HONORING SHERIFF HOBBS Sheriff Hobbs' Boots and Barrels fundraisers See pages 10 - 11 See pages 10 - 11 MONTICELLO NEWS 151 Years of Serving the Monticello Community www.ecbpublishing.com Wednesday, April 17, 2019 No. 7 75¢+Tax ShootingAshley Hunter JCSO inreceived aMadison; transferred arrestshot at his vehicle in while Jefferson the While Cpl. Ryland spoke ECB Publishing, Inc. 911 call from the Madison two parties were traveling with the victim, a County Sheriff's Office, west on Interstate 10. truck matching On Thursday, advising that there had been Deputies from the JCSO the description April 11, the a possible shooting on responded to Interstate 10 in of the suspect's Jefferson County Interstate 10, with the order to locate and vehicle drove past. Sheriff's Office involved persons heading stop the two Jefferson County (JCSO) arrested west into Jefferson County. vehicles. Sheriff's Deputies Harrison Mario Verasso after Verasso The victim had placed JCSO's Cpl. and Carey pursued and engaged in shooting at the original call, Ryland spotted the victim's stopped the suspect's truck another vehicle while advising that a vehicle and made a traffic and made contact with Mario traveling on Interstate 10 man in a dark stop around mile marker 217, Verasso. through Madison County. colored just inside the Jefferson In a post-Miranda Mario Anthony Verasso See SHOOTING page 3 On the above date, the Chevrolet pickup truck had County line. Noise Two arrested on fraud charges ordinance Secret Service to investigate federal charges in the making Ashley Hunter Jeep Wrangler after ECB Publishing, Inc. observing the vehicle Lazaro Aleman commission voted to traveling westbound on ECB Publishing, Inc. hold special hearings Brandon Sanchez Interstate 10 at an on April 23 and 30 to Brinson, 30, of unlawful speed of 102 The Jefferson expedite the process for Orlando, and Alexis miles per hour. County Commission is the adoption of the Lashawn Atkins, 20, The traffic stop taking proposed noise also of Orlando, were took place near the extraordinary ordinance both arrested on 218-mile marker, in Brandon Sanchez Alexis Lashawn steps to Tuesday, April 23, by May, Thursday, April 11 by Jefferson County. Brinson Atkins ensure for at 6 p.m. and again when an Florida Highway Patrol After making Tuesday, April 30, the quick at 6 p.m. event is (FHP) Trooper White contact with the to assist with a search mobile driver's license passage of scheduled on various charges occupants of the of the vehicle, as the operation from within a proposed that pertaining to fraud and vehicle, Trooper White odor of marijuana the vehicle. ordinance that officials possession of false was able to detect the provided a probable A driver's license aims to regulate noise apparently deign could notes. smell of marijuana cause for a search. printing machine, a at certain events on a be noisy. On the above date, emitting from within The search of the printer with photo temporary basis. Attorney Scott at 4:50 p.m., Trooper the vehicle. vehicle revealed that printing paper, two On Thursday Shirley, who drafted White conducted a Backup officers the occupants were laptops, five See NOISE page 3 See FRAUD page 3 evening, April 4, the traffic stop on a 2019 were requested in order conducting a fraudulent ACA athletes sign with colleges Story Courtesy of have conducted themselves, Aucilla Christian Academy by using the talent with which GOD has blessed On Monday, April 8, them coupled with their own three Aucilla Christian hard work and dedication,” Academy (ACA) Warriors said ACA Athletic Director signed letters of intent to Dan Nennstiel. “The play athletics on the college opportunity they will have to level next school year. share the love of Christ as Evan Courtney will be they continue their education playing football for Warner and athletic careers is University, a private something that they have Christian college located in worked towards since they Lake Wales, FL. were in elementary school. It Cody Smith will be is really inspiring to watch playing golf for the their dreams come true. University of Montevallo, a Again, I could not be more public liberal arts college proud of Evan, Ryan, and located in Montevallo, AL. Cody.” Ryan Jackson will be As a football player, playing golf for Shorter Courtney has served as a University, a private team captain for ACA and Christian college located in has led the team in tackles Photo Submitted Rome, GA. for the last two seasons. The seated Warrior signees, pictured with their families, are (listed left to right): Evan Courtney with Warner University; Cody Smith, with University of Montevallo; and Ryan Jack- “I am very proud of the Courtney was selected See SIGNING page 3 son with Shorter University. way these three young men INSIDE Did you know? VIEWPOINTS 2 FAITH & FAMILY 12-14 Where? What? and When? Weather COMMUNITY NEWS 4-7 SCHOOL 15 If you swap the W for a T in each for this NATIONAL DISPATCHERS WEEK 8-9 CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS 16-17 of these questions, you end up with their answers. week DAVID HOBBS MEMORIAL EVENTS 10-11 LINEMAN APPRECIATION PAGE 18 2 • MONTICELLO NEWS • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 Editorial Viewpoints If Republican lawmakers eliminate public notices, Floridians won’t know what their government is doing. And that’s the point, isn’t it? Floridians should be concerned about not just notices are displayed on newspaper websites and in Originally published in the this blatant attempt to shut down their easy access print. HB 1235 and SB 1676 remove those Miami Herald on April 5, 2019 to public information that affects them, but also that requirements. Cities and counties will be able to It’s a longstanding tradition — and it’s the law. some government officials might not think it hide notices. In Florida, local governments must inform residents important enough to keep them informed. After all, 4. Notices will only be seen by people who look about upcoming issues directly affecting their lives showing up at city hall to be heard is a bedrock of for them. Currently, people find notices when they — their neighborhoods, their schools, their taxes. democracy. If residents don’t know what’s going are looking for other information in a newspaper. For decades, the most effective way to do this has on, they can’t petition their government. 5. Internet access is not as readily available in been by publishing public legal notices in local Clearly, if these bills pass, notices will be seen some rural areas or for some segments of the newspapers. by far fewer people. Lawmakers, especially those population. Legal notices alert residents about, for instance, from South Florida, should resolutely reject this In addition, newspapers must provide email municipalities’ proposed budgets, taxing districts attempt to further cloud Florida’s government in the notification of new legal notices when they are and land-use changes, like the shocking news that a sunshine. Anything less would make it harder for published and added to the newspaper’s website for vacant lot near your house is about to become home Floridians to hold their leaders truly accountable. free. Such a paper trail likely will disappear if to a high-density condo tower. The alternative proposed is atrocious: By 2020, managed by local governments. So it’s appalling, but not surprising, that the public notices would be required to be published Yes, public notices make revenue for state is continuing its relentless effort to keep only on government websites. The Herald’s newspapers such as the Miami Herald, and Floridians in the dark about what their government research delivers these facts: politicians who don’t like being held accountable is doing. House Bill 1235 would abolish the 1. In addition to their print audience, for the work they are required to do in the full glare requirement that local governments publish legal newspapers’ web audience is typically 10 times of public scrutiny, are cynically trying to hurt notices. The House Judiciary Committee is larger than most city or county websites. papers’ bottom line. But the true and abiding benefit considering the legislation that would eliminate the 2. Newspapers are required to post notices to of easily accessible public notices is of much higher need for public notices to be published in floridapublicnotices.com, which has more traffic value. And the cost of losing them, and the long- newspapers and their online sites. Worse, HB 1235 than many city or county websites, is easily lasting damage done, is incalculable. Lawmakers and its Senate companion, SB 1676, leave the searchable and is available to the public for free. should reject these bills and stand up for the people responsibility up to local governments’ discretion. 3. Current law prescribes where and how whom they represent. Christian Concepts... Bought with a price In the book of Isaiah the crucifixion of Christ is proceeding is that of a dying declaration when it can be not experience until the day of His death. foreshadowed, “But He was pierced through for our sufficiently corroborated. It is thought that a dying A wagon train of pioneers was crossing the vast transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the person, with nothing to gain or lose, would be western prairie when they saw a fire on the horizon. chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by especially honest. Prairie grass grows taller than a man and when it His scourging we are healed,” On the day He died, around midday, Jesus uttered catches fire and is driven by the wind one can’t outrun (Isaiah 53:5).