A3 SATURDAY/SUNDAY, JANUARY 11-12, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 WEEKEND EDITION Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> TASTE SUNDAY + PLUS 1B BUDDIES Local GOP SOUP shows DU JOUR 1D strength 2020 Sean of the South Opinion/4A WRESTLING WRAPUP LIFE/1D LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS SOUGHT/2A $10M is Brannan’s target A LITTLE BIT OF JORDAN IN FREE TO LAKE CITY SOAR Photos by MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter Abraham Farajian with a tray of baklava. RAY CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY/Special to the Reporter They hail from the Ray Carpenter caught this bald eagle in flight at Watertown Lake recently. Middle East but feel right at home here Monument new; sentiment timeless By MICAHEL PHILIPS Steel silhouette honors bonding experience for many. [email protected] veterans in Suwannee. The sculpture replaces the old wooden soldier that used When the Reporter first met Abraham and Rita to grace the park. By CARL MCKINNEY Farajian in March of last year, they had just arrived “A few of our members [email protected] in Lake City a month before, coming from Jordan. were enjoying a beautiful The couple moved to Florida because they had a son Live Oak has reeled in day in Veteran’s Park a few attending Jacksonville University. They were also a a new public monument, weeks ago and we saw that few months away from opening a restaurant. this one dedicated to a local the old, wood soldier needed “We have lots of family, cousins and uncles, non-profit focused on serv- to be replaced,” Hooked on living in Jacksonville. I have a cousin who runs a ing veterans of all branches. Heroes Director Ron Cadle restaurant, and we were looking to do the same On Tuesday morning, said in a written statement, thing,” Abraham Farajian the city unveiled a two-di- “So we decided to make that ‘My grandparents said Friday. “We heard mensional steel silhouette happen.” from people in Lake first went to Palestine sculpture in Veteran’s Park Students and faculty from City that there are no and they would on Howard Street. Public Riveroak Technical College Mediterranean restaurants finally be allowed officials and private citizens put their skills to use cut- or any food like that here, in Jordan,’ Abraham gathered at the park around ting the steel, using the so we decided to explore said. ‘But they never 10:30 a.m. to welcome the old silhouette as a model. the town to see if we can artwork, which raises aware- stopped being run a successful restaurant Trendsetters Car Stereo and Christians.’ ness for Hooked on Heroes. Powder Coating provided here.” Hooked on Heroes’ main They found a building the finish to ensure that this mission is providing fishing soldier stood the test of time, with restaurant specs on the corner of Baya Drive trips for veterans, which the COURTESY and Main Boulevard. And on July 1, Rita’s Steak group says is a therapeutic VETERANS continued on 2A The new monument is pictured. House and Mediterranean restaurant opened its doors. Abraham and Rita, who attend a Catholic church in Jacksonville, were born and raised in Jordan, as their grandparents settled there after fleeing the Brannan wary of internet notice bill Armenian genocide a century ago. House Bill 7 and its identical governmental agency to provide RITA’S continued on 3A ‘In smaller communities, people do read the newspapers,’ he said. counterpart, Senate Bill 1340, are specified notice to residents con- measures that pro- cerning alternative methods of By CARL MCKINNEY vide “for website receiving legal notices,” according [email protected] publication of legal to the summary posted by lawmak- notices; provides ers. State Rep. Chuck Brannan, a criteria for such The problem is that not every- Macclenny-based Republican whose publication; autho- body in Florida has access to good district includes Columbia County, rizes fiscally con- internet service —especially in has serious reservations about a strained county to rural areas like ours. Besides, they bill to let local governments skip Brannan use publicly acces- are used to seeing these notices in requirements for placing legal notic- sible website to their local paper. es in newspapers and instead use publish legally required advertise- Abraham and Rita Farajian are seen at their eatery. only the internet. ments & public notices; requires NOTICES continued on 2A Vol. 145, No. 217 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Obituaries. 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Sports . 1B THE REPORTER: 81 66 Classifieds. 5B Voice: 755-5445 Mostly cloudy, 2A Fax: 752-9400 Business . 1C 2A SATURDAY/SUNday, JANUARY 11-12, 2020 LOCAL & STATE LAKE CITY REPORTER LEGISLATIVE SESSION QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “So then every one of us shall give account of Brannan’s target: $10 million himself to God.” — Romans 14:12 (KJV) By CARL MCKINNEY Brannan said. “The tanks ty features. private entities in hopes of [email protected] are rusted, and it’s not on a In Baker County, landing a cushy job once loop system.” Brannan wants $1.8 million they are out of office. Thought for Today A $2.8 million fix for Fort The $88,500 request is for the city of Macclenny Another bill requires White’s ongoing water cri- for a program the Lake to install a 12-inch water insurance companies to To live happily is an inward power of the soul. sis and an $88,500 invest- City Police Department main that will service a cover hearing aids for chil- — Marcus Aurelius, 121-180, Roman emperor ment into a youth summer started last year, helping to new school in the works, dren. job program in Lake City provide summer employ- and $2.9 million to replace The third piece of legisla- are among the projects ment to about 40 at-risk a dilapidated senior citizen tion would dedicate stretch- state Rep. Chuck Brannan young people services cen- es of highway to fallen Winning Lottery Numbers is asking the state to fund in an effort to ter. law enforcement officers, Chuck Brannan, a Pick 3: (Thursday p.m.) 2-2-4 this year. keep them on Macclenny-based Statewide, a follow-up to a measure The legislative ses- the straight Brannan is Brannan got passed last Pick 4: (Thursday p.m.) 5-4-3-4 Republican whose Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 2-3-19-24-27 sion kicks off Tuesday. and narrow, district includes asking for year. Brannan, a Macclenny- Brannan said. Columbia County, is $875,000 for Brannan’s fourth general based Republican whose “They try a program bill would create a public district includes Columbia to teach them seeking roughly $9.8 to provide records exemption for a See an error? County, is seeking roughly how to be million for projects language and state-run animal diagnos- The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news $9.8 million for projects good employ- around the region hearing ser- tics lab in Kissimmee. items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, around the region and one ees,” he said. and one statewide vices to infants Currently, when a rancher please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will statewide initiative. For initiative. and toddlers sends a tissue sample to run in this space. Thanks for reading. Combined, the two Suwannee with hearing the lab to find out how Columbia County projects County, loss. The pro- their livestock died, the on the list represent nearly Brannan is seeking gram was given $675,000 results are publically avail- Submissions 30 percent of Brannan’s $850,000 for a new fire sta- last year. able, Brannan said. The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption funding requests this cycle. tion north of Interstate 10. In addition to the appro- Brannan’s last two items information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would Fort White is in dire If two other requests are priations requests, Brannan are general agency bills for like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture need of the $2.8 million to approved in their entirety, has six general bills in the the Florida Department of and information to [email protected]. update its water system, Hamilton County would get pipeline, the maximum Law Enforcement and the Brannan said. At public $150,000 to conduct studies each lawmaker is allowed Department of Agriculture, meetings over the last year, related to water and sewer to file. dealing with everything Lake City Reporter residents and officials from system improvements and One is an ethics reform from an online reporting HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 the town have raised con- $325,000 to upgrade the bill that includes a provi- system for sex offenders to CIRCULATION cerns about the health and health department building sion to tighten up the rules re-register vehicle informa- Fax number ............ 752-9400 safety of the water. Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter with accommodations for around public officials tion to the definition of raw Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. “It’s about to fall apart,” disabled people and securi- seeking to curry favor with milk. 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