Sunny GOV. SCOTT DELIVERS HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, 3A 0% chance of rain 59 | 39 For details, see 2A www.mypdn.com PALATKA DAILY NEWS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016 $1 Convicted killer wants new sentencing WHAT DO YOU THINK? Morgan Amanda Leppert received life sentence for 2008 murder of disabled man Do you think Morgan Amanda Leppert deserves a new sentence in light of the James Stewart in 2008. asked Christensen to impanel a jury or re- BY ALLISON WATERS-MERRITT state Supreme Court’s Palatka Daily News The hearing was the first of three hear- sentence Leppert with no mandatory mini- ruling? Email Letters to ings planned that the defense hopes will mum. the Editor to publicforum@ On Tuesday, convicted murderer grant a resentencing for Leppert based on In 2009, 16-year-old Leppert was convict- palatkadailynews.com. Morgan Amanda Leppert’s attorney new state law passed in 2015 for sentenc- ed in a jury trial and given a life sentence Letter writers must include argued before Judge Patti Christensen the ing of juvenile offenders charged with a full name, daytime phone number and defendant did not “actually kill, intend to capital crime. address. There is a 350-word limit. kill or attempt to kill,” disabled resident Leppert’s attorney, Valarie Linnen, See KILLER, Page 10A Leppert Board: First day REAL-WORLD of school Georgia-Pacific Maintenance and Reliability Manager Bill K ane works changing Monday with Palatka High students, who will help engineers develop a system that will transport large electric motors throughout the plant. EXPERIENCE District to also fund Georgia-Pacific teams theater department with Palatka High with $30,000 BY ASIA AIKINS students on project Palatka Daily News Putnam County School Board members unanimously BY ASIA AIKINS approved the 2016-2017 school Palatka Daily News calendar Tuesday and voted to our Palatka High School students allocate $30,000 to Palatka will graduate later this year with High School’s spring production engineering experience at one of the of “Mary Poppins.” F world’s leading makers of paper and The 2016-2017 school year packaging supplies. will begin Aug. 10. Students from Jan Boland’s engineering, Superintendent Phyllis design and development class at Palatka Criswell said the goal of the High School spent Monday morning sizing earlier start date was to end the up their Capstone project at Georgia-Pacific’s first semester before the winter Palatka mill. holiday break and give students “They had another project they were going more time to prepare for spring to do but got more excited about this,” testing. Boland said. “This is just a continuation of Four high school seniors and one junior what we did last year,” said will design a monorail capable of holding and board member Terry Wright, transferring engines in a storage facility reminding board members of used at the mill. Each engine weighs more the earlier start date proposed than 2,000 pounds and is currently moved for the 2015-2016 school year. using a crane. Board members ultimately Bill Kane, maintenance and reliability decided to start this schol year manager at Georgia-Pacific, said mill offi- only one week earlier than the cials needed the monorail but didn’t have the prior year, and work toward resources to design the project. starting school the second week “It was something already at the top of my of August next school year. list that needed to get done,” Kane said. “It Wright and board member was good timing.” Jane Crawford said they were Boland reached out to mill officials in an concerned about losing the effort to organize an advisory board for the week-long holiday for students’ Capstone project. The Capstone Thanksgiving, which would be Photos by CHRIS DEV ITTO/Palatka Daily News reduced to three days during Palatka High students work with engineers from Georgia-Pacific to help develop a system that will the coming school year. See PROJECT, Page 10A transport large electric motors throughout the plant. According to Deborah Decubellis, district staff servic- es official, the district needs a See SCHOOL, Page 10A WHAT DO Resident says citizens group will push for charter county status YOU THINK? change Putnam from a non-charter to a charter What do you think about the WHAT DO YOU THINK? BY BRANDON D. OLIVER Palatka Daily News county. first day of school changing for Do you think Putnam County should And he said he plans to enlist the help of the Putnam County students? Email switch from a non-charter to a charter Citing his and other residents’ displeasure county’s local and state legislators to make that Letters to the county? Email Letters to with local government, a speaker at the Putnam change. Editor to the Editor to publicforum@ County Board of Commissioners requested the “I’m officially asking that a referendum to publicforum@ palatkadailynews.com. county overhaul its procedures and adopt a char- change the model of Putnam County’s govern- palatkadailynews. Letter writers must include ter. ment from non-charter to a charter government com. Letter writers full name, daytime phone On Tuesday, during the first county commis- must include full name, daytime number and address. There is a 350- sion meeting of the year, Rick Haven told com- Leary phone number and address. word limit. missioners he and an unspecified group seeks to See COUNTY, Page 10A There is a 350-word limit. By mail, 2 sections VOL. 128 • NO. 9 The Voice of Classified/Legals ............ 8A Obituaries ....................... 3A I N E X PALATKA, FLA. Putnam County Comics ............................ 2B Opinions ......................... 4A Advice ............................. 2B Horoscope ...................... 2B Sports ............................. 5A since 1885 Briefing ........................... 2A Lottery............................. 6A Sudoku ........................... 9A Public Notices on Page 8A 011316a1.indd 1 1/12/16 8:55 PM “Never underestimate your power to change yourself; never overestimate your power to change others.” — H. Jackson Brown Jr. morning briefing American writer 2AWEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2016 PALATKA DAILY NEWS Today in History www.palatkadailynews.com 1825 St. Johns Ave., Palatka FL 32177 MAIL: P.O. Box 777, Palatka, FL 32178 Today is Wednesday, Jan. 13, the 13th day of 2016. There are 353 days USPS 418-500 left in the year. Periodicals postage paid at Palatka, FL, Palatka Daily News, est. 1885, TODAY IN PUTNAM is published daily Tuesday through In 1918, William Revels was Saturday by the Palatka Daily News, Inc., appointed supervisor of tick eradica- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to tion in Putnam County. He would be Palatka Daily News, P.O. Box 777, responsible for building dipping vats Palatka FL 32178 throughout the county. MAIN NUMBER ..... 312-5200 In 1939, Flagler County residents wanted to construct a canal linking Business hours are 8 a.m. to Crescent Lake to Flagler beach. 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Engineers were appointed to make a preliminary survey of the route. Call about classified or display ads, questions about circulation or any Fortunately, the proposal got other newspaper business. Call nowhere. with news tips at any time. Just fol- low the instructions after business TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY hours. On Jan. 13, 1966, Robert C. Advertising fax ....................312-5209 Weaver was nominated to be Newsroom fax ....................312-5226 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by President Lyndon CIRCULATION B. Johnson. Weaver became the first black Cabinet member. Please call 386-312-5200 by 10 a.m. to report problems with the ON THIS DATE delivery of your paper. Circulation office In 1733, James Oglethorpe and hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. If you leave a some 120 English colonists arrived message, please give your name, 911 at Charleston, S.C., while en route to address and phone number. Submitted photo settle in present-day Georgia. Jamie Howard Craig Belton, singer and guitarist, are the featured performers this weekend during the Arts Council of In 1794, President George For home delivery subscription, Greater Palatka’s next Saturday Nite Live at the Larimer. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Larimer Arts Center, 216 Washington approved a measure including tax Reid St., Palatka. Cost is $5. The pair also performs with Palatka’s Mad Maxx rock band as lead singer and guitarist. adding two stars and two stripes to 13 weeks ................................ $24.62 Tracy Chapman, Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton influence their music. The concert is for all ages. Refreshments will the American flag, following the 26 weeks ................................ $49.25 be available, and guests will have an opportunity to see art on display by Bill Roberts and Donna Leeward. Saturday admission of Vermont and Kentucky 52 weeks ................................ $93.68 Nite Live at the Larimer is supported in part by memberships, the Putnam County Tourist Development Council, the to the Union. The number of stripes e-edition .............................. $7/month State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. For was later reduced to the original 13. Duration of subscription subject to details, call 328-8998 or visit artsinputnam.org. In 1978, former Vice President rate increase. Hubert H. Humphrey died in Waverly, Minn., at age 66. Paul onner ..................386-312-5246 In 1982, an Air Florida 737 Circulation Director 9 a.m.–noon Monday at 3403 St. Johns Ave. crashed into Washington, D.C.’s pconne @ pala k a ailynew .com Volunteers and donations are needed. Donations can be 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Announcements dropped off at the center during business hours, 10 a.m.–4 Potomac River while trying to take OBITUARIES p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Friday.