1A WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Jobless rate down half a point here Unemployment state average, according to state ployment rate in August was 8.1 force of 31,458 people and dur- ed as unemployed. The county’s unemployment data from the percent. ing August 2012, 28,866 were labor force in July was listed as in county drops Florida Department of Economic There remained 15 counties in employed. Statistics indicate having 31,448 people and 28,708 to 8.2 percent. Opportunity. Florida with double-digit jobless 2,592 Columbia County residents, were employed. According to the data, the state’s rates in August, down from 21 roughly 8.2 percent, were unem- In August 2011, the county’s By TONY BRITT unemployment rate remained at in July. ployed during the latest record- unemployment rate was 10.2 per- [email protected] 8.8 percent in August, unchanged The August unemployment ing period. cent with 3,260 residents unem- from July, accounting for an esti- rate for the state was 1.7 percent- In July the county’s unem- ployed. The local unemployment rate mated 818,000 jobless Floridians age points lower than the 10.5 ployment rate was 8.7 per- The figures were released fell half a point to 8.2 percent in out of the state’s labor force of percent rate in August 2011. cent with an estimated 2,740 Friday. August and remains below the 9,261,000. The national unem- Columbia County has a labor Columbia County residents list- No tax Plenty tough hike for water district Board adopts annual budget of $16.1M. By TONY BRITT [email protected] LIVE OAK — The Suwannee River Water Management District’s governing board unanimously adopted the agency’s $16.1 million 2012-13 fiscal budget and millage rate following a public hear- ing Tuesday Shortelle that lasted about five minutes. The public hearing, which was held at the SRWMD head- quarters, was the agency’s final budget hearing and no one from the audience made com- ments on the proposed budget JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter or millage rate. Tiara Carter, 11, practices her swing as Steve Briscoe (left) and Chet Carter hammer out the details of the Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical The board adopted the pro- Center’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink Golf Tournament that will be taking place at Quail Heights Country Club on Saturday. About 23 teams consisting posed $16,102,072 budget and of at least 100 golfers in all are slated to participate in the event, which will benefit the Tough Enough to Wear Pink Crisis Fund. Officials are hoping to a millage rate of .4143 mills, raise at least $10,000. the same as the previous year. The millage rate adopted is $41.43 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Based on property appraiser’s reports, the district anticipates ‘Tough Enough to Wear generating $5.2 million in ad valorem taxes during the fiscal year. Joe Flanagan, Suwannee River Water Management Pink’ tourney is back District director of administra- tion, addressed the board with details about the budget and Will raise money good cause: Medical assistance a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Entry Pink crisis fund co-chair. noted 43 percent of this year’s for Columbia, Hamilton and fee for the event is $60 per play- The event marks the third year budget is dedicated to water for a wide range Suwannee County residents. er, which includes a continental a Tough Enough To Wear Pink resources. of medical needs. The Shands Lake Shore breakfast, barbecue lunch along golf tournament has been held. Ann B. Shortelle, SRWMD Regional Medical Center’s with prizes, goodie bags and bev- Briscoe said this year’s event executive director, said water By TONY BRITT Tough Enough To Wear Pink erages throughout the day. fundraising goal is $10,000, as he resources covers all of the [email protected] Golf Tournament, presented by “Right now we have 23 teams noted that in 2010, the last year agency’s water-related pro- the Cancer Center of Lake City, registered and we anticipate the event was held, organizers grams. A wave of local golfers are will take place Saturday at the several others between now and raise approximately $6,700. “It (water resources) begins expected to hit the links this Quail Heights Country Club. Saturday morning,” said Steve weekend to raise money for a Registration begins at 7 a.m. with Briscoe, Tough Enough To Wear TOURNEY continued on 6A WATER continued on 6A Charter school application Farm mishap is rejected by school board Had been planned to low performing students and underper- forming gifted students, said Befaithful enroll 100 students in Coker, executive director of It’s About grades Pre-K to 3. My Efforts. Charter school Shining Star Academy By LAURA HAMPSON of the Arts opened this school year, while [email protected] Vine Academy of the Arts and Belmont Academy are slated to open for the 2013- Columbia County School Board mem- 14 school year. bers denied the initial application for Assistant Superintendent Lex Carswell a fourth county charter school, which said the application did not meet 14 of the planed to open August 2013. 19 requirements required by the state Nonprofit It’s About My Efforts was Department of Education. Therefore, denied approval for its proposed char- the district’s charter review committee ter school, Columbia County School recommended board members deny the of Excellence, Tuesday night during application. the school board meeting. The school State law gives the district 10 days to planned to enroll 100 students in pre-kin- JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter dergarten through grade three, targeting SCHOOL continued on 6A Columbia County firefighter Levi Register douses an area around a hay bale with water Tuesday when it caught fire after a farm equipment malfunction in southern Columbia County. Vol. 138, No. 171 CALL US: Opinion . 4A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 88 67 People. 2A PEOPLE THURSDAY SUBSCRIBE TO Partly cloudy Advice & Comics . 6B THE REPORTER: 2 guilty in Local news Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 2B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Wonder plot. roundup. 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING WEDNESDay, SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 Page Editor: Jason M. Walker, 754-0430 Celebrity Birthdays n Actress Mary Beth Hurt 51. is 66. n Actor Ben Shenkman is Tuesday: Tuesday: n Singer Olivia Newton-John 44. Afternoon: 3-3-8 Afternoon: 5-3-2-2 Monday: is 64. n Singer Shawn Stockman Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 4-5-17-26-32 n Actor James Keane is 60. (Boyz II Men) is 40. n Actress Linda Hamilton is n Singer-actress Christina 56. Milian is 31. n Rhythm-and-blues singer n Tennis player Serena PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Cindy Herron (En Vogue) is Williams is 31. Daily Scripture 2 plead to extorting icon Stevie Wonder “My dear children, I write this to you LOS ANGELES so that you will not sin. But if anybody wo people charged with does sin, we have an advocate with trying to extort millions of dollars from Stevie the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righ- Wonder pleaded no con- teous One.” test on Monday and were – 1 John 2:1 Treleased after being sentenced to time-served in jail. Alpha Lorenzo Walker and Tamara Thought for Today Diaz were sentenced to serve 292 “The world cares very little about days in jail and three years of proba- tion for attempting to sell a video what a man or woman knows; it is that purportedly portrayed Wonder what the man or woman is able to in a negative light. Jail credits made the pair eligible for release Monday. do.” The pair was arrested in May – Booker T. Washington, after the Grammy-winner’s attorney American educator and author (1856-1915) arranged a sting and claimed Walker had sought up to $5 million for the video. Walker’s attorney, Ian Wallach, ASSOCIATED PRESS said the deal was reached after pros- In this May 9, 2012 file photo, Stevie Wonder performs during the ‘In Performance Lake City Reporter ecutors encountered trouble prov- at the White House’ in the East Room of the White House in Washington, honor- HOW TO REACH US Main number ....... .(386) 752-1293 BUSINESS ing the extortion case and that the ing songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, recipients of the 2012 Library of Fax number ............. .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon... .754-0419 charges were eligible to be reduced Circulation .............. .755-5445 ([email protected]) Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Online .. www.lakecityreporter.com to misdemeanors and expunged later CIRCULATION The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of if the pair comply with the terms of Monday. At the time, come out in January. Lake City Reporter Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- Home delivery of the their release. he was pointing to The publisher lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. A judge ordered the pair to stand photos of the pop announced Tuesday Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at a.m. on Sunday. trial in July after a preliminary superstar lighting that Perot’s book is Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Please call 386-755-5445 to report any hearing in which a police detective what appears to be a called “Ross Perot: Circulation and The Associated Press.