1A SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Area businesses Sergeant Safety: SUNDAY EDITION post most jobs FHP’s new PIO in nearly 3 years. 1C out to save lives. 1D Patrons Owners enjoy Ride ’em hard Internet sue over gaming Local cafe draws ‘taking’ plenty of loyal, repeat customers. of homes By AMANDA WILLIAMSON [email protected] Two lawsuits allege Dim lighting clouds the county made flooding computer-lined Internet cafe where Linda Mosley worse; want buy-outs. sits playing a sweepstakes game. Sevens slide easily By DEREK GILLIAM across her screen, but no [email protected] win. She clicks the button to play another round. Ten Columbia County’s stormwater drain- minutes slips by quickly. age woes continue after county officials Mosley, 49, visits a local agreed to buy “repetitive flood loss” Internet cafe about two homes in the t i m e s Eastwood sub- a week division but on a $20 then never allowance bought the from her p r o p e r t i e s , husband. two lawsuits At her allege. f a v o r i t e Two of the Strickland cafe, they affected prop- charge for erty owners the Internet time, and she in the subdivi- can choose how to spend sion have sued the minutes. Some cus- the county for tomers check their emails, modifications some Facebook and some performed on play the games. county-owned “I’m addicted,” Mosley s t o r m w a t e r COURTESY said. “I go home and hear Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter management Flooding inside the home them little ducks when I’m Whit Ashe, of Savannah, Tenn., manages to hold onto Night Flight as he competes in the saddle systems that of Randal and Maria sleeping.” bronc competition during the 19th Annual Florida Gateway Pro Rodeo held at the Columbia County are near or on Roberts during Tropical The draw pulls her back Fairgrounds Rodeo Arena on Friday. Ashe scored a 73. Rodeo action continues today. their proper- Storm Debby. to the cafe. Several of the ties, causing establishments in Lake “an increased City stay open 24 hours a and permanent threat of flooding,” the day, so gamers or Internet suits allege. users can play whenever Rodeo pros work for good show Rodney Baker, pastor at Hopeful they want. If Mosley wins Baptist Church, and Randal Roberts, enough, she finds herself Competitors seek a detective with the Gainesville Police at the cafe more than twice weekly. to entertain, excite SUIT continued on 3A “I used to come every all who attend. day,” she said. “But that’s when I worked at the pris- By DEREK GILLIAM on. It doesn’t bother me to [email protected] spend $20 a night on enter- Slain guard’s tainment.” f you’re ready to But Mosley’s entertain- have a good time, memorial ment may be shut down let me hear you soon. A say, ‘Yeah’,” Jerry statewide service Mon. Todd says at the crackdown “ beginningI of every rodeo. on gam- By TONY BRITT He’s been a rodeo ing parlors [email protected] announcer for 30 years and led to 57 ABOVE: Will Bradley, of knows how to create excite- arrests and Troy, Ala., strains as he “We Never Walk Alone” is the motto ment in the stands. the forced flips a calf in 10.3 sec- and creed for Department of Corrections “They respond kinda Smith c l o s u r e onds during the tie down employees around the state. lightly the first time, then I of doz- roping contest Friday The phrase can be go back to them and say ‘If ens of Internet cafes run night. RIGHT: Featured seen on walls and bulle- you are really ready to have by Allied Veterans of the tin boards at Columbia a good time, let me here you performer Rider Kiesner World, including Lake City Correctional Institution say ‘Yeah!’” Todd said. “And attempts to whip the Internet Services on U.S. as well. that’s when they come back petals off a flower in the 90 West. Although no one can at ya.” mouth of his assistant. Allied Veterans claimed see a person’s spirit, the Matt Merritt played the it was donating a sig- paid to entertain people The real purpose of a human embodiment of rodeo clown at the Florida nificant portion of its pro- who attend the rodeos. They rodeo clown is to protect the the phase will come to Gateway Pro Rodeo this year. Thomas ceeds to charity. However, said the key to making the cowboys — especially bull life Monday, when hun- It was his first Professional donations were only 2 rodeo fun for the crowd is to riders — when an angry ani- dreds of DOC employ- Rodeo Cowboy Association percent of the estimated have fun themselves. mal comes after them. ees gather to pay homage to Sgt. Ruben event, but he knows the $300 million it generated “If they see us having a Merritt said the rodeo Thomas III on the first anniversary of ropes. He’s been a class from 49 cafes in Florida, good time, they are going to allows people the chance his death, when a memorial park, bench clown since his school days, according to law enforce- too,” Todd said. “A good time to put worries on the back and pedestal monument will be unveiled and figured he was good at it. ment statements. Now, the is contagious.” burner for the day, and focus in his honor. “You get to be the life of state Legislature is moving Of course, being a rodeo on something fun. The memorial dedication ceremony the party,” Merritt said. clown is about more than just CAFE continued on 3A Both Todd and Merritt are having fun. RODEO continued on 3A MEMORIAL continued on 3A Vol. 138, No. 294 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 Business . 1C5A 9177 6455 Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-StormA.M. Chancefog Obituaries . 6A THE REPORTER: AdviceAdvice. & . .Comics . 5D8B Newton could City council Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A6A Puzzles . 2B face eviction. coverage. You’re closer than ever to nationally ranked health care for your child. To fi nd out about all the services at Wolfson Children’s Specialty Center, call 386.758.1811 (option 1). 164 NW Madison Street • Historic Downtown • Lake City, FL 32055 • wolfsonchildrens.org/columbiacounty 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Wednesday: Wednesday: 1-3-5-26 15 17-18-27-29-30 Afternoon: 1-5-8 Afternoon: 9-5-8-1 15-30-34-44-47-49 5-9-28-32-38 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A x5 PB 29 AROUND FLORIDA Republicans donating $300,000 to veterans TALLAHASSEE attached to her. Democratic primary race — The Republican Party Under Florida’s Safe in the 26th congressional of Florida is donating Haven law, a baby who is district, which runs from $300,000 to a veterans seven days old or younger, the Miami suburbs to Key charity in the wake of gam- can be turned over to an West. It was the district bling arrests. employee at a fire station represented by Rivera Republican Party or other designated loca- until the November gen- Chairman Lenny Curry tion. eral election, when he was announced Friday that Clearwater police say beaten by Democrat Joe the party was giving the that did not happen in this Garcia. donation to the Florida case. Investigators are try- Sternad was charged Veterans Foundation. ing to figure out what time after The Miami Herald The move comes just the baby was dropped off published articles saying days after authorities and whether she was alive that the money came from arrested nearly 60 people when they left her. There Rivera in an attempt to who were part of a vet- were no outward signs of weaken Garcia and that erans charity that law foul play. the go-between was Ana enforcement authorities An autopsy is scheduled Sol Alliegro, a Republican say was a front for a $300 for 11:30 a.m. Friday. political operative with ties million gambling ring. to Rivera. The investigation also led to the resignation of Lt. Ex-candidate Gov. Jennifer Carroll. pleads guilty Pelican death An Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE puzzle officials review found that people DEREK GILLIAM/Lake City Reporter connected with the Allied — A one-time Democratic MELBOURNE — Veterans of the World CARC fundraiser U.S. House candidate who Florida wildlife officials are scandal donated in excess was a political unknown trying to figure out why of $1 million to Florida pol- Judy Cashmore sends the bowling ball on its way down the lane while Alex Haynes helps before last year’s election more than 100 brown peli- iticians between 2009 and her at the CARC 20th Annual Bowl-A-Thon on Saturday at Lake City Bowl. The CARC is pleaded guilty Friday to cans have died between 2012. Most of the money still accepting donations for its fundraiser, executive director Svetlana Zhavoronkova said. federal campaign viola- Melbourne and Merritt went to the Republican Cashmore has been at a CARC group home for people with disabilities for the past 10 years. tions including accepting Island. Party. illegal contributions and The Florida Fish and Curry said the party had there are definite signs of sequestration,” Gaetz said was before the bruising filing false finance reports Wildlife Conservation “zero tolerance” for crimi- recovery, bringing with it in a statement, referring battle between President in a case linked to former Commission said Friday nal activity.