INSIDE: ONLINE NOTICE OF INTERNET TAX CERTIFICATE SALE, Section B Today’s Weather High The 93° F Precip: 0% Sunny skies. High 93F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 0%. UV Index: 11 - Extreme Jasper News For up to the minute weather go to n f l a o n l i n e . c o m www.nflaonline.com. 143rd YEAR, NUMBER 24 THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2014 2 SECTION 42 PAGES 50¢ One dead, 2 injured in shooting witnesses at the scene, there ing at the scene. Two other were people talking outside men, David Washington and SuspectBy Joyce Marie Taylorarrestedthe Lowndesin Ga. County, Ga. the residence when gunfire Louis Ash were also injured. [email protected] Sheriff’s Office around noon erupted from the bushes Washington was shot in the on Sunday, May 18, without across the street from the resi- calf and Ash was nicked by a A shooting incident early incident at a motel in Lake dence. HCSO and Jasper Po- bullet. They were both attend- Sunday morning left one man Park, Ga. lice Department were dis- ed to by EMS and released. dead and two others with mi- According to Reid, Allen patched to the scene. Allen fled the scene and nor injuries, according to had been involved in an alter- Reid said Frank Carl Jones based on information received Hamilton County Sheriff Har- cation earlier on Saturday and III (approx. age 37) was sitting during an investigation by rell Reid. The suspect shooter, shortly after midnight he ar- on the front porch of the resi- HCSO, the Florida Depart- Daphedron Lamar Allen, 34, rived at a residence at 106 8th dence when the gunfire start- Jasper, was later arrested by Ave. in Jasper. According to ed and took a fatal bullet, dy- SEE ONE, PAGE 11A Daphedron Lamar Allen Rain or shine, Florida Folk Festival Qualifying by set for Memorial Day weekend petition ends for By Joyce Marie Taylor [email protected] August primary The 62nd Annual Florida Folk Festi- By Joyce Marie Taylor val is coming to White Springs for [email protected] Memorial Day weekend, May 23-25. Come join in a celebration of the best of Qualifying by petition for local offices in the up- Florida music, arts and culture. coming election ended at noon on Monday, May This popular event is sponsored by 19. For candidates who wish to qualify by paying the Florida Department of Environ- the fee, they have from June 16 at noon through mental Protection’s Stephen Foster June 20 at noon to qualify. The last day to register Folk Culture Center State Park in to vote in the August primary is Monday, July 28, White Springs on the banks of the his- when books will close. toric Suwannee River. According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, According to park officials, the Flori- the following people have qualified by petition to da Folk Festival has once again been run for each of the local offices up for election this named a “Top 20 Event” in the South- year: east. With the best of Florida’s music, County Commission District 2 arts and culture, as well as a Folklife Josh Smith (R) area, there is something for everyone. County Commission District 4 Aside from all the fabulous music, Randy Ogburn (D) SPECIAL SECTION - INSIDE there will be plenty of tasty foods Florine Dye Roberts (D) available, along with jam sessions, School Board District 1 (Nonpartisan) workshops, and you can even do some Nathan Griffin shopping and pay tribute to Florida’s Cheryl McCall land, its people and its diverse cultural School Board District 4 (Nonpartisan) heritage. Johnny Bullard There will be a full schedule of per- School Board District 5 (Nonpartisan) Annette Daniels SEE RAIN, PAGE 11A Don Fenneman Sammy McCoy Suezette Wiggins Confusion at Charges dropped SVTA during against former transition Jasper PD captain Board puts hold on comp By Joyce Marie Taylor time, reverts to 1983 manual [email protected] By Joyce Marie Taylor Charges of official misconduct, grand theft III [email protected] and cheating filed against former Jasper Police Memorial Day ceremonies Captain James Michael Cohen have been The boardroom was packed with people dur- dropped, according to Hamilton County court ing a two-and-a-half-hour Suwannee Valley Veterans Park in Jasper, records. Transit Authority (SVTA) Board of Directors On Tuesday, May 13, the Third Judicial Circuit meeting on Tuesday, May 13, as the board strug- White Springs State Attorney’s Office filed a Notice of Nolle gled to decipher which Personnel Policies and By Joyce Marie Taylor Prosequi, stating it appeared that justice would Procedures Manual they were operating under. [email protected] best be served by the entry of a Nolle Prosequi SVTA is being watched closely by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Flori- Memorial Day will be honored in the city of SEE CHARGES, PAGE 11A da Department of Transportation (FDOT). FDLE Jasper and town of White Springs on Monday, would not state the nature of their investigation. May 26, at Veterans Memorial Park in both places. An FDOT audit revealed that ousted Adminis- Jasper Griffin admits fraud The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Commander Enters deferred prosecution program SEE CONFUSION, PAGE 12A James Lee Jr. and Bryant Phillip from American Legion Post 215 will be presiding over the event By Joyce Marie Taylor and the Hamilton County High School AFJROTC [email protected] will be presenting the colors. There will be several solo performances of patri- A White Springs man, who was jailed on five Wet winter, spring otic songs, as well as popular military poems and counts of fraud, admitted guilt on May 14 and words of encouragement. agreed to a plea deal with the State Attorney’s Of- produces highest After the program, Dorothy Robinson will dedi- fice for deferred prosecution, according to Third cate the wreath, which will be followed by a mo- Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister. groundwater levels ment of silence, closing remarks by VFW Com- On April 17, Joe E. Griffin of 16589 Mill St., mander Lamar Royals and American Legion Post White Springs, was arrested and booked into the sinceSubmitted by SRWMD 2005 April marked the fifth month of above average SEE MEMORIAL DAY, PAGE 11A SEE GRIFFIN, PAGE 11A rainfall for most counties within the Suwannee River Water Management District (District). Ac- cording to the District's hydrologic conditions re- port, an average of 6.47 inches of rainfall fell in April which is almost double the historical aver- age. It has been the ninth wettest winter and spring since 1932. Most of the rainfall F o r K i d s 12 & Under in April was caused No Purchase Necessary Must Present Coupon Limit 1 Per Person SEE WET, PAGE 11A 861265 THE JASPER NEWS PAGE 2A , Jasper, FL THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2014 By Marianela Toledo | Post.com, and long stretches of taxes support other enti- and other public works police to patrol the tourist Florida Watchdog readyJobs, jobs, jobs tosparkling spend beaches. So do ties,$74 not just tourism million pro- projects. on tourismdistrict. The request was MIAMI — As Florida Florida’s governor jus- taxpayers really need to motion. In 2009, the Miami- turned down. stands ready to dole out tified the spending, say- spend $74 million to get New Orleans, for exam- Dade County Commis- Contact Marianela $74 million to promote ing the money will trans- that point across? ple, uses hotel taxes for sion asked the state for its Toledo at Marianela.Tole- Sunshine State tourism, late into jobs. Soskin, a critic of the education. Chicago and permission to use some of [email protected] many around the state are “Every 85 visitors to state’s reliance on Seattle spend those tax the money coming from g or on Twitter @mtole- wondering if it’s a wise Florida equals one job in tourism, says not really. dollars on infrastructure the bed tax to hire extra doreporter. use of public resources. our state — and it is clear “There are no tourism One thing’s for sure. that more visitors to the industries that last,” he Visit Florida, the state’s Sunshine State means told to Orlando Weekly. UFPA announces official marketing organi- more jobs for Florida fam- “There is a life cycle for zation, will see a windfall. ilies,” Scott said. destinations. They come But Roman Estomas is- FloridaTaxWatch, a fis- and they go. We have to 2014-15 season n’t impressed at all. cally conservative gov- look beyond that point: Is GAINESVILLE, Fla. – light artists from the which includes a concert He ferries tourists be- ernment watchdog it something that gets us Michael Blachly, director Gainesville area. “We engagement. She will tween Miami Internation- group, agrees with the there? It can’t be what we of University of Florida are fortunate to live in a make her UFPA debut al Airport and Coral plan. The private non- are.” Performing Arts (UFPA), strong artistic communi- Sat., Jan. 10 at University Gables’ Hyatt Hotel, profit crunched the num- Deliverables, and not has announced the 2014- ty,” says Blachly. “To Auditorium. among others. bers and its data suggests just promises 2015 Season. The season that end, we hope to pro- In response to audience “We are the ones 100 million tourists Budget proposals have schedule features 73 vide a pathway for artists feedback, UFPA has whose lives are on the would create 121,298 jobs, yet to specify where ex- events from July through within our community to added more singer-song- line when a criminal rides half directly in the actly all the money will be April.