1 THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Storm season Special treat for ‘berry fest starts Friday Hurricane prep underway for local officials. By TONY BRITT [email protected] Less than two days after Tropical Storm Beryl brought more than six inches of much-needed rain to Columbia County, local officials held a meeting to discuss the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins tomorrow. A hurricane preparedness meet- ing with local constitutional officers and elected officials took place 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Columbia County Emergency Operation Center. Shayne Morgan, Columbia County Emergency Management director, said the meeting was one of three sched- uled for the day to bring local JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter officials, county Wellborn artist Douglas Fisher is seen with some of his acrylic paintings inspired by the works of the Highwaymen artists. ‘They incorporate their own d e p a r t m e n t style into their art,’ said Fisher, who was nicknamed ‘The Painter’ by some of the Highwaymen. ‘I consider myself the new generation of Highwaymen. heads and emer- I’m carrying on the tradition of their style of art.’ Morgan gency support function staff members up to date on details on the county’s preparation of coming Annual Wellborn event Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 - Nov. 30. In their preliminary weather reports, fore- to include appearance casters have predicted there will be 10 named storms, four hurricanes. Two of the storms could be major by Highwaymen artist (at least a category 3 hurricane). Morgan said an updated fore- By LAURA HAMPSON of self-taught and self-mentoring cast is expected to be released [email protected] artists who began painting idyl- Friday and officials expect the hur- lic Floridan landscapes during he 19th annual ricane totals to go up depending the racially unsettled 1950s. The Wellborn Blueberry on prevailing La Nina and El Nino African-American artists painted Festival will bring the weather patterns. The National quickly and sold their art in usual purplish-blue Hurricane Center has predicted 9 towns and cities across Florida, shades of blueberry- - 15 storms during the upcoming often along roadsides. Tstained fingers and tongues. Fisher, a local artist and co- hurricane season. But this year’s festival will also JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter During Wednesday’s meetings, owner of Suwannee Cabinets, feature the golden sunsets and Morgan and County Manager Dale said he was influenced by the Fisher reads a message on the back of one of his paintings written during lush greens of original Florida Williams wanted to make sure Highwaymen’s work. “I like how the Wild Azalea Festival March 12 by Robert L. Lewis, an original member Highwaymen constitutional officers had enough they romanticize Florida land- of the Highwaymen. artist R.L. resources to do their jobs and meet scapes,” Fisher said. Lewis. statutory requirements should a “When you are out camping Lewis is very personable and “They have actually influenced Lewis will storm hit Columbia County during you’ve probably seen those same generous with his knowledge, a lot of Florida artists,” he said. demonstrate the upcoming hurricane season. sunsets,” he said. Fisher said. Highwaymen originally sold his painting “The purpose of the meetings is Fisher said he first met Lewis Fisher said he enjoys painting their art for $25 to $50, but now techniques to make sure everybody is on the in 2001 at the Appleton Museum in the Highwaymen’s style and some of the paintings are worth Saturday, same sheet of music when it comes of Art in Ocala and asked Lewis was influenced as a child after thousands. June 2 dur- Lewis to being ready for a disaster should to be part of the Blueberry seeing a Highwaymen mural Fisher said this is the first ing the fes- one happen,” Morgan said. “We Festival this year. Lewis, a near his native Indian River. time the Blueberry Festival has tival. He will paint local scenes had Tropical Storm Beryl come retired art teacher, now lives in Fisher said he paints in his featured such a well known and and have artwork for sale, said through this past weekend so we Cocoa Beach, where he owns a free time, but has a hard time historically significant artist Douglas Fisher of Wellborn. gallery and travels to art festi- selling and parting with his PREPARE continued on 6A The Highwaymen are a group vals. pieces. BLUEBERRY continued on 6A No voters purged from local rolls 156 to get diplomas By TONY BRITT this time in the process of sweeping the state at Fort White Friday [email protected] because I have election rolls and identifying Florida not received residents who could be non-citizens, From staff reports Seniors should be at the Local election officials have not any information based on a cross-search of data from school gym by 5:30 p.m. yet removed any non-citizens from down from the the Florida Department of Elections About 156 Fort White Seating for parents and the Columbia County voter rolls who state to tell me I and the Department of Highway High School seniors will visitors is available on a as illegal immigrants wrongly regis- have anyone on Safety and Motor Vehicles. become graduates Friday first-come, first-served tered to vote. the voter rolls Voters will be notified by letter that night at Arrowhead basis in the stadium, she Elizabeth Horne, Columbia County like that,” she they have been identified as poten- Stadium. said. Supervisor of Elections, said she has said. tially ineligible to vote. Those voters The school’s commence- This year’s valedictorians not purged any Columbia County Horne said Horne have 30 days from receipt of the letter ment ceremony begins are Miranda Amaya and voters from the local voter rolls as she expects the to provide verification of their citizen- at 7 p.m., although visi- Brandon Gonzalez. Sarah the state elections office attempts to information to be provided before the ship or they face removal from the tors should arrive by 6:45 Cole is the salutatorian. clean Florida’s voter rolls. August 14 primary. p.m., said Christina Larsen, See coverage in Sunday’s “I haven’t purged any voters at The state Division of Elections is VOTERS continued on 3A senior class sponsor. Lake City Reporter. 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Oer expires 6/15 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2012 Page Editor: Rick Burnham, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Wednesday: Wednesday: n Actor Clint Eastwood n Actress Lea Afternoon: 2-3-7 Afternoon: 8-8-7-1 Tuesday: is 82. Thompson is 51. Evening: 8-6-9 Evening: 2-1-7-9 2-5-20-32-33 n Actress Sharon Gless çn Actress Lea is 69. Thompson is 51. n Football player Joe n Actor Colin Farrell is PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Namath is 69. 36. n Golfer Laura Baugh n Baseball player Jake is 57. Peavy is 31. n Olympic hockey play- n Basketball player Nate ‘Piranha 3DD’ hopes to er Jim Craig is 55. Robinson is 28. Daily Scripture lure in moviegoers again “In God, whose word I praise — in LOS ANGELES — It’s a miniseries “Hatfields & sink or swim moment for McCoys” was seen by God I trust and am not afraid. the filmmakers behind the 13.9 million viewers on sequel to “Piranha 3D.” Memorial Day. Add in What can mere mortals do to Combining a silly, self- History’s immediate repeat me?” aware sensibility with over- that night, and more than the-top gore, the original 17 million saw the tale. comedic horror film star- Those are huge num- - Psalm 56:4 NIV ring the likes of Richard bers in the cable television Dreyfuss, Christopher world. No scripted series Lloyd and Elizabeth Shue on the broadcast networks as townsfolk fighting off last week came close. prehistoric flesh-eating By contrast, Fox’s series fish became a just-add- finale of “House” last week water cult hit when it ASSOCIATED PRESS reached 8.7 million people. was released two sum- David Koechner, a cast member in “Piranha 3DD,” poses at “Hatfields & McCoys” Lake City Reporter mers ago opposite more the premiere of the film on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 in Los has a couple of big-name HOW TO REACH US mature fare such as “The Angeles. stars in Kevin Costner and Main number ....... .(386) 752-1293 BUSINESS Expendables” and “Eat Bill Paxton and is airing Fax number ............. .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon... .754-0419 Circulation .............. .755-5445 ([email protected]) Pray Love.” Lemire of The Associated to work on new material. over three nights in two- Online .