Election Matters, Opinion/4A SPORTS FHSAA Rodeo No Final Decision Action on Spring Sports See Page 5A See Page 5A
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A3 + PLUS >> Every election matters, Opinion/4A SPORTS FHSAA Rodeo No final decision action on spring sports See Page 5A See Page 5A TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Crash that killed daughter means charges for mom Cooke 3A KIDS TAKE FLIGHT AT CANNON CREEK CORONAVIRUS FEARS LC couple stuck at sea in cruise that won’t end All they can do is hope that today’s the day as ship heads back to Miami. By TONY BRITT [email protected] A Lake City couple, on a seven-night Caribbean cruise, had the final day of their trip unexpectedly extended yesterday, when Puerto Rican officials refused to let passengers dis- ‘It is slightly embark from their ship. inconvenient, Ovidiu and Sondra but everyone Deaconescu are currently on the Royal Caribbean’s is being inconve- Freedom of the Seas cruise nienced in their ship, traveling to Miami. own ways during “We are making the most this time. Being of this situation and we really on a cruise ship aren’t in any distress,” Sondra isn’t really a wrote in an email. “It is slight- bad gig.’ ly inconvenient, but everyone Photos by AMY HIETT/Special to the Reporter is being inconvenienced in Mark Wiencek and Symphony Green, 8, get ready to take off from Cannon Creek Airpark and fly their own ways during this over Lake City as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles Rally on Saturday. time. Being on a cruise ship isn’t really a bad gig.” The two have been on the ship since Saturday when they last disembarked in St. Thomas. Their original destinations were Aruba, Curacao, Youngsters fly high with local pilots Bonaire and St. Thomas. “We were able to get off the ship as planned at all EAA program puts kids in Licensed pilots took the Each plane, carrying a child or of these,” Sondra said. the cockpit at no charge youngsters up in their planes at two, took off northbound, trav- The cruise was planned in November, well before to them or their parants. no charge. eled a large circle and eventually coronavirus and COVID-19 became a household term. Braxton Dicks, 11, flew with landed on the airpark’s grass By AMY HIETT his brother Brent Dicks, 8. “I landing strip. Then they taxied CRUISE continued on 2A Special to the Reporter loved it!” said Braxton, “It was back to their waiting parents. smooth. It was cool. Best thing I “I saw the world,” said eight- Thirty area kids, ages 8 to ever did. I like flying over every- year-old Symphony Green, who 17, soared high in the sky over thing. It was all so tiny.” Brent flew in a red RV6 experimental kit Columbia County Saturday, Dicks said he liked feeling the airplane flown by Mark Wiencek. courtesy the local chapter air. Their older brother also took of the Experimental Aircraft flight, but in a separate plane. KIDS continued on 3A Association’s Young Eagles Rally. COURTESY Lake City residents Ovidiu and Sondra Deaconescu pose for a picture in Aruba while on a cruise. Their trip was unexpectedly extended yes- Cherokee, a Cessna, and 2 Van’s Aircraft RV6’s line up alone Cannon Creek’s runway 1836 in terday, when Puerto Rican officials refused to let preparation to take area kids on their first small airplane ride Saturday morning. passengers from the ship disembark. County elections office all stocked up on hand sanitizer the chance of the virus spreading “We’re doing everything we’ve been assigned location. By CARL MCKINNEY during today’s primary. told to do to take care of any possible For voters in Lake City limits, [email protected] Tomi Brown, the county’s assistant risk,” Brown said. the presidential preference primary Voters throughout Columbia supervisor of elections, said voting Voters should be sure to check includes a three-part referendum that County won’t see any changes to poll- equipment is being wiped down at their voter cards for their polling will decide how future city elections ing locations due to COVID-19, while least hourly and hand sanitizer is location, Brown said. Ballots cannot are held. Choosing yes on all three local election officials say they’re being made accessible at polling loca- be cast on election day at the super- doing everything possible to minimize tions. visor’s office unless that is the voter’s ELECTION continued on 3A Brown Vol. 145, No. 263 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries. 3A (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A SUBSCRIBE TO Sports . 5A THE REPORTER: 82 63 Advice & Comics . 7A Voice: 755-5445 A few showers, 2A Fax: 752-9400 Classified . 8A WWWWW 2A TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS QUICK HITS Student meals set for extended break Scripture of the Day Local kids won’t go at each site. Children must “We felt that this was regarding COVID 19. “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when hungry, it’s hoped. be present in the vehicle important because we know If the break is extended wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” to receive meals. Walk-up that our families budget again, Jernigan said school — Proverbs 6:9 (KJV) By TONY BRITT service is allowed. Children their money and they bud- officials will reapply for [email protected] can go to any meal site to be get their meals and a lot more food through a grant served, since verification of of families depend on the application to the state’s Thought for Today The Columbia School enrollment is not necessary. schools to provide at least Summer Service program Ask five economists and you’ll get five different District will be providing “The food service work- two meals to their kids each (under the USDA/Florida answ ers — six if one went to Harvard. free meals for children as ers are going to work to get day,” she said. “So, we knew Department of Agriculture — Edgar Fiedler, 1929-2003, U.S. economist (“The a result of state officials bags prepared that if we didn’t and Consumer Services) Roots of Stagflation”) extending spring break for and they’re ‘We wanted to provide this which is providing the food an additional week. going to have make sure that service that the during the extended week The meals will start on to-go bags and the kids were kids would get of spring break. Winning Lottery Numbers Monday, March 23 and con- the parents will on a normal The school district has tinue until school closures be able to come being feed so school day any- programs where “high need, Pick 3: (Sunday p.m.) 1-9-6 end. either on foot that the fami- way, they would high poverty” students are Pick 4: (Sunday p.m.) 0-0-0-6 Columbia County Schools on in vehicles lies didn’t suffer have a hard- given non-perishable food Fantasy 5: (Sunday) 1-15-16-23-24 will have five meal-serv- with their stu- undue hardship ship in the end. items for spring break. ing sites: Five Points dents and they We wanted to The school district has See an error? Elementary School, Fort can pick up a because there make sure that a program where children The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news White Elementary School, bag or meal is going to be the kids were who meet requirements items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, Niblick Elementary School, to go,” said enough of that being feed so are given a backpack please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will Summers Elementary Hope Jernigan, with the current that the fami- with non-perishable food run in this space. Thanks for reading. School and Westside Columbia lies didn’t suf- items during weekend Elementary School. County Schools crisis.’ fer undue hard- and extended breaks from The food is being provid- Assistant ship because school. The food for that Submissions ed by the USDA and Florida Superintendent of there is going to be enough program is often provided The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption Department of Agriculture Elementary Education. of that with the current cri- by local church and com- information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture and Consumer Services. “Really, the kids could be in sis.” munity partners. and information to the editor: [email protected]. Breakfast will be served our school system or they There is no age restric- “Those are some pro- starting on Monday, March could not be in our school tion for children getting the grams that have already 23 from 9 a.m. -10 a.m. system, we’re not going to pre-packaged meals. passed food out to cer- Lunch and breakfast for verify enrollment. It’s just “If they can chew all the tain students. Those Lake City Reporter the next day will be served providing meals to children way up to 17 years old,” have already happened,” HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING starting that same day from who are in need.” Jernigan said. Jernigan said. “We are Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff Fax number ............ 752-9400 (386) 754-0417 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Jernigan said officials Friday afternoon the looking at our general pop- Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) The meals will be have not yet been able to Columbia School District’s ulation where we aren’t Online ...