SPORTS Full report on state, >> COMING FRIDAY local crime in 2013. CHS downs Escambia, 1B. THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Top execs out at SVTA while serving as a Lieutenant Staff at FDOT said they learned about the same person.” Two resign under pressure after revelations Colonel in Iraq. of Steele’s past while conducting According to news articles about Director of Operations’ military past. Williams said he found news an ongoing audit of the SVTA. from 2007 by The Associated articles documenting Steele’s “We’ve discovered these same Press, Washington Post and Los By STEVEN RICHMOND Administrator Gwendolyn conviction. articles,” said DOT Inspector Angeles Times, Steele was orig- [email protected] Pra and Director of Operations “It casts a bad light on the General Robert Clift. “We did inally accused of letting detain- William H. “Bill” Steele sub- SVTA,” Williams said. “I felt that confirm through correspondence ees in Camp Cropper prison near The two top managers of the mitted their resignations after it was time to take what they’ve with the disciplinary barracks Baghdad International Airport Suwannee Valley Transit Authority SVTA Board of Directors Chair done and move on. I hope the in Fort Leavenworth it was the use his cell phone to make resigned Monday under pressure and County Commissioner Ron board understands why I asked same William H. Steele...We feel unmonitored calls, mismanaging from the authority’s chair, who Williams said his investiga- for their resignation.” confident now that we’ve com- classified documents, inappropri- said he found evidence of the tion revealed Steele had been He said he asked for Pra’s res- pared the pictures, matched the ately fraternizing with a detainee’s Director of Operations’ checkered court-martialed by the U.S. Army ignation because she failed to dis- social security numbers and military past. in 2007 for inappropriate conduct close Steele’s past to the board. dates of birth that we’re talking SVTA continued on 3A Stadiums, FEARFUL PARENTS WAIT TWO HOURS FOR WORD marijuana, Gun threat a hoax at CHS trauma all trade bait? Fate of many major bills in limbo with session’s end near. By DARA KAM The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — The vol- ume on the fourth floor outside the House and Senate cham- bers is reaching a crescendo. Lobbyists are jockeying for posi- tions in front of the chamber doors as lawmakers emerge for quick pow-wows. It’s all part of the last-minute frenzy as, in the words of powerful Sen. John Thrasher, “bills are dying.” Priorities of House and Senate leaders — including pensions, school vouchers and medical marijuana — are all “trade bait” as the days wind down before the session’s scheduled finale on May 2. Telemedicine, hospital “trau- ma drama” and a Central Florida Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter expressway authority are on the “B-list” of issues that are part of the Robert Pinkerton consoles his wife, Anita, as they worry over their 16-year-old son, Jacob, during a lockdown at Columbia High School on mix. And don’t forget the perennial Wednesday. ‘I want to go in there (right now). That’s what I’m trained to do,’ he said. ‘I don’t want to sit out here.’ No one was allowed to enter or sports stadium Hail Mary. leave the campus while authorities investigated a gun threat that was called in to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. No gun was found. But overshadowing them all is a coveted and controver- sial piece of legislation already Student who made prank call passed by the House and, as of this week, being pushed by Gov. taken into custody, says sheriff. Rick Scott as well as his likely By TONY BRITT and STEVEN RICHMOND opponent, former Gov. Charlie Crist. The measure, now stuck in Columbia High School was thrust into lockdown mode Wednesday the Senate, would allow undoc- afternoon when authorities received a 9-1-1 call saying a student had a umented immigrant students to gun on campus. pay much cheaper, in-state tuition The call turned out to be a hoax and no gun was found. Columbia rates. The proposal (SB 1400) County Sheriff Mark Hunter said a female student was arrested and also could prevent tuition increas- faces misdemeanor charges of: misuse of 9-1-1; making a false report; es for all students at universi- and disturbing the peace at a school. Due to her age, the Lake City ties and save money for parents Reporter chose not to publish the student’s name. paying into the state’s pre-paid “At about 12:00 p.m., 9-1-1 received a call from the school. We identified tuition program. it as coming from a student. Basically they said there was a weapon on “This session will not end campus and that somebody was going to get hurt. Then the call ended,” peacefully if that bill does not get Hunter said. “We immediately notified the school system, they imple- a vote on the Senate floor,” Sen. mented their lockdown, we implemented our safety measures, secured Tom Lee, a Brandon Republican the perimeter of the school and we started doing our investigation.” who served as Senate president, The lockdown was lifted at about 2 p.m. with a number of parents predicted. “I don’t think anyone’s signing their children out for the day. Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Murray Smith updates a crowd of concerned parents who wait for the lock- SESSION continued on 6A LOCKDOWN continued on 8A down at Columbia High School to end. No injuries in garbage Corps wants more time on truck fire Everglades project report Columbia County Firefighters cut Associated Press more time is needed before the project through the top of a report is ready for a final 30-day review garbage truck that JACKSONVILLE — An internal by the state and other federal agencies. caught fire just after review board at the U.S. Army Corps of Environmental advocates worry that 11 a.m. Wednesday. Engineers wants more time to finalize the delay will keep the project out of the a report on an Everglades restoration pending Water Resources Development The incident occurred project with a pressing deadline. Act, which would mean that long-de- on SW Cannon Creek The Corps’ Civil Works Review Board layed Everglades restoration could end Drive just west of SW met Tuesday in Washington to discuss up waiting up to another seven years for Chesterfield Circle. No the Central Everglades Planning Project. congressional authorization. injuries were reported. It concluded that “while the analysis and PATRICK SCOTT/Special to the Reporter project plans are extremely well done,” EVERGLADES continued on 6A Vol. 140, No. 58 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER LOCAL SPORTS (386) 752-1293 Local . 6A Relay for Life Fort White SUBSCRIBE TO Obituaries . 5A THE REPORTER: 85 58 Advice & Comics . 3B begins Friday, against Bradford Voice: 755-5445 2A 3A. today, 1B. Fax: 752-9400 Storms, Puzzles . 4B 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014 Page Editor: Emily Lawson, 754-0424 QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall con- fess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” — Romans 14:11-12 Thought for Today A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality. — John Lennon, English musician, singer and songwriter and member of the world-famous group the Beatles (1940-1980) Winning Lottery Numbers Cash 3: (Wednesday) 6-3-4 Play 4: (Wednesday) 2-1-9-6 Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 6-20-21-23-35 See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question, or sug- gestion, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifi- cations will run in this space. Thanks for reading. COURTESY Submissions Distinguished Service Award The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption information to run at the discretion of the editor. Sheriff Mark Hunter (right) presented the Distinguished Service Award Monday to Zimmie Petty for 30 years of service If you would like to see your organization in the news- and support to the Florida Sheriff’s Association. The Sheriff’s Office would like to extend their appreciation to Petty for his paper, send the picture and information to associate support over the years. editor Emily Lawson at [email protected]. Former Hampton mayor guilty of drug charges HAMPTON House passes ban on a child or if the bride is pregnant. Villages sinkhole seems he former mayor of a small north Last year there were 9 marriages that Florida town has been convicted of minors getting married included a minor under 16. to be opening again T drug possession and distribution. TALLAHASSEE — The Florida House THE VILLAGES — A sinkhole that was A Bradford County jury found former has passed a bill that would make it ille- 3-year-old boy plugged over the weekend between two Hampton Mayor Barry Layne Moore gal for anyone under the age of 16 to get killed in hit and run houses in a sprawling Florida retirement guilty Tuesday. His sentencing is sched- married. community appears to be opening again. uled for June. The bill (HB 1279) sponsored by Rep. PALATKA — Authorities are ques- Gina Lambert of the Villages Public The 52-year-old was arrested in November Cynthia Stafford, D-Opa Locka, prohibits tioning several people to determine who Safety Department said Wednesday that after serving as mayor for only two minors 15 or younger from being able to was driving a car that struck and killed a the sinkhole expanded overnight by months.