JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Georgia had what Kirby Smart referred to as the “drive of the year” at the most pivotal junction in its 42-20 win over Florida on Saturday.

Senior Kenny McIntosh, who had a career-high 16 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns -- along with a pair of receptions -- helped set the tone for the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs (8-0, 5-0 SEC).

RELATED: Georgia flexes championship resiliency, turns back Florida

Five of the six plays on the 78-yard touchdown drive Smart referenced came on the ground as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 35-20 after the Gators had scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.

“That was probably the drive of the year so far, and they answered the bell, it was 28-20,” said Smart, who has now won five of the past six meetings against Florida.

“We’d lost momentum, we had what felt like three kickoff returns in a row. We weren’t getting field position and Kenny (McIntosh) had the fumble.”

The Gators turned McIntosh’s fumble and Stetson Bennett’s second interception of the game into 10 of their 17 third-quarter points.

Georgia, which built a 28-3 halftime lead with smothering defense and explosive plays to Brock Bowers (73 yards), Darnell Washington (25 yards) and Ladd McConkey (30 yards), turned to its ground game.

McIntosh fumbled on Georgia’s first play of the second half when the ball was stripped from behind on his 4-yard gain, and the Gators turned it into a field goal that made the score 28-13.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken went back to McIntosh on the next drive, and the senior captain responded by tearing off runs of 13 yards and 15 yards before Bennett was picked off on an underthrown pass.

Florida made that turnover hurt, scoring three plays later on a 78-yard TD pass after freshman safety Malaki Starks blew his coverage.

RELATED: Rare blown coverage leads to tense moments in Georgia win

“Kenny came out after that fumble, and he had that eye of the Tiger look, and he wanted the ball and he was running the ball hard, and physical and getting yards after contact,” Smart said.

“That’s a lot of credit to the offensive line, but that’s a lot of credit to Kenny, as well.”

What Smart referred to as “the drive of the year” started with McIntosh bursting 11 yards up the middle and ended with a 22-yard touchdown run by Daijun Edwards that made it 35-20.

Ninety-one of the Bulldogs’ 110 yards in the third quarter came on the ground.

And McIntosh wasn’t done yet, powering through Florida defenders and moving the pile on a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that essentially put the game out of reach.

Smart went over to McIntosh on the sideline with a message.

“I told him he’s a bad MF’r, he’s tough, he’s physical and that’s what I talk about,” Smart said. “You have an opportunity to show resiliency, which is one of our four DNA characteristics, and I promise you every NFL scout and every Georgia fan watching will remember the way he responded.

“Kenny ran the ball with a vicious attitude, a contact-seeking running back … he ran pissed off.”

Gently rocking her 1-year-old on her hip and peeking over a baby gate to check on her 3-year-old watching TV, her eyes start to light up when talking about her love for gardening.

April Casey’s been gardening for as long as she can remember. From planting herb gardens to tending to blueberry bushes, her goal has always been the same.

“I just want to keep everything alive,” she said, laughing while hearing herself.

For nearly 30 years, a lot of land diagonal from her home in Sportsman’s Cove 55+ Mobile Home Park in McIntosh lay empty with no promise of development in the near future. Her passion for gardening and desire to have easier access to fresh fruits and vegetables pointed to one answer: starting a community garden.

Since she moved from Massachusetts in 2015, Casey has looked out of her kitchen window at the lot wondering how much longer it would remain vacant.

Holger Gese, 47, manager of Sportsman’s Cove recalled the day earlier this month when Casey asked her about starting a community garden in the empty lot.

“I thought to myself, that’s a great idea! Do it!” he said.

The freshly tilled land that once was the vacant lot is ready to be poked and prodded with seedlings, which Casey hopes will happen soon with help from her community.

A day after breaking ground on the community garden, she discovered tiny cat paw prints in the soil from the presumably 15 cats in the area. Her orange tabby cat Skittles is likely a contributor to the paw prints in the garden-turned-sandbox.

The only factor holding Casey back so far is this year’s intense cold front that brought lows in the 20s – and a lack of help from people in her community. Although her post announcing McIntosh’s new community garden in the “Micanopy Matters” Facebook group was well-received, no one has actually shown up to help, she said.

In an area where the closest Publix or Winn-Dixie is a 20-to-30-minute drive, Casey is one of the approximately 11.5 million people in the United States who live in low-income areas more than 10 miles from a supermarket, as found by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service.

Taylor Clem, an environmental communications horticultural agent for Alachua County’s extension office, believes that a community garden could be beneficial to help low-income residents in rural areas gain access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

The first product of McIntosh’s community garden is Casey’s loquat tree, which she describes as a cross between a lemon and a kumquat.

Its small but mighty branches bear a few tangerine-colored fruits the size of a key lime. Her son Damien, 3, picks one up off the ground and gently places it onto a palm tree stump.

It’s important to Casey that kids have the opportunity to learn how to garden. Not only does it give them something else to do aside from hanging around the neighborhood, but it could help change the way they view eating, she said.

Clem agrees, citing that kids who have access to a community garden are likelier to be excited about eating their fruits and veggies.

Kids love French fries and mashed potatoes, so why not get them interested in gardening potatoes?

“Potatoes are basically the gateway veggie to get kids interested in growing their own food,” Clem said.

While Logan, 1, munches on cheerios and Monterey jack cheese, Casey expresses her desire to start the garden by growing ground vegetables such as squash and eggplant.

She hopes to move on to planting leafier veggies like kale and collard greens, tomatoes and even bananas.

All she needs to succeed, she said, is a little help from her community.

“I’d love to see the community come together and create something beautiful and educational for future generations.”

If you’d like to assist April Casey in her mission to create a community Garden in McIntosh, please text her or dial and leave a voicemail at (413) 221-1916.

Violet Comber-Wilen produced this update.

News in 90 brings you the most important stories of the day in 90 seconds. Find more at www.wuft.org.

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Buffalo, New York-based Total Wrecking & Environmental, one of the country’s leading industrial demolition contractors has been working at Lakeland Electric’s C.D. McIntosh Power Plant in Florida for the last six months.

Over the next year, Total Wrecking & Environmental will complete the abatement, remediation, demolition, asset recovery and removal of three large coal-fired units that have been in operation for more than 40 years.

Jan. 14 in Lakeland, Florida, community leaders and project managers will gather to witness the first implosion phase of the Lakeland power plant project as Total Wrecking & Environmental fells a 260-foot stack and a 90-foot selective catalytic reduction unit.

Because Total Wrecking & Environmental is conducting this project at an operational power facility, it is unprecedented in scope and complexity, requiring a tremendous number of resources, specialized crew members and surgical planning to ensure the demolition is performed safely and on time, the company says.

“Total Wrecking & Environmental is thrilled to clear and restore a critical area within the Lakeland McIntosh Power Plant for a newer energy facility,” companyCEO and founder Frank Bodami says. “We’re excited to apply our unparalleled demolition expertise and clear the way for Lakeland Electric’s new gas-fired reciprocating internal combustion engine (RICE) power plant.”

Total Wrecking & Environmental also is working hand-in-hand with the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports the empowerment and employment of wounded veterans, to provide “front row” live streaming access for the implosion. Those who would like to view the implosion live are invited to make a donation on the campaign page and receive an exclusive live-streaming link for supporting the cause.

In March 2023, Bodami will travel back to Lakeland, Florida, where he will direct Total Wrecking & Environmental's second controlled implosion of the coal-fired hung boiler units that represented the nucleus of the station at the McIntosh Power Plant for Lakeland Electric.

Related: Video: Total Wrecking & Demolition implodes Logan Generating Station | Breaking down big demo jobs

This article has been updated with the addition of a video of the demolition described.

MIRAMAR – Janice McIntosh announced her candidacy for Global Jamaica Diaspora (GJD) Representative, Southern USA. She will represent thirteen (13) states to include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and South Carolina.

“I’m excited and proud to announce my candidacy for GJDC Representative for the southern USA because I am motivated to work tirelessly to represent the diverse voices of our Diaspora,” Janice said. “I believe in the power we have as a collective and I am confident we will have constructive dialogue aimed at benefitting our people and causes wherever we live.”

Janice has a wealth of experience collaborating with government officials, business leaders and member of the community. In her former role as the head of the Jamaica National(JN) Bank, she led her team to deliver exceptional services to members in the South Florida community. Her successes can be attributed to her ability to connect with her community, listen to their needs, understand the issues, and respond accordingly.

As an active member of the GJDC, Janice is always a source of support and action. She has worked with past and present GJDC representatives to deliver key agenda items for our Diaspora.

The mission of her campaign is to engage with the Diaspora and put their needs F.I.R.S.T (Facilitate, Inclusive, Respect, Shared Values and Trust). These pillars represent the core principles driving this campaign. Janice believes this approach will facilitate meaningful discussions to help her better understand their needs. Additionally, she believes in gathering feedback and using relevant data to guide her recommendations to the Ministry. She believes diversity is our strength and is committed to being Inclusive.

“Our Shared Values is what binds us to Jamaica and doing all we can to ensure Jamaicans do well everywhere keeps me focused,” Janice stated.

In 2009 Janice migrated from Jamaica and made Florida her home away from home. She is married and a mom of two (2) active teenagers. She is passionate about giving back and since moving to Florida, her involvement in the community has been as numerous as they are fulfilling. She is currently the VP of the Jamaican Women of Florida (JWOF) and is still very active in her local community and church.

Some additional community focused roles, both past and present, include:

See also: Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Announces Elections for the USA Southern Region

To cast a vote for Janice you must first register under the ‘Southern States’ to be on the eligible voters list. Once registered, you will receive a ballot by Dec 1, 2022. Registration deadline is November 30. Vote for Janice to represent you in the Southern USA. She is the Candidate that will put you FIRST!

cmedina@starbanner.com

From the top of the hill on U.S. 441, just south of McIntosh, you can look east and almost see forever.

The green pasture, dotted with palm trees and stands of native oaks, slides down to Orange Lake. The vista is a favorite to watch the sunrise.

That view, along with the familiar old windmill and vacant orange shop off of U.S. 441, will remain intact for decades to come thanks to the efforts of residents and an area conservation organization.

On Friday, the Alachua Conservation Trust bought the “Orange Lake Overlook” property for more than $1.3 million from the Huff family.

“The community didn’t really want to see that property developed. We didn’t want to see houses on it. This is a really important spot,” said Heather Obara, ACT spokeswoman.

The property offers a glimpse of what Florida once looked like. The group will eventually open the property to the public as a nature park. Little will change, other than repairs to the orange shop, which will serve as a welcome center, and the addition of trails.

Still, it will take about a year before the park comes online.

The purchase was possible through a $1 million loan from The Conservation Fund and more than 450 individual donations.

“First thing we’ve got to do is pay that loan back. We will be continuing to fundraise to pay that back. Once we do that, we will start to make some improvements to the property,” Obara said.

But for now, the group is celebrating.

“It’s a big victory for our community. This is our largest number of people that have ever donated to a project. It’s a real diverse group. They included artists, bass fishermen, cyclists, those with a spiritual connection and those in the agriculture and the citrus industry,” said Tom Kay, ACT executive director.

The 71-acre property was once part of the vast citrus holdings of O.D. “Buddy” Huff. At one time, the hill was home to hundreds of orange trees. The Huffs operated the orange shop, where travelers could stop and get a free sample of orange juice.

But after a series of successive freezes in the area, the citrus industry collapsed in the 1980s. The family took a bulldozer to all the dead trees and replaced them with cattle. And for more than 30 years, that’s how the property remained, largely unspoiled and undeveloped.

In 2005, Sean Dowie opened an art gallery in the old shop. A freelance and nature photographer, Dowie fell in love with the view on his first visit.

“I grew up in South Florida. I didn’t know anything about this part of Florida until I came to visit my sister in law school at (the University of Florida), and I never left,” said Dowie, who lives in McIntosh.

The Windmill Gallery operated for about 10 years until a hurricane damaged the roof.

“One of my favorite things was walking out of the building and seeing the vista. It was just beautiful,” Dowie said. “I think it’s really amazing that they were able to save that.”

Beyond its part in Marion County’s history, the property has sentimental importance to many people, including Ollie Huff, O.D. Huff’s widow.

In a 2006 Star-Banner story on McIntosh, Ollie Huff said O.D. proposed to her at the top of the hill.

Through the years, many others followed suit.

“Through this process, we have heard all the unique and special stories this place holds. From marriage proposals to first dates, to memories of grandparents taking them to get orange juice after church. We’ve been capturing those stories and hope to find a way to share them in the future,” Kay said.

— Contact Carlos E. Medina at 867-4157 or cmedina@starbanner.com