BAKER COUNTY COMMISSION Sity in 2016, Also Serves on the Baker County YMCA Advisory Board and the Baker Prevention Coalition Board of Directors
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CONVENIENT HOURS See ad on pg. 16 Knight clinches 2nd Page 15 Fall Ball success Page 11 ThE BakER COUNty PREss $1.00 90TH YEAR | VOLUME 31 NOVEMBER 14, 2019 AT A Alleged GLANCE Final respects drive-by THINGS TO DO shooter November 14 arrested BCCMC meeting 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. A 17-year-old Sander- The Baker County Correc- son youth was taken into custody on November 9, tions Management Cor- charged with shooting into poration (BCCMC) board an occupied parked car in of directors will meet on west Macclenny the eve- November 14 at 2 p.m. Slat- ning of November 4. ed for the agenda are the management agreement between BCCMC and the sheriff’s office for operating the county jail and sheriff’s administration complex in Thousands attended the ser- North Macclenny. vice on November 7 at Jack- November 18 sonville National Cemetery. Healthy Baker meeting For local Kai’Wuan Givens 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Kai’Wuan Givens was The health department-led booked on multiple felony Healthy Baker meeting will indigent and misdemeanor counts be November 18, 2019 at 11 a.m. at the department following an interview at on West Lowder Street. Army vet county jail during which Public and private health he denied involvement and professionals will be JOEL ADDINGTON insisted he was at home on discussing infant mortal- MANAGING EDITOR Gaskins Circle that eve- ity data and other public [email protected] ning. health issues. His version contradict- hen Vietnam War ed statements given earli- veteran Michael S. er by Glende Kersey, 18, of MORE NEWS WAllevato died a lit- Macclenny, who told dep- tle more than two years ago uties she drove the Chev- at 64, no next of kin could be rolet Spark from which located. His friend Frank Co- the shots were fired, and hen, who served in the Navy County commission chair Cathy Rhoden (seated at left) during the funeral service for Army vet Michael that the accused was in the Allevato, whose remains stood next to a folded American flag during the ceremony. during the war, said his last back seat when he did so. immediate relative, a sister, and women who crowded Rhoden, flanked by local 1970. It was a time when The bullets struck a died about a year before Mr. in and around one of three veterans Richard Kmieciak, the country was divided Dodge Challenger occu- Allevato, who moved from committal shelters at the John Joseph and Henry over the Vietnam War with pied by Micheala Phillips, New Jersey to south Mac- more than 500-acre ceme- Choncha. widespread protests by an- 21, of Sanderson and Kyle clenny in 2017. tery with family and friends They along with county ti-war demonstrators. The Raulerson, 22, of Gaines- Nonetheless, thousands was remarkable. veteran affairs officer Tony following month would be ville. No one was injured of people who heard his sto- At the center of attention Esterling were just a few the tragic shooting at Kent and Deputy Jared Mal- ry turned out for a 10:30 of was a shiny urn holding among the contingent from State University by National lard’s initial report indi- a.m. funeral service at Jack- Mr. Allevato’s cremated re- Baker County to witness the Guardsman, which left four cates rounds struck a pas- sonville National Cemetery mains. service that focused on Mr. students dead and others in- senger side rear panel and on November 7. The sheer Seated facing the urn’s ta- Allevato’s military career. jured. tire rim. Ms. Phillips told Pietrangelo resigns number of current and for- ble were Baker County Com- He joined the U.S. Army “We know he volunteered police after the incident Page 4 mer military service men mission chairwoman Cathy at 17 years old in April, she believed the Givens See page 3 suspect was involved. She also told Sgt. Jef- Go vote ... frey Davis she traced the New senior center ranked top priority Chevrolet via social media to owner Megan Laura- How important more, who said she let Ms. MIKE ANDERSON FUNDING REQUEST: lion in state funds to build a new social Kersey and a 15-year-old is the U.S. PRESS STAFF services senior center adjacent to the female borrow it the eve- COA’s transportation facility behind ning in question while she $2,921,625 Baker County Council on Aging Census to you? the Winn Dixie shopping center in was at work. (COA) board members were all smiles Macclenny. Ms. Kersey in a later $1,980,000 Senior center last week after county commissioners Coming in at No. 2 was a proposed interview said she knew Very 54% building agreed to rank plans to build a new grant application seeking $850,000 the accused carried a pis- senior services center No. 1 — ahead to build a new fire and rescue station tol and rifle with him that $448,750 Covered walkway, of an application for state funding for Not at all 38% on county-owned property in Sander- night, but was unaware he site prep and paving a new fire station in Sanderson — on son to replace an existing station on planned to open fire on the next year’s legislative appropriation A little 8% U.S. 90 deemed by county officials as parked car. She thought $242,875 Engineering and requests. unsafe, too small, and in great need of Mr. Givens intended to architectural fees The outcome of the November 5 bakercountypress.com extensive renovations. fight Mr. Raulerson due to meeting was in stark contrast to a COA Interim county manager Sara Little a long-standing feud root- $250,000 Furnishings and plea last year when the commission, in- had placed the issue on the board agen- ed in the April, 2018 Glen equipment for stead, placed top priority on a success- da with a request for direction on the St. Mary shoot-out that ful request for an $850,000 state grant offices, kitchen, ranking order for the two projects. killed Corey Lauramore, to build a new fire station in Glen St. respite, library and “We’re going to be submitting two said to be a friend. Mary. appropriation requests this year,” Mrs. The juvenile also in the game room needs This time, commissioners voted Probation Little said. “We’re going to resubmit car from which shots were Source: Bob Lambright, COA building committee unanimously to give the highest pri- violation: chair ority to an application for $2.9 mil- See page 2 See page 2 five years Page 4 Page 2 The Baker County Press Thursday, November 14, 2019 Senior center: County puts it first on priorities From page 1 90 owned by the City of Mac- The first commissioner of them.” clenny next door to the city to respond was James Ben- Commissioner James the Sanderson communi- fire station. “The building is “We just have the one big nett, who said he supported Croft said “for the sake of ty fire station project … and just too small for our needs.” moving the COA proposal unity” he would support the second request we would For example, COA offices dining hall and we have a “to No. 1” because the county the majority’s preference to like to submit is for the social are upstairs and the build- already received state fund- make the COA center the No. service senior center, which ing has no elevator, there- kitchen that is so outdated ing last year to build a fire 1 project and the Sanderson would be a new building for fore many elderly clients when you’re preparing 150 station in Glen St. Mary to fire station No. 2, although the council on aging so they must meet with case workers serve the central county re- he personally would rather can vacate the two-story downstairs for counseling or to 200 meals a day it gets gion and because the county have the fire station keep the building downtown which to discuss applications for has a plan in place to build top position because “it’s a we all know is in much need services “and then we run pretty bad and challenging. additional stations with a public safety issue.” of repair.” into the fact that we have no funding mechanism created Further, he said, the State Sen. Rob Bradley privacy.” I don’t have to tell y’all this. You know by much higher fire assess- project ranked No. 1 is like- (R-Fleming Island), who “We just have the one big ments levied last year. ly to attract the most atten- represents Baker County, dining hall and we have a what our needs are. I just hope you will “We have a funding tion and strongest support and Florida House Repre- kitchen that is so outdated source now from our special among lawmakers while No. sentative Chuck Brannan when you’re preparing 150 see fit to make us your first priority.” assessments to help us con- 2 “is not going to be men- (R-Lake City/Macclenny) to 200 meals a day it gets –Barbara Yarbrough, COA president tinue down that road,” he tioned.” have offered to sponsor the pretty bad and challenging,” said. “What we don’t have In the end, the board vot- funding requests next year. said Mrs. Yarbrough. “I don’t is a mechanism to get us a ed 5-0 to give the COA top “It has been requested by tee, to give commissioners furnishings and the needs have to tell y’all this.