A3 SATURDAY/SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7-8, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 WEEKEND EDITION Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> SUNDAY + PLUS 1D A trip to the Catskills SOCCER BOCC Tigers lacked versus 1D vision TRAVEL Indians Sean of the South Opinion/4A TALES Sports/1B CCSO COUNTY COMMISSION SAYS: Medlock Rye Shaw 3A Armed bandits jailed What after daylight robbery about the tax LAMAR HIRES He trained cuts? divers that BOCC says it’s been handcuffed by looming jail bill; with that now rescued slashed, will we finally see a break? Thailand By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] cave-kids There was a lot of talk but no action from the county about slashing property taxes this year. Elected officials repeatedly insisted they were One of the world’s eager to look into the possi- best at underwater bility before they ultimately rescue lives here. backed down and kept the sta- tus quo, citing the impending By MICHAEL PHILIPS cost of building a brand-new [email protected] jail as a major concern. Sticker-shocked county In July 2018, the world was commissioners killed that transfixed by the ordeal a Williams jail project after they saw the boys soccer team and their price tag could reach as high coach endured while trapped as $43.6 million and instead voted to expand in a cave in Thailand. When and renovate the existing detention facility, would they be rescued? Could a plan expected to end up in the ballpark of they be rescued? $15 million. In the wake of that decision on The team had been in the cave for about two weeks and TAXES continued on 2A monsoon rains would soon hit, ROYAL THAI NAVY via AP which would make a rescue mission all but impossible. ABOVE: Thai res- Experts realized they had to cue team mem- PEARL HARBOR act soon, or the boys and their bers walk inside coach might be stuck there a cave where 12 for months — or experience a boys and their Remembrance worse fate. soccer coach were One Lake City man was trapped last sum- will continue perhaps paying more attention mer. RIGHT: Lamar than others. Hires, who trained despite tragedy Lamar Hires is the Florida many of the rescu- regional coordinator for ers, is seen in his ASSOCIATED PRESS International Underwater Cave Lake City office. Rescue and Recovery, a glob- MICHAEL PHILIPS/LCR HONOLULU — Officials will beef up secu- al all-volunteer, not-for-profit rity as usual for the ceremony to remember public service and educational “I’m watching events unfold, was. The plan of action was those lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor 78 organization registered in and I see footage on TV, ‘hey, to sedate the 12 boys, who years ago, with service members and digni- Florida. In this capacity, Hires we know him, we trained him, ranged in age from 11 to 17, taries confronting a fresh tragedy after a U.S. has traveled to all the world’s we know him,” he said. Hires and their coach with ket- sailor killed two civilians, wounded another and caving hotspots — Italy, had probably trained most of amine, a horse tranquilizer, so then turned the gun on himself at the storied Mexico, Australia — training the 100-plus divers who took that they wouldn’t panic and military base. divers on how to carry out res- part in the rescue operation. cue and recovery operations. 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Baths, halls, large walk-in closets and area rugs are priced separately. Offer does not | include protector and deodorizer. 10% May not be used for Emergency or Air Duct Services. Must present work or military identification to receive discount. Certain restrictions may apply. Call for details. Vol. 145, No. 192 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Sports . 1B SUBSCRIBE TO Classifieds . 5B THE REPORTER: 67 51 Business . 1C Voice: 755-5445 Mostly cloudy, 2A Fax: 752-9400 2A SATURDAY/SUNday, DECEMBER 7-8, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER ARE THEY COMING? QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down How ’bout those tax cuts? my life for the sheep.” — John 10:14-15 (KJV) the county pitch the sales to drop plans for new con- track that we are going,” TAXES tax to the general public. struction in favor of adding he said. Thought for Today Continued From 1A After the sales tax was an inmate housing pod to Commissioner Rocky defeated at the ballot box the existing jail. Ford said constituents have Praise undeserved, is satire in disguise. — Alexander Pope, 1688-1744, English writer Wednesday, commissioners in 2018, commissioners “I’m of the belief that mixed emotions about the say they’ll look into cutting later made a it’s going to move. the property tax rate again point to pub- cost just as “Some of them think we licly declare If tax cuts are much money messed up, some think we but are offering no guaran- to happen, Winning Lottery Numbers tees it will happen. they still to do that as it did the right thing,” Ford intended to Commissioner Toby would’ve cost said. Pick 3: (Thursday p.m.) 3-1-3 “I’m going to propose Witt said it’ll be it again,” said County try to include to just bite the Even without a new jail Pick 4: (Thursday p.m.) 7-5-6-8 Commission Chairman Ron the tax cuts because of a boom bullet,” Witt on the horizon, Ford said Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 5-19-26-32-36 Williams, who cast the only in the bud- in economic activity said.