A3 SATURDAY/SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14-15, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 WEEKEND EDITION Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> SUNDAY + PLUS Tigers LCPD K9 Making the crush Memnoch panhandling Fort problem White hanging up 1D even worse his badge Sean of the South Opinion/4A SPORTS/1B SEE 2A PANHANDLING STEPPING INTO THE FUTURE 5 Points Elementary Helf: Hit pause on ‘Active billboard, ad plans shooter’ Proposal could have unintended alert a consequences. By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] Plans are in motion for mistake $15,000 multi-media ad campaign intended to deter By CARL MCKINNEY residents and visitors from [email protected] giving money to Columbia Five Points Elementary went into lock- County’s panhandlers, but down over an active shooter scare Friday Lake City afternoon, but it was ruled a false alarm Hall’s top caused by the uninten- appointed ‘This was a tional use of a smart- official wants phone panic button app. the idea put small child, he just saw Around 1 p.m., one on hold. of the students got hold The cam- the red but- of a teaching assistant’s paign, a ton,’ Swisher Helfenberger unlocked phone and partnership said. ‘It was accidentally activated between the not malicious.’ the Rave app, which county, city and local cham- alerts 911 and sends ber of commerce, would use notifications to other billboards, commercials and on-site users warning of potential emergen- social media posts asking cies, said Columbia County School District the public not to hand cash spokesperson Dianna Swisher. to beggars. It comes on “This was a small child, he just saw the the heels of a newly passed red button,” Swisher said. “It was not mali- county ordinance banning all cious.” interactions between pedes- The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office trians and vehicles, which arrived at the roughly 500-student school was presented as a response almost immediately, she said. to public safety concerns Photos by RAY CARPENTER PHOTOGRAPHY/Special to the Reporter “Within about 10 minutes, we knew it over panhandlers waving was an accident,” Swisher said. “And it signs traffic on U.S. Highway ended up being a great drill for us to see 90 and running through the TOP: FGC gradu- everything that we’ve practiced throughout street to retrieve money from 157 walk ation candidates this year and all the strategies we’ve put in generous motorists. Laura Davis (left) and place in case of something like this.” ADS continued on 2A the walk Carissa Herring lead other candidates ALERT continued on 2A into Howard Center at FGC for the college’s Fall Snow Day Commencement By TONY BRITT Ceremony Friday Shands Lake Shore start time [email protected] evening. The cere- The bleachers at Florida mony drew more now accredited by now 11 am Gateway College’s Howard than 1,400 people Center were filled to capacity including the grad- chest pain group From staff reports as a standing-room-only crowd uates. LEFT: Gayle gathered at the gymnasium From staff reports Lake City’s Snow Day is Hunter, the official for the school’s annual Fall still on, but the start time Macebearer for the Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Commencement Ceremony on has been moved back two Florida Gateway Center has recently received Chest Pain Friday night. hours. Today from 11 a.m. to College Fall 2019 Center Accreditation from the Society of During the 45-minute cer- 3 p.m., Wilson Park will look Commencement Chest Pain Centers, according to a press emony, 157 FGC students like a Winter Wonderland. release from the hospital. crossed the stage to receive Ceremony, leads the The 10th annual Snow Day The recognition signifies a new era their diplomas, out of 674 grad- President’s Party into will feature 30 tons of ice, in heart care for the Columbia County uation candidates. The young- the Howard Center represented by two snow community, hospital officials say. SCPC is est graduate was 17 years old for Friday’s ceremony. slides and two snow pits. different from other accreditation process- SNOW continued on 2A FGC continued on 8A SHANDS continued on 7A Vol. 145, No. 197 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Opinion . 4A (386) 752-1293 Obituaries . 7A SUBSCRIBE TO Sports . 1B THE REPORTER: 70 44 Classifieds . 5B Voice: 755-5445 Partly cloudy, 2A Fax: 752-9400 Business . 1C 2A SATURDAY/SUNday, DECEMBER 14-15, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER LCPD K9 officer retires from the force QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Memnoch hangs up his badge — Psalm 3:3 (KJV) By CARL MCKINNEY suspect who fled through [email protected] a window when authorities Thought for Today showed up to execute a After racking up too search warrant. Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. many drug busts to count “Found him in the — William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, English in his tenure on the force, woods,” Hardison said. playwright the seasoned veteran Memnoch’s regular job of the Lake City Police was finding drugs, not Department was ready to people, and he had an Winning Lottery Numbers hang up his badge at the accuracy rate of about 98 Pick 3: (Thursday p.m.) 9-9-4 age of 56 — equal to eight percent, Hardison said. human years. Pick 4: (Thursday p.m.) 4-5-9-8 “I can’t tell you how Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 2-10-17-35-36 K9 Memnoch worked much narcotics he’s his last day as a drug dog detected,” Hardison said. on Halloween and has At home, Memnoch now embraced retirement, See an error? is a completely different The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news though it’s unofficial until animal. the Lake City Council items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, “He thinks he’s just a please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will approves the German big lapdog,” Hardison said. shepherd’s resignation “It’s like a switch or some- run in this space. Thanks for reading. on Monday. Memnoch thing is flipped.” lives with his handler of The age at which a Submissions four years, Officer Marc police dog retires varies. Hardison, who doesn’t The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption Hardison said. When a information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would plan on getting a new K9 K9 such as Memnoch has partner. like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture been with the same han- and information to [email protected]. “I don’t want him to see dler for years, it can have me get dressed and take a difficult time adapting to another dog with me every a new master due out of Lake City Reporter day,” Hardison said. loyalty to the current one, Hardison is Memnoch’s Hardison said. HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 second handler, but “He won’t let nobody CIRCULATION Memnoch was Hardison’s Fax number ............ 752-9400 get close to me,” Hardison Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter first K9. said. Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. COURTESY LCPD “I’ve always wanted to Memnoch’s may take a The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 be a handler,” Hardison LCPD Officer Marc Hardison poses with his K9 partner, while to adjust to retired of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and said. Memnoch. Memnoch is hanging up his badge and life. Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. Memnoch, whose name adapting to retired life. “The transition has been FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at comes from the Ann a little rough on him,” Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should Rice novel “Memnoch Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a remember the first day we’ve done I can’t even Hardison said. “He ate up service error for same day re-delivery. the Devil,” is a Lake All material herein is property of the of their partnership and talk about,” he said. one of my shoes.” Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery City native, having been wasn’t comfortable sharing However, Hardison But Hardison thinks the whole or in part is forbidden without or service related credits will be issued. acquired from a local ken- detailed stories about their did briefly mention the permission of the publisher. In all other counties where home delivery dog will eventually learn to U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. nel, Hardison said. time together on the job. one exploit, in which is available, next day re-delivery or appreciate his new routine POSTMASTER: Send address changes service related credits will be issued. Hardison doesn’t “A lot of the cool stuff Memnoch tracked down a of “eat, sleep and play.” to Lake City Reporter, P.O. Box 1709, Lake City, FL 32056. Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) Publisher Todd Wilson ... 754-0418 ([email protected]) next meeting on Monday. attract more homeless to of the state. Home delivery rates (Tuesday–Friday and Sunday) ADS But City Manager Joe the area,” Helfenberger Helfenberger said the NEWS 4 Weeks . $10.70 Continued From 1A Helfenberger has asked said.