54 Years Later, He Finds Family of Fallen Buddy Lean Budget, Put Capital Projects on Hold and We’Re and Keeps a Sacred Promise Said
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A3 SATURDAY/SUNDAY, JUNE 20/21, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 WEEKEND EDITION Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> PREPS TRAVEL SUNDAY + PLUS TALES Top 10 My one Ireland moments and the and of the Jameson 6B only ‘F’ year experience Sean of the South Opinion/4A SEE 8A SEE 6B Trash MEMORIES OF VIETNAM pickup will be free in ONE MORE MISSION FOR DOUG UDELL county BOCC waives garbage fees for the coming fiscal year. By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] A temporary tax cut for Columbia County house- holds will put millions back into the pockets of local residents in economic pain from the covid-19 crisis, offi- cials say. The county is CARL MCKINNEY/LCR Nash waiving its residential garbage assessment for the coming fiscal year, amount- ing to a tax cut in the ball- park of $3.7 to $4 million. Each household will save about $180 as a result of the decision, according to county commissioners, who approved the plan Thursday. “I’m sure some of the people who lost their jobs could use the money, the relief,” said Commissioner Bucky Nash, who proposed the plan. Nash’s idea was univer- sally praised by other com- missioners. The assessment funds the county’s trash col- AP FILE PHOTO lection contract with WastePro. In this Associated Press file photo from 1967, a U.S. patrol winds its way through the delta jungle in Vietnam. Exotic lotus flowers grace A combination of reserve their path. INSET: Doug Udell of Live Oak holds his purple heart, one of seven he received after Vietnam. Udell came out alive, but his cash and budget cuts will friend, Joseph Pecora, wasn’t so lucky, kicking off the decades-long search for the fallen friend’s family. cover the gap, said County Commission Chairman Toby Witt. “We’re going to do a 54 years later, he finds family of fallen buddy lean budget, put capital projects on hold and we’re And keeps a sacred promise said. “I felt I had kept my word to the family,” he said. During Army boot camp, there also going to do a hiring he made in the jungle in ‘66. my comrade, my friend.” Udell wanted to become an was tension with a couple of the After a decades-long search, undertaker when he graduated white recruits in the integrated TRASH continued on 2A By CARL MCKINNEY the 74-year-old Suwannee County from the seg- barracks. One of them threw [email protected] funeral home owner found the regation-era Udell’s shoes down a hallway and family of his fallen friend and Carver High hurled insults at him. LIVE OAK — Fifty-four years gave them closure. He gave them School in Udell grabbed a metal bar from 3rd death later, Doug Udell was finally able a firsthand account of the May 3, White Springs the frame of a bunk bed. to keep his promise. 1966, battle that led to the death in 1965. “And I used that to rectify the recorded The conversation dredged up of Pvt. Joseph Anthony Pecora. “Well, I situation and make some correc- unpleasant memories from the They knew he was dead, but didn’t want tions,” Udell said. “Of course, two in county war. It got unbearable after about the bloody details had eluded to go,” Udell of his buddies jumped into it, so an hour, so Udell handed off the them all these years. said. “Why they were also corrected.” By CARL MCKINNEY phone to his son and left the “They had been wondering a should I have Military police arrested [email protected] room. lot,” Udell said. to go fight Udell, but it was decided that There was nothing else to say Reliving the bloodshed sapped PFC Joseph Pecora for a country the incident didn’t warrant anyway. The death of a 30-year-old him, and Udell refuses to share where I didn’t prosecution. “I answered every question the details with anyone else. even have my rights? But, you woman in Columbia County until I became emotional,” Udell “That’s just between me and obey your country and you go.” BUDDY continued on 3A has been linked to covid-19, marking three confirmed fatalities here related to the virus. Man wanted for fleeing cops flees, is caught, say cops The woman died some time ago, but the death By CARL MCKINNEY according to lier chase, according to a Columbia weeks prior and evaded authori- was miscategorized under [email protected] reports. County Sheriff’s Office report. ties, according to the report. another county, a health He lost the Around 7:12 p.m. on Wednesday, He tried to recycle his plan from official told the Reporter. Weeks after giving authorities rematch. a blue Pontiac with a cracked wind- last time, deputies say. The woman was hospital- the slip in a car chase that spanned Charles Gene shield caught a deputy’s attention When the deputy tried to initiate ized at the time of death. from Columbia to Alachua coun- Waxler, 46, of in the area of U.S. Highway 27 and a traffic stop, Waxler ignored the As of Friday, Columbia ties, a local man wanted for evad- Southeast Sears Southwest Centerville Avenue. sirens and drove west for sever- Waxler County had 205 confirmed ing and eluding law enforcement Court, was arrest- The driver was instantly rec- al miles into Suwannee County, pushed his luck by challenging ed after attempting to escape a depu- ognized as Waxler, who had a according to the report. COVID continued on 2A deputies to a second pursuit, ty who recognized him from the ear- run-in with law enforcement a few COPS continued on 2A Vol. 145, No. 332 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Sports . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: 93 69 Classifieds . 7A Voice: 755-5445 Showers possible, 2A Business . 1B Fax: 752-9400 2A SATURDAY/SUNdaY, JUNE 20/21, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER QUICK HITS A tax break by way of trash Scripture of the Day added. that had their businesses to the Lake Shore Hospital “Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy TRASH Commissioner Tim shut down, a lot of people Authority, a government face to shine; and we shall be saved.” Murphy said he feels the laid off,” Ford said. “It’s not body with taxing power — Psalm 80:19 (KJV) Continued From 1A same way. the best time for this as far created by state law, “It’s going to put the as the county goes, but it’s encouraging it to look for freeze,” Witt said. most dollars back in the the right thing to do for the ways to cut taxes as well. Thought for Today During budget hearings citizens’ pockets,” Murphy taxpayers who are strug- The hospital authority is in recent months, commis- Everything you add to the truth subtracts from the said. gling right now.” already considering a pro- sioners had been talking It will be tough for the Commissioner Ron posal to set its property tax truth. — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1918-2008, Soviet about ways to reduce the county to get by without the Williams said the moratori- rate at zero dissident and author (‘The Gulag Archipelago’) burden on taxpayers. Witt money that would have been um on the garbage assess- “There’s a consensus said he was considering generated by the assess- ment will benefit everyone, among taxing authorities pushing for a rollback on ment, said Commissioner not just property owners. to try and do what we can Winning Lottery Numbers property taxes. Rocky Ford, but he still “If the landlord is pay- to assist taxpayers,” said “But the garbage assess- believes it was a necessary ing it, it’s in your rent,” Dale Williams, the hospital Pick 3: (Thursday p.m.) 6-8-1 ment is genius because it step to help local residents. Williams said. authority chief, who formerly Pick 4: (Thursday p.m.) 2-5-7-2 touches everybody,” he “There’s a lot of people The county sent a letter served as county manager. Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 1-3-5-29-31 See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Cops: Man who fled, fled again, is caught items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will Pontiac to lose its bumper, license and existing warrants. Waxler already had two run in this space. Thanks for reading. COPS but the pursuit continued. A deputy tried to pull active warrants in Columbia Continued From 1A A deputy tried to ram over the Pontiac on May 31 County and seven prior con- Submissions the Pontiac a second time, for the cracked windshield. victions for driving on a sus- The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption Somewhere around U.S. sending it spinning off the Waxler sped off, driving pended license. He was also information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would 129, the chase slowed down road and into a ditch. recklessly, according to a on house arrest. like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture a bit, prompting a deputy Waxler surrendered with- report. In connection with the and information to [email protected]. to attempt to disable the out incident. The pursuit spilled over May 31 incident, charges of suspect’s vehicle with a pre- He was arrested on into Alachua County, where fleeing and eluding, criminal cision-ramming technique. charges of fleeing and elud- the Sheriff’s Office decided traffic violations and violation Lake City Reporter The collision caused the ing, driving on a suspended to call the chase off.