+ PLUS >> Outrage at the VA, Opinion 4A. COMMUNITY LOCAL SPORTS Armed Training Top notch Forces the Trainer swim team a family on global returns for affair logistics ‘14 season See Page 8A See Page 5A See Page 1B THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM EUGENE JEFFERSON: Wife active in campaign for the upcom- voters in recent weeks, Horne on voter rolls, Florida statute Despite indictment, Betty Jefferson has ing primary, said, and the calls are perfectly requires an absentee ballot be helped voters request absentee ballots. Supervisor of legal. mailed to that address. Elections Liz “She calls and gets us on the Horne did not accuse Jefferson By ROBERT BRIDGES Horne said line for them,” Horne said. of wrongdoing. [email protected] alleged voter fraud involving Wednesday. The elections worker asks the “That’s the law,” she said. absentee ballots during the 2010 Betty Jefferson voter his or her name, address Jefferson and another E. Jefferson A city councilman’s wife, election, has been helping res- has been calling and date of birth. though under indictment for idents request absentee ballots Horne’s office on behalf of city If the answers match data CAMPAIGN continued on 7A Suddenly, Lake City a magnet for new business Eateries, more now looking to Tax holiday this weekend locate here. By SARAH LOFTUS | [email protected] By TONY BRITT Back to school [email protected] Ashton Hoy, like many Columbia County residents, plans to take advan- Signs of a growing tage of the back-to-school tax-free economy are sprouting weekend starting Friday. But unlike up all over Lake City, others who may just head out to see especial- what they find, Hoy knows exact- INSIDE ly along ly what she wants and was out at the U.S. OfficeMax on Wednesday scouting Why has Highway what’s available. Lake City 90 corri- The 18-year-old leaves for college in a become dor, where few weeks and is looking for accessories hot spot for several for her laptop — a USB device, a new potential new busi- case and a surge protector. Hoy said businesses? nesses are she and her mom will also look for JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter hoping school supplies, clothes and the few Amanda Todd shops with her children, Truitt, 10, and Murphy, 5, at OfficeMax on to locate, things she still needs for her dorm Wednesday. Amanda said that she plans on going back-to-school shopping on Friday. ‘We including a charging room at Florida Southern College. need to go and buy clothes, shoes and backpacks,’ she said. ‘I’m sure I’ll hit the mall.’ station for Tesla electric She and her mom have shopped vehicles. on tax-free weekend since she was release from Florida TaxWatch, a non- CEO of Florida TaxWatch, said the According to infor- a little girl. She even remembers profit, nonpartisan taxpayer research money Floridians will save is part of mation from City Hall, hearing her mom talk about the institute, Floridians will save almost $40 the state’s almost $500 million in tax restaurants that have holiday when it was a week long million in taxes as they shop from 12:01 cuts. expressed interest in and not just a weekend. a.m. Friday to midnight Sunday. “They (tax holidays) are a great locating in Lake City They usually even go to Georgia School supply items that are less than way to lower the tax burden and pro- are: Panera Bread for its tax-free weekend, which $15 apiece will be tax-free. Clothing, foot- vide broad-based relief for hard- Company, Panda starts Aug. 8, Hoy said. wear and certain accessories that are working Floridians,” he said in Express Restaurant, “I always take advantage of under $100 per item will be tax-free. a prepared statement. “Since Dairy Queen Grill & tax-free weekend,” she said. Purses and backpacks are included in Chill, Denny’s Dinner And she isn’t the only that. The first $750 of computers and HOLIDAY continued on 7A Restaurant and Dunkin’ one. certain computer-related accessories will Donuts. In addition According be tax-exempt. to the restaurants, to a news Dominic M. Calabro, president and other businesses have inquired about moving to Lake City. The business growth includes expansion BUSINESS continued on 3A ‘Pot trucks’ may be on the move after new year en restrictions on who could own expressed by nursery owners, up with the regulations regarding Licensed nurseries could begin driving the dispensing organizations. lobbyists and others at a rule-mak- a strain of marijuana, authorized their product to patients, under new law. Nurseries with only one-quar- ing workshop earlier this month, by the Republican-dominated ter ownership of pot distribution health officials aren’t backing Legislature and approved by Gov. By DARA KAM revised rule proposed by health businesses would be eligible for away from a lottery-based sys- Rick Scott earlier this year, that The News Service of Florida regulators in advance of a work- licenses, according to the draft tem to choose the recipients of purportedly does not get users shop Friday about the state’s rule released late Tuesday by five licenses, a competition draw- high but can alleviate life-threat- TALLAHASSEE — Florida move to a limited type of medical the state Department of Health’s ing operators and investors from ening seizures in children with pot dispensers could truck their marijuana. Office of Compassionate Use. around the world. product to patients, under a The latest plan also would loos- Despite numerous complaints The state has until Jan. 1 to come POT TRUCKS continued on 7A Vol. 140, No. 127 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Local . 6A LOCAL SPORTS Obituaries . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Getting manicured Football’s waiting THE REPORTER: 90 70 Advice & Comics . 4B at Girl’s Club, 6A. game ends Sunday, 1B. Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 2B Fax: 752-9400 Partly cloudy, 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:14-16 Thought for Today Governments constantly choose between telling lies and fighting wars, with the end result always being the same. One will always lead to the other. — Thomas Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1743-1826) Winning Lottery Numbers Cash 3: (Wednesday) 7-3-0 Play 4: (Wednesday) 1-0-7-7 Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 3-6-12-17-31 See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will run in this space. Thanks for reading. Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter caption information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to see your organization in the newspaper, Riding in the water send the picture and information to associate editor Emily Jacob Morrison, 5, rides a tricycle in the fountain at Olustee Park in downtown Lake City on Tuesday. Lawson at [email protected]. 1 dead, 1 sickened from flesh-eating bacteria SARASOTA naturally in coastal waters, especially in were released. the waters off South Florida. arasota County health officials have the summer months. Symptoms include The mother told investigators she was Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokes- issued a warning against eating raw stomach illness, fever or shock after inside Timber Creek Pediatrics with woman Sandra King says the 22-year-old S oysters and exposing open wounds eating raw seafood — especially oysters her 9-year-old around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday man was on a professional dive boat to coastal and inland waters after one per- — or a wound infection after exposure to when she realized she’d left the little girl Wednesday morning, diving for lobster in son died and another was sickened by a seawater or brackish water. in the van. 40 feet of water. flesh-eating bacteria. Orange County Sheriff’s deputies say King says the man was unconscious Officials said Tuesday that 11 cases Florida mother charged the mother rushed the baby into the clinic, when he surfaced. He was brought to were reported statewide in 2014 and 41 where doctors were able to stabilize her. shore and authorities took him to a hospi- cases in 2013. The two Sarasota people after baby left in minivan The girl was then taken to Nemour’s tal, where he was pronounced dead. who contracted vibrio vulnificus were ORLANDO — A Florida mother is Children’s Hospital, where she is recov- The man’s name was not released. middle-aged and had medically compro- facing a felony charge after leaving her ering. Wednesday is the first day of the two- mising conditions. 2-month-old baby in a hot minivan parked day lobster mini-season for recreational Vibrio is an infection caused by a bac- outside a doctor’s office for about an hour. Man dies after diving for fishermen. teria found in warm salt water. It’s in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office offi- same family of bacterium that causes cials said Wednesday that the woman lobsters off South Florida cholera. is charged with child neglect. No other POMPANO BEACH — Authorities say The Vibrio vulnificus bacteria occur details, including the woman’s name, a man has died after diving for lobsters in n Associated Press THE WEATHER 31 THU 01 FRI 02 SAT 03 SUN 04 MON Partly Slight Slight Chance Chance cloudy chance chance of of of of storms storms storms storms HI 90HI LO LO70 HI 92 HI LO LO72 HI 90HI LO LO72 HI HI88 LO LO72 HI 88HI LO LO72 REGIONAL FORECAST MAP for Thursday, July 31 Thursday's highs/Thursday night's low Valdosta City Friday Saturday 95/70 Jacksonville 90/74 Cape Canaveral Tallahassee Lake City 89/77/ts 90/77/ts 94/70 90/70 Daytona Beach 90/77/ts 91/74/ts Fort Myers 93/75/ts 91/75/ts CARTER JACKSON/Lake City Reporter Gainesville Daytona Beach Pensacola 90/72 90/76 Ft.