Veterans Day 2013 Your Locally-Owned County Paper of Record since 1923 Vol. 90, No. 18 thursday, NoVember 7, 2013 50 ceNts Murder Trial Ends in Bronson Hosts Large Soccer Event, Mistrial after New Raises Funds for New Building Evidence Surfaces Parents, Parks & Recreation and Community Team Up for Kids by terry Witt Related to Weapon Senior Staff Writer by terry Witt Bronson Parks and Recreation Senior Staff Writer played host to a dozen soccer teams from High Springs and Newberry Saturday, and used the Circuit Judge Stanley Griffis III ended the murder trial of Devonte event to give its own 6-and-under Ocasio on Wednesday after a piece of evidence turned up that the team, appropriately named the defense didn’t have time to investigate and prosecutors apparently turned Bronson Eagles, game experience. in late. The town parks and recreation The mistrial sent jurors and witnesses home and will result in Ocasio department also used the event to remaining in jail for at least several more months as the prosecution and raise funds for a new building at defense prepare for a second trial for Ocasio and sort through a new set the park. of police reports from Marion County that may shed light on whether BPR Director Curtis Stacy and the murder weapon was legally seized. Town Clerk Kelly Brettel cooked Ocasio is accused of shooting Barry Barney to death at Crab Fest in burgers, hotdogs and French fries East Williston on April 27 and wounding four others. He is charged as part of the soccer event. They with six felonies including premeditated first degree murder. He was were raising funds to eventually captured in Marion County the next day when police stopped a vehicle build a recreational/community in which Ocasio was a front seat passenger. The .45 caliber pistol was building in James H. Cobb Park. found in the glove compartment of the vehicle. Wayne Boone of High Springs leans on a referee as the official ties The town hopes to someday have his shoe lace. The referees have a big brother status in the 6 and Police reports from Marion County relating to the seizure of the an indoor basketball court in the under category. murder weapon were the center of aggressive arguments between defense building and classrooms where Money generated by the Trunk-or-Treats festival and prosecuting attorneys in Wednesday’s hearing. children can receive mentoring. The school board continued to page 2A two nights earlier will also go to the building fund. currently uses the Bronson High School gymnasium BPR has sponsored flag football and tackle football for its basketball program. Bronson Council continued to page 3A Considers Offer from Elections Office Places Ads to Verizon for Tower Reach Felons Losing Voting Rights, But Where? by terry Witt felons if they think they have been wrongly identified. Senior Staff Writer The process of removing convicted felons from the list of eligible voters is nothing new. This year alone Ricky Giddens and Joanna Smith of Chiefland and 67 Levy County residents lost their right to vote in Andrew Brown of Williston are about to lose their Levy County elections because they became convicted right to vote in Levy County elections. The state says felons. In the past 10 years, from Nov. 4, 2003 to Nov. they are convicted felons. Felons have no right to vote 4, 2013, a total of 673 residents have lost their right to unless their rights are restored. vote because they are convicted felons. The three voters were sent a letter by Levy County Those who can’t be reached by letter are given Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones notifying them one last chance to contact Jones after the newspaper that their voting rights are in jeopardy. The letters were advertisement is published. returned by the Post Office as undeliverable. They have Jones said the advertisements are spread around the until Nov. 24 to contact her. county and placed in various newspapers. The state requires Jones to place an advertisement But would a voter in Williston see his or her name in in a newspaper asking the voter to contact her office a Chiefland newspaper? if they wish to contest the state’s claim that they are Jones said she hasn’t really thought about it. She convicted felons. An advertisement was placed in a suspects the people that she has been unable to Mayor Franklin Schuler presents Diamond Sheffield with Student of Chiefland newspaper for the three voters listed above. contact by letter probably don’t live here anymore, but the Month honors. None of the three have contacted Jones. she acknowledges the issue of losing voting rights is by terry Witt The names of convicted felons are never placed in important and she will review her policies with regard Senior Staff Writer an elections office advertisement if they have a good to where she advertises. She was unaware that the mailing address. Jones sends them a letter explaining Levy County Journal circulates in Bronson, Williston, they are about to lose their voting rights, and they Chiefland, Fanning Springs, Otter Creek, Cedar Key, Bronson Town Council members postponed a decision Monday on can contest to the state’s claim that they are convicted Inglis and Yankeetown with countywide circulation. whether to allow Verizon Wireless to erect a 195-foot tower near the continued to page 2A continued to page 8A Private Planner Says Blue Grotto near Williston to Remain a Diving Resort by terry Witt categories, but not C-3 zoning. because Development Department Director Bill Senior Staff Writer He said the company is asking the Hammond was absent and there were questions county to change the low density residential about the company’s plans, County Planning A representative of the Blue Grotto, a designation on the future land use map in the Director Shenley Neely said. nationally known cave diving sinkhole near Comprehensive Plan to match the C-3 zoning. “They are essentially looking to get permission Williston says the property will not be converted The change would allow the company to build to build cabins on the property,” said Sweger, to a water bottling facility. rental cabins for divers. director of planning for an engineering firm that Clay Sweger, a planner for Blue Grotto, LLC. “We’re not changing the zoning,” he said. represents Blue Grotto, LLC. said the company has Commercial-3 zoning Sweger, speaking to a Journal reporter in Commissioners have not set the exact date for on the property, which does not allow water the hallway after Tuesday’s county commission the rehearing, but the date is likely to be in two bottling plants, and there is no attempt being meeting, said Blue Grotto is already a diving weeks when the county commission meets again made to change the zoning. resort and that won’t change either. in Bronson. Sweger said water bottling is allowed by a Commissioners postponed a hearing on Rumors had swirled around the change of special exception permit in some county land use the issue at Tuesday’s board meeting in part continued to page 6A County Agrees to Replace Aging Voting System by terry Witt Tuesday. pay for system. Senior Staff Writer Commissioners voted unanimously to accept Joyner was informed by county staff that the Dominion Voting’s price proposal to sell a voting county already imposes a 1-cent sales tax and the Levy County’s voting machines aren’t exactly machine system to the county. The board is money is deposited in a special fund. The county dinosaurs yet, but they are old enough that interested in financing the purchase over 8 years cannot legally add a half-cent sales tax. Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones sometimes at a cost of $397,232. Commissioners instructed Joyner’s argument is that there are too many can’t buy replacement parts. staff to set up a workshop to mull financing people in the county who pay no taxes. Adding a Levy County Commissioners were told about options. sales tax would force those people to share some the problem last year and for reasons unknown Commissioner Mike Joyner suggested of the burden. But he was alone in his support of decided not to act on Jones’ request to consider imposing a half-cent sales tax to pay for the new a half-cent sales tax. purchasing 21st century voting machines. voting system. He said the tax could be repealed Jones said the machines will operate much The board changed its collective mind on when the county had earned enough money to continued to page 3A www.levyjournalonline.com 2a The Levy County Journal Your Locally-Owned County Paper of Record since 1923 November 7, 2013 Levy County Sheriff’s Office Levy County’s Most Wanted Arrest Report Jail Media Report for 10/28/2013 to 11/04/2013 BENZASON, DAVID DONALD, 35, OF INGLIS, FL: FAILURE TO APPEAR. CHILES, RACHEL LYNN, 19, OF WILLISTON, FL: OUT-OF-COUNTY WARRANT X 2. Foxworth, Omar Harper, Kimberly Martin, Mark Thompson, Glendell D Walker, Jessie C CROWN, JAMES, 51, OF SUWANNEE, FL: CNTRL Williston Lynn Belleview Williston OldTown SUB WO PRESCRIPTION; INTRODUCE INTO VOP SALE/POSS Anthony WRIT FTA ORDER CHILD SUPPORT VOP DEAL IN DETENTION FACILITY; MARIJUANA-POSSES CONTROL SUB CHILD SUPPORT TO SHOW CAUSE WRIT STOLEN PROPERTY NOT MORE THAN 20 GRAMS; POSS METH W NO BOND WRIT NO BOND 220 PURGE NO BOND INTENT TO SELL MANUFACTURE DELIVER. 1,270 PURGE DALLAS, HAROLD MONROE, 26, OF WILLISTON, FL: POSS MARIJUANA; DRUG POSS COCAINE; POSS DRUG PARA. WI 1000FT WORSHIP/BUSN SCH II COCAINE- TINDALE, NANCY WATERS, 60, OF INGLIS, FL: HAMILTON, CHRISTOPHER SCOTT, 43, OF POSSESS X 2; WI 1000FT OF SPECIFIED AREA CNTRL SUB WO PRESCRIPTION X 3; POSS WILLISTON, FL: DUI ALCHOL OR DRUGS.