Primary Election Qualifying Starts Monday
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.50 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM NAACP holds annual Foreign Trade Best of the Best: SUNDAY Freedom Fund Zone in Ballot EDITION Luncheon. 9A the works. 1D inside 7A District reverses Snapshots of Dad course on Editor’s note: Local fathers along with sons and sex cases daughters shared their memories, as well as the meaning, for them, of fatherhood, with staff writer Megan Reeves at Now, ‘consensual’ Quentin Frye various locations in Lake City on Thursday and Friday. incidents will be Their comments proved moving and insightful. To Quentin Frye, fatherhood cannot be defined in just one reported to DCF. word, or even in one sentence. “I think fatherhood is a lot of things,” he said. “It’s spending time with your kids, believing in your By SARAH LOFTUS kids, taking care of your kids. It’s [email protected] always being there for them.” Frye said he likes being a father David Guadagnoli In the wake of an inves- because he enjoys watching his 9-year- “I can’t tell you much about my dad, because tigation into sexual mis- old son Brayden grow. Being a good he passed away,” said 7-year-old Jonathan conduct by two students at example is the most valuable thing a Conner. “But I can tell you about my grandpa.” Niblack Elementary School in father can offer his child, he said. His grandfather, David Guadagnoli, said he 2012 and 2013, Supt. Terry “When I see him be polite in a store, or be respectful, or believes values and the importance of educa- Huddleston show love to his mom, I feel like I have succeeded,” Frye said. tion are the most important lessons someone said the inci- “I feel like he is following my lead, and that makes me so proud INSIDE can teach a child. dents would of him.” “[Jonathan] does great at both,” he said. Huddleston be reported to He said being a father is more important now than ever before. “And I’m proud of him for that.” comments “You have to be a role model for your kids,” he said. “There Jonathan said he only missed one day of on his pick at state officials if are so many things happening in the world today, you have to school during the 2013-14 school year. He also Pinemount. they occurred be someone who cares enough to look after was an “A” honor roll student. today. them and lead them.” Jonathan said when he’s not in school, his He previously said school This means monitoring the games they favorite thing to do is help his grandpa work in officials had no duty to report play, how they do in school, what they watch the yard. the cases, which involved the on TV and more, he said. “We dig holes and stuff,” he said, adding that same two students, to the Braydon confirmed his dad is doing a fine sometimes they plant flowers for grandma, too. state Department of Children job at parenting. Jonathan’s grandparents bragged about his and Families. “He cares for me a lot,” Brayden said of tomato plants until he finally revealed how The incidents, said to be his father. “We play basketball together a many he is growing. consensual by school officials, lot, and he always buys me cool things I like “I have 46 tomatoes on five plants,” Jonathan when I’m good.” said. “They aren’t ready yet, but I’ll eat them were reported to county law when they are.” enforcement. Both involved Jonathan said his favorite thing about his a 9-year-old boy touching an grandpa is that he works hard every day. 11-year-old classmate inappro- Antonio Brown For Father’s Day, he planned to take a priately through her clothes. Antonio Brown wants to leave behind a fatherhood legacy. now-familiar trip to Wild Adventures in The second incident occurred “It’s always a legacy,” he said. “When I’m gone, I want Valdosta, Ga. with his grandparents. off-campus, school officials my kids to think to raise their kids how they were raised.” “We have season passes,” Jonathan said. said. Working at a prison, he sees fathers who are unable or In a June 3 letter summariz- unfit to take care of their children on a daily basis. ing an investigative report on “It’s very rare that you see real fathers nowadays,” Brown said. “Fathers that are in their child’s life.” NIBLACK continued on 8A Brown said it is imperative for children and fathers to live Jack Gherna: in the same home. Jack Gherna said becoming a father two years ago “These days, kids look to TV, athletes and movie stars changed his life completely – forever and for the better. “The day he was born is definitely the most profound to find their role models,” he said. experience that I’ve ever had in my entire life,” he said. “They should be able to find a posi- “Everything changed that moment.” Schools tive role model in the home.” His wife Corinne said Brown’s 11-year-old son, Shyhein, her husband lucked out, as fight on said his favorite things to do with she remembers him being his dad are play basketball in the the first to hold their now park or watch a movie from Redbox 2-year-old son Cooper. against together. “Right after he was born, “There’s just a lot of things I like he took him to the window truancy “So many I don’t even thinkabout I could him,” name Shyhein them said all.” of his dad. and said ‘That’s the world Brown said he is especially proud of his son right now out there, and I’m gonna because his academic and conduct grades both improved teach you all about it,’” she said. District seeking this school year. Both Gherna and his wife said that having their “He’s an 11-year-old boy, so of course he’s mischievous at son has shown them that having kids really does charges against times, but overall he is a great kid,” he said. “And I just think change your life, but that the change is good. 2 more parents. that’s a testament to having a father in the household.” “You appreciate different things,” Corinne Brown said that to him, Father’s Day is not gifts or cele- Gherna said. “You can still have your own life, bration, it is being able to be there for his kids. but mostly your life becomes theirs.” By SARAH LOFTUS “There are few fathers today who take the time to take Gherna said the one hope he has for [email protected] care of their kids,” he said. “I just thank God that I’m able to.” Lake City Reporter Cooper is that life brings him joy. “I just want him to be happy,” he said. “If District officials are pursu- he’s happy, that’s all that matters to me.” ing truancy charges against two more parents whose chil- EMILY LAWSON/ EMILY SNAPSHOTS OF DAD continued on 9A dren missed too much school, said Keith Hatcher, the district director of adult education, Illustration by truancy and charter schools. The parents have not been arrested and their names have not been released. Primary election qualifying starts Monday Another local woman, Patty Bell Gaines, was arrested in Election day The positions open already qualified by peti- appoints a campaign davit of residency. January for truancy, but Third are U.S. Representative tion must bring their peti- treasurer and chooses a Most candidates Circuit State Attorney Jeff for the county District 3, State tion certification, a com- bank for their campaign choose the petition route, Siegmeister said procedural is August 26. Representative District pleted form 1 or 6, which account. A check must be but Columbia County issues required dismissal of 10, County Commission are financial disclosure made from the account has had a few candidates the case. By EMILY STANTON districts 2 and 4, School documents, and loyalty to pay the qualifying fee. enter during the qual- Cracking down on parents [email protected] Board districts 1, 3 and oaths, which indicate how Candidates must then fill ifying period, said Liz who don’t keep their kids in 5, City Council districts the candidate wants his out a form 1 or form 6, Horne, Columbia County school is one element of the The qualifying period 10 and 14, county attor- or her name to appear on depending on the posi- Supervisor of Elections. district’s “Every Child, Every for the Columbia County ney and Santa Fe soil and the ballot. tion they are seeking, and Early voting for the pri- Seat, Every Day” program, primary election starts water conservation dis- Candidates who did not loyalty oaths. Candidates mary will be Aug. 16-23 initiated last fall by Hatcher. Monday at noon and runs trict groups 2 and 4. complete a petition must running for a city position from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Friday at noon. Candidates who have fill out a DS-DE9, which must also submit an affi- Election day is Aug. 26. TRUANCY continued on 6A Vol. 140, No. 95 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER LOCAL SPORTS (386) 752-1293 Local . 6A Obituaries . 5A CCBA builds Babe Ruth SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: 90 68 Advice & Comics . 3D new room at Baseball Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 4B Humane Society, 6A. Champs, 3B.