Teaching new parents, A2 Thursday, May 24, 2012 WWW.APALACHTIMES.COM VOL. 126 ISSUE 4 50¢ xxxxxOut to see Try a kayak Saturday Leavins dismisses illegal workers This Saturday, May 26, Journeys of St. George will host a kayak and stand-up last week, due to an apparent fail- paddleboard demo in the Federal probe ure to comply with regulations in boat basin across from producing valid documentation cit- Harry A’s, from 10 a.m. to prompts release ing their right to work in the United 3 p.m. Call 927-3259 for States. more information. of 41 employees According to Sister Mary Al- ice, a Catholic nun active in the By DAVID ADLERSTEIN church’s outreach to Apalachico- Captain Jack 653-8894| @ApalachTimes la’s Spanish-speaking community, fi shing tourney Dadlerstein@starfl .com a May 15 evening meeting called by This Saturday, May 26, Grady and Alice Leavins, who have a fi shing tournament to A directive from federal im- owned and operated the facility on migration offi cials led to the dis- Water Street for the past 40 years, benefi t the American Red DAVID ADLERSTEIN |The Times Cross and the Alligator missal of 41 Hispanic workers from Point Fire Department will Apalachicola’s Leavins Seafood See LEAVINS A3 The Leavins Seafood plant on Water Street. be on Alligator Point. First place prize for offshore is $2,000 and fi rst place inshore pays $1,000. Entry fee for offshore boats Seahawk with four anglers is $350; fi sh inshore with two anglers for $175. Tourney kicks off with a Friday night captain’s party featuring low country Imagi-Nation boil. For more info, email captainjacktournament@ Jeff Vonier to gmail.com. Pay tribute on Memorial Day run for sheriff On Monday, May 28, at 10 a.m., everyone is Special to the Times invited to a Memorial Day ceremony at Veteran’s Jeff Vonier has fi led his letter of Plaza in Apalachicola. The intent to seek election to the offi ce of tribute features keynote sheriff. Vonier, 69, Highway 65, Eastpoint, speaker Gen. Charles has fi led as a Democrat. He became Wilhelm, who retired from legally entitled to begin the process the Marine Corps in 2000 of getting petitions after more than 37 years signed, with of active service. In Lanark signatures due to Village, Camp Gordon the Supervisor of Johnston American Legion Elections offi ce on Post 82 will host its annual May 7. Vonier’s name Memorial Day service and would then appear on luncheon. The service will the Aug. 14 primary begin at the fl ag pole at ballot, provided he JEFF VONIER noon, with a free fi nger offi cially qualifi es food lunch to follow. Doors during the June 4 to 8 qualifying open at 11 a.m. period. Sparks of drama fl y at Franklin County School In the event only Democrats fi le for this offi ce or any of the county it seems clear they much prefer to act Fisherman’s By DAVID ADLERSTEIN offi ces, Republicans and those funny. Choice’s kids 653-8894 | @ApalachTimes without party affi liation would be tourney June 9 Dadlerstein@starfl .com They enjoy dressing up like able to vote in any race that has fi sh and wiggling across the Charles and Rex candidates from only one political When Franklin County school kids stage, scooting like party, known as a “universal” race. Pennycuff are hosting take the stage, they like to make people an alligator on a their annual Fisherman’s The following is a statement laugh. skateboard and issued by the candidate: Choice Youth Fishing Now this might not be a hard-and- talking in a language Tournament on Saturday, fast rule — they could probably just using only a smile and June 9. Kids 16 and My name is H. Jeff Vonier. My wife, as well pull off a tragedy that has an Barbara Lynn Vonier (aka BJ) and under will fi sh for all audience weeping in their seats — but See DRAMA A6 I came to Franklin County back in major fresh and saltwater 1984 hunting the perfect place to live species. Each entry Photos by DAVID ADLERSTEIN | The Times and raise our two children, Jefferson receives a T-shirt, and after Members of the Odyssey of the Mind teams are, Brook and Ivy Lynn. the tournament, entries seated from left, Fisher Edwards, Rory Countryman I graduated from Gulf Coast are invited to attend a and Ethan Riley, and standing, from left, Connor College in law enforcement and cookout at the Eastpoint corrections at the top of my class. Pavilion. Entry is free. Call Smith, James Hatfi eld, Kendall Meyer, Bobby Kilgore, I worked for the Franklin County 670-8808 or visit www. Jalynn Liston and Ursula Countryman. Right, Connor Sheriff’s Department for eight fi shermanschoice.net for Smith recreates his “Odyssey Angels” performance. more information. See VONIER A3 xxxxx Index Opinion . .A4 St. George Island visitor reports UFO Society . .A8 Faith . .A9 By LOIS SWOBODA night. The date and time to Eastpoint or further up Outdoors . A10 653-1819 | @ApalachTimes should be part of the digital the river. The alleged photo Tide Chart . A10 Lswoboda@starfl .com info however.) was not posted with the Sports . A11 “Anyway, as I was looking report. Tourists on St. George northwest to watch for the The sighting was Classifi eds . A12-A13 Island claim to have sunset, an object which reported to MUFON, the encountered visitors from appeared to be a black Mutual UFO Network, xxxxxContact Us further away. orb with a fl aming bottom an American non- On May 10, someone streaked over my head profi t organization that Phone: 850-653-8868 posted the following account from out over the Gulf, investigates reported UFO Web: apalachtimes.com of a close encounter with headed inland. I pointed my sightings. E-mail: dadlerstein@starfl .com something unknown in the camera at it and zoomed MUFON was originally Fax: 850-653-8036 sky over Franklin County: the lens, and snapped a established as the Midwest Circulation: 800-345-8688 “I like to get great sunset picture, before the object UFO Network in Quincy, pictures, from the Florida was beyond my sight. There Illinois in May 1969 by coast, so every night at the was no sound at all. I have Walter H. Andrus, Allen beach house I would go up no idea how high the object Utke, John Schuessler, and on top to the viewing area was but it appeared to be others. The network has DEADLINES FOR NEXT WEEK: to watch the sunset, to see about airplane height.” more than 3,000 members School News & Society: 11 a.m. Friday if it would be a memorable Based on information worldwide, most of them Real Estate Ads: 11 a.m. Thursday one or not. This particular given on the web page, the based in the United States. PHOTO COURTESY OF MUFON Legal Ads: 11 a.m. Friday evening, (I think it was visitor viewed the unknown Florida has one of the Classifi ed Display Ads: 11 a.m. Friday An unidentifi ed fl ying object photographed from Wednesday evening, but it object from the Plantation Classifi ed Line Ads: 5 p.m. Monday Dog Island in 2011. might have been another so it must have been headed See UFO A12 A2 | The Times Local Thursday, May 24, 2012 Healthy Start Baby Shower celebrates parents By VALERIE GARMAN already.” 229-7843 | @valeriegarman McClary said the vgarman@starfl .com booths at the event helped him realize how early a Russ Petrucka spent baby’s brain develops Thursday afternoon, May and how important it is to 10 reminding soon-to-be protect. dads that every day is Fa- “Tonight is your night,” ther’s Day. proclaimed Kelly Byrns- Not long after the ar- Davis of the Healthy Start rival of Mother’s Day, Coalition as she greeted Petrucka, an employee parents. with Healthy Families in “The purpose is to cele- Franklin County, was on brate parents and to show a mission to help young honor and support to new dads realize the impor- parents,” she said, noting tance of developing strong the great turnout of dads relationships and being in the audience. “Healthy there for their children. Start loves dads and we Dozens of new and value their support.” expectant moms and About 20 booths from dads, from Franklin and various organizations Gulf counties, attended were set up to provide the Healthy Start Coali- parents with information tion’s fourth annual Baby and demonstrations on Shower at the Centennial car seat safety, contracep- Building in Port St. Joe tion, breastfeeding, infant for plenty of parenting brain development, dia- information, food, games, per changing, swaddling speakers and more. and safe sleep. options for breastfeed- VALERIE GARMAN | “Even though it’s Ellie Tullis, a represen- ing, how to handle fussi- Florida Freedom Mother’s Day this week- tative from Healthy Start ness and provided tips on end, every day is Father’s and Healthy Families, Russ Petrucka of Healthy discipline. Families in Franklin Day,” Petrucka said as he manned a booth with a “New babies are work,” County, right, helps soon- greeted a barrage of ex- playpen set up alongside. Head said. “The more you pectant parents browsing “Here everything is can enjoy that, the better to-be dad Bret McClary his booth. He handed out wrong,” said Tullis as she off you are.” learn how to properly informational brochures motioned to the playpen The number one point- swaddle a baby at a to the dads in the crowd with a “sleeping” doll in- er he had for new parents booth catering to new and demonstrated the side.