1A SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.50 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Eagle Scouts County records SUNDAY EDITION do anything are going but give up. 3A online. 1C Teachers won’t be charged For failing to report girl’s Todd and at least two have faced felony charges, he said. other school employ- According to the arrest report, on allegations of sex abuse. ees knew of the 8-year- April 11 the victim told two students on Punishments old girl’s claims but did a school bus that she had been raped By ROBERT BRIDGES not report them to the by her stepfather. The students told being kept [email protected] state Department of district employee Ashley Hargrove, who Children and Families told fellow employee Yvonne Melgaard. Administrators and other personnel as required by law, Melgaard reported it to Gassett, who at Pinemount Elementary School are according to an arrest Lyles contacted Todd. under wraps unlikely to face criminal charges for fail- report of the girl’s Gassett and Todd met with the vic- ure to report a student’s claims of sexual alleged abuser. tim’s mother, who told them she kept a District to delay report abuse, Third Circuit State Attorney Jeff “Based on what I’ve been told I’m not close eye on her daughter and could not Siegmeister said Saturday. inclined to file on them,” Siegmeister believe she had been sexually abused. on punitive measures. Pinemount assistant principal Marilyn said, though he declined to elaborate. In Gassett, guidance counselor Amanda all, four or more district employees could TEACHERS continued on 3A STORY, PAGE 3A. Hiring glitch Critical injuries in crash draws racism charge City rewrites job description in public works. By STEVEN RICHMOND [email protected] The search for the city’s new assistant public works director has revealed incon- sistencies in the city’s inter- nal hiring p r o c e s s , says a member of city coun- cil. One local man claims racial pref- PATRICK SCOTT/Special to the Reporter e r e n c e Henry Local motorcyclists gather after a fellow rider crashed during a poker run for the Lupus Foundation of America Saturday morning. The group was headed prevented north on SR 47 just past Bascom Norris Drive around 11:30 when the man lost control of his 1982 Harley Davidson, according to on-scene reports. his brother, a black appli- The rider, said to be critically hurt, was flown to a Gainesville hospital. One lane of SR 47 was still closed more than a hour later so the Lake City Police cant for the position, from Department could investigate the incident. Also on scene were LCFD and Lifeguard. LCPD had not released any information on the crash by press time. receiving an interview. However, the head of the pub- lic works d e p a r t - Local tourism m e n t Fun and games at Westside denies any racial bias, industry will adding that all appli- honor its own cants were Paulk going to By TONY BRITT be inter- [email protected] viewed had city manage- he achievements and ment not intervened. accomplishments of The discussions and con- local hospitality industry cerns led City Manager professionals will be cel- W e n d e l l ebrated this week when the J o h n s o n TColumbia County Tourist Development and staff Council holds its annual awards lun- to review cheon. the city’s The TDC awards luncheon is set for personnel 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Potash m a n u a l , Corp. White Springs conference center and include near White Springs. provisions Williams “The awards luncheon is held to rec- standar d- ognize individuals within our industry izing the hiring process in who have made contributions through- the future. out the past calendar year,” said Lori Following a second Regan, Columbia County Tourist round of interviews com- Development Council and Florida’s pleted last week, Public Suwannee River Valley marketing Works Director Thomas director. “These are actually awards for Henry said Friday the city people who did things for us and did had selected a new person things with us in 2013.” for the position. The event is held annually during However, he declined to the second week of May to coincide reveal who was selected, JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter with National Tourism Week, a nation- saying the city will make an Griffin Roberts, 6, gives the thumbs up after Columbia County firefighter Michael Durkin puts a breath- wide celebration and recognition of the announcement Monday. ing mask on him during a demonstration at the Community Helpers/Public Safety Awareness Day at tourism industry. The original assistant Westside Elementary School on Friday. Students got to get up close to a medical emergency helicopter HIRING continued on 5A and got a visit from Smokey Bear as well. See more photos in Tuesday’s Lake City Reporter. TOURISM continued on 5A Vol. 140, No. 70 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 Business . 1C5A 9188 6465 Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO ChanceT-Storm of Chance storms Obituaries . 6A THE REPORTER: AdviceAdvice. & . .Comics . 3D8B Top Carnegie Local news Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 2B, 3B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A6A Puzzles . 2B performer, 2A. roundup. 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 Scripture of the Day “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” — Romans 8:1-3 Thought for Today How many times had those awful words: “I know what I’m doing” been uttered throughout history as prelude to disaster? — Christopher Buckley, Supreme Courtship TONY BRITTLake City Reporter Winning Lottery Numbers Top performing officers Cash 3: (Friday) Lake City Police Department Chief Argatha Gilmore recently recognized the department’s “5 Top Performing Officers” who Play 4: (Friday) made the greatest individual contributions to traffic safety efforts in 2013. From left: LCPD assistant chief Gerald Butler; Lt. Fantasy 5: (Friday) John Stock (accepting on behalf of Mike Lee); Sgt. Larry Shallar (accepting on behalf of Joseph Anthony), Officer Garrett Florida Lotto: (Wednesday) Register; Officer Connie Hightower and LCPD chief Argatha Gilmore. PowerBall: (Wednesday) AROUND FLORIDA Trooper asks Scott to reconsider speed limit bill OCALA Floridians, my heart goes out to allowed to post $7,000 bail that murder-suicide, investigators it was possible more information Florida Highway Patrol you,” Scott told Richard’s family. same day without appearing are now trying to piece together could be released Friday. trooper mourning a col- “I have daughters the same age. before a judge. the story of the family that lived A league killed after being I just can’t imagine.” Brevard County authorities inside — and what may have led Terror case of marshal struck by a vehicle wants Gov. Richard, 30, was remembered say that was a mistake because to the deaths. Rick Scott to reconsider a bill as a devoted mother to her Dorsey should have been All four of the people had been assault begins that would raise the highway 4-year-old son and a dedicated held without bail because he shot, authorities said, and detec- MIAMI — Security and other speed limit to 75 mph. trooper. FHP Chaplain Wayne was on probation for a heroin tives recovered a gun registered issues are the subjects of a hear- Scott joined hundreds of law Hunter said Richard’s boyfriend, conviction, according to rules to Darrin Campbell, a career ing in the Florida terrorism-re- enforcement officers at the funer- FHP Sgt. Jamie Mulverhill, had established in an administrative executive who lived in the house lated case of two brothers now al Thursday for Master Trooper planned to propose to her the order set by the local court. with his wife and two teenage accused of assaulting deputy Chelsea Richard. She died along day she died. Jail staff released him, though, children. U.S. marshals. with two others May 3 after they Richard had been a trooper thinking his most recent arrest Campbell bought $650 worth U.S. District Judge Robert were struck by a vehicle while for nine years. She is one of 45 superseded the administrative of fireworks and a bunch of gas Scola set a hearing Friday morn- standing alongside Interstate 75 troopers to die in the line of duty order. cans just days before the house ing in the case of Sheheryar and near a traffic accident. in the FHP’s 75-year history. Florida Today reports that went up in flames, officials said. Raess Alam Qazi. They have Area newspapers report that The investigation into the Dorsey was arrested again Authorities still have not pleaded not guilty to charges of during the funeral, Trooper crash that killed Richard, tow Wednesday at a Cocoa probation positively identified the bodies plotting to blow up New York Tod G. Cloud told Scott that the truck driver John Duggan and office. He’ll remain in custody found inside as those of the City landmarks to avenge deadly Florida Legislature’s approval of George Phillips is ongoing.