Mainstreet launched its Stars, Stripes & Shoutouts initiative in early June, gathering nominations about local residents who represent the best of Alachua County and North Central Florida.
Leading up to the Fourth of July, we’ll release new nominations each day on this page. Then we’ll randomly pick one of the shoutouts to win a $50 certificate to Public and General, along with two free entries to a Hippodrome Cinema showing.
Thanks for making our communities a great place to live, work and play!
Adam Joy
Mr. Joy is not only a police officer for the city of High Springs, he also runs a daycare and after school program in High Springs plus a summer camp. If his plate wasn’t full enough with those two things, he also opened a family resource center in High Springs that provides food, clothing and other services for people and families in need. If ever there was a person who should be recognized, I believe it’s him.
Freddie Wehbe
Freddie Wehbe quietly embodies the best of North Central Florida. While building Gator Domino’s into an international success story, he focused on community and local business support. While operating Gator Dominos, in pizza alone, he donated tens of thousands to local schools and charities. Through his career, it would be hard to calculate Freddie’s total commitment of resources, personal time and knowledge to local charities, schools and businesses. Charities and organizations impacted by his altruism include Children’s Miracle Network, Tyler’s Hope, March of Dimes, Sebastian Ferrero Foundation, Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, Santa Fe College, Cade Museum, and LifeSouth Blood Bank to name a few. Through Wehbe Marketing and Make It Happen Consulting, he mentors local entrepreneurs and helps businesses improve operations. As managing partner of Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, he strengthens the local economy and supports area coaches. Without fanfare, Freddie’s work makes North Central Florida a stronger place to live, work, and play.
April Tisher
For more than 20 years, April Tisher has shown up for kids in this community, and she has never stopped.
From her work with the Early Learning Coalition to her role as Foundation Scholarship Specialist at Santa Fe College, April has walked alongside children from their very first classrooms all the way to college acceptance letters. Ask anyone who knew her as “Momma Tish” during her years as booster president for the Gainesville high school football team, and you’ll hear story after story of someone who made every kid feel seen. She was also that familiar, cheerful face working Book Fair each year at Talbot Elementary.
April has not just supported our public schools from preschool through college. She has poured her heart into them. This community is better because of her, and she deserves every bit of this recognition.
Carol Lewis
For years, Carol Lewis has collected trash from our neighborhood that surrounds Tom Petty Park as she walks her dog. Before she left for work every morning, Carol took time to walk her dog and to pick up trash. Now that she has retired, she walks a little later and covers more area. That’s not the most important aspect of Carol’s contributions to the community. She attends community gatherings and meetings and shares what she learns. She knows everyone and helps people connect with others when they need assistance.
Because of her, we were able to save a squirrel that would have been left for dead. And with her help, we were able to assist a woman and her dogs who were recently unhoused get into Grace Marketplace. Always thinking of others before herself, Carol makes our community better through her attention and action. I am not sure I can imagine someone who better represents the American spirit better than Carol Lewis.
Christina M. Ramos
I would like to nominate Christina M. Ramos for Stars, Stripes & Shoutouts for her outstanding leadership, advocacy, and dedication to serving North Central Florida. As Executive Director of Touching Hearts at Home – North Central Florida, Christina has devoted her career to improving the lives of seniors, veterans, and families throughout our community.
In honor of her grandmother, Christina is a passionate advocate for Alzheimer’s research and awareness, including traveling to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress for increased Alzheimer’s funding as the representative for Congresswoman Kat Cammack’s FL-3 district. She also serves on the Santa Fe College Foundation Board, ElderCare of Alachua County Board, Ronald McDonald House and Haven Hospice Community Advisory Board, while teaching as an adjunct professor for the University of Florida College of Health & Human Performance.
Beyond her professional leadership, Christina continuously organizes and supports community events and fundraisers benefiting seniors and local nonprofits, including the Touching Hearts at Home Senior Prom, health fairs, blood drives, pickleball showcase, Karaoke for a Cause, and other educational outreach programs, and Alzheimer’s fundraising initiatives. Under her leadership, Touching Hearts at Home was named Best Home Care in the State of Florida in both 2024 and 2025 and recognized through the Grow Awards as one of the best businesses in Florida.
Randall Bushey
Randy retired from the US Navy Reserves with the rank of Captain. He is an officer of the NMCB 14 Association of retired Seabees. He has been a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader. He has coached lacrosse and football. He is an Alachua County 4H shooting sports leader and will be the 2026-2027 President of the Buchholz High School Air Force ROTC Booster Club. He is very active in his church and is an exceptional father and grandfather.
Michael Maloney
Michael Maloney is a Volunteer Coordinator and Head of the Veterans’ Recognition Team at Haven Hospice in Gainesville. Michael is a 12-year Combat Veteran, serving as a Sgt. First Class in the Persian Gulf War: Iraq and Kuwait.
I believe that Michael deserves a “shoutout” because he goes “above and beyond” without fanfare in conducting the “Veterans’ Recognition Ceremonies” at Haven, presenting special recognitions to our dying Veterans.
Michael takes the extra steps to research each Veteran’s individual contributions to his or her branch of service. For instance, he will research, locate, and frame photos of the Veteran in uniform decades ago and present these along with certificates, pins, and “dog tags” to the Veteran and to his or her loving family. These ceremonies are held during the Veteran’s last hours and are very moving and poignant. The Veteran’s grieving family members are especially grateful for this extra effort that Michael puts into each ceremony.
He has performed almost 200 of these ceremonies throughout Alachua and Bradford counties in Veterans’ homes, Hospice centers and facilities like nursing homes whenever needed, often “on his own time” on weekends.
Everett McConn
Mr. McConn taught band at Fort Clark M.S. for 20+ years of his approximately 50 years of teaching in Alachua Public Schools. Students have loved him for decades as he has selflessly passed on his love for music, God, and country to generations. He’s accomplished this through both public school classrooms and his Community Christian Band, where he teaches home and private school students how to play instruments and perform in community band concerts twice a year.
What my family loves most about Mr. McConn is that he is a man of conviction who uses his concerts as an opportunity to share his love for God and America. He understands the great blessing and privilege it is to have freedom from sin and death, thanks to Jesus Christ, and freedom from a tyrannical government, thanks to the many who gave their lives. He’s a gift.