The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk cross country programs have served as gold standards under head coach Mark Hostetler, and those on the national stage are taking notice.
The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has named Hostetler as the 2020 Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year for the state of Iowa. This past season was another banner year for the Golden Hawks, literally, as Hostetler guided the Golden Hawk girls to their fourth consecutive team class 2A state championship, led by his daughter Danielle Hostetler who captured the school’s fifth straight individual championship, and fifth for the family overall as older sisters Marie and Anna were also Iowa state champions in their time at Mid-Prairie. The team championship for Hostetler in 2020 was his sixth as a coach. To go along with the four consecutive the Mid-Prairie girls have won, the Mid-Prairie boys were also team state champs in 2016 and the Iowa Mennonite boys won a team state title under Ho
Protected gopher tortoises native to Alachua County have a chance to live undisturbed in a premiere Gainesville neighborhood alongside human residents, no mortgage required.
Oakmont, an ICI Homes community at 11701 SW 30th Ave., broke ground Wednesday on a 46-acre gopher tortoise reserve and trail in the heart of the development. Once completed in late spring, the reserve will include a 2-mile trail where residents will be able to view wildlife and native plants. Educational signs along the trail will explain more about the natural space.
“We’re always looking for a way to develop good neighborhoods that are also sustainable,” said Joe Blanco, North Florida division president of ICI Homes.
The only residents living on these plots, however, are tortoises.
Oakmont developer ICI Homes held a ceremony Wednesday to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new 46-acre tortoise reserve.
In collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department as well as the University of Florida, ICI Homes’ reserve will provide a sanctuary for tortoises and other local wildlife, while serving as an amenity and educational opportunity for nearby residents.
The new reserve includes a two-mile walking trail, a bike rack and informational signage describing the local flora and fauna. ICI Homes plans to open the site on May 23.