1A WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 & 20, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Westside center gets budget boost By TONY BRITT services and materials. board and gave a line item review of each of the [email protected] The additional funding was unanimously new budgeted items which totaled $127,458. approved by commissioners. Commissioner County staff recommended the change orders County officials increased the budget for Rusty DePratter did not attend the meeting. be adopted and they were added to the meet- the Westside Community Center by more The decision to allow the change order ing’s agenda as a late addendum. than 25 percent Thursday night by approving was made following a presentation by Dale Oct. 19 change orders for an additional $127,458 for Williams, county manager, who addressed the CENTER continued on 5A Alligator Warrior Fest Alligator Warrior Festival, an annual non-profit event at O’Leno State Park in High Is Florida Springs runs Friday, Oct. 19 to Sunday, Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Alligator ‘Big Boy Toys’ is back ready for Warrior Festival celebrates the history of Florida as it made the transition from a replay Spanish colony to the 27th state. It also commemo- rates the years between of 2000? 1800 and 1859, when Lake City was still called Both parties prep for Alligator, and in memory of its most famous resident, possible nightmare the Seminole commander, election scenarios. Alligator Warrior. The reen- actment the 1836 Battle of By CHARLES BABINGTON San Felasco Hammock will Associated Press be at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the WEST PALM BEACH — Here reenactment, the event is in a county that knows a thing a festival that celebrates or two about Election Day melt- native American and immi- downs, both parties are fretting grant American cultures over what might go seriously with music and dancing, wrong before, during or just after living-history camps, dem- the Nov. 6 presidential election. onstrators of historic skills, “More than 50 percent of the traders, craftspeople, and provisional ballots are thrown in food vendors. Admission is the trash in this state,” Florida $5 per vehicle holding 2 to state Rep. Mark Pafford told 8 people. about 80 retirees who gathered for last week’s meeting of the Quilt show Golden Lakes Democratic Club. The Stephen Foster Quilt That’s only a slight exaggera- Show is Oct, 19-21 at the tion — 48 percent of the provi- Stephen Foster State Park sional ballots cast in Florida in JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter in White Springs. Lady of Roger Parish (left), outgoing Kiwanis Club of Lake City president, assists Kiwanis co-chair Norbie Ronsonet with 2008 were rejected. And Pafford’s the Lake Quilters get to warning underscores anxiety in share their finished quilts placing signs along U.S. 90 to help promote the second annual Kiwanis Big Boy Toys Expo. The event will be Florida and other states about at the event. Please join held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds starting at 9 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. legal challenges, ballot problems us in celebration of all or bizarre outcomes that could things quilting. There are bedevil a race that seems likely many categories of quilts ‘Swamp People’ stars headline expo to be close — conceivably as displayed and demonstra- close as the 2000 contest that tions of quilting techniques Organizers hope at the Columbia County With increased entertainment, people still quarrel about. will be held throughout Fairgrounds in Lake City. organizers are expecting nearly Merely the mention of that the show. There is even a to draw 10,000 Admission is $8 for both days. double the turnout from last election unsettles people in Palm Boutique that is always a visitors this year. R.J. Molinere and Jay Paul year, when about 5,000 attended. Beach County. The county’s bargain basement for quilts Molinere, stars of the History “Swamp People is going poorly designed “butterfly ballot” and quilting items. Channel’s hit show Swamp to bring us a regional draw,” confused thousands of voters, By LAURA HAMPSON People, will meet fans on a first Ronsonet said. arguably costing Democrat Al [email protected] come, first served basis starting With vendors and exhibitors, Gore the state, and thereby the Oct. 20 at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday only. the expo also features food, presidency. he second annual Big Boy Toy Expo Only 50 tickets are left for the games, a motorcycle and classic Gore won the national popu- Kiwanis Big Boy The Kiwanis Big Boys VIP breakfast with the father car show, a dunking booth, an lar vote by more than a half- Toys Expo is back Toys Expo starts 9 a.m. and son alligator hunting team, RV and boat show, kid’s building million ballots. But George W. with nationally Saturday and 10 a.m. said Norbie Ronsonet, Kiwanis activities, a kid’s shooting range Bush became president after the known entertainment Sunday at the Columbia co-chair. The tickets are $50 and and bounce houses. Supreme Court decided, 5-4, to Tand more activities for the entire County Fairgrounds. The include a guaranteed meet and “It is everything for the out- halt further Florida recounts, family. event features everything greet with R.J. and Jay Paul, a doorsman, but it is very family more than a month after Election The expo starts 9 a.m. for the outdoorsman as well picture, souvenir lanyard and Day. Bush carried the state by Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday as activities and contests continental breakfast. TOYS continued on 5A 537 votes, enough for an Electoral for the entire family. Meet College edge. RJ and Jay Paul from the “Pregnant chad” entered the History Channel’s Swamp political lexicon. And Americans People at 12:30 p.m. Tickets Alligator got a jolting reminder of the are $8, which includes Founding Fathers’ complex rec- admission for both days ipe for indirectly electing presi- Warrior fest dents. Farmers market Even if everything goes The Lake DeSoto smoothly, it’s conceivable the Farmers Market hosts starts today nation will awaken to a major another Florida Gateway shock in three weeks: an Electoral College Day at the mar- By LAURA HAMPSON College tie between President ket this Saturday, Oct. [email protected] Barack Obama and Republican 20 from 8 a.m. to noon. Mitt Romney. That would throw Representatives from the Seminole warriors, craftspeople and sol- the decision to the House of EMS program, the Welding diers of Old Florida will come alive again Representatives, currently con- program and the AC pro- this weekend during the annual Alligator trolled by Republicans but up for gram will be available for Warrior Festival in High Springs. grabs in this election. questions and demonstra- The festival runs from 8 a.m. to 5 A 269-269 Electoral College tie tions. Admissions and col- p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday at is unlikely but far from impossi- lege information about all O’Leno State Park. The reenactment of ble. It could result, for instance, if the great programs at FGC the Second Seminole War Battle of San Romney wins all the competitive will be available. In addi- Felasco Hammock, which took place in states except Ohio, Wisconsin tion, local artist Sue Hall will 1836 near Alachua, is scheduled for 2 and New Hampshire. make her first appearance at p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Four U.S. elections, including the market. Sue, known for The event, first held in downtown Lake 2000, saw the presidency go to her local farm scenes and is City in 1995, celebrates the history of the person who finished second a member of the Art League Florida as it made the transition from a in the popular vote. There has of North Florida. Her paint- Spanish colony to the 27th state in the never been an Electoral College ings can be seen at Haven Union. tie. However, the U.S. House Hospice and the College “It really is about community-build- handed the 1824 election to John and Library Art Shows. For ing,” said Paul Rowley, secretary of the Quincy Adams after he finished more information about nonprofit Alligator Festival. COURTESY second — in both the popular the Lake DeSoto Farmer Re-enactor Hawkwood works near the Seminole Camp at the vote and the Electoral College Market call 386-719-5766 or ALLIGATOR continued on 5A 2011 Alligator Warrior Festival. visit market.lcfla.com. 2000 continued on 5A Vol. 138, No. 188 Opinion ............... 4A CALL US: People................. 2A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 82 53 PEOPLE SUNDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-Storm Chance Obituaries ............. 5A THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics ....... 6-7B Aldean to play Fla. constitutional Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles ............... 6-7B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A at Fenway. amendments 8-12. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING FRIDAY & SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19-20, 2012 Celebrity Birthdays Thursday: Thursday: n Former U.S. ambassador is 67. Afternoon: 4-7-4 Afternoon: 3-1-3-7 Wednesday: to Russia Robert S. Strauss n Rock singer-musician Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 2-9-11-29-35 is 94. Patrick Simmons (The Doobie n Author John le Carre is 81. Brothers) is 64. n Artist Peter Max is 75. n Former Republican n Actor John Lithgow is 67. National Committee Chairman PEOPLE IN THE NEWS n Feminist activist Patricia Michael Steele is 54. Ireland is 67. n Boxer Evander Holyfield n Singer Jeannie C. Riley is 50. Aldean to play at Fenway Park Daily Scripture “Wait for the Lord; be strong and BOSTON take heart and wait for the Lord.” ountry music star Jason Aldean will be making Psalm 27:14 history at one of base- ball’s most historic sites.