GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Gainesville residents left a mark on HCA North Florida’s new hospital project this morning. Residents joined hospital leaders to sign the final beam of the hospital coming to Southwest 41st Boulevard. The hospital will include a surgical services department, 60 beds, and imaging services.

North Florida is under a winter storm warning, with cold rain and possible freezing rain in Central Florida. Snow is likely in the western Panhandle, creating hazardous travel conditions on I-10 and I-75.

The 38,000-square-foot expanded facility includes a larger retail store, a drive-thru donation center, and an enhanced GoodCareers Center.

On Tuesday, Alachua County commissioners consider the status of the Florence Landfill. Currently, the county has only extended the old permit but landfill owners say they are operating under a state permit. They settled a legal case with neighbors in mid 2024 agreeing to close the facility in eight years. A protest is expected.

Writing this forecast as a snow lover feels like I’m writing weather fanfic, but the reality may be ones for the records books.

The major winter storm moved east Wednesday, spreading heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and the eastern Carolinas. The precipitation hitting parts of the Deep South came as a blast of arctic air plunged much of the Midwest and the eastern U.S. into a deep freeze.

With Arctic air coming down from the north, there will likely be frozen precipitation from Tuesday night into Wednesday in the Panhandle and North Florida. The Arctic air arrives Sunday night in Florida, with rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow arriving in the state by Tuesday night. Freezing rain is possible in the Ocala and Gainesville areas.

Storm Warning is in effect for the entire Interstate 10 corridor where snow and ice accumulations could reach 4" over the next 24 hours. Pensacola will likely see the most snowfall in the state while greater amounts of ice are anticipated for cities such as Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

Saturday’s ASUN schedule includes the Jacksonville Dolphins (13-7, 7-2 ASUN) versus the North Florida Ospreys (10-11, 4-5 ASUN), at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN+.Buy tickets for Jacksonville vs. North

Johnell Gainey returned to the Alachua County Commission Tuesday evening with the same request he’s had for the past seven years: to get rid of the “dump” in his residential neighborhood.

The PIT Count is funded by a federal planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), according to Jacob Torner, vice president of programs for the CoC’s lead agency, TaskForce Fore Ending Homelessness. HUD mandates the PIT Count as part of a nationwide effort, executed by local CoCs.

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