1 TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Panel rejects Medicaid expansion GOP lawmakers House select committee Monday Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, sands of additional Floridians. are to believe that they will be opposed a major expansion of the quickly issued a statement saying “Can anybody honestly say rock-solid, nothing will change say plan not in best Medicaid program under the fed- the expansion would not be in the they have a clear, decisive view for a decade.” interest of state. eral Affordable Care Act. state’s best interest. of what the federal government’s But the top Democrat on the The 10-5 vote, along party lines, Weatherford and Republicans budget picture is going to look panel, Rep. Elaine Schwartz was the first time lawmakers have on the select committee ques- like for the rest of this year, let of Hollywood, accused the By JIM SAUNDERS taken a formal stance on the highly tioned whether the federal gov- alone for a decade?’’ asked Rep. Republicans of being short- The News Service of Florida controversial Medicaid expansion ernment would be able to make Matt Hudson, R-Naples. “Think sighted and motivated by ideol- as this year’s legislative session good in the coming years on its about that. The federal govern- ogy as they voted against a key TALLAHASSEE — Refusing to prepares to start — and signaled promise to pay the vast majority ment has had a challenge almost part of the federal health law go along with Republican Gov. Rick that House Republicans are dug of costs of expanding Medicaid every single day over the last six Scott and angering Democrats, a in against the idea. Speaker Will eligibility to hundreds of thou- months. And yet somehow we HOUSE continued on 6A 5 face A long time coming charges in meth busts Sheriff’s office raids three drug labs over a 24-hour period. By TONY BRITT [email protected] The Columbia County Sheriff’s office arrested five people, seized at least 50 grams of methamphetamine and impounded several con- tainers of m a t e r i a l s used to manu- facture meth- amphetamine when they busted three separate clan- Chandler destine drug labs over the weekend. S h e r i f f ’ s deputies and d e t e c t i v e s with the Multi- Jurisdictional Task Force Lee e x e c u t e d a search warrant at 296 SE Scarlett Way at 11 p.m. Saturday. When they arrived, JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter deputies could smell a strong Early Head Start teacher Ashlee Hammac plays with 4-month-old Treasure Taylor during recess at Lawton’s Place on Monday. chemical odor, consistent with a clandestine meth laboratory. City gives Head Start agency land it has used since 2000 Deputies discovered items and chemicals with- the land at 878 NE Jackson Ave. since the The organization serves 494 children and in the home that are com- SV4CS has invested $500K spring of 2000, when it agreed to lease the their families through Head Start and Early monly used to manufacture in Jackson Avenue property land for $1 a year for 10 years. The organi- Head Start in Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette methamphetamine. over the past 12 years. zation invested $500,000 in facilities fund- and Suwannee counties, and employees 154 Raymond Lee Chander ed by the federal government’s Head Start people at 11 centers with 41 classrooms was found hiding in a shed program. across the four counties. on the property. Additional By DEREK GILLIAM When the lease expired, SV4Cs and the Currently, the program provides child chemicals and paraphernalia [email protected] city continued the terms of the lease on a care services for 232 low-income families in used to manufacture meth month-to-month basis. Columbia County. In the county, there are were found in the shed, the Lake City children in the Early Head Start Michele Ward, executive director of SV4Cs, two Head Start centers, one each in Fort sheriff’s office said. program have a permanent place to stay after said due to the large federal investment, she White and Lake City and one Early Head Deborah Ann Lee, 46, and the City Council on Monday donated land requested the city to convey the title of the Start program in Lake City. Chandler, 46, both 269 SE near Richardson Gym to Suwannee Valley property to SV4Cs for the life of the program, The land’s fair market value is about $17,500, Scarlett Way, were charged Community Coordinated Child Care. which council agreed to do at its meeting The nonprofit organization has been using Monday evening. COUNCIL continued on 3A METH continued on 6A Woman dies of injuries suffered in Feb. 6 crash Two others were seriously a cause of death,” said Steve Shaw, LCPD public information officer. hurt in 2-vehicle accident The wreck occurred at 3:16 p.m. at at US 41 and SR 47. the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 47. By TONY BRITT According to LCPD reports, Smith [email protected] was driving a 2012 Nissan Altima head- ed south on U.S. 41. A Lake City woman involved in a car A 2012 Buick sedan driven by Gerald crash in early February has died, spur- Keen, 79, of 251 SW Pilots Way, was ring the Lake City Police Department making a left turn onto U.S. 41 when to launch a traffic homicide investiga- it was struck by Smith’s vehicle. Keen tion into the crash. was traveling with Rachel Genese Keen, Gayle McClintock Smith, 60, died 76, of the same address. Feb. 22 at Shands at the University Gerald Keen told authorities that the of Florida in Gainesville, LCPD said traffic light was green before he pro- Monday. Smith had been hospitalized ceeded though the intersection. Two JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter there since the Feb. 6 wreck. independent witnesses to the crash A wrecker prepares to remove cars involved in a crash on U.S. 41 on Feb. 6. The driver of the “Smith’s body has been sent to the Nissan Altima at right, Gayle McClintock Smith, 60, of Lake City, later succumbed to her injuries in medical examiner’s office to determine DEATH continued on 3A a Gainesville hospital. Vol. 138, No. 285 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 74 45 People. 2A PEOPLE WEDNESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO Partly cloudy Obituaries . 5A THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics . 3B Walters back at Local news Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles . 4B ‘The View.’ roundup. 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Saturday: Monday: Monday: n Actor James Noble is 66. 7-10-15-17-19-38 Afternoon: 7-4-7 Afternoon: 0-9-3-9 Sunday: (“Benson”) is 91. n Singer Eddy Grant is 65. x3 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 6-13-14-24-27 n Actor James B. Sikking is n Keyboardist Alan Clark of 79. Dire Straits is 61. n Actor Dean Stockwell is n Actress-comedian Marsha PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 77. Warfield (“Night Court”) is 59. n Actor Fred Williamson is n Comedian-magician Penn 75. Jillette is 58. n Actor Michael Warren is n Singers Craig and Charlie 67. Reid of The Proclaimers are Walters back at ‘The View’ n Actor-singer Eddie Hodges 51. NEW YORK arbara Walters is back. Daily Scripture Sidelined for six weeks by chickenpox and a con- “Have I not commanded you? cussion, Walters returned to ABC’s “The View” on Be strong and courageous. Do BMonday. not be afraid; do not be discour- She got a thunderous welcome from the studio audience and co- aged, for the Lord your God will panelists Sherri Shepherd, Elisabeth be with you wherever you go.” Hasselbeck and Joy Behar, as well as well-wishers Regis Philbin and New — Joshua 1:9 York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who stopped by. “After a lot of scratching and rest, I am fine and I am healthy,” the 83- year-old Walters declared. Lake City Reporter HOW TO REACH US Lifting her bangs, she pointed on BUSINESS her forehead to the only visible signs Main number . .(386) 752-1293 Fax number . .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon. .754-0419 of her ordeal: a single chickenpox Circulation . .755-5445 ([email protected]) bump and a tiny scar from her fall. ASSOCIATED PRESS Online . www.lakecityreporter.com CIRCULATION Walters was hospitalized Jan. Barbara Walters returned to “The View” on Monday. Walters was hospitalized on The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of 19 after fainting and hitting her Jan. 19 after fainting and cutting her head at a party in Washington. The 83-year- Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. head on a marble floor at a party in old said she had chickenpox and a fever at the time but didn’t realize it. Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 Washington. She suffered a concus- Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at a.m. on Sunday. The records released Monday sion and got several stitches. Founder of Motown Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Please call 386-755-5445 to report any She had chickenpox and a fever show the agency conducted one Circulation and The Associated Press.