A voice meant to be heard Page 17 Greater power at work Page 7 ThE BakER COUNty PREss $1.00 90TH YEAR | VOLUME 7 MAY 30, 2019 AT A BAKER COUNTY COMMISSION GLANCE BCHD THINGS TO DO chief is JUNE 1 target 3rd annual Dog Days of Baker Festival for cuts 10:00 am - 2:00 pm The county commission is MIKE ANDERSON sponsoring the 3rd annual PRESS STAFF Dog Days of Baker Festi- val on Saturday, June 1, Joe Pietrangelo, Bak- 2019 at the Baker County er County’s chief public Fairgrounds located at health officer, is on the 5567 Lauramore Road, political hot seat again Macclenny, FL 32063. The with county commission- festival hours are from 10 ers deeply concerned over a.m. to 2 p.m. The morn- nearly a 50 percent cut ing will kick-off with the in staffing and its effect Lydia Pons Memorial 5k on services since he was Walk/Run with registration named administrator of beginning at 8 a.m. and the Purchase this photo at www.bakercountypress.com Photos by Brianna Bartlett Class of 2020 members entering the BCHS gym for their ‘senior walk’. the health department last 5k beginning at 9 a.m. The August. festival offers food, crafts, merchandise and more all with a doggy/kid theme. The county is seeking food New batch of seniors celebrate vendors, musicians and contest participants for this BRIANNA BARTLETT like everyone could easi- “We all had lots of fun doing 2020’s treasurer and is look- event. Restaurants, food SPORTS EDITOR ly participate,” said class of it.” ing forward to all the festivi- trucks, non-profits and 2020 member Abbie French. French is the class of ties that senior year will en- businesses are welcome. [email protected] tail. Spaces are still available The class of 2020 cele- “I am super excited to for entertainment line-up. brated its rise to ‘seniors’ If interested, call the Baker take on senior year with all Joe Pietrangelo with a ‘rapping up high County Administration my friends and am looking school’ pep rally on May 24. forward to the memories Mr. Pietrangelo was called Seniors dressed to im- we will make and always re- before the county commis- See page 7 personate famous rappers member,” said French. sion on May 21, for the sec- such as Post Malone, Em- Stephanie Wheeler who ond time in two months, to SPORTS inem, Tupac, Snoop Dog works alongside Jamie answer questions about his and Drake paraded around Stokes as the senior class management of the health the BCHS gym dancing to sponsor, contributed in the department and why it has famous songs like ‘Start- decision for the ‘rap it up’ only about half the number ed From The Bottom,’ ‘Get theme and added that it was of employees it had when Low,’ ‘Walk it Talk it’ and a bittersweet discussion. he arrived. ‘Souja Boy’ to commemorate “It was something that Nobody came right out their first walk as seniors. they had been looking for- and said he should lose his “I loved the theme from Student government representatives from left: President Haiden job. But his leading critic, the pep rally because I felt Fish, Treasurer Andrea Pelfrey, Vice President Cheyenne Kinghorn, See page 2 Secretary Seth Crawford and Chaplain Cassie Pringle. Commissioner James Ben- nett, suggested it when he CIRCUIT COURT said, “I don’t think we’ve got the right health admin- istrator here in the coun- ty.” New swim coach hired 15 years for armed invasion in ‘18 After a discussion last- See page 17 ing more than half an The next to last of six defendants sentence of 17 years. mer of 2000. He served 11 years of a hour, commissioners charged with second-degree murder in No one in the trailer, including Jus- 14-year prison term. unanimously called for a Go vote ... the invasion of a south Glen St. Mary tin Raulerson who returned fire, was Judge Colaw ordered Brooke Lee, state-level investigation How prepared trailer in April, 2018 entered no contest charged. 25, of Macclenny back to prison for 39 into the management prac- pleas to that charge and armed burglary In another hefty sentence that day, months for violating probation on a tices and decisions Mr. Pi- do you think the in circuit court on May 21 and was sen- Circuit Judge James Colaw ordered 2015 conviction for aggravated battery etrangelo has made since tenced to 15 years in prison. John Bailey, 57, of Macclenny back to with great bodily harm, for which she he took over. Class of 2019 is James Smith III, recently turned prison for 172 months for violating pro- served over two years. County Manager Ken- 18 but who was bation from a 2002 Ms. Lee violated probationary terms nie Downing and county to enter “the real 16 at the time and conviction for lewd with a January arrest in Columbia attorney Rich Komando world”? charged as an adult, and lascivious as- County for drug and paraphernalia pos- were asked to draft a let- was one of two per- sault on a child less session. ter expressing the board’s Unprepared 46% sons wounded amid then 18. In other prison and non-prison sen- concerns and requesting gunfire in the early Court records in- tences on May 21: an investigation. It’s to Semi-prepared 46% morning exchange. dicate Mr. Bailey, • Johnny Lee Belford, possession of a be returned to the board Well prepared 8% He along with Wil- who has an exten- firearm by a convicted felon; 30 months for approval at the June 4 liam Lauramore sive conviction re- in prison. commission meeting. bakercountypress.com recovered shortly cord in Baker Coun- • Daniel Bunton, felony DUI with Leading the charge was from their wounds, James Smith III ty dating back to John Bailey property damage, possession of pre- Commissioner Bennett, but Mr. Laura- 1989, was violated scription drugs and drug parapher- who said he has received more’s brother Co- in April after testing nalia; 34 days in jail, one-year house numerous calls and let- rey died in the exchange. positive for cocaine use, failure to pay arrest, three-year probation, ten-year ters from constituents and Three other defendants received court-ordered costs and being away license suspension, $4000 fine, com- current and former health sentences of three years for agreeing to from a monitor for brief periods of time. munity service, drug and alcohol eval- department employees testify in the case of Cayden Lauramore, Mr. Bailey was convicted for impreg- uation. expressing concerns and Sergeant who shunned a plea deal and was con- nating a 14-year-old girl during a six- victed by a jury in March. He received a month old liaison starting in the sum- stops drugs See page 2 See page 3 at the gate Page 5 Page 2 The Baker County Press Thursday, May 30, 2019 Court: several get prison From page 1 glary with assault or bat- drugs; one year, seven days tery, battery; one day in jail, in prison. • Daniel Burke, battery three-year probation, com- • Lee Marvin Battles Jr., on specified officials or em- munity service, anger man- felony driving on revoked ployees; two-year proba- agement class. license (two counts, one tion, community service. • Daron Thomas, battery VOP), expired tag; one day • Randall Combs, pos- by person in a detention fa- in jail, 18-month probation; session of prescription cility; 15 months in prison. no driving without valid li- drugs and paraphernalia; 14 • Marsha Thornton, pos- cense, community service. months in prison. session of prescription drugs • David Burnham, VOP • Kenneth Goethe Jr., (two counts) and parapher- sale and possession with in- possession of short-barreled nalia, giving false name to tent to sell opium or deriva- shotgun, resisting arrest; 92 law enforcement; 57 days tive; 17 days in jail, reinstate days in jail, six-year proba- in jail, three-year drug of- probation, Teen Challenge, tion, community service, fender probation, bi-week- remain in jail until treat- drug and alcohol evaluation. ly drug testing, community ment space is available. • John Ray Jordan, VOP Purchase this photo at www.bakercountypress.com Photo by Brianna Bartlett service, remain in jail until • William Daniels, VOP (probation violation) pos- Recently promoted seniors competing for the ‘spirit stick’ space available at treatment child neglect; 57 days in jail, session controlled sub- facility. two-year drug offender pro- stance; 15 months in prison. • Ransom Barefoot, VOP bation, remain in jail until • Deshawn Scaife, bur- possession of prescription treatment space is available, ‘Rapping up’ at high school bi-weekly drug testing. • Krystina Goram, VOP From page 1 “It fit our class,” said Pringle. “It highlight- BONAFIDE POOL BUILDERS possession of prescription ed everyone’s personalities and we wanted to INC. drugs; one year in jail, one ward to for a very long time but also they are do something different than previous class- year administrative proba- sad to know that next year is it,” said Mrs. es.” tion. Wheeler. “That it will be a ‘rap’ and everyone Student government president Haiden FREE will go their own way.” Fish gave credit to a class representative for ESTIMATES Aside from it being their final year of high sparking the initial slogan for the pep rally. Share your school, the student government chaplain “At the meeting we just brainstormed BONAFIDEPOOLS.COM good news... Cassie Pringle explained that the decision ideas and Samantha Ortiz said the idea ‘rap- Senior Citizen & Military Discounts Weddings & Births stemmed from wanting everyone to be able ping up high school,’ Fish continued, “I love to relate to the theme.