864000 Marijuana Operation Uncovered
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We Insure HOMES Jane DiLoreto Agency 215-2121 3701193-01 “Pookie” Floyd Raider Great, Gonzalo Floyd returns to gridirons of Clay County. SPORTS THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 WWW.CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM VOLUME 44, NO. 25 75¢ $864,000 marijuana operation uncovered O cers nd sophisticated Middleburg-Clay Hill area. In total, Beseler said four homes – all of grow house underground In a June 17 news conference, Clay which had previously been in foreclosure County Sheriff Rick Beseler said the June and were miles apart – were bought for By Eric Cravey 12 and 13 arrests mark the most unique the sole purpose of growing marijuana. Managing Editor marijuana-growing operation uncov- Beseler said the FHP of cer contacted the GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The watchful ered in the county in the last ve years. federal Drug Enforcement Agency, which eye of a Florida Highway Patrol of cer in A South Florida traf c stop – not a call in turn, contacted the CCSO. Other houses South Florida is credited with tipping Clay from nearby neighbors – led authorities involved in the operation were located at County authorities about an elaborate to obtain search warrants for the home Here is one of two bunkers found in Middleburg. $864,000 pot-growing operation in the at 2100 Candlewood Ct. in Middleburg. SEE MARIJUANA, 20 Green Cove gets loan Camp merges for police headquarters nature and science Seven derelict structures to be demolished By Sarah Wake eld Rosser By Pete Geiger Staff Writer Correspondent MIDDLEBURG – As Debra Cater squirted dish soap, veg- etable oil and food coloring into a set of nearby buckets, GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A go-ahead order for construc- impassioned cries rang out from a group of fourth, fth tion of the city’s $5 million new police headquarters will and sixth graders. be issued no later than July 17 as the result of city council About 30 children from around the state participated action June 18. in the Clay County School District’s Science Discovery The delay will give the contractor, Batson-Cook Co. of Camp from June 10 through 14. In a role-playing exer- Jacksonville, time to draw revised plans for the police sta- cise, Carter and other helpers represented a new family tion and to get a Clay County building permit for the proj- who moved into a house and tainted the neighborhood’s ect. The plan’s revisions will slice $1.7 million from the water source. The group sat in the shade of the large cost, previously calculated at $6.7 million. pine trees on the campus of the North Fork Leadership Meanwhile, Batson-Cook will be given permission to Center where they sorted out the alleged crime. demolish seven derelict structures on the three-acre site at Idlewild and Melrose avenues. SEE CAMP, 15 In related business at the 4-and-a-half-hour meeting STAFF PHOTO BY SARAH WAKEFIELD ROSSER June 18, comprising mostly anxious talk about the police Science teacher Debra Carter discusses a lab called “Won’t project, the council also approved borrowing $2.4 million you be my neighbor?” with students at the North Fork Lead- from SunTrust Bank to partially pay for the structure. The ership Center June 13. The science discovery camp has two SEE COUNCIL, 2 additional sessions scheduled for July. The best deals! INSERTS USA WEEKEND •New Vehicles NEW AMERICA COUPONS •Pre-Owned GEICO •Service & Body Shop SAVE gordonchevy.com • 1166 BLANDING BLVD. $100 2 CLAY TODAY • June 20, 2013 COMMUNITY CLAYTODAYONLINE.COM Steamed about Lawn Fungus? We’ve seen plenty of heat and rain this too short can result in damage that may summer - perfect conditions for fungal look like a disease. Some insects such problems to develop in lawns. Steamy as chinch bugs can be eliminated as the weather keeps everything wet for extended problem by checking the lawn. Scouting or periods. ushing – ooding a contained area sunk The ground becomes saturated with into the ground, such as a can with both rain, then humid air slows or prevents leaf ends removed – can alert you to the pres- blades from drying. ence of lawn-damaging insects. Nutritional The combination disorders can also discolor turf but do your of warm tempera- homework before fertilizing in reaction to tures and lots of a problem spot. Be certain by doing a soil moisture brings on test, since fertilizers can make some fun- a host of disease gal issues worse. frequency (I.e., remove no more than 1/3 outbreaks, patches of turf can die. Once issues in Florida Grey Leaf Spot shows up in St. Augus- of the blade length at a time) are impor- damage to leaves is noticeable, treatment lawns. For folks tine and centipede grass as oblong brown tant to checking this problem. Mowing at can be very dif cult so your best bet is to with St. Augustine spots with dark brown edges. As the prob- a slightly higher height until the problem use best care practices to prevent stress lawns, one fungal lem gets worse, the spots grow together is under control can help. Soil compac- before the problem becomes apparent: problem you may and can turn the entire blade brown. A tion and poor drainage make this problem observe proper mowing frequency, mow be noticing is Grey Seasonal concerns severe outbreak will show up as thin turf worse, so avoid driving or heavy mowers height, proper use of fertilizers, and avoid from gardeners Leaf Spot disease. areas that lack vigor. Excessive nitrogen on affected turf, and consider core aera- overwatering. Avoid liming lawns infected Pythium Root Rot AMY E. MORIE makes this problem worse, so fertilize at tion to reduce compaction. Since it affects with Take-All, and with St. Augustine use Environmental Horticulture Agent ll and Take-all Root Clay County Extension Office the right time and use a slow-release prod- the roots, a foliar fertilizer can be helpful if the least amount of herbicide possible. As Rot are other is- uct. Also avoid using the herbicide Atrizine the lawn is seriously impacted. with Pythium Root Rot, when the disease is sues that can emerge in muggy heat and when temperatures are above 85-degrees Take-all Root Rot also affects roots, bad a foliar fertilizer can help since roots rain that affect most types of turf grass. Fahrenheit in the daytime, as this combi- and is aggravated in turf that is stressed aren’t able to feed the leaf blades. Knowing the symptoms and manage- nation can stress turf grass and make it for any reason. This condition is marked When tackling fungal problems, know ment treatment options for each of these more susceptible. by decayed, blacked roots that may have that the fungus is probably present in problems can help keep you from getting Pythium Root Rot is rarely fatal and a slimy appearance and bad odor. Leave the environment even if you can’t see it. steamed about lawn fungus. shows up as a general decline and thinning blades will pull out easily from the sheath Only when conditions of temperature and When trying to nd a turf grass prob- of turf. Instead of having distinct patches, of affected roots. The fungus won’t infect moisture are favorable will symptoms be lem, follow a process of elimination ap- areas can be small or large, and appear leaf blades, but it will cause them to yellow noticeable. While you can’t control rain, proach. Yellow or brown areas can be yellow, light green or brown in color. Roots and die as nutrient uptake is halted. This humidity, or temperature you can control caused by many things – accidental herbi- will be thin as well, and may be slightly results in small to large patches of yellow cide exposure, fuel spills, or even mowing discolored. Correct mowing height and or light green turf that thins out. In serious SEE FUNGUS, 5 Resident Charlene Roberts complained Economic Development Council Direc- that a culvert installed on the west side tor Bill Garrison appeared at the city coun- Council of the street has diverted water onto her cil meeting to urge its members to throw from page1 property. Council members voted to spend their weight behind the project. $248,000 to remove the culvert and to in- Garrison cited added jobs and the pos- loan the money, which will cost the city stall storm drains along the street. sibility of natural gas pipelines that would $422,000 per year. The council also listened to arguments follow the asphalt plant’s development. The remaining price for the police sta- for and against a proposed asphalt plant The plant would lie outside the city, so tion will be covered by land purchase and endorsed the Clay County Economic Devel- the council has no say in the matter. While architecture fees already paid by the city opment Authority. four council members voiced approval, and by funds previously set aside for the The county Planning and Zoning Com- Mayor Mitch Timberlake said, “The smell project. The police station has been 10 mission has approved re-zoning for the of asphalt is not something that will attract years in the planning. plant, proposed for Gustafson Cattle Co. people to Green Cove Springs.” The city council also wrestled with cor- property south of the city, adjacent to CSX In the end, the city council took no ac- recting a three-year-old mistake made in Corp. railroad tracks. It is scheduled for tion on the matter. Green Cove Springs Mayor Mitch Timberlake, an effort to keep rainwater from pooling on review by the Board of County Commis- left, reads a commendation to Bill Williams The next council meeting will be at 7 Oakridge Avenue south of Idlewild Avenue.