Prayer vigil held Students celebrate for HaLeigh in 100th day of school Celebrati on Park at MES and WES See page 9 See page 4 75¢ FEBRUARY 11, 2010 THURSDAY T B C P 80th Year, Vol. 40 • Winner of 9 state awards for journalism excellence in 2008 Funder urges COA to tighten up Cites fund management and reporting, oversight by board JOEL ADDINGTON | NEWS EDITOR — nearly $500,000 — held by the orga- She explained the excess cash wasn’t COA’s annual audit [email protected] nization. only that from the county, but included from the Macclenny “She wanted to confi rm that the funds leftover grant revenues, too. Ms. Baxla firm Lyons and Ly- A recent review of the Baker County she had was not something that was mis- said money funding the senior compan- ons has been late for Council on Aging’s [COA] accounting billed to us,” said Eldersource’s opera- ion program, for instance, exceeds the the past three years, practices by its largest funding provider tions director Bill Hardy. cost of the program, which provides vol- and recommends revealed weaknesses in the tracking and According to a December 29, 2009 unteer companions with small stipends the organization reporting of fi nancial information, and report written after multiple visits with and reimbursements for travel. seek a new audi- has prompted staff training, the updating COA staffers to analyze banking, audit “It saves us money and helps the cli- tor. According to of accounting software and a list of other and accounting records, Eldersource ents,” she said. “It’s a great program.” the report, it was recommended actions. concluded the abundance of cash had The newfound money could reduce disclosed that the The examination came from the Jack- accumulated over several years from un- the number of seniors now on waiting firm initiates its sonville-based non-profi t Eldersource, used funds provided by the Baker County lists for COA programs. The list contains audit four months which oversees senior services in North- Commission. more than 60 elderly residents. after account- east Florida as one of 11 Area Agencies on “I didn’t know where it was coming “The goal for us would be to have no ing records are Aging governed by the Florida Depart- from,” said Ms. Baxla, who acknowl- waiting list,” Ms. Baxla said. “In the past ready. ment of Elder Affairs. edged her lack of accounting expertise. we’ve done that and we’d like to be able to Barbara Yar- COA’s director Mary Baxla requested “So I didn’t want to spend money where do that again.” brough, who Eldersource’s assistance due to con- it wasn’t supposed to be spent.” Eldersource’s report also says that chairs cerns about an excessive amount of cash See page 2» Tennessee man is A second chance at love KELLEY LANNIGAN | FEATURES sought for beating [email protected] The sheriff’s department is seeking a Tennes- see man for the severe beating of an acquaintance Lured by convertible Lured by computer in a Macclenny motel room the morning of Feb- The rst time Mary Rouse laid eyes on George Gay, she was calling a Angela Tomlinson of Macclenny and Dave Law of Stuart’s Draft, ruary 3. Bingo game at the Baker County Council on Aging’s senior center. She’d Virginia were united in marriage last June with the blessings of their William Tomblin, 34, of Morristown, Tenn. been out of town to visit her son and saw someone new respective family members. The couple was even given a surprise wed- was fl own to Shands Jacksonville where he un- at the center where she volunteered ding in Macclenny by the bride’s family. derwent surgery for multiple face and head frac- nearly every day. In January of 2009, the two began a correspondence on the tures sustained when struck repeatedly by a small “He was eHarmony web site. baseball bat. The incident took place about 5:30. sitting at He loved music. So did she. She was devoted to family His assailant, who he identified as Adam a table and very involved in her church. He also shared these senti- Woods, 27, of Surgoinsville, Tenn., was seen on a across ments. They both possessed a passion for missions work in surveillance video given to police by the American the room other countries. It seemed a perfect match. Inn on South 6th leaving the property in a white and I “I was so touched by what he had written on his pro- Ford Ranger pickup. asked le,” said Angela. “He had been devoted to his wife, who he Police also say the same video depicts the sus- Adam Woods who he cared for for a long time until she passed away. He seemed pect placing the bat in a trash container. was,” said to have such wonderful spiritual values.” Mr. Tomblin, interviewed by sheriff’s investigators at Shands before Mary. “I remember thinking, this is too good to be true,” Dave re- the surgery, said Mr. Woods had agreed to drive him from Tennessee “Then I members. “I showed my son Angela’s photo and he said ‘Dad, to Jacksonville for an appointment with a pain management clinic. urged him this one’s a keeper.’ I’ll never forget that.” The two checked into the motel the previous evening then went out to join the The first time they spoke on the to a local bar. They returned to their room with liquor and beer, then game and he phone, the conversation went back to the bar, according to the report by Investigator Steve Har- did.” lasted eight hours. vey. She found out “I looked Mr. Tomblin told both the investigator and Sgt. Bill Starling that George had just moved to at the he fell asleep after returning the second time, and awoke to his room- Macclenny to be near family. clock and mate attacking him with the bat after he earlier declined to go with Mr. Two days later, a few fellas it was Woods to purchase drugs. George at the center began urging 4:00 The victim said he attempted to cover his head with his arms as he and Mary George to take them for a ride in the pushed the assailant out of the room, locked the door and called police. Rouse Gay. down to Daytona Beach in his morning A subsequent search for the Ranger and suspect was not fruitful, and convertible. and I was Investigator Harvey obtained a warrant for aggravated battery and “You don’t have to go all the way to Daytona to enjoy a stunned,” criminal mischief because of the damage done to the motel room. drive,” Mary told George. said Dave. Police also obtained a photo and other information about Mr. The couple had their rst date that same day. They drove “But An- Woods from the Morristown authori- to Lake City and had dinner at the Red Lobster. The next morn- gela was so ties. Both communities are located in See page 2» ing, George was at her doorstep bright and early to take her to uplifting to the COA. talk to and I re- Their romance had begun. ally needed that.” Neighbor fears motel Both had outlived their spouses. Their blossoming relationship met He visited Macclenny with some resistance from their children in the beginning. But when P���� �� and ended up staying two their sincere devotion to each other became evident, their respective J�� F������� weeks. His plan was to nd out ev- family members embraced the situ- Dave will cause traffi c jam See page 2» and Angela erything See page 2» Tomlinson Law. When Anna Bolduc moved crossing SR 121 from George to southwest Macclenny 35 Hodges will only become more years ago, her neighborhood diffi cult. near George Hodges Road was “It’s very hard to get out of nothing more than trees. that road now,” she told the And with a new 140-room commissioners. “You put a mo- From the Olustee Battle to fame motel obtaining fi nal approval tel in there and it’s going to be from the Macclenny City Com- even harder.” DICKY FERRY | HISTORIAN was host to many raids and in the battle would leave the piney mission the evening of February The motel is being planned skirmishes throughout the woods on that February day and 9, Ms. Bolduc is worried that by David and Jane Motley of Lee, Grant, Jackson, Meade, Stu- war. Florida is considered make their marks in American his- Valdosta, Ga. on roughly four art, and McClelland are well known by many Civil War histo- tory at a later date. acres behind the Zaxby’s res- names that many people are famil- rians to be the “Forgotten Two of them, Joseph R. Hawley of taurant at the corner of George iar with in American history. Much State.” At the time of the Connecticut and Alfred H. Colquitt Hodges and SR 121 (S. 6th St.). has been written in numerous books war, Florida ranked last of Georgia, adversaries at Olustee, The second phase of the project and articles on their lives and their in the terms of population would both later become governors calls for 10,000 square feet of histories during the War Between and wealth of the other of their states and serve in the U.S. Sheriff says space for either a sit-down res- the States. states in the Confederacy, Senate together. They became close taurant, fast food eatery or of- In sharp contrast, little is known but was rich in much need- friends.