Drug Dealer S UBSCRIBE ONLINE AT Science Fair Arrests Continue THEHERALDADVOCATE.COM Kids Succeed . . . Story 3A Story, Photos 1C The Herald-Advocate Hardee County’s Hometown Coverage 114th Year, No. 16 3 Sections, 28 Pages 70¢ Plus 5¢ Sales Tax Thursday, March 20, 2014 Fire Assessments Will Be Changed How Much Will Each Pay? By MICHAEL KELLY Based on the most recent call Of The Herald-Advocate The Hardee County Com- data, county Budget Director mission may consider making Janice Williamson provided a changes to the fire assessment breakdown of what each cate- rates after a recent study showed gory should contribute to pay for which property use categories its portion of the services re- require the majority of the serv- ceived. ices versus how much they con- It shows each of the 8,902 tribute to the budget. residences in the county should The fire budget and Emer- pay $147.21, commercial build- gency Medical Services budgets ings 14 cents a square foot, in- are kept separately even though dustrial/warehouses 3 cents a they are both under the Hardee square foot, institutions 26 cents County Fire Rescue. The current a square foot, transient occu- call data equates to 55.25 per- pancy $49.50 per unit and land cent for fire and 44.75 percent $2.06 per acre. for EMS. The current operating budget Currently each residence is for the Fire Department is $3.14 assessed $121.25, commercial million, of which $2,1999,765 is buildings 21 cents a square foot, personnel services, $454,548 for industrial/warehouses 8 cents a operating expenses, $127,395 square foot, institutions 19 cents for transfers and $361,909 allo- a square foot, transients (hotels, cated for capital outlay each motels and non-state-registered year. RV parks) $8.93 per unit and Capital projects are budgeted vacant land 44 cents per acre. See FIRE 2A FILE PHOTO A pilot and guest taxi to the tarmac in an open cockpit gyrocopter in a scene from Bensen Days last year. The annual rotorcraft showcase comes to the Wauchula Municipal Airport, off Vandolah Road about five miles from town, next Wednesday through Saturday, giving local folks an opportunity to stop out and view the unique variety of light aircraft in action. HHS Grad To Play Bensen Days Are Here Again Carnegie Concert By MARIA TRUJILLO currently at the University of By JOAN SEAMAN ipal Airport next Wednesday, take West Main Street about five airport on equipment similar to Of The Herald-Advocate West Florida where he is pursu- Of The Herald-Advocate Mar. 26. Pilots from all over the miles and turn on Vandolah a boat trailer and several main- From being homeless to per- ing his degree in music perform- An aviation exhibition of the state and several countries will Road. About a mile in, turn into tain hangars at the local airport forming at Carnegie Hall. ance. one- and two-seater gyroplanes gather to share their experiences the airport on Maurice “Sonny” so they can come for holidays Former Hardee Countian The path to Carnegie Hall has and other rotorcraft visits Wau- and information on gyrocopters, Clavel Road and wind around to such as New Year’s Day, Memo- James Matthews, is living a not been easy for Matthews. chula on its 41st annual “must helicopters and small experi- the hangar area and exhibitions. rial Day or the Fourth of dream. In April, he will be trav- There was a period of about 17 go, must see” showcase. mental aircraft. Many of the visitors begin See BENSEN 2A eling to New York City to per- months when he was homeless It comes to Wauchula Munic- To visit with these enthusiasts, hauling their planes to the local form in that prestigious concert while he was going to college in venue. Lakeland. His journey began when he He is now happy to say he was 3 years old, when he started overcame those unforeseen cir- taking piano lessons. His dad cumstances and was still able to Search For Daughter Leads To Arrest was his first teacher, and stayed continue with his musical goals. his teacher for a few years. Over the past few weeks, By JOAN SEAMAN weapon/ammo by a convicted bonds of $11,000 on the other When Dep. David Cruz and However, Matthews says he did- Matthews entered the 2014 Of The Herald-Advocate felon and armed trespass on a charges. Dep. Ryan Abbott arrived, they n’t really become interested in American Protégé International A man looking for his daugh- structure/conveyance. According to law enforcement separated the men and took the instrument until he was in Piano and Strings Competition. ter instead found himself in jail He remained in jail without reports, deputies were dis- Juarez into custody, along with middle school. He, along with several others facing five felony charges. bond on the first charge and patched to a Zolfo Springs loca- the gun on the ground nearby. The 2007 Hardee High from around the world, submit- According to the reports from tion where they found two men The Sig Sauer 9 MM handgun School graduate became in- ted a video online of him play- the Hardee County Sheriff’s Of- on the ground, one holding the contained 15 rounds of ammuni- trigued by the instrument and ing the piano. fice, the incident leading to the other down, and a gun on the tion, although there was none eventually decided he wanted to His talent was noticed by the arrest of Gregorio Juarez began ground near them. See DAUGHTER 2A continue his love for it. He is See HHS GRAD 2A shortly after 10 p.m. on Satur- Interviews indicated Juarez day. had come to the home of Fer- Before midnight, Juarez, 59, nando Castillo-Hernandez ask- of 160 Poucher Rd., Wauchula, ing for his daughter, who he ARK SETS SAIL was in the Hardee County Jail, believed to be residing there. charged with aggravated assault When Castillo-Hernandez ad- with a deadly weapon, carrying vised she was not there, Juarez a concealed weapon — firearm, allegedly pulled a gun from his two counts possession of a waistband and pointed it at Castillo-Hernandez, who slapped it away and wrestled Juarez to the ground to hold him until officers arrived. WEATHER Juarez DATE HIGH LOW RAIN 03/12 81 63 0.03 03/13 72 46 0.00 03/14 77 40 0.00 03/15 82 48 0.00 03/16 84 52 0.00 History 03/17 78 68 0.89 03/18 74 54 0.23 TOTAL Rainfall to 03/18/2014 - 6.95 Same period last year - 1.32 Ten Year Average - 47.79 Repeats Itself Source: Univ. of Fla. Ona Research Center By MARIA TRUJILLO glimpse of how people fought INDEX Of The Herald-Advocate back in the 19th century. Classifieds...... 6B Want to experience what it When visiting Suttler Row, period demonstrators can be Community Calendar....6A was like when Indians and sol- diers roamed Hardee County? spotted wearing clothes worn Courthouse Report...... 7C This weekend, Paynes Creek during the 1850s. Crime Blotter...... 5C Historic State Park will be trans- Seminole and soldier en- Entertainment...... 4C ported back to the late 1840s campments can also be seen at Hardee Living...... 2B where both were present and the park. The soldiers will pitch their army issued white Information Roundup...7A war was bound to happen. FILE PHOTO The 8th Annual Fort Cho- tents while the Seminoles Obituaries...... 4A As Noah, his sons and their wives prepare to close the Ark doors, panicked residents konikla Encampment and Re- have their homes ready. battle in an effort to get aboard when floods begin. See “The Story of Noah” at the local Puzzles...... 4C enactment has returned to Re-enactments of the trad- Cattleman’s Arena any Friday or Saturday night, from Mar. 28 through April 26. The cost Solunar Forecast...... 9B entertain and educate everyone ing post massacre will be done of $21 for adults, or $19 for seniors, children 2 to 12 and large groups, includes the on what happened at Paynes twice a day over the weekend. moving patriotic extravaganza which precedes the main performance. See miniature Creek all those years ago. This event is based on the Zebus, the four-horned Jacob sheep, Scottish longhair cattle, white donkeys and a host Black powder demonstrations events that took place at the of other animals as the cast of 200 presents this unique drama presented by Power & will be done. By doing this, Kennedy-Darling Store in Light Productions. For tickets, or other information, contact www.storyofnoah.org or Hardee Countians can get a See HISTORY 2A call 375-4031. 2A The Herald-Advocate, March 20, 2014 DAUGHTER The Herald-Advocate Continued From 1A Hardee County’s Hometown Coverage in the chamber. JAMES R. KELLY Because Juarez had left his Publisher/Editor vehicle partially in the roadway, CYNTHIA M. KRAHL it was towed away. Managing Editor A criminal history check on Juarez revealed that he was a JOAN M. SEAMAN RALPH HARRISON convicted felon, and has active Sports Editor Production Manager arrest warrants from New Jersey for failure to appear there on NOEY DE SANTIAGO charges of aggravated assault Asst. Prod. Manager with deadly weapons. The felony history added the charges 115 S. Seventh Ave. Phone: (863) 773-3255 of possession of a weapon and P.O. Box 338 ammo by a convicted felon and Fax: (863) 773-0657 Wauchula, FL 33873 his being held without bail on the aggravated assault charge. Published weekly on Thursday at Wauchula, Florida, by The Herald-Advocate Publishing Co. Inc. Periodical Postage paid at U.S. Post Office, Wauchula, FL 33873 and additional entry office (USPS 578-780), “Postmaster,” send address changes to: The Herald-Advocate, P.O. Box 338, Wauchula, FL 33873.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: DEADLINES: Hardee County Schools – Thursday 5 p.m. 6 months – $21; 1 yr. – $39; 2 yrs. – $75 FIRE Sports - Monday noon Florida Continued From 1A Hardee Living – Thursday 5 p.m. 6 months – $25; 1 yr. – $46; 2 yrs. – $87 General News – Monday 5 p.m. Out of State Ads – Tuesday noon five years in advance and cur- 6 months – $29; 1 yr. – $52; 2 yrs.– $100 rently there are plans to build a $1 million fire station in Bowl- LETTERS: ing Green in 2014-15. COURTESY PHOTO The Herald-Advocate welcomes letters to the editor on matters of public in- The rest of the planned capital Former Hardee Countian James Matthews is getting ready to perform at Carnegie Hall terest. Letters should be brief, and must be written in good taste, signed and expenses would be to replace include a daytime phone number. in New York City on Easter morning. His expenses for getting to the Big Apple are not equipment as needed. In 2017- covered, so he is looking for donations to be able to make it there and perform with SUBMISSIONS: 18 the department is budgeting other talented musicians. Press releases on community matters are welcome. Submissions should be $550,000 to replace a fire en- typed, double-spaced and adhere to the above deadlines. All items are subject gine but typical capital expenses to editing. range from $20,000 to $90,000 HHS GRAD per year. Continued From 1A Fire Chief James Stillwagon judges as he was awarded with some help. sity of West Florida, Building said he wants to maintain the an Honorable Mention and the The competition does not pay 82, 1 current level of service while not right to perform at Carnegie the winners’ expenses to attend 1000 University Parkway, having large increases in the Hall. He will be playing two the event, so they are responsi- Pensacola, Fl 32514. Make sure budget. He said the department pieces at the Winners Recital on ble for getting to New York City to designate donations to James Kelly’s Column will replace current equipment Easter morning, April 20. The as well as finding a hotel. Matthews. when necessary but felt he did To see some of Matthews’s By Jim other American Protégé winners Matthews calculates he will not need to purchase additional will also be performing through- need about $2,000 for the plane, performances, find him under pieces of equipment not already out that day. hotel and food. Donations for James Buttatoven Matthews on in the fleet. However, in order to get to the pianist’s trip can be sent to Youtube. The budget is generated from Malaysian Flight 370, the Boeing 777, did not land at Wauchula the music hall, he is in need of Department of Music, Univer- Airport, The Herald-Advocate has confirmed. the fire