nflaonline.com Mayo ACD Lafayette District Schools will be Free Press closed on Monday, Feb. 17 in observance of President's Day. Vol. 125, No. 50 USPS 334-600 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014 , Lafayette County, Florida 1 SECTION 16 PAGES 50¢ EXCEPTIONAL RECEPTIONIST A prescribed fire at the Suwannee River Water Management District’s Steinhatchee Springs Tract. SRWMD prescribed fire program benefits environment Submitted restoration by enhanc - The Suwannee River ing native upland and Water Management wetland vegetation District (District) uses and improving habitat prescribed fire as a key for native wildlife. (L-R) Lafayette County Schools Superintendent Robbie Edwards, School-Related Employee of the Year Lucie Gre - strategy to maintain Prescribed fire is also sham and Lafayette High School Principal Stewart Hancock. - Photo: Andrew McGee the health and reduce used to reduce fuel the risk of wildfires on levels in forests to help roughly 50,000 acres of lower the intensity conservation lands. and to reduce the risk Gresham recognized as Prescribed fire simu - of wildfire. Other ben - lates a natural process efits of prescribed fire school-related employee of the year that helps facilitate overall ecological SEE SRWMD, PAGE 9A By Andrew McGee great news. ment. [email protected] She said she had no idea she “Probably the thing that would win, but did know she stands out the most about Lu - Lafayette High School’s Lu - was entered and was up cie Gresham is her positive atti - cie Gresham was recognized as against some fierce competi - tude and she’s always ener - the school-related employee of tion. She posed for a few pic - getic,” said Hancock. “You the year on Jan. 29. She was tures and insisted some of can’t help if you’re around her congratulated by co-workers, them be with her front office for that to bleed off on you.” staff and Lafayette County “ladies”. He said she has a great love School Superintendent Robbie Gresham has been the school for kids and is always mentor - Edwards. LHS Principal Stew - receptionist for about five ing them and doing everything art Hancock gave her a bou - years and prior to that, worked quet of flowers and told her the as an aide in their ESE depart - SEE GRESHAM, PAGE 9A celebrated at LHS By Joyce Marie Taylor Teacher Mary Ann [email protected] McCray explained the students will also be Mayo Tending the flock for To celebrate Black reading works from History Month, stu - other prominent spring dents at Lafayette High African American writ - a quarter of a century School will be reading ers and poets, such as the works of Dr. Martin Langstan Hughes and festival is Luther King Jr.; works James Weldon Johnson. such as his “I Have a Students, McCray March 29 Dream” speech and said, are required to “Letter From a Birm - By Joyce Marie Taylor ingham Jail”. SEE BLACK, PAGE 9A [email protected] The Lafayette County Stakeholder Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the second Spring Festival in Committee consensus the Park on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. un - is to move forward til 5 p.m. The North Florida forts to move forward Entertainment will be Regional Water Supply with the recovery strat - provided by the Herold Partnership Stakehold - egy plan for these water White Band from 11 a.m. er Advisory Committee bodies. until 3 p.m.. There will by consensus adopted Recovery strategies also be arts, crafts, food 11 recommendation are required to be es - and lots of fun for every - From left, Justin, Jacqueline, Sarah and Steven Boyd. Courtesy photo statements to move for - tablished when a water one. ward with the Recov - body is below or is pro - “We cordially invite all Pastor celebrates 25 years at same church ery Strategy needed to jected to fall below a vendors, school groups, protect the Minimum MFL. The MFLs devel - and church groups inter - By Andrew McGee God. Flows and Levels oped for the Lower ested in having a booth to [email protected] (MFLs) for the Lower Santa Fe and Ichetuck - contact the Chamber of Growing up to be minister Santa Fe and Ichetuck - nee Rivers and Priority Commerce at 386-294- Reverend Steven A. Boyd has Boyd was born in Winter nee Rivers and Priority Springs indicate that 2705 or Peggy Grill at served as pastor for 25 years at Springs. The recom - 386-294-3322,” said Leta Hatchbend Apostolic Church SEE TENDING, PAGE 8A mendations support ef - SEE STAKEHOLDER, PAGE 9A Hawkins of the Chamber. (HAC) in Lafayette You can also visit their County. Although website at www.lafayet - being at one loca - tion for a quarter of SEE MAYO, PAGE 9A a century as pastor, he and his congre - gation go out to several different places in the coun - 8 0 1 0 0 ty and surround - 3 ing counties to F o r K i d s 12 & Under minister to others 5 6 No Purchase Necessary 0 2 and to teach about Must Present Coupon 5 Limit 1 Per Person 8 Lafayette County’s news source since 1888. We’re proud to serve! PAGE 2A ~ THE MAYO FREE PRESS , Mayo, FL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014 Happy Valentine’s Day! People all over the HEART Stewardship in the last days world will celebrate Valentine’s Day with time proves to be the spur ask. You ask and do not re - many different of ex - to Daniel's peace plan ceive because you ask pressions of love: candy, MATTERS (Dan. 9:27). If it is, the time amiss, that you may spend flowers, or a special din - is extremely short. it on your pleasures”. If you ner at a favorite restau - So what are we as born- ask God to use you, He rant. In fact, the Nation - again believers and active will, if you are sincere in al Retail Federation esti - By Angie Land in our own personal min - how you ask. mates that Americans istry to do? The answer is Church, these are the last alone spent approxi - to do what you have been days. If you have been mately 17 billion dollars ing a portion of time Loving service is an in - doing and continue to look slack in your ministries, last year on the Valen - and your undivided at - ternally motivated de - for His coming. If we are and many have been, there tine holiday. Why do tention is a powerful sire to give your energy looking for His soon com - is no need to panic. You we go to so much trou - communicator of love for another. Just doing ing, we will be vigilant in still have time to get back ble? According to Dr. to another person be - something for someone, By Hugh G. Sherrill our daily walk and min - on tune with God. You can Gary Chapman, love is cause our lives are so especially something [email protected] istry. If we are truly doing not make yourself fruitful an emotional need, not busy. This doesn’t they want or need ac - what He has called us to do, but God both can and will. just another emotion. mean simply being in complished is a power - As the situation in the just because the church age Again, read John 15:1-11. We all want to love and the same room at the ful way to communicate Middle East unfolds and is drawing to a close, our The nearer we come to be loved, but often our same time, but has love. Like quality time, the church sees the events ministries have not the end of this age, the expressions of love miss everything to do with it requires a portion of that are to follow The Rap - changed. If you are a pastor more fiercely does the Dev - the mark! Perhaps what togetherness. Make our life set aside and ture draw near, we know of a church, make your il fight against our efforts. we most need to learn sure the other person is donated for another, but that the times and the sea - congregation aware of the It is useless to go out with - about love is how to ex - convinced they are the acts of service also al - sons are upon us. (Matthew fact that the time may be out being fully armored and press it in a language focus of your attention. lows them to be free of 24). Whether it is 10 min - near. Of course, for you to armed with the Sword of that our intended receiv - 3. Receiving Gifts: a task or chore. This one utes or 10 years we ought do that, you must believe it the Spirit, the Word of God. er will understand. In gifts are visible evi - is huge to me; nothing always to be watchful (2nd yourself. You must urge We ought always to keep a Chapman’s book “The dence of emotional makes me feel more Tim. 4:8). The world stage them to step up to the plate copy of God's Word handy. Five Love Languages,” love. Perhaps this ex - loved than my husband is set and we do not expect and be more consistent in How shall we share God's he explains the five ba - plains the billions helping me get a chore it to be very long before we their own ministries. If you Word if we don't have it sic languages of love: spent on Valentine’s crossed off the to-do hear the voice like a trum - are a church member and with us? Most today have 1.