The Wakulla news Woodstork Festival, Page 10B Published Weekly, Our 116th Year, 41st Issue Thursday, October 13, 2011 Three Sections Read Daily Serving Wakulla County For More Than A Century 75 Cents Donnie Crum sworn-in as sheriff Taking over as interim to oath of offi ce service. Crum was appointed law enforcement operations, fi ll the remaining term of Crum was administered interim sheriff by Gov. Rick and Major Jared Miller is the oath by Wakulla Cir- Scott to fill the term of over the jail. The command longtime Sheriff David cuit Judge Jackie Fulford as Wakulla’s longtime Sheriff staff knelt at the church’s Harvey, Crum vows to Crum’s daughter, Natalie, David Harvey, who stepped altar with their families ‘be his own man’ held the Bible. Fulford was a down Oct. 1 after 35 years and were surrounded by the prosecutor in Wakulla Coun- to accept a position as direc- church deacons and a prayer By WILLIAM SNOWDEN ty with the state attorney’s tor of the Florida Sheriff’s was said for their leadership [email protected] office and worked with Association Self-Insurance during the coming year. Crum and other sheriff’s Fund. County Commission Donnie Crum was sworn- deputies before she was ap- “I’m not going to try to Chairman Mike Stewart in as sheriff on Wednesday, pointed to the bench. fi ll the shoes of David Har- noted he comes from a Pen- Oct. 5, at a ceremony held at Sheriff’s deputies were vey,” Crum said at the ser- tecostal background and he WILLIAM SNOWDEN Sopchoppy Southern Baptist also administered the oath vice. “Those are some pretty knelt along with them at the Donnie Crum takes the oath of offi ce last week from Wakul- Church. of office and given their big shoes to fi ll. I’m going to altar and said a prayer. la Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford. Crum’s daughter, Natalie, is The church was packed credentials. He thanked the be my own man.” holding the Bible, and Undersheriff Maurice Langston has with deputies, elected of- deputies for their dedication Major Maurice Langston Continued on Page 2A the microphone. fi cials and citizens for the to the job. is now undersheriff over The different faces of the Lion Clockwise from top left: The Lion as Spider-Man for Hal- loween is visited by trick-or- treaters; the Lion as Easter Bunny; Amya Herring helps paint the Lion last weekend; and the Lion as a Wakulla War Eagle. Th e Lion at Azalea Park changes his look every month – thanks to Helen Gunn and other DIANE FLOWERS/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS volunteers Helen and Tommy Gunn painting the Lion as a Monarch butterfl y last month. By JENNIFER JENSEN [email protected] The Lion who calls Azalea Park his home is ever-changing. Each month the Lion takes on a new design, never wearing the same outfi t twice. A common theme for his outfi ts is holiday wear, dressing like Santa on Christmas or a turkey on Thanksgiving. Although he may have a Thanksgiving design each November, if one looks closely, they will see each one is different. This is because it is not always the same person who dresses the Lion. Helen Gunn, who has been the caretaker of the Lion since March 2008, paints the Lion often, but says she is always look- ing for people in the community to help her. A sign next to the Lion gives Gunn’s contact information for those who would like to paint the Lion. She says she has Christmastime Lion, with stockings hung by the chimney had families, friends and Boy Scout and Girls Scout troops with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. paint the Lion over the years. FER JENSEN PHOTO BY JENNI Continued on Page 2A Inside Wakulla schools earn accreditation and praise This Week Th e accreditation committee meeting on the district’s chain of command, Public Notices ..............Page 3A Wednesday, parental involvement in the sys- was impressed with local Oct. 5. tem, and especially minimizing Comment & Opinion ....Page 4A schools, and the ‘community’ Wakulla the direct impact of the economic Church..........................Page 5A of parents, teachers and schools downturn on students. Community....................Page 6A were first “You do so many things very, administrators accredited very well,” said Golding. School...........................Page 7A By WILLIAM SNOWDEN five years Of seven standards, in fi ve ar- Sports .................... Pages 8, 9A [email protected] ago, Super- eas, Wakulla earned a designation In The Huddle ............Page 10A Superintendent intendent of “highly functional” – meaning A five-person accreditation David Miller of Schools it exceeded those goals. It was Outdoors ...................Page 11A committee recommended that David Mill- designated as “operational,” or Water Ways...............Page 12A Wakulla schools be re-accredited, er noted at the meeting. One of meeting the goals. Mims, who worked on the school and praised the district’s teach- accreditation issue, and the school Sheriff’s Report ..........Page 13A the fi rst small districts to be ac- Two required actions were to ers, parents and administrators credited, the fourth school district develop a data system to allow principals for their leadership. Green Scene ................Page 1B for working together to create a in Florida. analysis of achievement gaps of “I’m very pleased,” Miller said. Week in Wakulla ..........Page 2B community atmosphere dedicated Five years later, it was time to subgroups, and to focus on iden- Beth O’Donnell, who is as- to the students. review the district again, and the tifying and improving the lower sistant superintendent for cur- Classifi eds ....................Page 7B “If I were a parent who lived in five committee members came quartile of students. riculum, said her favorite com- Legal Notices ...............Page 8B Florida, I would be very happy for in to evaluate the local schools. But even that came with a ment she heard from committee my children to go here,” said Dr. They interviewed 196 people sort of backhanded praise: In a members was how the school Patricia Golding, associate direc- – including the fi ve school board high-performing school district system was like a family – from tor of AdvancEd in Virginia who members, 21 administrators, 47 like Wakulla, it was noted that the parents to teachers to admin- chaired the committee that looked teachers and more than 60 parents the lower students may actually istrators. at Wakulla’s schools. “I would be and business leaders. include students who are perform- O’Donnell added that, in happy to work here.” Among the commendations ing with certain profi ciency. Wakulla, “The system is this com- Dr. Golding made a PowerPoint for the district were its healthy After the accreditation commit- munity.” presentation of the committee’s educational culture, the mutual tee left the meeting, Miller praised Continued on Page 2A report at a special school board respect shown at every level of his district staff, especially Beth Page 2A – THE WAKULLA NEWS, Thursday, October 13, 2011 www.thewakullanews.com Th e diff erent faces of the Lion at Azalea Park Continued from Page 1A a full day. It depends on Prior to Gunn taking over Gentry selected Gunn and the sense of creating how diffi cult the design is, Got an idea for painting responsibility of the Lion, it and she was ecstatic. something that will make She wants the communi- she says. the lion? Get in touch belonged to Laura Gentry. “I love art and it seems people smile.” ty to become more involved Before painting the de- Gentry owned Tattered the community does too,” Those who would like with the Lion because it is sign on the Lion, he must with Helen Gunn at Pages, a bookstore across Gunn says. “It has been a to be a part of making their Lion, she just looks be painted white using [email protected]. the street from where the joy in my life to keep the the community smile and after him, she says. Kiltz, to make sure the Lion currently stands. She Lion painted.” want to grab a paint brush While she is painting previous colors do not run which she wrote at the purchased the Lion and Not only is it fun, Gunn and create a design for the the Lion, Gunn says she through the art work. Once base of the Lion. placed him in front of her says, it is also a stress Lion can contact Gunn at always gets approached by it is dry, Gunn uses outdoor “So, the lion could be a store and began painting reliever. [email protected]. Cur- people who ask questions acrylic paint to make her personal statement, as well him different designs each “I guess you could say rently, Gunn says she has about the Lion and who design. as a fun and colorful piece month. painting the Lion is thera- all months available for are curious about what she Last month, she turned of work,” Gunn says. Gunn says, “I was like peutic,” Gunn says. “By those who wish to paint plans to turn him into. the Lion into a Monarch The Lion has been everyone else. I would see painting the Lion, I get the Lion. People are always won- the Lion outside of Tattered therapeutic value from it dering what he will be Pages and wonder myself next, she says. what it would be painted She says she loves how next.” people honk their horn in One month, the Lion support when she’s paint- was painted into Spider- ing him. Man and Gunn says her “You may not think it is boys went crazy for it.