SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.50 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Wilderness Trail big Fort White FFA Time to shutter SUNDAY draw for is ‘Florida’s Shining EDITION tourists. Finest.’ Star. 1C 1D OPINION 4A LCPD: 1 shot, Voter fraud case lingers Will not be settled before the killed The wife of one candi- Betty Jefferson, start of early voting Aug. 16. date remains under indict- wife of District 10 City ment for alleged voter Councilman Eugene in spat By EMILY STANTON primary election still lin- fraud, and isn’t scheduled Jefferson, was arrest- [email protected] gers in Columbia County to have her next court ed along with another as the 2014 primary appearance until after over a Ivery Jefferson The fallout of the 2010 approaches. early voting begins. LINGERS continued on 6A woman Suspect turns self in, invokes right to counsel. What’s the word on weed? By MEGAN REEVES [email protected] A man was shot in the Local man says medical marijuana Sheriff Mark Hunter contends ballot chest and killed Friday is the answer to his chronic health measure is too vague and will lead after an argument problems — and to his prayers. to wrong people getting the drug. over a woman, By MEGAN REEVES according By MEGAN REEVES [email protected] to police, [email protected] and a sus- Despite the criticism that the medical marijuana move- Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter said that the prob- pect has lem with Amendment 2 is that it is unclear. Wilson ment has received, Delbert Mullins turned is hopeful that “There needs to be a himself in. Amendment 2 CONcandid discussion about Tommy E. Freeman, 39, PROwill pass this what is classified as med- was found lying face down November. The Nurseryman says ical and what is classified on the ground in the back ballot measure ‘No’ to the lure of as recreational,” Hunter yard of 698 SE Nassau would allow said. “Once we get that licensed physi- Street, where police arrived Karen, Delbert Mullins marijuana money defined we can address Hunter cians to prescribe at 6:02 p.m. after receiving the issue, but I think what marijuana for medical purposes. a report of gunshots. Mullins, a 65-year-old Vietnam War is happening is the folks who want it rec- Freeman was trans- veteran, was arrested on Aug. 10, 2011 reationally are using medical patients as ported to Shands of Lake after officers in a law enforcement heli- a path to that.” Shore, where he was copter spotted two pot plants growing in Hunter said he fears that the vague- pronounced dead from a the backyard of his home in Fort White. ness and lack of specificity in the law will single gunshot wound to He started growing the plants to treat his make it too easy for citizens to but mar- the chest, according to an many chronic illnesses, including back ijuana — whether there is real medical LCPD news release. and neck pain, heart disease, Hepatitis C need or not. Laws can’t be made up as The suspect, Delvin and arthritis. they go, he said, it needs to be clear how Devonte Wilson, 20, turned “Being in pain all the time was just JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter it can be prescribed, who prescribes it really depressing,” he said. “And the can- Kenneth Witt, owner of the G & K Nursery, said himself in to police at 10 and how patient eligibility is determined. nabis helped a lot with the depression, the cons vastly outweighed the pros when it a.m. Saturday accompanied As a member of the Florida Sheriff’s too.” came to starting a marijuana farm. Although he by several family members, Before he started growing pot in small said he could have potentially earned millions of Association, Hunter recently helped draft amounts, he was taking between 10 and dollars, the moral implications would have been a resolution to express concern about SUSPECT continued on 7A 15 prescribed medications a day. The too much to bear. the legalization of the drug. The FSA medicines would make him extremely said its priority is to protect the safety nauseous and were very expensive. By MEGAN REEVES of Florida’s citizens, and it believes that “His medication was costing us about [email protected] Amendment 2, if passed, will interfere Charges $600 a month,” Karen Mullins said. “His with that. income is about $650 dollars a month.” After thinking long and hard about “Florida sheriffs believe that approving pending She said her husband would use the applying to become a licensed med- broad exceptions to current state and marijuana to ease his pain, not to get ical marijuana grower for the state federal law that would allow doctors to high. They would pull the plants before of Florida, 81-year-old Lake City authorize use of marijuana for virtually against they matured and produced buds, in farmer Kenneth Witt has decided order to ensure a lower level of THC, she any reason with little regulation will hurt against it. children and families and lead to a lower said. Many Florida farmers are consid- teacher THC is what gives marijuana users the quality of life for all,” the resolution said. ering the venture if Amendment 2 feeling of euphoria, or “high.” The organization is worried that the Subject of CCSO’s “Not that I think a little euphoria for a passes in November, but according legalization of medicinal marijuana will Pinemount probe dying or suffering patient is a bad thing, to Witt, it’s a gamble and the stakes lead to widespread use amongst healthy is identified. but that’s not what he was using it for,” are high. citizens, as well as children. The teen Karen said. The constitutional amendment will marijuana usage rate in Colorado, a state allow for up to five growers state- By SARAH LOFTUS She explained that marijuana can be that recently legalized the drug for rec- ingested by other means than smoking. [email protected] wide. reational use, is 50 percent above the “I would make glycerin, and a drop Growers will be chosen based on under his tongue would stop his migraine national average, according to FSA. The Columbia County “I am not opposed to medical marijuana headaches at the onset,” she said. “The WITT continued on 6A Sheriff’s Office says battery medicines just don’t work as well as the by any means,” Hunter said. “What I am and child cruelty charges cannabis.” opposed to is not having it defined and are warranted against a The glycerin mixture would also usual- not being clear.” Pinemount Elementary continued on 6A continued on 6A School kindergarten teach- PRO CON er who allegedly spanked her students with rulers and paddles. State Attorney Jeff Siegmeister said he’s still June jobless numbers up slightly here reviewing the case and is unsure if he’ll file charges Unemployment Unemployment was at 6.1 MORE INSIDE Prior to force decreased from 31,924 in against Mary Lee Rachal. ticks up to 6.1%. percent for June, a 0.2 percent June, May to 31,724 in June. A differ- However, he said he does increase from May’s 5.9 percent. n See report on Florida’s ence of 218. This is still larger know this is not a case of By EMILY STANTON However, unemployment was state jobless rate unem- than the labor force in June 2013, battery. Siegmeister said [email protected] 1 percent lower than June 2013’s for June, Page 1C. ployment which was 31,446. corporal punishment is unemployment rate of 7.1 percent. rate had Employment levels also legal in Florida, and he’s Unemployment rates went up in Florida has a 6.2 percent unem- been less than or equal to the decreased. In June 29,787 peo- not sure what charges, if June for Columbia County, accord- ployment rate. In 2013, it was 7.4 national rate for 13 consecutive ple in Columbia County were ing to the Florida Department of percent. The national unemploy- months, according to FDEO. employed. In May 30,032 people PENDING continued on 7A Economic Opportunity. ment rate is 6.1 percent for June. The Columbia County labor had jobs. Vol. 140, No. 08 Opinion . 4A SPORTS CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Local . 6-7A Indians head to Obituaries . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Fellowship of THE REPORTER: 88 70 Advice & Comics . 3D Christian Athletes, Voice: 755-5445 Chance of storms, 8A Puzzles . 4B Fax: 752-9400 1B. 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING SUNDAY, JULY 20, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 Scripture of the Day I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly! How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. — Psalm 119:7-9 Thought for Today When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened. — Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1874-1965) Winning Lottery Numbers Cash 3: (Friday) 3-7-2 EMILY STANTON/Lake City Reporter Play 4: (Friday) 7-0-6-6 Tree splits Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 3-8-10-15-26 Florida Lotto: (Wednesday) 3-6-8-33-35-37-x2 A tree more than 20 feet tall lies split down the middle at 9221 County Road 131.