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Gainesville City Commission dual-names street, discusses gun violence, approves residential complex at Magnolia Parke

Curtis Peterson speaks to the Gainesville City Commission about the road dual-named for his parents

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At their January 4 meeting, the Gainesville City Commission dual-named a street after Dr. Simon and Verna Johnson, discussed gun violence, and approved a residential complex at Magnolia Parke.

Dr. Simon and Verna Johnson Street

During the afternoon session of the meeting, the commission took up a resolution to dual-name SE 4th Street between Williston Road and SE 21st Avenue as “Dr. Simon and Verna Johnson Street.” Dr. Simon Johnson was the first African American tenured professor in the College of Education at the University of Florida; Verna Johnson served as a teacher, advisor, and Assistant Director of the Alachua County Head Start Program; and the Johnsons founded the Caring and Sharing Learning School in 1998.

After numerous members of the public expressed their support for the resolution to dual-name the road, Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut made a motion to approve the resolution, and Commissioner Bryan Eastman seconded the motion. The motion passed 6-0, with Chestnut and Commissioner Reina Saco voting remotely and Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker absent.

Commissioner comment

During commissioner comment at the end of the afternoon session, Ward said, “We know that across America and in cities small and large, gun violence continues to be a problem. We saw that in headlines and in calls from our neighbors, the last couple of weeks. I can’t imagine anything more tragic than losing a loved one, period, to gun violence, particularly in the way that some of these have happened recently. I do not have a great solution to offer, but I’ve spoken with the [City] Manager’s office, and I want to make it clear to anybody watching that this is, indeed, something that weighs heavily on all of us.”

Ward said that if any city government had found a solution, “we would all copy exactly what that city had done. We are still casting about for the solution. And I will tell you that it is not any one particular kind of gun violence that is making the numbers rise: it is domestic violence, it is the street crime, it is a variety of different things. And all of it is happening more because there are more and more guns available.”

“I will urge everyone–everyone. If you feel like you must have a gun in your automobile, car, truck, whatever–I don’t know why you do, but if you feel like you must, please lock it… And I would urge you to please not keep a firearm in your vehicle.” – Mayor Harvey Ward

Ward said, “I will urge everyone–everyone. If you feel like you must have a gun in your automobile, car, truck, whatever–I don’t know why you do, but if you feel like you must, please lock it… So many of the gun crimes… happen with guns that are stolen out of unlocked vehicles. My goodness. That’s a low bar for all of us. Let’s keep our cars locked, at the very least. And I would urge you to please not keep a firearm in your vehicle.”

He added, “If you find yourself in a discussion, in a moment of difficulty, don’t reach for the gun. Once you do, it’s over, and you can’t take it back.” Ward asked Gainesville Police Chief Lonnie Scott if he had anything he wanted to say about the latest gun violence and murders.

“It seems to be a change in culture, a change in the social fabric of our country, and particularly here in Florida, with access to guns, things are getting to the point where folks who used to have fistfights, now they have gunfights.” – Gainesville Police Chief Lonnie Scott

Scott said, “This is a tragedy, quite frankly, that the nation is sharing.” He said he went to a recent conference in Indianapolis, “and it’s the problem that everyone’s facing. And it seems to be a change in culture, a change in the social fabric of our country, and particularly here in Florida, with access to guns, things are getting to the point where folks who used to have fistfights, now they have gunfights.”

Scott continued, “The one thing I want to emphasize is that this is not a law enforcement problem; this is a community problem, and it’s going to take every component of our community to be successful in addressing it… Working through that together, working collaboratively, we can identify what the real problems are, the social structure, I mean, the fact that you have young folks that can take a life and not think twice.”

“Most of the folks that are committing the crimes are folks in this 14 to 25, 26 years of age [group]; that says a whole lot… And that says a whole lot about our parenting, our education system, our employment, mental health, the whole gamut.” – Chief Scott

“Most of the folks that are committing the crimes are folks in this 14 to 25, 26 years of age [group]; that says a whole lot,” Scott said. “And that says a whole lot about our parenting, our education system, our employment, mental health, the whole gamut.” He said the budget would be “critical” for addressing the problem and that Gainesville Police Department (GPD) would be applying for some grants.

Commissioner Ed Book asked Scott to summarize the incidents over the holidays because “people may have questions and say, you know, things are not being done. In fact, things are being done.”

Scott discussed a recent homicide during the custody exchange of a child; after allegedly shooting a woman who arrived with the father of her child, the suspect drove at high speed to Alachua before being arrested. Scott said, “Thank God the children weren’t injured, but they are emotionally scarred for the rest of their lives. They sat there and saw their mom shoot someone, and they’re scarred because they saw a person die on scene.” Scott said there was nothing the police could have done to prevent that because “who would have guessed that that person would, you know, be to the point mentally that they do something like that?”

Scott also mentioned the four people who were shot at the Rose Food Store: “Again, that type of activity, someone drives by, decides that they’re going to take shots at some folks that are outside. Luckily, in that shooting, no one died. We thank God for that.” Regarding prevention, he said GPD can increase patrols and put officers in those locations, “but the simple fact is, we can’t be everywhere.”

Scott said they focus on “hotspots, those locations where we have a history of violence or potential violence.” He said that GPD persuaded some event organizers to cancel holiday gatherings that had the potential to have some type of violence, “particularly on Christmas night, and, I believe as well, that Christmas week.” He said GPD was also able to address a large gathering of over 1,000 people in Waldo over the New Year’s weekend before it became a problem.

Book said he planned to talk to the State Attorney about Impact Panels, which are “on the long-term future preventative side… [and] typically target people who have already committed acts of violence and attempting to make sure that if they’re not incarcerated, they’re not likely to do that again because they’ve seen this tremendous devastation that they’ve done.”

“We’ve identified the people who have that propensity to be involved in gun violence and have an agreement that once we identify these folks and we make the arrest, they will seek the toughest prosecution that they could, and [State Attorney] Brian Kramer has given us plenty of assistance.” – Chief Scott

Scott said his department works with the State Attorney, and they have their “Top 10.” He said, “We’ve identified the people who have that propensity to be involved in gun violence and have an agreement that once we identify these folks and we make the arrest, they will seek the toughest prosecution that they could, and [State Attorney] Brian Kramer has given us plenty of assistance.” He said they’re also reformatting the Drug Task Force to incorporate the State Attorney’s office. 

Book said, “I am in favor of prosecution to the fullest for those who victimize others; sometimes it makes people nervous when they hear that… So the people who choose that violence have to live with the consequences of creating that violence.” Book also suggested increasing cash rewards for people who provide information that helps solve violent crimes and also suggested posting pictures of suspects who are wanted for gun violence. Scott said GPD publicizes information about people who are “continuing threats to our community.”

Book also praised Rep. Yvonne Hinson for proposing legislation that would make it a crime to leave a gun in an unlocked car, although he said he didn’t know “what kind of traction it’s gonna get at the State.”

City Manager Cynthia Curry said the City has created a position of Gun Violence Prevention Coordinator, but a solicitation late last year was not successful, and they initiated another round of applications. That person will “work with Chief Scott, [Fire] Chief Dixon, John Alexander, and that core group of folks to do more analysis about how we can use data to work through some of the decision-making that needs to happen to reduce this plague.” The “temporary” position will be funded through December 2026 with federal ARPA funds. She said her office is also still working with Santa Fe College and the County to form a Gun Violence Task Force. 

Magnolia Parke

Artist’s rendering of future Magnolia Parke development

In other business, the commission voted to approve a modification to the Magnolia Parke Planned Development (PD) that will allow the developers to add about 250 residential units to the west of One Love Cafe, along with a clubhouse and pool to the north of the restaurant. The original PD allowed for 400 residential units, but only 10 have been built, and the original plan called for the units to be spread throughout the development instead of clustered in one corner.

Eastman made a motion to approve the PD amendment on first reading, and multiple commissioners seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0, with Saco voting remotely and Chestnut and Duncan-Walker absent.

  • “Most of the folks that are committing the crimes are folks in this 14 to 25, 26 years of age [group]; that says a whole lot… And that says a whole lot about our parenting, our education system, our employment, mental health, the whole gamut.” – Chief Scott

    Duh, the problem is the twisted young people and their many facilitators, not the implements. It all began with Johnson’s “great society” [gag] in the 60’s. BTW did Johnson have Kennedy killed? I used to dismiss it, but now I’m not so sure.

    • Yes, Johnson and the deep state killed JFK. Because he didn’t play along for Vietnam, their next Korea and endless war. So they hoped.

    • LBJ was involved in the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty and also the NASA Apollo mission hoax. The TV crew were staged in a hangar and Clovis AFB, NM. Johnson showed up to make sure it was hush-hush. I was stationed at Clovis AFB during the Vietnam war.

  • Ward said, “I will tell you that it is not any one particular kind of gun violence that is making the numbers rise: it is domestic violence, it is the street crime, it is a variety of different things. And all of it is happening more because there are more and more guns available.” He’s avoiding the real reasons, the lack of discipline, the lack of respect for others, the high numbers of single parent households.

    Even Chief Scott skirted, “Most of the folks that are committing the crimes are folks in this 14 to 25, 26 years of age [group]; that says a whole lot.” He added, “And that says a whole lot about our parenting, our education system, our employment, mental health, the whole gamut.” When you don’t want to place the blame where it lies I guess it helps to throw everything out there and hope something sticks. Politicians are pretty good at that.

    Two local leaders, who along with the others, are afraid to actually admit in a public setting the real culprits responsible for the majority of gun crimes in the city.

    Here’s something to consider, given all the law enforcement officers in the country and all the weapons they have at their disposal, their guns don’t jump out of their holsters and vehicles and discharge on their own. Someone’s pulling the trigger.

    • Cut the crap. Having kids riding around with easily attainable guns is at least 1/2 the problem. Where do they get them? They buy them from criminals and they’re cheap because there are so many of them. Wild teenagers and gangs are not new developments in America, but the sheer number of guns is

      • All the guns in the world are no problem unless you have a person with bad intent willing to use it. The problem is that these kids get their bad intent, in part, from violent video games, violent TV, violent internet, violent social media, and violent music. Those things create a culture of violence, and decades of research show us that engaging with violent content is strongly correlated with violent behavior. Like using guns against other humans. So, the better solution is “reasonable restrictions” on kids’ access to violent content. Because, like you, if they are not prone to violence in the first instance, then they will never use a gun in a violent way.

        Or put another way- reasonable restrictions on the First Amendment will have much more significant and positive influences on violent behavior than any restrictions on the Second Amendment. Surely you agree. 🙂

        *Obviously, I’m not talking about people with true mental health issues

        • “All the guns in the world are no problem unless you have a person with bad intent willing to use it. …”

          Yeah, good luck eliminating that. In the meantime arm everyone to the teeth, hope for the best, and too bad for the innocent getting gunned down and the rest living in fear. That’s your solution?

          • Maybe you didn’t read my whole comment. Reasonable restrictions on the First Amendment would have far more influence on the culture of violence and violent behavior in America (backed by decades of research). I said nothing about arming anyone or having no sympathy for victims.

            But, hey, I’ll play along and offer a non-response to your non-response: Take all guns away from all Americans? That’s your solution? (Yes, I know you didn’t say that. See how that works?)

          • Sick, you seriously cannot believe that the answer to gun deaths is changing enough hearts and minds, no matter how you do it. You should start with the fact that humans today are less violence prone then at anytime in our known history – less people die at the hands of other humans, per capita – and that bad character was more prevalent in our past. Ever hear of racism, slavery, lynchings, the holocaust, the leaders of European nations beheading or drawing and quartering victims in front of cheering mobs? ISIS does one beheading and most humans alive now gag and protest – and rightly so. Studies on the effects of violent video games and movies – much as I don’t like them – are inconclusive.

            Yes, part of the problem is absentee – at best – parents and the glorification of macho violence in our culture, but easy guns for hormone drunk immature teenagers is asking for murder, and getting it. You can’t do drive by bludgeoning or slashing.

        • I absolutely believe that teaching kids the right cultural values (and there are right cultural values) will decrease gun violence among teens. Do you see much gun violence of this type in the middle and upper class neighborhoods of America? No. That’s because that group of people live by a set of values instilled in them as they grew up. And it has nothing to do with race. Middle and upper class black folks are just as peaceful as anyone else.

          And no, the data in not inconclusive. There is a very strong positive correlation between violent content and violent behavior. That’s a fact. So, yes, reasonable restrictions on access to that content would absolutely decrease violence. Did I ever say anything about eliminating gun violence completely? Nope. But this could alter it significantly- i.e., this could decrease the number of murders by gun.

          Gun deaths in general? Well, let’s start by understanding that most gun deaths are suicides. That’s a whole different set of issues.

          But you know what is a common thread between these two issues? Outlawing or restricting the rights of law abiding citizens to own guns is not going to affect either. There are as many or more guns in America as there are people. No law is going to change that. That ship sailed long ago Jazz. Pass a law and these same kids are still going to have easy access to guns. Because they weren’t taught to respect and follow the law! And that, not guns, is the issue my leftist friend.

          • Thanks for your reasonable comments Sick, even if we disagree.

            The middle class kids you mention consume as much or more violent content entertainment as the poorer kids do and they are increasingly showing up at their school with an AR15, so the results of this media is a mixed bag at best. I am personally against this exposure but acknowledge plenty of reasonable adults – almost always males – also like very graphically violent films and I don’t.

            Yes, violence and lawlessness indirectly correspond to income levels and as far as we have knowledge, always has. Not all brought up in that environment are locked in to looking up to neighborhood thugs in cool cars, but too many are, and are also in single parent environments – or 1/2 parent or worse. For the blacks, did we think 400 years of slavery followed by 90 years of Jim Crow that was barely better wouldn’t break or discourage traditions of family strength and goals of educational achievement. Frederick Douglas wasn’t an average guy.

            Of depressing related interest is the retreat of males of all races from educational goals and acceptance of responsibility. Females – who generally mature earlier and fit better in socialized group roles – are now majorities at all college levels and are increasingly pessimistic – with apparent good reason – about finding husbands who are mature, responsible, and good earners. Traditional male roles of being the strong and brave guy are increasingly archaic in modern society as muscle jobs are mostly gone or pay poorly.

            So, if you think the answer is social change, hey we need that or adaptation to a new world, but don’t hold your breath. Federal gun laws that register and tract ownership as well as limits on the high velocity military weapons favored by mass shooters are favored by a majority of Americans. You can look around the developed world and see the obvious result or our too easy to get guns and the price we pay, whether it be stickups, random accidental shootings, or the fear we live with of these to common events, and of course not irrational the fear that our kids might get shot at school. This is nuts!

            By the way, we don’t owe suicidal individuals – almost always males – easy access to a means to blow their head off for wifey or mama to find and clean up. Grow a pair and jump off a bridge, or be civilized and save pills.

      • Don’t you ever go away. You’re like a bad cold, hard to get rid of and just an inconvenience.

        Since you brought up the crap though, what’s Ward feeding you this week? Any new tastes? It is a new year. Maybe you’re just content with what he’s been giving you.

      • Jazzman’s comments are one perspective, but here’s a different perspective — I’m going to re-word Jazzman’s comments a little bit:

        “Cut the crap. Having kids [from dysfunctional families, with disregard for the lives and property of others] riding around with easily attainable guns is at least 1/2 the problem. Where do they get them? They buy them from criminals [from dysfunctional families, with disregard for the lives and property of others] and they’re cheap because there are so many of them. Wild teenagers and gangs [from dysfunctional families, with disregard for the lives and property of others] are not new developments in America, but the sheer number of teenagers and gangs [from dysfunctional families, with disregard for the lives and property of others, with easy access to guns] is.”

        • Good luck getting rid of dysfunctional families. Like when was that, what’s your program for attaining that goal, and how about you and other gun queers pay for the damages with assessments on their purchase and required insurance? Maybe you could also volunteer to tell the relatives of innocent victims your theory of the problem and how your plan works.

  • The planned development at Magnolia Park- is that going to be the “affordable housing” that the commission loves trying to sprinkle into non affordable housing-type areas?

      • No question about it! Just like every other area they do that to.
        Unfortunately the woke, pandering city commission is doing their best to bring “inclusion” to all the good areas they can, to further their ‘progressive’ Cali-Gainesville dreams.

      • @Elsie Yes, that is exactly what they’re going to do. “Sprinkle” government housing into neighborhoods.
        Makes me so glad I live rural and don’t have to worry about this stuff.

    • That entire area constantly floods all up 51st to the gated condos. How do they think that taking up more land is going to fix that?!

  • It is not gun violence it is people violence. If guns are not available violent people will use knives, hammers, automobiles, ect.

    • Yah, those drive by bludgeoning’s are a frightening, not to mention attacks on schools with multiple sledge hammers.

      Y’all realize of course that no other developed country in the world has our gun habits and our gun deaths, mass shootings, etc. Can yo do the simple math on this, or too much to ask?

  • Apparently I am fortunate to own well behaved guns because in 40 years they’ve never shot anyone.

    • Too bad other peoples’ guns in America – and only America – were not as well behaved.

      • You’ve made a fool of yourself. I own several guns too and they have never even been aimed at a fellow human nor have they fired at a human.

  • You can’t fix something that’s broken and has been since since the War on Poverty began in the 1960’s. The govt. has killed the concept of family with welfare hand outs. There’s no incentive to have a strong family when the govt. will promise to take care of you.

  • Well both Ward and Scott should resign. They almost sounded like they new what they were talking about until they blamed the “Gun”.
    And Hinson with her brilliant idea prosecute the gun owners for not securing there guns.
    Of course creating a Gun Violence Coordinator should fix the problems. These are young thugs mainly and their parents should also be prosecuted Ms. Hinson.
    Don’t be afraid to address the real issues fatherless homes. Generation after generation residing in low income housing.
    The only way to put a dent in this culture is to target these areas. Both with heavy law enforcement and enforcing the rules of who can reside there. Start enforcing no parking and no parking in handicap spots. Sounds dumb but we have to start with the little things.lets save the children in these areas by providing them a safe environment.

  • Except for Book, NO ONE mentioned enforcement laws. Until maximum punishment becomes certain for stealing a gun, or in illegal possession, nothing will change. Thug life has to be discouraged, period. Clueless Ward and company, SA Kramer and the wishy washy judges, all need to be replaced.

    • I agree. Thug life needs to be eradicated. This all starts at home. There are a lot of young people that are just following in their parents and sibling foot steps. Look at the Newberry Rd shooting, look at the family history. Look at the recent Ocala Mall shooting. The media glorifies the victim who was nothing more than a thug himself. Too many times the victim’s lifestyle and choices have lead to their demise. The thug life of living by the sword and dying by the sword needs to change. Until the glorification of gangster lifestyle is wwiped out there will still be a problem. You can blame guns all you want but people will still harm people with whatever they get their hands on.

  • Pop culture (music videos, games, the street and Hollyweird) is raising too many kids today. Because pop culture teaches it’s ok to have kids you can’t raise properly, too. Pop culture teaches guns solve problems, and has since silent movie days. It’s a doom loop. Parents and churches need to step in more, stop waiting for politicians.

    • YES, YES, YES!!!!! Just 1 section 8 house in my neighborhood has ruined it for all others!!!!

  • It’s time for the Alachua Chronicle to do an article on the demographics of gun violence offenders in Alachua County. All this nonsense about “young people,” “teens,” and other euphemisms for violent black youth has gone too far. Severe punishment and deterrence is the only way out of this, not “victim impact panels” and blaming burglary victims for their property being stolen.

  • The two parent home is a thing of the past. What used to provide stability, learning & discipline is no more.
    Young ladies having kids (lots) with young men they don’t even know.
    Daddy never comes around, momma is either working or something else.
    Grandma or the auntie tries to raise the child with little or no success. At this point the ‘streets’ take over.
    Said child is now a ward of the gangs. They offer safety, security & discipline. All the basic needs the child requires for a healthy development into adulthood.
    Sadly, this environment doesn’t offer longevity.

  • The convicted felon needs to know that if they get caught with a gun, it’s an automatic 5 years in prison. Case closed. If that doesn’t work, nothing will. Get caught with a gun after that, 10 years. It’s the state attorney’s fault.
    Maybe Desantis needs to step in and make this a mandate. It’s a crime for someone to break into my car or home and steal anything! It’s not the gun, it’s the people!!! These politicians are idiots with the blame game.

    • Technically a felon caught with a gun is a FEDERAL charge and currently carries a mandatory 5 year sentence. The problem isn’t that we need new laws rather we need local, state and federal prosecutors and judges who will enforce the law and sentence these criminals properly.

    • Actually a convicted felon being caught with a gun IS a 3 year min-man in Florida. But state attorneys have the power to lessen that, which they often do to secure a plea agreement. Happens in Alachua county all the time.
      Sometimes just probation is the punishment.

  • Idiots. Every single one. They just greenlit an additional 250 residential units at Magnolia Parke. (And yes, I DO know that their predecessors greenlit the original project with all of these residential units). By greenlighting an additional 250 units, each unit will be occupied by 1-3 residents, sometimes more, most all of which will have their own cars. So, basic math (hard for the CC to do…) shows that between 250-750 additional parking spaces will be needed, NOT including the pool/clubhouse area. Anyone who has been at Mag Parke on a weekend knows that the parking is ALREADY at capacity. Now, you’re going to add an additional 250-750 cars in the mix??!! This does NOT even take into account the RIDICULOUS traffic snarls this will bring to fruition. These bums all need to be voted out!!

  • “I will urge everyone–everyone. If you feel like you must have a gun in your automobile, car, truck, whatever–I don’t know why you do, but if you feel like you must, please lock it… And I would urge you to please not keep a firearm in your vehicle.” – Mayor Harvey Ward

    Come on Mayor, we carry guns in our cars because of the repeat offenders on our streets. None of us are safe here in Gainesville.

  • The snarky remark by Ward on people needing a gun in their vehicle was uncalled for and removed any validation from his comment.

    Stop putting the responsibility of increased gun violence on legal gun owners. That BS won’t change a damn thing.

    Kudos to Scott for this part “…..says a whole lot about our parenting, our education system, our employment, mental health, the whole gamut.”

    • Where do you think teenagers get guns? Illegally, meaning straw purchases or resale of stolen guns. Their plentifulness means low prices – the market, you know?. So, you should agree with Ward and also support strict sales requirements with federal laws if you GAD about this issue.

      • Straw purchase of a firearm is a Federal Offense. Possession of a firearm with a modified serial number is a Federal Offense. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a Federal Offense. Possession of a Stolen firearm is a felony. Possession of a firearm by a person less than 21 is illegal. Prosecute the laws on the books. These laws go unenforced in Alachua County.

    • Great point! We ought to outlaw cars immediately. I mean, if we care for lives, that is. 🙂

    • I use my vehicles 3-4 times a day and my work depends on me owning at least one. I use my shotgun …… once a decade depending on possum uprisings.

  • Soo Rep. Yvonne Hinson and city commissioners and gpds chief scott want to blame the victims of gun theft. How convenient!

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