Liberty County
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THE CALHOUN-LIBERTY } VOL. 33, NO. 4 50¢ OURNAL INCLUDES TAX JCLJNews.com W ednesday Office located in Bristol, FL JAN. 23, 2013 Montford talks education, jobs & prison at Liberty Co. Chamber annual meeting by Teresa Eubanks, Journal Editor knows. State Senator Bill Montford’s But he plans to introduce speech at Monday night’s legislation to slow down the annual Liberty County Chamber transition, explaining that of Commerce Membership there’s just not enough time meeting made it clear where for teachers to adjust to the he stands on the issues and a changes. “I have a bill coming story from his years as a school up in the next session that will principal shows he knows how delay it two years,” he said. to get answers. He’s also a strong advocate When students got in trouble of giving students options on and were sent to his office, he different ways to complete their would tell them to step on the high school education and feels “lie detector rug” in front of it’s time to quit pushing everyone his desk. toward higher education. “Some “Then I’d reach under the of the brightest kids don’t want desk to turn it on,” he said. to go on to college,” he said, When a student wasn’t drawing on the experiences of forthcoming about their his former students who are transgressions in class, the now his constituents. “Three principal was quick to let them of my former students own know what the consequences their very own plumbing would be. companies,” he said. “They’re “I had a phone book on the very successful. They’ve never side of my desk. I slammed Senator Bill Montford talks with Harry Hagan at Monday night’s meeting. gone to college.” the paddle down on the phone TERESA EUBANKS PHOTOS • • • • • book three times,” he said. the state than a good, solid education system. On the job front, Montford “They’d start spilling the beans.” It should be the Number One priority,” said sums it up with the statement: “Florida is The noise had an effect on those waiting Montford, who was a principal for 18 years and different.” outside the door as well. “They would send the served as a school administrator for 26 years. The state’s diversity means what works in one next one in and they would start singing like county isn’t necessarily the best idea for the next birds,” he laughed. Montford is ready for the FCAT to be phased county and he urges local control. “I don’t think He has an equally down to earth attitude about out in favor of the new common core standards, we need to dictate how money needs to be spent education. which will require end of course exams. He at the local level,” he said. “I believe there’s nothing more important to said a single test can’t gauge everything a child See MONTFORD continued on page 7 Liberty Chamber honors Joe Shuler Longtime Liberty County Chamber of Commerce member Joe Shuler was honored with an award recognizing his efforts with the organization. The inscription read, “In appreciation for your outstanding and dedicated service to our community.” Chamber President Michael Wright is shown holding the award as Shuler addresses the chamber. Plans for Tri-County Carr Celebrates Man says brother Park discussed at knocked him out, the Calhoun County tied his hands, Commission meeting put him in tub PAGE 14 and held a knife to his neck Hog Butchering Day PAGE 2 held at the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement Visitor locks out PAGE 14 relatives and then runs from deputies Outdoors Down South PAGE 2 Hook, Line & Thinker PAGE 8 Early morning MLK march held State Representative Halsey Beshears pauses to speak stop leads to DUI in Blountstown with FFA President Holley Bailey during Friday’s open arrest in Bristol PAGE 12 house at Carr School. See more on page 16. PAGE 2 JOHNNY EUBANKS PHOTO Sheriff's Log.........2 Arrest Reports......2 & 3 PEOPLE: Two weddings & a birthday..............5 Community Calendar and Events......................5 Obituaries......11 Job Market and Legals.....13 Cartoons and Commentary .............................6 Find a bargain in the Classifieds....................15 Page 2 THE CALHOUN-LIBERTY JOURNAL JANUARY 23, 2013 Man charged with Argument ends with thrown beer can and charges filed knocking out brother, A 36-year-old Grand Ridge man was charged with battery after a dispute with his girlfriend resulted in a tying him up, holding 911 call. ARREST Deputies arrested Jonathan Dewayne Branch after his knife to his throat girlfriend filed a complaint that he A man who said his brother had been smoking an REPORTS threw a can of beer and hit her in unusually large amount of meth told deputies that he the face on Jan. 8. The woman met was knocked unconscious and later came to in the compiled by Journal Editor deputies still wearing the beer- bathtub with his wrists tied as Teresa Eubanks soaked shirt and had red marks his brother shouted, “Who is on her face indicating where she watching me? Why are they had been struck, according to the watching me? Why are you report from the Calhoun County giving signals?”, according Man visiting relatives Sheriff’s Office. to a report from the Calhoun She stated that she arrived at County Sheriff’s Office. locks them out and her CR 69 home around 5 p.m. to find Branch parked in her yard. The man said his brother Jonathan BRANCH started hitting him again runs from deputies She went inside and Branch and before taking out a knife, A man staying with relatives in Altha was her 14-year-old daughter went to holding it to his throat and arrested Jan. 19 after he left a party at a neighbor’s the store. When they returned, her daughter went to take threatening to cut him. home, returned to the house where he was staying, a shower. Branch and his girlfriend went into the living James Darren summerlin James Darren Summerlin, locked all the doors and broke a window before room, where he sat on the couch and she sat on his lap. 21, was arrested for aggravated fleeing from deputies. The woman said Branch became upset when she told battery and false imprisonment after his brother told Shawn Lape, 35, was charged with aggravated him someone had commented that he might be cheating deputies Summerlin tried to kill him. battery on a LEO, resisting without violence and on her. When she tried to get up, she said he would not let The injured brother was shaking and in tears when criminal mischief under $200. He is being held on her go. The two began arguing and she got up and went he gave deputies details of what happened earlier that a $35,500 cash bond. into the kitchen. She said he followed her and demanded evening. He had visible injuries, including abrasions According to the arrest report, Lape was drinking to know who made the comment and began yelling. She and bruising on the back of his head and neck. “There with a neighbor on Palm Beach Road in Altha when said when she told him to leave, he threw the can of beer were red marks and abrasions on his arms and ligature he got into an argument and left. he had been drinking from at her head, hitting the right marks around his wrist where it appeared he had been He returned to his relative’s home, where he was side of her face. She then grabbed the phone and called tied up,” according to the arrest report. heard cursing and knocking things around inside. the sheriff’s office. According to the victim, Summerlin was at his His host walked to the house to ask him to leave The daughter told deputies she overhead the argument home in Altha Jan. 16. He said he was sitting on the but discovered he had locked the doors, broken but did not see what happened. She also said it was not couch while Summerlin was walking around the house, the handle on a storm door and broke a bedroom the first time Branch had been physically abusive. smoking a “boat” of meth - referring to the street name window on the east side of the home. Branch was taken into custody Jan. 17 and later given for piece of folded tinfoil used to inhale fumes. He Deputies arrived and a conditional release. described the “boat” as larger than usual with a 1/8” spoke to Lape through the line of methamphetamine powder running the entire broken window, ordering length of it. him to come out. He ran SHERIFF’S LOG As soon as Summerlin finished smoking the meth, to the other side of the CALHOUN COUNTY LIBERTY COUNTY his brother said he punched him in the face so hard that house and started out the January 14 January 12 it knocked him out. He later awakened in the bathtub. north door but went back •Amy Weathers, VOP, CCSO. •Shawn Smith, DUI, LCSO. When Summerlin realized his brother was conscious in when he saw deputies •Theresa Maclean, manufac- January 14 again, he began punching him with his fists and approaching. ture meth, possession of meth, •Amy Weathers, holding for stomping him with his feet, the victim said. He said At that time, deputies possession of listed chemicals, he attempted to block the blows with his bound hands. heard someone yelling CCSO. CCSO, CCSO. The victim said he thought the meth made Summerlin for help on the other side January 15 •Theresa Maclean, holding for “extremely paranoid and he was hallucinating.” of an eight-foot wooden •Brittany Seaton, VOP, CCSO.