SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Stepping stone to recovery: Meridian Mother’s Day don’ts: Dish marks 40 years in community. gloves, cougar shirts. 1C 6D 110 receive diplomas from St. Leo By TONY BRITT [email protected] Lisa Garrison stood out- side the Howard Conference Center at Florida Gateway College Friday afternoon with a sense of accomplish- ment, pride and self satis- faction. Her smile was a mile wide. Minutes earlier, with her family present, she had got- ten her diploma from Saint JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Leo University, Lake City Center. Reporter Friday’s commencement Dr. Robin Hall, assistant ceremony marked the larg- director of the Saint Leo est graduating class to date University Lake City Center, for the Saint Leo University speaks during the com- Lake City Center with 110 mencement ceremony Friday. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter graduates: 94 Bachelor Hall announced she will be Longtime customer Mark Ammons, of Lake City, gives his condolences to Nirav Patel, 28, as he buys a lottery ticket Friday of Arts, eight Bachelor of retiring from her position in at the A&M Discount Beverage store. Patel’s father, Rajnikant, 55, was shot to death after two suspects robbed the store on Science (one student also August. April 27. ‘I always liked them. I couldn’t believe it,’ said Ammons, who said he was in the store 10 minutes before the rob- received a BA degree), two ma,” said Garrison, 45, who bery occurred. Bachelor of Applied Science and seven master degrees. got her master’s degree in Approximately 95 students educational leadership. “It’s were able to attend the cer- lifelong learning and that’s emony. important.” Garrison said receiving Garrison has three chil- the degree was an unforget- dren. Her oldest two saw Family keeps going her get her bachelor’s table experence. “It feels wonderful to after fatal robbery graduate and get my diplo- ST. LEO continued on 7A ing a store robbery. At about 1:36 After moving to the U.S. when he Convenience store’s p.m. two men entered the store. One was 10 years old, Patel said he helped Local woman joins customers show their suspect took money and fled, while his father open the store when his the second suspect shot Patel as he was 13 and worked there regularly cast of Ax Men tonight support after shooting. was coming out of another room. growing up. Patel’s wife of more than 30 years, Patel, a 2001 graduate of Columbia By TONY BRITT By LAURA HAMPSON Daxa Patel, was shot at multiple times High School, said his father was a [email protected] [email protected] while she was behind the counter, normal dad who worked long hours Casey Daugherty is but survived unhurt. and encouraged his children to work Nirav Patel greets customers, cash- accustomed to bodybuild- “I don’t think I’m gonna let my hard for what they wanted. es in winning scratch off tickets and ing contests, where she mom back in here” after the trauma Although he didn’t have to, Patel rings up cigarettes at A&M Discount gets to flex her muscles and of witnessing the shooting, said Nirav said his father worked at least 14 Beverage in Lake City, where his show off her physique. Patel, 28. His mother and father hours a day to accommodate cus- father worked 14-hour days for more Sunday night, she’ll get worked together every day, he said. tomers. “His life was always about than a decade. to show off her acting skills “I’ll be running the store for the work.” As if Patel could forget that his as well. foreseeable future,” Patel said. Patel said his mother and sister, father was gunned down in a violent Daugherty, of Lake City, People from all ethnic backgrounds Niki Patel, are coping as best as they robbery just over two weeks ago, will appear on an episode have shared sympathy and hope can. well-meaning customers and com- of “Ax Men,” a History for catching the suspects since his When people ask how he and his plete strangers stream into the store, Channel reality show that father’s death, he said. “The commu- family are doing, Patel said he doesn’t which re-opened Tuesday, to offer chronicles the adventures nity has definitely been supportive,” have a good answer. condolences. and lifestyles of loggers. he said. The reality of his father’s death still TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter “We are so sorry for your family’s Daugherty’s episode will Even in small talk, Patel said his hasn’t hit, Patel said. It feels more Lake City’s Casey Daugherty loss,” they say. “Tell your mom I’m appear Sunday at 9 p.m. father got to know customers, who like a movie set or a dream. “Ok, I’ll praying for her. Your father was a on the History Channel would share pictures and news about wake up and everything will be all Suwannee River having a good guy. Those men didn’t have to (Comcast channel 49). children and grandchildren. The right then,” he said. good time with friends and do that,” others say. She describes her intro- store has regular customers, some Even when he got the phone call the whole camera crew “Thank you,” Patel says. duction to being a part of even come in several times a day, he and characters -- Uncle Patel’s father, Rajnikant K. Patel, the show as “weird.” said. 55, was shot and killed April 27 dur- ROBBERY continued on 3A “I was down at the SHOW continued on 3A Community Festival fun SVTA looks to be on road to recovery in the black by the end of Suwannee counties. vide rides for the overflow Doubts remain the year. Using Medicaid and of people requesting ser- as agency works The antiquated manual the Department of vice. accounting system of years Transportation to fund a “We didn’t have the to reinvent itself. past has undergone a dras- large percentage of its oper- capacity,” current director tic evolution into the realm ations, SVTA offers rides to of SVTA Gwendolyn Pra By HANNAH O. BROWN of 21st century technology. those in need of medical said. “We didn’t have the [email protected] Dual screen desktop com- care. The agency travels as buses. We didn’t have the puters have taken the place far as Tampa to bring rid- vehicles nor did we have After owing $609,000 to of typewriters. The disinte- ers to the doorsteps of the the drivers. That’s not a over 18 contracted trip pro- grating cable wires nested treatments for their specific good situation to be in.” viders, the Suwannee Valley in the walls were pulled out medical needs. Pra said she was caught Transit Authority has trans- and replaced. The previous The agency owns a lim- by surprise at the amount formed the way it handles 3-line telephone system, ited number of buses, a less of money owed to vendors LAURA HAMPSON/Lake City Reporter business. used to answer over 300 than sufficient amount for when she began working at Daniel Benjamin, 7, laughs after going down a giant inflatable As a result, indebted trip calls a day, was expanded the 500,000 rides provided the agency in August. water slide Saturday at the May Day Community Festival at providers have been repaid to a 23-line system. each year. “I did know that occa- in full, the operating sys- Memorial Stadium. The event featured games, activities, local The SVTA provides trans- Because of this vehicle sionally they called on trips tem has been converted singers and step club performances. Flag football games portation for medical ser- shortage, SVTA frequently but I thought there were to a digital format and the between men’s and women’s Lake City and Live Oak teams vices to eligible residents contracts with other trans- authority is hoping to be wrapped up the afternoon. See another photo, Page 5A. of Columbia, Hamilton and portation services to pro- SVTA continued on 7A Vol. 138 No. 78 CALL US: Opinion ................ 4A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 85 63 Business ................ 1C PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-Storm Chance Obituaries .............. 5A THE REPORTER: Advice ................. 5D Some favorite Local news Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 8A Calendar................ 6A sitcom moms. roundup. 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, MAY 13, 2012 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: 13-14-25-39 14 21-32-33-34-36 Afternoon: 4-3-2 Afternoon: 2-0-1-9 Not available. Not available. Evening: 7-5-8 Evening: 4-1-7-6 AROUND FLORIDA Nearly 200,000 Florida voters may not be citizens TALLAHASSEE W. Bush and Al Gore was and people who have been in 1959. in an email that he would es; Rodriguez was arrested lorida officials decided by just 537 votes in sent to prison. Some have questioned step down from his post Friday. are now say- the Sunshine State. Driver’s license numbers the timing of the state’s July 1. The teens met Davis, ing that nearly “The Department of State had been used to verify the push to remove voters from MacNamara, who is also 30, and Rodriguez, 31, in 200,000 regis- has a duty under both state identity of someone who the rolls. It comes while a professor at Florida State April with the intention of tered voters may and federal laws to ensure had registered to vote but Florida is still in court over University, was hired last selling them two stolen Fnot be U.S.