Helene Hits Hard, Big Tech Comes to GNV, and What’s Happening This Week

Good morning, Gainesville:

It feels strange to get back to sharing the news in a business as usual fashion after learning more about the devastation caused by Helene. I don’t think any of us were fully prepared for the havoc Helene brought to Florida and surrounding states. Please reply to this email if you’re aware of recovery or volunteer efforts as I want to be sure we use this platform to help those in need.

🌡️ Monday: High is 88°F and Low is 71 ° with 40% chance of rain ☔️ , Tuesday: High is 86°, low of 69° with 40% chance of rain ⛈️ 

📰 The General Scoop:

• Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Big Bend Late Thursday night, Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry as a Category 4 storm with winds clocking in at 140 mph. Coastal counties like Taylor and Dixie saw storm surges up to 15 feet, leaving a trail of wrecked homes and businesses. From Cedar Key to Steinhatchee, the storm ripped apart roofs, toppled trees, and turned streets into rivers of mud and debris. Check out the link for some aerial photos.

• 🏗️ Newberry Village Development Moves Forward Big changes are coming near Fort Clarke Blvd and Newberry Road! The Alachua County Commission just approved the preliminary plan for Newberry Village, an 87-acre development set to include 639 residential units and 224,000 sq ft of commercial space. The project is led by Atlanta’s Fuqua Development group. The plans promise to create a vibrant town center with shops, homes, and green spaces. Next up: a final development review before construction begins! The community has concerns over traffic impacts it could bring.

🧑‍💼 : Business News

• Siemens Coming to San Felasco Tech City in 2025! Big news for Alachua and San Felasco Tech City. Siemens, a $144B market cap company is setting up a 6,500-square-foot facility at San Felasco Tech City (SFTC) in 2025. The global tech giant was drawn to SFTC's 100% solar-powered campus, and they’ll be joining over 60 other companies, like Fracture and Daft Cow Brewery, in the tech-forward community. Co-developers Mitch Glaeser and Rich Blaser are excited to welcome such a major player, calling it a win for sustainability and innovation in the area. Look for Siemens’ new location to open in the second quarter of 2025!

🏅 Sports News:

• 🏈 Gator football is back in action this week, taking on UCF in the Swamp at 7:45 PM on Saturday October 5th

• 🏃 The Gator mens country team finished 10th and the women finished 4th in their second meet of the year in Missouri

• 🏐 Gator Volleyball went 1-1 over the past few days beating Oklahoma, but falling to twelfth ranked Kentucky in 4 games on Sunday

📆 Things to Do:

Monday, September 30th:

• Touch-A-Truck @ Texas Roadhouse(5 PM - 8 PM) Bring the family out for a fun evening where kids can explore trucks and emergency vehicles up close! A great hands-on experience for little ones who love big machines.

• Barnyard Buddies @ Morningside Nature Center. Stop by the Living History Farm to meet and greet farm animals—perfect for kids to learn about animals and farm life.

Tuesday, October 🍂 1st

• Music Business and Entrepreneurship Summit @ UF School of Music (1-4 PM) A multi-day event starting on Tuesday, providing insights into the music industry for professionals and aspiring artists alike. Runs through October 4th.

• Hogtown Rounders Writers Round @ Lightnin’ Salvage (6 PM - 9 PM) Enjoy an evening of folk and country music with the Hogtown Rounders in a relaxed, intimate setting.

Drop me a note if you’d like to feature your company in the Scoop! We’re growing quickly!

And please share the Scoop with friends!

Have a great week,
Lauren
Swamptown Scoop