Bridge Over Troubled Waters Election for the Open Florida House District 7 the Future of a Single- Making Any Major Repairs Seat
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Treasure Hunt Providing support for the myth that there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, this beautiful photo marks the spot where thousands will ply local waters in search of scallops containing “white gold” treasure (scallop meat) beginning this weekend in Steinhatchee. For all the details on the 2019 scallop season, including preliminary scallop survey numbers, check out our special “Dive In” Scallop Guide inside today’s edition. (Photo by Tom Muscher, courtesy of Simply Steinhatchee) 50¢ Friday/ Saturday June 14-15, 2019 www.perrynewspapers.com After 3-hour chase Leon County fugitive caught Local law enforcement him into custody. to make contact with Cruse foot out of a rear door of Police Department (PPD). officers have had convicted Cruce was wanted on at a residence on Pittman- the residence,” Vinson “Cruce ran through the TUESDAY, felon James Kelly Cruce, two outstanding warrants Carter Road around 3:30 reported. woods to Millinor Road and 32, on their radar “for some out of Leon County, both p.m. Taylor Correctional onto the property known as JUNE 18 time now,” according to for failing to appear (FTA) “When I arrived at 445 Institution (TCI) K-9 the old Consolidated Woods officials, and on Wednesday in court there on charges of Pittman-Carter Road, I officers were called to assist Product area. They tracked afternoon, spent three grand theft and driving with observed him sitting on in tracking Cruce, along him for three hours before Voters go hours tracking him through a revoked license. the front porch. Cruce with several members of he was arrested,” TCSO a cluster of woods off The chase began when got up, went inside and the Taylor County Sheriff’s ➟ Please see page 9 to the polls Millinor Road before taking Inv. Jason Vinson attempted subsequently fled on Office (TCSO) and Perry for special Resident asks: ‘How much is a life worth? election Nearly 9.5% of Taylor County voters have already cast their ballots in Tuesday’s special Bridge over troubled waters election for the open Florida House District 7 The future of a single- making any major repairs seat. lane, wooden bridge in to the bridge due to the As of presstime Steinhatchee has sparked future possibility of the Thursday, a total of 1,176 numerous debates and no state replacing the structure votes had been cast out of small amount of indecision with a concrete bridge, 12,427 registered voters. on the part of the Taylor is currently awaiting a Of those, 892 ballots had County Commission over recommendation from been cast by mail while the past month. County Engineer Kenneth another 284 voters had The bridge, which Dudley on whether the taken advantage of early allows Granger Drive bridge can be opened to voting hours at the Taylor to cross over one of the pedestrian traffic. County Supervisor of community’s many canals, According to Dudley, he Elections office. has been closed to all spoke Thursday morning traffic since January when with Michael Scherer, PE, the Florida Department of structural engineer with Transportation (FDOT) Ayers Associates, which declared it unsafe due to performed the bridge structural deficiencies. review for FDOT. While residents along “He said he is good Granger Drive still have with pedestrian crossings access to their properties, but would not extend several have stated that that approval of access to the bridge being closed is motor vehicles,” Dudley a safety issue due to the said. “Currently, they flooding concerns along the are scheduled to verify District 3 County Commissioner Sean Murphy joined local property roadway. continued closure in July owners John and Gale Dickert to inspect the support structure under the The commission, which ➟ Please see page 2 wooden Granger Drive bridge that has been temporarily closed to vehicle (R) Jason Shoaf to date has decided against traffic. County fills four TCDA board seats In the past it has been earlier this month when ultimately re-appointed Melissa Fijalkowski and request by the TCDA board difficult at times for the the county received 10 Don Everett Jr. -- one Wallace Holmes. Current to amend its ordinance Taylor County Commission applications to fill four of two sitting board TCDA board member governing the economic to make appointments to open positions on the Taylor members seeking new Alan Dodimead was not development agency to various volunteer boards County Development terms -- and appointed reappointed. expand the board from five due to a lack of applicants, Authority (TCDA). three new board members, In early 2018, the county ➟ Please see page 3 but that was not the case The commission including: David Beecher, commission approved a (D) Ryan Terrell Early voting began Council will pay for Saturday, June 8, and will continue through Saturday, June 15, from Lake City hotel stay 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The office is located The Perry City Council has approved a request by at 422 U.S. 19 North in Councilwoman Shirlie Hampton to pay for a hotel room Perry. when she attends the monthly North Central Florida Those who plan to Regional Planning Council meetings in Lake City as its vote on Election Day representative. (Tuesday, June 18) must Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to do so at their precinct earmark an estimated $450 to cover the hotel room voting location. Voters expenses through the end of this fiscal year (September) in Precinct 13, who and will look at budgeting an estimated $1,300 to cover a normally vote at the Three-vehicle crash full year of travel expenses. Jerkins Community A three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Jefferson Street and West The planning council meets in Lake City once a month Center, are reminded that Saxon Street Thursday afternoon temporarily affected the already- for 11 months out of the year. they will instead vote at congested traffic conditions on the main City of Perry roadway clogged When it came time to discuss the budget amendment, Loughridge Park, located with vehicles detoured around the railroad crossing repair work on Hwy. Hampton said she had found hotel rooms that cost less than ➟ Please see page 9 19. No one was seriously injured, but at least one victim was transported ➟ Please see page 3 to the hospital for treatment after being cut by broken glass. Index Two sections 130th Year, No. 24 Weather Looking Back ......... A-4 Entertainment ....... A-8 Friday 90˚ Saturday 90˚ Sunday 90˚ Religion .................. A-6 Sports ................. A-10 66˚ 69˚ 71˚ Community ............ A-7 Classifieds .......... A-11 30% A-2 Perry News-Herald June 14-15, 2019 Dudley, FDOT disagree on ‘temporary’ repairs BRIDGE “Okay, I gave it my best Continued from page 1 shot,” Page said. Feagle said she was okay but would check with FDOT with Dudley returning with to see if they would be a plan to make the bridge able to check things more capable of supporting thoroughly just to validate pedestrian traffic, including the permissiveness of a spending the estimated continued ‘Pedestrian Only’ $10,000 to do so. accessibility.” Murphy instead asked The commission held a Morgan about returning public hearing on the bridge the bridge up to vehicular at its May 6 meeting, posing standards, and she said the question of whether the county could make to replace the bridge or to “temporary” repairs to bring remove it. Several years the bridge up to a 3-ton ago, when the county last standard -- the lowest rating made repairs to the bridge, FDOT will give a bridge -- a number of area residents that would allow vehicular requested the commission The Granger Drive bridge in Steinhatchee has been closed to all traffic since January when the traffic, but would not include Florida Department of Transportation declared the structure unsafe to structural deficiencies. consider removing it (Photo courtesy of John and Gale Dickert) emergency vehicles. altogether to improve boat “The cost would probably traffic through the canal commission during the walls and abutments could in turn questioned Morgan piles and walk away from be the same to bring it which flows under the hearing, Dudley suggested be repaired for a much on her understanding of it and consider it a suitable back to pedestrian traffic,” bridge. going with the third option, lower cost than the price “temporary,” stating he repair. It would have to be Murphy said. In the days leading up to warning the commission Dudley quoted at the May 6 felt there was still some structurally shored up on the “No, sir,” Dudley said. the public hearing, however, against making repairs to meeting. The Dickerts also “ambiguity” over FDOT’s water side to make sure what “No way.” the commission received the bridge because it could relayed they had spoken with definition. we do doesn’t just fall right “You don’t think so?” more than 40 e-mails about jeopardize the bridge’s representatives from FDOT “Looking at the bridge into water. So, I’m having a Murphy asked. the bridge, most from people chances of being selected. who said repairs could be report, there is a serious real hard time understanding “I do not,” Dudley said, asking that the bridge remain He added that once the made without jeopardizing structural deficiency related how I can get it to the adding again that he did and instead be repaired. A bridge was chosen, the future state funding. to both abutments,” Dudley temporary classification not believe the repairs petition with 88 signatures county could conduct repairs This resulted in the said. “They’re both going with the extent of work necessary to allow vehicular was presented to the county and it would not affect the commission re-addressing into the water.