11 Linked to Conspiracy Claims
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1A SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Local CPAs 7th-grader set SUNDAY EDITION inundated as for advanced tax day nears. 1C study at Duke. 1D ELECTION FRAUD ALLEGATIONS 11 linked to conspiracy claims Named in court documents primary election, the Eighth Circuit State specially-appointed prosecutor Brian S. charged with a crime. Attorney’s Office in Gainesville released Kramer of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. The 11 individuals, according to the as alleged conspirators, though the names of 11 others who allegedly con- According to the documents, 11 others documents, are alleged to have conspired no charges have been filed. spired with them. allegedly conspired with Jefferson and to violate Florida Statute 104.061(1), which Betty Jefferson, wife of Lake City Ivery to violate state election law. says no one shall “by bribery, menace, By DEREK GILLIAM Councilman Eugene Jefferson, and Linda The 11 people listed in the document are threat, or other corruption whatsoever, [email protected] Ivery “conspired to corruptly influence Angela Barber, Shavon Carter, Verlondrea either directly or indirectly, [attempt] to voting,” submitted false voter registra- Carter, Eugene Evans, Eugene Jefferson influence, deceive, or deter any elector Following the arrest of a Lake City tion data, corruptly influenced voting and Jr., Kendria Jones, Allean McNeil, Waitis in voting or [interfere] with him or her councilman’s wife and another woman obtained absentee ballots in violation of the McNeil, Phyllis Wilson, Clifford Vaughn for alleged voter fraud during the 2010 law, according to court documents filed by and Otis Hendon. None of the 11 has been CONSPIRACY continued on 3A Bill Bright Nature on display Futures rolls could back go dim Pending cuts will rules mean fewer kids going to college. Lawmakers send education reform By AMANDA WILLIAMSON measure to Scott. [email protected] Columbia County high By GARY FINEOUT schools can expect a dras- Associated Press tic decrease in students eli- gible for the state’s Bright TALLAHASSEE — State Futures scholarship as leg- lawmakers on Friday sent islative changes increase Gov. Rick Scott a sweep- the minimum test score ing education bill that rolls requirement for applicants back graduation standards graduating in the 2013-14 that just three years ago school year. were hailed as reforms that The county’s eligible would help students com- seniors will drop by approx- pete globally. imately 30 percent, while Rep. Elizabeth Porter, R- the state will see a drop Lake City, cosponsored the in recipients by about 50 bill as vice- percent, based on data col- chair of the lected from the 2011-12 education school year. The upcoming committee JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter changes will hit poor and of the state Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson (center), Our Santa Fe River president, speaks with Fort White residents Hannah Hobby (left), minority students across the House of 12, and Krista Vargo, 13, while conducting an kitchen towel-making exercise at the Alligator Lake Spring Festival on state but also impact high- Represen- Saturday. The exercise was designed to teach people about connecting them to the water that feeds the local rivers. achieving students with low tatives and test scores. Porter a member The predicted numbers of the K-12 are the result of a study by a education subcommittee. Festival raises Alligator Lake’s status University of South Florida The comprehensive bill administrator, J. Robert also would set the stage for Fourth annual event Alligator Lake Spring Festival. tie-dyed T-shirts and hammered Spatig. The report exam- the University of Florida to enjoys nearly ideal Hundreds of people showed up on bird houses, Fort White High ined the potential impact of take the lead in online edu- Saturday for the blue skies and the School students displayed their the hike in the SAT/ACT cation in the state by giving weather conditions. fresh air at Alligator Lake. They message of “Recycle, Reduce and test score requirement for the state’s most prestigious By DEREK GILLIAM also listened to a message of con- Reuse” and plants native to Florida Bright Futures, which was university the authority [email protected] servation while enjoying the sun. that require little to no water or instituted by in 2011 as part to offer bachelor degrees Tents set up by environmentally fertilizer were on sale. of a strategy to reduce costs completely online. Four Rivers Audubon Society conscious vendors lined part of The Audubon Society is a by reducing the number of House Speaker Will could not have pictured a more per- Alligator Lake Recreation Area, scholarships. Weatherford contended that fect day to hold the fourth annual 420 SE Alligator Glen. Children LAKE continued on 6A “To put so much empha- the legislation (SB 1076) sis on test scores, instead of would transform the state’s on four years in the class- schools and predicted legis- room, is misguided,” Spatig lators would remember the said. “I just don’t get it.” unanimous vote in favor of March For 2014 graduating the bill. seniors, the minimum test In 2010, legislators of Dimes score requirement for raised the state’s gradua- Bright Futures will increase tion requirements, adding A group of sup- to 26 on the ACT and 1170 tougher courses in math porters cross the for SAT, a significant leap such as algebra II and sci- starting line by from the current criteria of ence courses such as chem- Olustee Park in 22 on the ACT and 1020 on istry and physics. The argu- downtown Lake City the SAT. A 3.0 high school ment at the time was that at the 2013 March grade-point average also is it would align high school of Dimes March needed. standards to the types of for Babies event Columbia High School skills that would be needed on Saturday. More has 400 seniors in its 2012- to attract high-wage jobs in 13 graduating class, and the state. than 300 people Fort White High School The bill sent to Scott, participated in the has 134. however, would remove event. The organi- Only 22 students in those requirements, which zation is projected Columbia County would be is a position backed by to raise $105,000. eligible for Bright Futures school superintendents. See another photo, aid if the changes were Instead college-bound stu- Page 7A. already in place, instead dents could opt to take of the 34 students eligible BILL continued on 6A JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter BRIGHT continued on 6A Vol. 138, No. 314 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 BusinessPeople. 5A2A 9180 6465 Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-StormT-storms Chance Obituaries . 6A THE REPORTER: Advice.Advice & . .Comics . .. 5D8B PSY hopes NKorea Local news Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 3B, 5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A8A Puzzles . 2B enjoys his work. roundup. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: Saturday: 13-19-20-43 19 7-17-20-31-35 Afternoon: 3-3-7 Afternoon: 8-5-7-3 14-21-24-32-41-45 1-36-40-52-53 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A x5 PB 20 AROUND FLORIDA State begins anti-gambling awareness campaign TALLAHASSEE — The mother of Florida neigh- sible overdoses. gambling outlets known as borhood watch volunteer School districts officials “Internet cafes” on Friday George Zimmerman has say the students were became the new poster written a letter to the pub- taken to local hospitals, children of the state of lic that criticizes the jus- mostly as a precaution- Florida. tice system for her son’s ary measure. Spokesman A Florida Department of arrest in the fatal shooting John Schuster says a 10th Law Enforcement spokes- of Trayvon Martin. grader was treated and woman announced that the Gladys Zimmerman’s released at the school. agency was distributing letter was written to coin- Authorities say Dionisio posters and fliers explain- cide with the one-year Lockridge was charged ing that the strip-mall anniversary of her son’s with possession of cocaine, casinos are now illegal in April 11, 2012, arrest. He’s Xanax and marijuana with the state. accused of killing Martin, intent to sell after finding The documents explain who was unarmed, in drugs and brownies. that those operating or February 2012. Bus driver charged with patronizing any of up to The letter was written sexual battery of child 1,000 storefront gambling in Spanish and trans- TAMPA — A school bus dens across the state now lated by her son, Robert driver in Tampa has been are “subject to criminal Zimmerman. He released charged with sexual bat- prosecution.” Enforcement it on his Twitter account. tery of a child. is up to local police and Gladys Zimmerman The Tampa Police sheriffs. DEREK GILLIAM/Lake City Reporter says the day will “forever Department reports 29- Gale Fontaine, presi- be remembered by the year-old Dacquiri Jermaine dent of the Florida Arcade Top talent Zimmerman family as the Crawford was arrested day the justice system Friday. Association, said the post- The Columbia Top Talent Show winners for the high school and middle school divisions er will be “exhibit A” as failed us as Americans.” Crawford is a bus driver pose with their trophies Friday morning at the Columbia County School Board Administrative She describes what she with the Hillsborough her group considers filing Complex auditorium. Pictured (from left) are county School Superintendent Terry Huddleston, a lawsuit. Owners of senior calls a “false narrative” County School District. Alexus Branscome, Columbia High School junior; Ronnie Collins, CHS security officer and that was developed as the arcades in South Florida Investigators say event organizer; Megan Zahnle, Lake City Middle School eighth-grader; and Sonya Knight- heavily publicized case worry the new law also Crawford grabbed a 12- unfolded.