ThE BakER COUNty PREss Paid circulation leader • Winner of 8 state awards for journalism excellence in 2008 79th Year, Vol. 45 Thursday, March 19, 2009 Macclenny, Florida 50¢ Pre-K center has Suggests scrutiny top performance for waste Among ten local preschools The Baker Coun- Five other teachers in budgets ty Pre-K Center re- are certified in child- mains the top pre- By hood development, BY JOEL ADDINGTON school program in Joel the minimum amount Press Staff the county when it of training the state Commissioner Michael comes to making Addington requires for preschool Crews used his closing remarks Scores are on a 300 during this week’s meeting of sure children are Press Staff educators. ready for kindergar- “They are highly point scale and based the Baker County Commission ten. motivated. We do on the results of state to get something off his chest. According to scores recently released work for the public mandated testing. “It’s weighed on my mind by the Florida Department of Education school system so we for some time now,” he said, for the 2007-08 year, a higher percent- have leaders pushing prefacing his call for the coun- age of children from the Pre-K center us for professional 2007-08 Kindergarten Readiness Scores ty to eliminate needless spend- passed tests measuring knowledge of the development,” Ms. ing. “If we don’t address the ABCs and overall skill and behavior lev- Anderson said. the state how many students they serve, The numerical percentages of “pass- spending issue now, we’re go- el than any of the other nine preschool Another factor is the retention rate how many are tested and how many score ing” students, those performing at or ing to have a hard time a year programs here. of pre-K center instructors, who today high enough to be considered “ready” to above the acceptable level, on each of from now. “We have highly qualified teachers oversee the early education of about 160 begin kindergarten. the three tests are then added together “Just because it’s budgeted, — two with their bachelors in elemen- local children. Three tests are given — one measures to make the preschool’s kindergarten it doesn’t tary education and three with associate “Some places have higher turnover skill, knowledge and behavior; one tests readiness rate for the school year. mean the degrees in early childhood education,” so they’re constantly having to retrain,” the ability to identify letters of the alpha- The same process occurs during the m o n e y said the school district’s pre-K coordi- said Ms. Anderson. bet and a third accounts for the ability to summer sessions so some schools will has to be nator Naomi Anderson. Each year area preschools report to sound letters out aloud. s p e n t , ” (See page ) he said. “ W e ’ r e allowing some un- necessary Arrest for peddling drugs — in courthouse spending.” O n e A 59-year-old Macclenny equipment to monitor this week, complaints night. As the officer parked his In another arrest, Rodrick way to man was arrested on a felony the buy, which took for both felony and cruiser, he said Mr. Dempsey Roberts, 22, of Macclenny was Commissioner Crews cut back, drug trafficking charge this place that afternoon misdemeanor drug ran south on Grissholm St., charged with misdemeanor said Coun- month after selling 24 hydro- after the informant possession were filed tossing his multi-colored jacket marijuana possession the after- ty Manager Joe Cone, was to codone pills to a confidential called Mr. Hunt, went March 13 on the basis on the pavement. noon of March 16 after he and leave vacant positions on the informant of the sheriff’s office to his residence and of contents found in Deputy Deloach found a cig- two others were found seated in county payroll unfilled and in- whom he approached inside purchased 24 pills. the jacket of a suspect arette pack in the right outside a parked car on the former Pin- stitute a hiring freeze. the courthouse after being sen- The medication was who fled on foot from jacket pocket that contained eview golf course property. Mr. Crews also asked for tenced to probation on a differ- later identified by a a county deputy in a plastic baggie with several Deputy Matt Sigers said he reactions from fellow commis- ent drug-related charge. pharmacist as hydro- south Macclenny. “rocks” of crack cocaine. He questioned the trio about 1:40 sioners. Walter Hunt of 205 N. 2nd codone and weighed Deputy Erik De- also found a marijuana ciga- after sighting Mr. Roberts’ 2006 Most agreed in principle St. offered to sell the informant 19.4 grams. loach said he recog- rette. Ford parked near overgrown and talked about ways of track- 30 tablets of the pain medica- Mr. Hunt was taken nized Willie Lous The officer sought arrest foliage off Golf Club Dr. He ing county spending beyond tion at $4 apiece, according to into custody and is be- Walter Hunt Dempsey Jr, 19, of warrants after failing to find smelled the odor of marijuana the monthly expenditure re- police records. ing held on a $250,000 Macclenny as the the suspect. The neighborhood smoke and summoned a drug- ports board members receive Sheriff’s investigators set bond. person walking west on South is known for frequent drug-re- (See page ) already. up audio and video recording In other drug-related cases Boulevard about 10:30 that lated activity. Commissioner Mike Griffis said a key spending indicator used in business is the percent- age of a department’s budget Wariness, praise that’s been spent at various points throughout the year. “That’s a way of tracking,” he said. “That’d be a good re- port to share.” on easing land rules Commissioner Alex Robin- son commended Mr. Crews for BY JOEL ADDINGTON improvements like the paving his comments and called for Press Staff of dirt roads, which is typically more detailed spending reports An ordinance exempting a costly proposition. from county staff. large-acreage land divisions “We have a lot of large tract When asked after the hear- — those resulting in ownership in the ing for examples of wasteful tracts of 40 acres or county,” explained county spending, Mr. Crews more — from sub- This has been planning director talked about small frugal steps division regulations, Ed Preston. “It just employees could take like re- and introduced to an issue of doesn’t make sense the Baker County that if you peel off ducing phone company charges Commission March mine.” 500 acres to sell to and not using credit cards, but 16, was met with this guy and 500 also larger purchases like new uneasiness by some — Alex Robinson acres to another guy, vehicles that could’ve been de- board members and Baker County Commissioner you’ve created a sub- layed. praised by others. division. Yet our reg- “We should make sure we’re Subdivision rules ulations don’t allow buying what we need, not what apply to properties divided us to say it is anything else but we want,” he said. more than twice and call for a subdivision.” Jeffery Burnsed shows off some of his Elvis collection. There are limits in place landowners to file professional However, he said, the county PHOTO BY KELLEY LANNIGAN now capping how much coun- plans with the county and make has had problems with smaller ty staff can spend without the parcels being divided and re- board’s approval. divided without improvements Any expenditures total- like paved roads or drainage. ‘Elvis lives’ in this house ing more than $3500 require “We just felt like 40 acres sealed bids be submitted for was a good size in between the commission’s review. those,” Mr. Preston said. His love affair began as a 10-year-old Spending between $1000 Gas station Commissioner Alex Rob- and $3500 can be approved inson likes the new ordinance According to Sol and Sara Elvis T-shirt and a pompadour hairdo, struts into by the county manager after and suggested the board host Burnsed, the small house in By the kitchen, looking very much like his music idol. obtaining at least three price clerk is a workshop to further hash it Glen St. Mary they share with Kelley He loves anything to do with the famous 50s rock quotes from vendors, either out. their son rocks and rolls al- ‘n roll icon and has amassed a sizable personal over the phone or in writing “This has been an issue of most constantly with the mu- Lannigan collection of Elvis memorabilia. when time permits. stalked by mine,” he said. “I don’t think sic of “The King.” His love affair with Elvis began as a 10-year- The manager must also ap- 300 acres divided into 100- “That boy loves Elvis Pres- Press Staff old boy when he happened to see a broadcast of prove any expenditures by de- acre tracts is a subdivision ... ley more then anything in this the last concert Elvis performed before he died in Macclenny world,” says Ms. Burnsed. partment heads greater than $250. man (See page ) Jeffery Burnsed, sporting a commemorative (See page ) COVERING BAKER COUNTY SINCE 1929 -See page 5 The county’s most professional and extensive source for news, classified, display and real estatetings lis www.bakercountypress.com •• 904.259.2400 •• 904.259.6502 Fax •• [email protected] THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS, Thursday, March 19, 2009 Page 2 Now Available COUNTRY FEDERAL T R CREDIT UNION G L GET YOUR MONEY QUICK! 602 S.