Ex-Water Chief 'Muzzled' On

1A SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Comeback Snow Day, more SUNDAY EDITION falls short set for Saturday for Tigers. 1B in Lake City. 1C Ex-water chief ‘muzzled’ on JEA to pump up to 155 million gallons of Nov. 23 edition. The Council agreed to the $400,000 David Still says DEP kept water a day from the Floridan Aquifer, Still said that before study but the water districts said they him silent on 155M gallon but was “muzzled” by officials of the state he left, he persuaded col- could not fund it. Department of Environmental Protection, leagues at the St. Johns “Still scoffs at that,” the Times reported. per day water permit. according to a report by the Tampa Bay Water Management “‘They can fund what they want to fund,’ Times. District, which approved he said. ‘There just wasn’t the will to do From staff reports David Still, who was fired as executive the JEA permit, to ask the it.’” director of the water district Feb. 14, was Still National Research Council Still told the Times that the districts The former head of the Suwannee River forced out by Gov. Rick Scott “as part of a to study the effect of over- apparently feared coming to the conclusion Water Management District opposed a per- massive shakeup and budget cutback of pumping on Florida’s fresh water springs mit by the Jacksonville Electric Authority all five districts,” the paper reported in its as well as the aquifer. STILL continued on 3A CALLAWAY FLOODING Riders raise big Who’s to blame? bucks for CSC Motorcycle event nets $12,900 for local charity. By TONY BRITT [email protected] Going for a nice, relax- ing ride on your motorcycle took on new meaning Saturday when more than 150 motorcycles roared off from the Rountree-Moore Toyota dealership, hop- ing to raise food, clothing and toys for the Christian Service Center. The Riders with Caring Hearts Christmas Toy ride began around 10 a.m. at Rountree-Moore auto dealership, which was the cor- porate sponsor, as motorcycles began to fill the park- ing area. The entry fee for the event was $10 per bike, an unwrapped toy and a non-perishable food item for the event that was set to begin at noon. RIDERS continued on 3A JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter Calloway resident Chris Williams (top) paddles (from left) his wife Mandi and neighbors A.J. and Dennille Decker through flooded streets of their neighbor- Bonuses hood last summer as they survey the damage done by Tropical Storm Debby. on table Dispute over drainage for city in Callaway has gone workers on more than 6 years By TONY BRITT [email protected] Water Management District A token of appreciation However, county may and the Board of County can go a long way. be close to deal with Commissioners have been dis- Monday night city offi- water management. cussing who’s responsible for cials are scheduled to dis- operation and maintenance for cuss whether a token of one of the retention ponds since appreciation will amount to By DEREK GILLIAM at least 2006. something city employees [email protected] County Manager Dale Williams can take to the bank. said the county doesn’t have the City Council members The damage to the Callaway legal right to work on the roughly are scheduled to discuss subdivision caused by Tropical oval-shaped, half-acre pond. And the possibility of giving city Storm Debby in June is still far the plat, a planning document employees a one-time token from fixed, while a six-year debate approved by the county commis- of appreciation during the over who is responsible for drain- sion, shows the home owners council meeting at 7 p.m. age issues in the neighborhood association owns the land. Monday in council cham- continues. Steve Minnis, director of gov- bers, 205 N. Marion Ave. While nothing can turn back ernmental affairs and communi- According to the meet- the clock on the current dam- cations for the management dis- ing agenda, City Manager age, however, a possible deal is trict, said according to SRWMD Wendell Johnson is suggest- in the works that would put the records, the county was respon- ing that full- and part-time burden of managing future prob- sible for operation and mainte- employees get a financial lems there and elsewhere on the nance for the retention pond in “token of appreciation.” county government. question. The proposal is that all Meanwhile, there remain unan- Williams said the county doesn’t city employees who are swered questions about just how have easements to put equipment on a part-time basis and — and from where — the water on to repair the pond; plus, the FILE those with less than one flowed into Callaway. Nicole Roth sits in a boat near the front lawn of the home that she and her The Suwannee River CALLAWAY continued on 7A family were renting when Tropical Storm Debby struck in June. CITY continued on 3A Vol. 138, No. 219 Opinion ............... 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 Business ............... 1C5A 9178 6456 Obituaries ............. 6A5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-StormFog early Chance THE REPORTER: Advice .................& Comics .......... 5D8B JLo tones City council Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles ................. 5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A8A Puzzles ................. 2B it down. coverage. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2012 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Wednesday: Wednesday: 3-14-17-29 4 8-18-25-28-34 Afternoon: 5-3-3 Afternoon: 3-0-1-9 7-12-15-20-34-49 5-16-22-23-29 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A x5 PB 6 AROUND FLORIDA Feds impose water pollution rules on Florida TALLAHASSEE — The render aid, leaving the federal government is Human relations scene of a crash, grand imposing tough water pol- panel denies bias theft and fleeing and elud- lution rules on Florida in ing law enforcement. TALLAHASSEE — The a long-delayed victory for Authorities said police Florida Human Relations environmental groups. were chasing Nixon in Commission is denying Environmental March 2010 shortly before it’s biased against workers Protection Agency he hit a pedestrian, 21- who file complaints against Administrator Lisa Jackson year-old Kathryn Veroxie, their employers. filed a notice in federal and then crashed. The The commission com- court in Tallahassee on Palm Beach Post reported mented Friday on a report Friday, saying she has that Nixon fled on foot but issued a day earlier by a complied with a consent was captured a short time group of lawyers who rep- decree requiring adoption later. resent employees in dis- of the rules. crimination, reprisal and They are designed to whistle-blower protection curtail pollution blamed Man gets another cases. for algae blooms that have The state chapter of death sentence choked Florida’s water- the National Employment ways. BARTOW — A central Lawyers Association State officials, as well as Florida man already on said the commission is agriculture, business and death row for murdering a “rogue agency” that’s utility interests, opposed two women has received politicized, favors employ- the rules, arguing they’d another death sentence ers and should be fixed or be too expensive to imple- for killing two gas station ASSOCIATED PRESS abolished. ment. They had touted workers. Joe Wasilewski shows off a Nile crocodile he caught near his Homestead, Fla., home. State The commission an alternative proposal A Polk County judge wildlife officials have given their agents a rare order to shoot to kill in the hunt for a young responded in a statement offered by the state, which sentenced 34-year-old Leon and potentially dangerous Nile crocodile loose near Miami. “They get big. They’re vicious. saying the report is inac- environmentalists said was Davis Jr. on Friday. He was The animals are just more aggressive and they learn that humans are easy targets,” says curate and makes self- too weak. convicted in October of serving recommendations. Earthjustice lawyer Wasilewski, a reptile expert and veteran alligator wrangler. two counts of first-degree The agency maintains its David Guest, who rep- Friday that 74.5 percent the nation’s lowest rates. family, health benefits for murder and several other investigations are fair and resented environmental of Florida’s high school Minority rates have the child, and free college crimes. impartial and that it strives groups in a lengthy court students graduated within increased sharply in recent tuition. Authorities said Davis to be fair to everyone — battle, said Jackson’s four years. years but still lag. The Roughly 750 foster fatally shot 33-year-old accuser and accused alike. action was “absolutely It’s the biggest increase rates this year are 63.7 children are still waiting Pravinkumar Patel and everything we hoped for.” since 2003. The rate has percent for blacks and 72.9 for a family. The children 51-year-old Dashrath Friday was a court- climbed 18 percentage percent for Hispanics. most in need of homes Teen gets prison Patel during a Lake Alfred ordered deadline for the points since then. are teens, sibling groups BP station robbery in EPA to act. The rate is based only and children with special for fatal crash December 2007. Davis was previously on standard diplomas as 500 foster kids needs. WEST PALM BEACH sentenced to death for kill- required by federal regula- A newly redesigned — A South Florida teen adopted in month ing two women — 26-year- Graduation rate tions effective last year.

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