1A SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Like having Caribbean seeing SUNDAY EDITION a chef on signs of rebound in the shelf. 1C tourist industry. 1D Honoring the dead of both sides the Oaklawn Cemetery Memorial Ceremony Northern soldier for the Union, Johnny Reb Olustee weekend begins signaled the start of the 37th Olustee Battle for the Southern way of life — we honor them with memorial service at Festival Friday at 9 a.m. both this morning,” Montgomery said. Oaklawn Cemetery. After the presentation of the colors by the The Rev. James W. Binion, dressed as First Florida Honor Guard, former county Confederate President Jefferson Davis, was By DEREK GILLIAM commissioner James Montgomery led about guest speaker at the ceremony. Binion served [email protected] 60 spectators in the invocation. He spoke of in the Air Force with service in Southeast the North, the South and the fight that tore Asia during the Vietnam War. Confederate battle flags planted beside the nation apart. Binion said it was an honor to speak at JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter the headstones of the 155 fallen soldiers “Remembering those who paid the ulti- David Dubi (left) and his brother, gently waved in a cold February breeze as mate price for a cause they believed in — the OAKLAWN continued on 5A John, retire the colors Friday. Horrors of war BLASTING AWAY brought home Civil War medical technology makes for gruesome display. By DEREK GILLIAM [email protected] Severed limbs lay scattered under the table with wounded soldiers bleeding nearby. “ D o n ’ t take my arm, don’t take my arm!” says one as the saw gnaws its way through. T h e m e d i c a l demonstra- tion at the JASON MATTHEW WALKER/ O l u s t e e Lake City Reporter Battlefield A scene during H i s t o r i c Saturday’s demon- State Park stration. presented the cruel truth about what was in store for wounded soldiers during the Civil War. Without antibiotics or proper sanitation practices, Civil War Photos by JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter soldiers faced disfigurement ABOVE: Confederates fire on a replica of the ironclad USS Monitor in a skirmish at Lake DeSoto during the Olustee Festival Friday. BELOW: or death from wounds easily Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Tad Allen, addresses the crowd at the festival Friday. BOTTOM: Alan McGhee and some of his miniature soldiers. healed today. Eric Chadwick, of Fort Myers, is a computer technician but played the role of surgeon Thousands flock to annual Olustee Festival Saturday during the medical As many as 40,000 crowds are good and we had a demonstration. He’s a former nice turnout of dignitaries for our visitors were expected opening ceremonies,” he said. HORRORS continued on 5A for the two-day event. “Attendance looks average, but it always picks up.” Organizers say the two-day event Man forged By TONY BRITT usually draws about 40,000 visitors [email protected] to the downtown area. checks, took lan McGhee said he’s Downtown Lake City was trans- created about 30,000 toy formed into a festival area for the W-2’s: Police soldiers in his lifetime. event, with vendor booths in a However, by the amount single line on Marion Avenue, food From staff reports of attention that he gar- booths set up in several areas and a Anered at the Olustee Battle Festival children’s play area established near the public library. Entertainers per- A Fort White man forged per- this weekend, most people seemed formed in the gazebo in front of the sonal checks and took Social in awe as if it might have been his courthouse and parking spaces in Security numbers and W-2 first gig. the area were at a premium as most forms from members of his fam- McGhee was a vendor at the 2013 people parked anywhere they could ily, according Olustee Battle Festival and had hun- fit their vehicles. to a Columbia dreds of miniature soldier displays C o u n t y for sale in the Toy Soldiers booth. “All the Olustee Battle Festivals S h e r i f f ’ s “I’m having a wonderful time at are special,” Coleman said. “That’s Office arrest the festival,” he said. “I’ve been col- the good news and the committee report. lecting and painting toy soldiers for understands that the people look Kyle Dennis about 20 years. If I sit and paint, forward to this every year — the M c D o n a l d , kids are fascinated by watching me vendors, the food and the sights 29, faces paint.” and sounds and the people that McDonald they sometimes don’t see all year. I felony charg- McGhee crafts the soldiers out of believe the event is about food, fel- es of dealing in stolen prop- pewter, tin and lead. erty and forgery after depu- lowship and fun. That’s what special Tom Coleman, Blue-Grey Army and it’s always special here.” ties arrested him Thursday commanding general, said the 2013 Rachel Dubi was dressed in afternoon at his home at Olustee Battle Festival went very well. FORGERY continued on 5A FESTIVAL continued on 5A “We had beautiful weather, the Vol. 138, No. 274 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 Business . 1C5A 9153 6426 Obituaries . 5A PEOPLE TUESDAY SUBSCRIBE TO T-StormSunny Chance Obituaries . 6A THE REPORTER: Advice.Advice & . .Comics . .. 5D8B Wonder chimes City council Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 3B, 5B Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A8A Puzzles . 2B in on Lil Wayne. coverage. 2A 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER SUNDAY REPORT SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 Page Editor: Jim Barr, 754-0424 Friday: Friday: Saturday: Saturday: Wednesday: Wednesday: 6-14-34-35 17 6-15-16-23-27 Afternoon: 1-9-7 Afternoon: 5-8-1-8 5-12-25-29-33-34 12-23-25-27-43 Evening: N/A Evening: N/A x2 PB 29 AROUND FLORIDA State lobbyists earned more than $120 million TALLAHASSEE — American Civil Liberties August. She ignored the Florida lobbyists earned Union has dropped its law- command. more than $120 million suit challenging a granite Geraci allegedly last year in an effort to monument inscribed with grabbed her by her arm pass and defeat bills in the Ten Commandments and bashed her into the Republican-controlled in front of a north Florida the side of the car, then Legislature, reports show. courthouse. grabbed her by her hair. An analysis of year-end ACLU of Florida execu- But Geraci’s attorney said reports filed this week tive director Howard Friday the video that went showed that some of the Simon said Friday that the viral didn’t show the entire biggest spenders on lob- group had to withdraw the incident. byists were those with the case because its client, a The Pensacola News most to lose or gain in the North Carolina man, no Journal reports 29-year-old halls of the state Capitol. longer plans to move to Bonds was not seriously The 2012 totals don’t Dixie County. injured. match the amount spent Simon, though, said Geraci was fired and in 2011, the year Gov. it’s only a matter of time charged with battery. Rick Scott took office and before the suit is re-filed A jury this week found Republicans assumed a because eventually some- Geraci not guilty. He is supermajority. one in Dixie County will also appealing his firing. But the final total for have the courage to step 2012 — which is close to forward. $124 million — is still one A federal judge ruled Spitting ordinance of the highest on record the six-ton monument at being challenged since Florida started the courthouse in Cross requiring lobbyists to City crosses the consti- LAKELAND report how much they get tutional line separating — A Lakeland City paid back in 2006. church and state and Commissioner wants to “The economy has sort ordered it removed. do away with a 69-year-old ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE of leveled out,” said Brian That ruling was put ordinance that prohibits Ballard, who runs one of on hold and appealed people from spitting on the the most successful lobby- Snake hunt ends on grounds the plaintiff sidewalk or grass. ing firms in Tallahassee. Bill Booth of Bradenton stretches out a dead Burmese python he caught for students from wasn’t a county resident so Commissioner Don “The whole industry felt a the University of Florida to measure. The month-long “Python Challenge” in the Everglades lacked standing to sue. Selvage says the ordinance recovery the year before.” is outdated and was going yielded 68 of the invasive snakes, the longest measuring more than 14 feet, Florida wildlife to address the issue with State law requires ran- officials said Saturday. dom audits of what lobby- Officer acquitted the full board on Friday. ing firms report but legis- Selvage’s plan to nix the But while the amounts than $1.35 million on lob- year’s gambling fight in battery case spitting ordinance comes lators have never carried may not be exact, the byists, while Bayfront — International Internet out the requirement. PENSACOLA — A eight months after a man reports shed a light on 2011 Development spent Technologies — spent as was arrested for spitting The figures reported how much money is spent $965,000. The company much as $740,000. The Pensacola police K-9 offi- by lobbyists are not exact; cer has been found not on the sidewalk or grass by corporations and others is an arm of Genting, company was fighting a at 2:30 a.m.