursue the incident, said Animal Services Field Investigator Darla Farnell.

“We lost the one rabbit one week and the next week, the other one was dead in the yard,” Neel said.

Dogs tipped over a rabbit house to get to the two rabbits.

“There have been dog issues in this area,” Neel said. “I can honestly say I don’t feel comfortable walking my kids to and from the bus stop every day.

“It was nothing dramatic like the horses, but it was for my daughter. With the black dog, we don’t know where it’s from. We keep our gate closed, we also now have a dog.”

According to Forgey, in these cases where animals get loose and kill pets or livestock on another property, the cases are turned over to Animal Services.

“Ultimately, the owner of the horse, to recover any money he is out, would have to sue,” Forgey said about recovery losses.

As of press time, Alachua County Animal Services maintained custody of the two dogs which are now part of an Aggressive Dog Investigation.

“We collect evidence and witness statements, records, documentation,” Farnell explained.

The official citation issued to Edmond according to Farnell was a violation of Ordinance 72.21 “companion animals creating a public nuisance.”

Weber said the dogs' owner still had not returned home and he hasn't spoken to her.

“I'm going to let my attorney do his work,” he said on Tuesday.

​LACROSSE – Luck may be improving for the Town of LaCrosse Fire Department. As reported previously, the department is receiving funding from their town to help bring the fire department building up to code and to provide two trained fire/rescue personnel on duty 24/7. In addition, the fire department recently received a grant to help replace some of their outdated safety equipment.

The funds, which were awarded by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, are being used to replace $15,390 of the $27,000 of outdated, non-compliant safety equipment needed by the town's fire department. Ten sets of Viking Hainsworth Titan Duo turnout gear (coat and pant) worth $15,390 were received by the LaCrosse Fire Department. The awarded equipment will replace old damaged gear, allowing the department to provide safe and efficient fire services to the community.

This Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) purchased through the grant is European designed and constructed gear that far exceeds the industry standard in the United States.

The brand was discovered by McDavid at Fire-Rescue East in Daytona Beach last January. Fire-Rescue East is the largest trade show held in the east by the Florida Fire Chief's Association. McDavid also learned that Milwaukee, Boston and Miami-Dade Training Academy were using this type of PPE and that the cost is roughly $500 per set lower than what is being used by other fire departments in Alachua County. “No other fire department in north Florida is using this technology,” said McDavid who feels the equipment is far superior to the usual equipment found in most U.S. fire departments.

Earlier this year, LaCrosse Fire Chief Paul McDavid made a case before the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) asking for the county to help keep his fire fighters safe by financing the cost of the outdated equipment. Although the county turned down the request, McDavid did not stop there. Instead he submitted a second request to the Firehouse Subs Foundation for assistance and was awarded a grant of more than $15,000 to help defray the cost of replacing some of the required equipment.

“Although the grant does not cover all the needed equipment,” said McDavid, “it goes a long way towards helping to keep our firefighters safe and does so at no cost to our citizens. It is a fantastic program and we can't thank Firehouse Subs enough for helping to keep our department's men and women safe as they work in hazardous conditions.”In one more area of good fortune, the City of Jacksonville loaned LaCrosse a 2004 American LaFrance fire truck to use while LaCrosse's 1991 Emergency One (E-One) truck is being repaired. “Their fire department is extremely generous and has loaned us their vehicle at no cost for whatever length of time we need to use it,” said McDavid. “We expect our truck to be out of service until after the first of the year. No matter how long it takes, Jacksonville's Fire Department has told us to keep their vehicle as long as we need it.”

“Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,” according to their web page. “Firehouse Subs co-founders, Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, traveled to Mississippi where they fed first responders as well as survivors.” As they traveled back to Florida exhausted and exhilarated, they knew more could be done and the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was born.

The Foundation, which has provided grants in excess of $14M, allocates funding in five distinct areas: life-saving equipment, prevention education, scholarships and continued education, support for members of the military and disaster preparedness and disaster relief.

The 501(c)(3) foundation reviews grant requests quarterly and, although Firehouse Subs is their major contributor, the foundation depends on citizen contributions as well to help fund their grants.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation can check their website at www.firehousesubs.com or go to their nearest Firehouse Subs location.

Anyone wishing to donate to the remaining $11,610 in replacement safety gear required by the LaCrosse Fire Department may contact the Town of LaCrosse City Hall at 386-462-2784 or Chief Paul McDavid at 386-462-1544.

​By April Warren

Staff writer

Although the Gainesville City Commission decided Thursday to delay discussion over whether to spend more money from the tree mitigation fund for tree-planting at Depot Park, that didn't stop the debate from finding its way to social media a few hours later.

“While this is certainly a worthy location to spend some of the tree fund, they shouldn't use it all in this location,” County Commissioner Robert Hutchinson wrote in a Facebook post, sharing a Sun story from Thursday night's city commission meeting.

By mid-Friday, his words had sparked more than two dozen comments from citizens and more than 100 affirmative "likes."

Thursday evening, city commissioners heard a plan to spend up to $734,693 on trees for Depot Park, a large outdoor project south of downtown that seeks to bring recreation and cultural to the 32-acre area.

But commissioners balked at the price tag, asking city officials to bring them more information on how much they had already approved for trees at the park and more details on the money sitting in the tree mitigation fund, which is fueled by developer fees. Some commissioners wondered if the money should be spent placing trees elsewhere in the city.

While interim Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency director Sarah Vidal-Finn presented the topic to the commission during Thursday’s meeting, she said her office was contacted by city staff who said there was a fund balance that could be used on Depot Park.

“I’m frustrated about a lot of aspects of this,” Gainesville Mayor Ed Braddy said Friday.

He asked city officials to return with more details on the mitigation funds' purpose, how much money is in the till and what it can be used for.

Braddy said city officials brought the idea to the CRA without consulting the city’s tree advisory board or commissioners.

The topic was originally placed on the "consent agenda," a portion of meetings generally reserved for items sure to generate little or no discussion.

Braddy said what happened seems to be an example of how government doesn’t work and is something the city is trying to get away from.

“This seems to be an example of the old way,” he said.

The plans outlined Thursday night called for planting larger trees than originally called for.

Hutchinson's Facebook post opined that it would be better to plant smaller trees that will grow to full size in just a few years than to pay more for larger trees.

One local expert, not associated with the city's project or the Facebook debate, agreed.

“As an arborist, in my experience, it’s always better to plant smaller trees,” said Shawn Gaston, a local certified arborist.

Smaller trees can handle the transplant and planting process better than larger ones and in some cases, outgrow the bigger ones in a few years, Gaston said. He also said moving larger trees is more of a production.

The proposal before the city calls for planting larger trees, including live oaks, to create a fuller tree canopy at the park entrance.

Hutchinson said if the city were to try and move large trees, they could lose several of them in the process, which would be expensive.

The tree-planting proposal did include a one-year warranty, although details were not provided in Thursday night's agenda materials.
Hutchinson’s wife, Meg Niederhofer, is a member of the tree board and the city's former longtime arborist. She spoke during Thursday evening’s meeting, saying the tree board had just learned of the proposal Monday, and shared commissioners' concerns.

While he had no window into city officials' decision-making, Hutchinson hypothesized Friday that impatience might be the driving force.

“In my opinion, it was either people wanted the image on the very opening day of a heavily treed park and aren’t willing to wait, or they had some money to burn or the consultants who were putting together the plans saw no reason to try and save any money. And it's frustrating because both the city and the county, between the two, there’s over a million dollars in tree-planting money that’s been accumulating in these pots and the city and the county has not been out planting trees,” Hutchinson said.

Braddy said the city has, in fact, been planting trees, but city hall offices are closed Fridays so more details weren't available.

Hutchinson, echoing city commission feedback, said trees might be better used in other parts of the city.

“There shouldn’t be a patch of sidewalk or railway that does not benefit from a shade tree and you can look all over this town and there are not shade trees where there should be,” he said.

​By Cleveland Tinker
Correspondent

Church security experts shared information with faith-based leaders from Alachua County, Jacksonville and Orlando at a Friday workshop to help churches plan for safety and awareness.

The Church Emergency Plan Development workshop featured Deacon Tony Clark of Southside Church of God in Christ in Jacksonville, also chief of security for the Florida Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ, who led a presentation on how to respond to an active shooter.

Dave Donnelly, emergency management director of Alachua County, led a presentation titled "Praise and Prepare: House of Worship Disaster Readiness."

Sponsored by the Alachua County Christian Ministerial Alliance, the workshop was held at DaySpring Missionary Baptist Church on Northeast Eighth Avenue, with close to 40 pastors and faith-based leaders in attendance.

Clark made his presentation first, and concluded by showing a video produced by the United States Department of Homeland Security on how to respond to an active shooter. The video stressed that anyone unfortunate enough to be present during an active shooting situation do three things: run, hide and fight.

"The first thing you want to do is run to safety," Clark said. "If you can get out of the dangerous situation, do so, and encourage others to do the same, but don't let them hold you up from getting out of the area."

Clark said people need to focus on the fact that their lives are the most important thing to save during active shooting situations, not their personal belongings.

Following the video, Clark emphasized that if you can't run, find somewhere to hide. He said successfully hiding includes turning off cell phones so they don't ring and alert the shooter to your hiding place.

"It is important that you hide quickly and quietly," Clark said.

Lastly, Clark said if you can't run or hide, figure out your best strategy to fight the shooter.

"As a last resort, fight with aggression and be committed to taking the shooter down no matter what," Clark said.

Clark also said that church greeters, parking lot attendants and ushers should be trained to be churches' first line of defense, able to observe behaviors and characteristics out of the norm.

"If it is 100 degrees outside, and you see a man walk into the church with a trench coat on, that should alarm your security staff," Clark said, adding that there were "176 deadly-force incidents at churches and faith-based organizations in the United States in 2014."

Clark said pastors must be aware of the legal ramifications involved with having church security, especially armed security. He said churches should consult with insurance companies and legal advisers before putting a security detail in place.

He also noted that the first thing churches need is an assessment of their individual security needs.

Clark urged pastors to research the people who live in the communities where their churches are located. He shared information he got from a quick Internet search about the number of sexual predators and offenders who live between 2 and 4 miles of DaySpring and nearby Upper Room Church of God in Christ on Northeast 15th Street.
He said 120 sexual offenders and predators lived within 2 miles of DaySpring, and 195 within 4 miles. He said 74 lived within 2 miles of Upper Room, and 159 within 4 miles.

"It is always good to know the people who you are around," Clark said.

During his presentation, Donnelly talked about the county's emergency preparedness program for churches. The outline of the program includes the "Four Pillars of Preparedness," "Big Six Hazards," and "Praise and Prepare."

The four pillars of preparedness includes getting a kit, getting a plan, being informed and being involved, he said.

The six major emergency hazards that threaten Alachua County are hurricanes, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, flooding, wildfires, hazardous materials and chemicals and workplace violence and terrorism.

He said the Praise and Prepare program was established to help churches build upon their traditional roles of caring for people. He said things churches must do to become a part of the program include: complete or update a church emergency plan; create a communication plan to contact congregants in the event of an emergency, conduct at least one evacuation drill each year and complete a praise and prepare application.

To contact Clark about church security workshops, call 904-707-4049 or email clark84@bellsouth.net. For more information about Praise and Prepare, call 352-264-6500 or email acem@alachuacounty.us.

​By Christopher Curry
Staff writer

State Sen. Rob Bradley, one of the most influential leaders in Tallahassee, expects to have Gainesville and possibly all of Alachua County removed from his district during the special session on redistricting that starts Monday.

“We're about to go back into special session for about the 700th time next week … It looks like I will not be representing the University of Florida anymore and not representing Gainesville anymore,” the Fleming Island Republican told an audience of university, local government and business officials Thursday at the UF Eye Opener Discovery Breakfast.

U.S. Rep Ted Yoho, R-Gainesville, and members of the Alachua County state legislative delegation were the speakers at the monthly event at the Hilton UF Conference Center

Bradley, who sits on the Senate's redistricting committee, said he plans to continue his re-election bid in whatever district eventually includes his home in Clay County. During his comments, Bradley focused on issues he said Alachua County residents know well: “speed traps, beer and the Gators.”

Disputing the argument the Legislature gets nothing done, Bradley pointed to the bill he sponsored and got passed that targeted speed traps and ticket quotas by requiring departments to inform the state when a good chunk of their revenue comes from tickets. That legislation was prompted by a series of investigative stories in The Sun concerning Waldo's notorious speed trap.

Bradley also talked about the issue he received the most phone calls on during his time in office - the state ban against craft breweries filling and selling 64-ounce, when they could sell the smaller 32-ounce variety and the larger one-gallon size.

In a district that included Gainesville's First Magnitude and Swamp Head breweries, Bradley sponsored the legislation that eliminated a “stupid” regulation and allowed sale of the growlers.

He also talked about the local delegation's unified support for the University of Florida's effort to achieve preeminence.

“If we lose Senator Bradley, that's a huge hole to fill,” State Rep. Keith Perry R-Gainesville told the audience.

Perry pointed to Bradley's leadership position - he is chair of the influential Regulated Industries Committee, vice chair of Fiscal Policy and serves on Criminal Justice- and his solid working relationship with other high ranking members of the Senate.

Bradley, who has a bachelor's degree and law degree from UF, said he would continue to work for the university and Gainesville's interests.

“I will always represent this area no matter what happens with these maps,” he said.

Bradley's 7th district now includes Alachua, Clay and part of Bradford counties. The six “base” maps that Florida Senate staff members have prepared for consideration during the special session include scenarios that group Bradley's home county of Clay with Putnam and most of Marion; with St. Johns and Flagler; with Bradford, St. Johns, part of Putnam and Union; or with Putnam, part of St. Johns and the eastern half of Marion.

Senate staff members have only one proposed map that includes Clay and any portion of Alachua County. In that scenario, a newly drawn District 4 includes Clay, the northern and eastern areas of Alachua County, Bradford, Columbia, Union, Baker, Suwannee and Lafayette counties.

That proposed map groups Gainesville and western Alachua County with Gilchrist, Levy, Dixie, Citrus and Sumter counties. The other maps Senate staff members prepared include these scenarios that primarily shift the district including Alachua County to the west and north:

-Alachua with Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Suwannee and Union in a newly drawn District 4.

- Alachua with Baker, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy and Suwannee in a newly drawn District 4.

Like the prior special session on congressional districts, the upcoming session on the Florida Senate maps follows a judge's ruling that some district boundaries from the the Republican-led Legislature's' prior redistricting efforts violated the Fair Districts constitutional amendment and its requirement for compact, contiguous districts that do not favor any political party.

The state's prison population and the state's school testing system, gun bills filed in the Legislature and Medicaid expansion were other areas covered.

Answering an audience question about mass incarceration, Bradley said too many people are in prison who do not pose a threat to society. He pointed to the fact that he sponsored a bill that did away with mandatory minimum laws that treated people who possess as few as seven hydrocodone pills as drug traffickers and included mandatory minimum prison sentences. .

State Rep. Clovis Watson Jr., D- Alachua, said he also planned to sponsor a bill in the upcoming session to remove roadblocks for restoring the civil rights of people who served time in prison. Perry said he supported restoration of rights, so Watson invited him to co-sponsor his planned proposal

In response to a question about the state's much maligned standardized educational testing system, members of the delegation all said the system needs an overhaul.

Bradley said the state needs “better tests and less tests” but there needs to be some type of testing to evaluate students and avoid a return to the days of “social promotion” of students who make it through the system without being able to read.

Watson called for more local School Board control over teacher and student evaluations.

Speaking to a university crowd, Watson also spoke in opposition of bills that would allow people with concealed weapons permits to carry guns on campus and to “open carry” guns outside their clothing.

On a campus with teenagers and young adults “who oftentimes don't handle stress well,” and protests, Watson said guns would be a public safety concern. Bradley and Perry have both spoken in support of allowing people concealed weapons permits to have guns on campus, saying they felt it would be a deterrent to someone planning a mass shooting attack.

Watson also criticized Republican lawmakers who have rejected Medicaid expansion in Florida, saying it leaves close to 1million Floridians without adequate health care coverage.

The federal government planned to fully fund that expansion for three years with that contribution declining over time to 90 percent of the costs.

Perry, who considers Medicaid expensive and inefficient, pointed out how the Medicaid budget has grown by some $9 billion from 2006 - from $13.9 billion to $23 billion. Perry said he felt Medicaid costs keep the state from funding other programs and he doesn't want to add more expense.

Watson said high health care costs were not limited to Medicaid and the state needs to address the issue. But he felt that was a separate issue than providing hundreds of thousands of low-income Floridians with coverage.

On another issue in the upcoming session, State Rep. Elizabeth Porter, R- Lake City, said she expected to again work to bring forward some form of water policy bill after measures failed to pass in recent sessions.

​Welcome back, my friends, to the road project that never ends.

The Northwest 16th Avenue/Boulevard project has caused headaches for motorists and county officials alike. After nearly two years of work, several delays and $7.5 million spent, problems with the finished product have led the County Commission to reconsider whether to narrow cars lanes, add bike lanes and drop the speed limit.

County commissioners are set to discuss these issues Oct. 27. County Commissioner Lee Pinkoson told The Sun that they must apologize to the public for the project taking so long.

"This is the project that will never end,” he said.

The commission can save the apologizes to concentrate on getting the road right — and not repeating mistakes that delayed the project.

Some of the issues involving 16th won’t be repeated for a while. County Manager Lee Niblock has implemented a plan to focus on just road resurfacing, rather than more extensive repairs and additional features, as a way to extend the county’s limited transportation budget.

But part of the problem for 16th was trying to do the work on the cheap. County civil engineer Brian Singleton told The Sun that various parts of the job, such as scheduling and use of resources, were set by the contractor to minimize bid prices.

As a result, weeks would sometimes pass with no crews on the job. Construction began in November 2013 and was supposed to be completed within a year, but kept being pushed back.

It’s a lesson the county must learn as it applies its low-budget philosophy to other major arteries such as Tower Road. The public has shown it wants road work done within the existing budget, but choices sometimes must be made whether work is done cheaply or quickly.

It’s tempting to use 16th as a lesson learned and move on, but the project continues to pose problems for the public. The decals in the lanes known as sharrows, meant to remind motorists they are sharing the road, are completely confusing.

The markings are close to the curb, rather than in center of the lane. As a result, they make it seem like they’re a bike lane in which cyclists must stay.

The confusion has commissioners considering whether to add actual bike lanes, narrow car lanes to 10 feet, and drop the speed limit to 35 mph from the current 40 mph.

Lest anyone forget, these are the same issues that caused endless bickering about the project when it was being planned. It’s the same tired debate that we seem to have endlessly in our community — drivers complaining that cyclists should just use the sidewalk, cyclists saying the sidewalks are dangerous and they have a right to use the road.

It shouldn’t be so controversial to try to accommodate cyclists on a major east-west route. While sharrows are more appropriate on a smaller road such as Northwest 12th Street, where they're meant to steer cyclists off the dangerous 13th Street, there isn’t a parallel road near 16th that could serve a similar function.

Every major artery doesn’t need a bike lane — with the Northwest Eighth Avenue project being an example of a bike lane that was too short and fragmented to be worth the cost. But a bike lane, lower speed limits and narrower car lanes on 16th would be appropriate for a road lined with homes, businesses, churches and schools.

Everyone is anxious for 16th to finally be finished, but commissioners owe it to the public to get it right and not make the same mistakes the next time around. Apologies are nice, but a properly functioning road is better.

​By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer

A task force to study the safety and reliability of Interstate 75, and provide relief for cars and trucks, has been formed by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Among those named to the panel from Alachua County are County Commissioner Chuck Chestnut, Hawthorne Mayor Matt Surrency and Jane Adams, University of Florida Vice President for University Relations.

Marion County members are County Commissioner Stan McClain and Kevin T. Sheilley, president and CEO of the Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership.

Levy County Commissioner John Meeks is also on the panel.

“They are trying to look at how they can get some of the congestion ... off I-75. Where the interstate and the Turnpike come together, you have a higher number of accidents than would typically be created,” said Surrency, who is also on the Florida Transportation Steering Committee for the Florida League of Cities.

The task force is part of an FDOT planning process for the future of the state’s major transportation corridors over the next 50 years.

A task force goal will be to provide recommendations for developing new high-capacity corridors from Tampa Bay to Jacksonville, including I-75.

“Florida is the third-largest state in the nation with almost 100 million visitors each year,” FDOT Secretary Jim Boxold said in a press release. “Interstate 75 is the primary gateway into Central Florida and Tampa Bay for visitors and commuters and one of the most traveled truck routes in the state, it’s critical to examine options to increase mobility and safety in this region.”

District FDOT spokeswoman Gina Busscher provided average daily traffic counts for various points on I-75 for Alachua and Marion counties in 2014.

The busiest point in Alachua County was at Newberry Road with 70,000 vehicles, followed by the Northwest 39th Avenue area with 68,500.

In Marion County, the area of State Road 200 averaged 80,753 vehicles a day followed by U.S. 27 with 69,000.

South of the Turnpike in Sumter County, an average of 61,500 vehicles traveled daily on I-75.

FDOT officials said the first meeting of the task force will be Dec. 7. Its work is expected to be complete and a report presented by Oct. 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, a lot of work is planned for I-75 in Marion and Alachua counties.

Resurfacing has begun in Marion County and is planned for Alachua.

And cameras and sensors have been installed in Alachua County across Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in a major technology boost to try to prevent a repeat of a series of crashes in January 2012 in heavy smoke and fog that killed 11 and left 20 more hospitalized.

Large dynamic messaging signs will also be installed.

​By Cindy Swirko
Staff writer

An investigation in the recent mauling of several miniature horses has been completed and turned over to the Alachua County attorney's office in a process to determine if two dogs should be designated as aggressive.
 
The Oct. 4 attack killed three horses owned by John Weber, of 12808 NW 142nd Terrace in Alachua. Two, including a mare who tried to protect her offspring, were injured but were recovering.

“The two that survived are going to make it. The other three — we lost them,” Weber said. “My dog was going crazy so I went out and I stepped on one of them that was dead.”

Weber said he called the Sheriff's Office, which was able to capture the dogs. They are now being held at Alachua County Animal Services, which conducted the investigation.

The owner of the dogs is Christa Goon, according to the Sheriff's Office. Weber said Goon's property is behind his and added that he had never seen the dogs before.

Goon told The Sun that her dogs did not attack the horses but would not comment further.

“I have no comment and my dogs did not do this,” Goon said. “I have no further comment.”

ASO Sgt. Brandon Kutner said Goon was out of town when the mauling happened.

A caretaker had been coming to look after the dogs. They got out of the house and dug under a fence onto Weber's property, said Lin Santerfeit, Animal Services field supervisor.

The mauling was described by officials as gruesome and severe.

“One of our deputies had to put one of the animals down because of severity of the injuries,” Kutner said. “On another horse we applied some tourniquets and first aid from one of our trauma kits.”

One of the dogs was microchipped, which is how they were linked to Goon.

Santerfeit said the investigator has gathered affidavits, veterinary reports, photographs and other information to complete the investigation.

“The county attorney will make a decision on whether we have enough evidence to go with filing aggressive dogs classification,” Santerfeit said. “If they fit the description of an aggressive dog, the owners may reclaim the dogs as long as the come into compliance with what is required.”

Those requirements include spaying or neutering, a rabies vaccination and microchipping if it's not already done. Also photos of the dogs must be taken, and they must be kept in proper enclosures with posted warnings.

If a dog is deemed to be aggressive, the owner can request a hearing. If the owner prevails, the dog can go home with no restrictions.

​By April Warren
Staff writer

The county is adding two more patches of environmentally sensitive lands to its Registry of Protected Public Places.

Tuesday evening the county unanimously agreed the lands, the Buck Bay Flatwoods Preserve and the Watermelon Pond Preserve, deserve protection via the registry.

Both land areas were previously acquired by Alachua County Forever, a program run by the county with funds approved by the voters in 2000 from a quarter-mill property tax. The purpose of the program is to acquire, improve and manage environmentally significant land.

Now the protection of Buck Bay and Watermelon Pond have gone one step further, to the Registry of Protected Public Places, put in place by the voters in 2008.

Land added to the registry can only be sold or converted for other uses by a majority of voters during a countywide referendum election.

From March 2011 to October 2012, the county placed 14,161 of its 19,295 acquired acres onto the registry.

The 464-acre Buck Bay Flatwoods Preserve is located in the Hatchet Creek watershed on County Road 225 in the northeast part of the county. The county acquired the preserve on May 16, 2013 to improve and manage the land and protect drinking water resource, wildlife habitats and natural areas for recreation. The area is home to the gopher tortoise, a species the state has listed as threatened.

Watermelon Pond Preserve sprawls in the southwest part of the county between Archer and Newberry. The area’s Gladman, Ferran and King Tracts were already previously registered. Now the 19-acre Wright Tract and the 640-acre Metzger Tract will be added to the registry.

Both of these tracts were previously acquired by the city, Wright in July 2013 to preserve and enhance the sandhill natural community and Metzger in April 2012 to improve the connection between existing conservation lands in the area. Protected wildlife have also been found in this area such as the gopher tortoise, bald eagle, wood stork, sandhill crane, great egret, burrowing owl and striped newt.

Alachua Forever has acquired more than 19,000 acres into its program, a little more than 14,100 of which have been registered.

​By April Warren
Staff writer

Flakka, a new synthetic drug with dangerous side effects that has become an epidemic in Broward County is creeping its way into our area, according to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.
The drug, which has a similar makeup to the synthetic drug Molly, can be bought cheaply via the Internet and if taken to the point of overdose, can cause fits of excited delirium, violence and a rise in body temperature that can cause individuals to strip off their clothes, sweat and crave water.

During a presentation before the County Commission Tuesday morning, Sheriff Sadie Darnell called the drug “a major public safety issue.”

The effects are treatable with medical attention, but if left untreated, the consequences can be fatal, according to Lt. Todd Kelly, the ASO Commander of the Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force.

Synthetic drugs are man-made psychoactive substances designed to mimic the effects of drugs like marijuana, cocaine and heroin. Overseas scientists making the products keep ahead of legislation that bans them slightly tweaking the formula into a new version of the same substance.

According to Kelly, two months ago he'd never seen Flakka in Alachua County, but it's here now.

“We're really trying to get out in front of it before we have an epidemic like South Florida does,” Kelly said.

Darnell said she has several staff members working on the issue.

“We're going to stay tapped into this, we're going to stay ahead of this,” she said. ASO will continue to spread the word about the drugs' harmful effects.

Although getting medical attention for someone under the influence of such drugs is critical, it can be tricky, Kelly said. They often become paranoid that people are out to harm them and become uncooperative, he said, and traditional tactics, such as a baton or Taser can be ineffective. The increase in body temperature often causes sweats, and coupled with thrashing, makes it tough for officers to get handcuffs on the person.

The internet is full of videos showing public safety officials struggling with those under the influence of synthetic drugs.

"If you see something like this, don't sit there and video tape it, call 911, get this guy some help,” Kelly said.

Alachua County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Harold Theus told the commission his agency's protocol is to administer a sedative to any patients with excited delirium, but he isn't aware of any local calls related to Flakka. There was a rash of calls over a 24- to 36-hour period about a year ago with patients suffering similar symptoms after using synthetic marijuana, he said.


Facts

"Flakka" (alpha-PVP)

The following information was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse:

Use of a dangerous synthetic cathinone drug called alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone, popularly known as "Flakka," is surging in Florida and is also being reported in other parts of the country.

Alpha-PVP is chemically similar to other synthetic cathinone drugs popularly called "bath salts," and takes the form of a white or pink, foul-smelling crystal that can be eaten, snorted, injected, or vaporized in an e-cigarette or similar device. Vaporizing, which sends the drug very quickly into the bloodstream, may make it particularly easy to overdose. Like other drugs of this type, alpha-PVP can cause a condition called "excited delirium" that involves hyperstimulation, paranoia, and hallucinations that can lead to violent aggression and self-injury. The drug has been linked to deaths by suicide as well as heart attack. It can also dangerously raise body temperature and lead to kidney damage or kidney failure.

​A new drug with some nasty effects is hitting the streets of Gainesville.

Click to watch this story.

​By Olivia Vega  

When Aisling Cooney went to dinner with her friends over the weekend, she wasn’t prepared for the unexpected guests.

The University of Florida student was enjoying a meal outdoors at Steamer’s around 7:30 p.m. when she noticed all of the mosquitoes.

“My friends and I had to swat them off of each other,” Cooney said.

Although Cooney left with only a few bites, she said she saw far more mosquitoes than she typically sees on a night outdoors.

Cooney is not the only one in Alachua County seeing this increase in mosquitoes. Surveillance systems used by the county have detected an increase in mosquitoes
A wet summer has contributed to an increase in mosquitoes and the possibility of mosquito-borne diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Alachua County Health officials are urging people to take precautions before going outdoors, such as wearing long sleeves and applying insect repellent.

over the past few weeks, said Anthony Dennis, the environmental health director with the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County.

Dennis said these surveillance systems, consisting of citizen complaints, mosquito trap data and chickens placed throughout the county, also confirmed the presence of a mosquito-borne illness.

Dennis said Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) was detected last Friday. This mosquito-borne illness was found in one of the chickens the department has placed throughout the county in late July.

According to the Center for Disease Control, EEEV is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people have no apparent illness; however, severe cases begin with sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. It may progress to disorientation, seizures or coma.

Most cases of EEEV occur in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states, the CDC reports, and it is one of the most severe mosquito-transmitted diseases in the United States.

Although there has yet to be a confirmed human case this year, Dennis said he urges Alachua County residents to take precautions.

The best thing to do to avoid getting any type of mosquito-borne illness is to avoid being bitten, Dennis said.

The wet summer, Dennis said, has led to the increase in mosquitoes.

“When the rain backs off, you can almost count on it, about two weeks later you experience huge mosquito blooms,” Dennis said.

Dennis also said he recommends residents practice the “drain and cover” method to prevent mosquito breeding and biting.

The “drain” part of the method encourages people to drain water from trashcans, gutters, flowerpots — anything that could hold standing water.

Just the smallest amount of water can breed a lot of mosquitoes, Dennis said.

The “cover” involves wearing long-sleeved clothing and insect repellent (specifically containing DEET) while outdoors, as well as covering doors and windows with proper screens.

“We urge everyone to be aware and to take precautions to avoid being bit by mosquitoes,” Dennis said.

For more information from the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County regarding mosquito-prevention, click here.

​By Aida Mallard
Correspondent

Do you want to purchase a home but need a little help with the down payment?

Or are you looking to rent but don't have enough money for the rental and utility deposits?

Alachua County is now accepting applications from county residents for homebuyer down payment assistance and rental deposit programs.

And applications for funding to agencies that provide special needs repairs and construction and home repairs will be available later this month.

Ralston Reodica, the Alachua County housing program manager, said the county’s Growth Management Department has $611,600 available in funding for 2015-2016 from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP.

He said funding will be divided among four programs: Homebuyer down payment assistance, rental/utility deposit assistance, special needs and home repairs.

Susan Meadows, housing program coordinator, said many residents in Alachua County don’t know these programs are available to them.

“We want to get the word out to the outlying communities,” Meadows said. “We encourage people to apply, even if they think they won’t qualify. More (residents) can qualify than they think can.”

Reodica said applications for the down payment assistance and rental deposit assistance programs are ongoing and are available now. Applications for the special needs and home repair programs will be available beginning Oct. 21.

“We don’t have a wait list, and in the county, we don’t close the application process,” Reodica said.

Below is a look at the four programs:

Down payment

Meadows said the program provides assistance to income eligible first-time homebuyers for down payment and closing costs, as well as, home repairs that are necessary to meet minimum housing codes.

A maximum of $10,000 is available per eligible household.

To qualify, Meadows said eligible applicants must have not owned a primary residence in the last three years. They also must complete a homebuyer education course and qualify for an affordable first mortgage through a lending institution. They also must have obtained a home inspection from an approved inspection service and meet other requirements.

For more information, call 352-337-6284.

“Down payment assistance is available to single parents, or displaced homemakers, or residents displaced from homeownership due to divorce,” said Meadows, adding that down payment assistance also is available for mobile homes that are two years old or less at the time of the application.

Kayla Ellsworth, marketing director and administrative coordinator at the Neighborhood Housing Development Corp., or NHDC, said the purpose of taking the homebuyer education course is to provide first-time homebuyers with information they need.

Topics covered include the mortgage loan process, shopping for a home and working with a Realtor, other down payment home assistance programs, the importance of a professional home inspection, homeowners insurance, approved lenders and inspectors, responsibilities of owning a home, the pros and cons of owning a home, the closing process and other topics.

“This is really great for first-time homebuyers,” said Ellsworth, adding that any first-time homebuyer can take the education course.

Ellsworth said there is a $50 registration fee, which is refunded when the homebuyer closes on a home. The homebuyer education course/seminar is offered from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturdays. The next class will take place on Oct. 24 at the Gainesville/Alachua County Association of Realtors at 1750 NW 80th Blvd. To schedule a class, call 352-380-9119.

Rental assistance

Candie Nixon, director of Alachua County Social Services, said the Rental Deposit Assistance program provides funding of up to $1,700 to pay for rental security and utility deposits, as well as housing inspection fees - if applicable - for eligible households within Alachua County.

Eligible utility deposits include water, sewer, electric and gas.

Nixon said funding is available on a first-come, first-qualified, first-served basis to Alachua County residents who will be primary tenants of the dwelling. College students are not eligible unless they’re employed at least 25 hours per week.

Nixon said assistance is available only one time in a lifetime. To qualify, applicants must show they can afford to pay monthly rent and utilities and can lease an apartment for a least one year. She said the rental unit must be safe and hazard free.

Nixon noted applicants must attend a group or individual orientation. Group orientations are held at 2:45 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of each month. The next orientation will be held on Oct. 12 at the Social Services Department at the Alachua Health Department at 218 SE 24th St.

“This (rental resource program) is a great resource for low-income and working families who need assistance with sustainable housing,” Nixon said. “It helps to stabilize the family.”

To apply and for more information, call 352-264-6721.

Special needs

Funding totaling $50,000 is available on a reimbursement basis to nonprofit agencies and quasi-government agencies to assist very low-income households in Alachua County.

An example of a quasi-government agency is the Alachua County Housing Authority.

Meadows said the funding may be used for construction or rehabilitation of temporary, transitional, or long-term houses that address special needs, including, but not limited to, persons with developmental disabilities, mental illness, chemical dependency, HIV/AIDS, elderly and disabled adults and the homeless.

Applications for funding will be available beginning Oct. 21 and are due by 1 p.m. Nov. 20 to Alachua County Growth Management Department at 10 SW Second Ave.

For more information, call 352-337-6284.

Home repairs

Meadows said funding totaling $150,000 is available on a reimbursement basis to affordable housing providers - such as Alachua Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together North Central Florida or NHDC - to provide home repairs to income-eligible households in Alachua County.

Eligible home repairs include, but are not limited to, roofs, septic systems and accessibility ramps.

Applications for funding will be available beginning Oct. 21 and are due by 1 p.m. Nov. 20 to Alachua County Growth Management Department at 10 SW Second Ave.

For more information, call 352-337-6284.

​ALACHUA COUNTY-- A new street drug that’s already killed more than 40 people in South Florida has made its way to north central Florida.

It’s a new synthetic drug promising good times to anyone who takes it.

Some are seeing the scary effects this chemical can have on your body.

It’s called Flakka.

A drug made in china that is supposed to give users a feeling of euphoria similar to ecstasy.

The drug first made an appearance in South Florida but is now spreading across the state.

" It already is here locally in Alachua county," said Alachua County Drug Task Force Lt. Todd Kelly 

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies have discovered two cases in the past two months.

Say it has an appealing effect to the student population.

" Students at UF who have said their roommates were high on Flakka who said they felt like they had symptoms or felt like they were going to overdose," said Lt. Kelly.

" I could see it becoming popular as sad as that is," said UF Sophomore Madison Vittoria.

Sophomore Madison Vittoria tells me she has seen other students do drugs to get away from reality.

This drug is called five dollar insanity for a reason.

" You're downtown dancing from a night of fun on campus ends up with you running naked down a street. dying from excited delirium," said Lt. Kelly.

Flakka can cause serious manic episodes.

This video shows a man on a synthetic drug who took all his clothes off and proceeded to take down anything in his way.

Deputies say it is scary to deal with people who are on these drugs.

" South Florida they've said they've sprayed people with oc eaten it like banana breathe spray, it’s had no effect. Tasers have had little to no effect. people have demonstrated superhuman strength," said Lt. Kelly. 

The only effective way officers have discovered to get this person under control is essentially a dog pile.  which can look bad for the arresting officers.

" What it appears is that 4 or 5 law enforcement officers are piling on a college age kid that is naked in the street what is the harm there. We’re trying to get them medical attention it’s a medical emergency," said Kelly.

With the drug being so new.

Officers are learning more about Flakka on a case by case basis.

The only thing deputies can do is warn the public of the negative effects.

Click to watch this story.