1A FRIDAY & SATURDAY, APRIL 27-28, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ WEEKEND EDITION FRIDAY,Lake APRIL 27 & SATURDAY, City APRIL 28, 2012 | YOUR Reporter COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake CityLAKECITYREPORTER.COM Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Fallen heroes to be Tree giveaway The Lake City/Columbia County Beautification saluted Committee will hold the annual National Arbor Day Ceremony to Tree Giveaway at Memorial Stadium on Friday from 10 a.m. honor firefighters, to 1 p.m. Selections include American elm, dahoon holly, corrections officer. black walnut, live oak, southern magnolia, dogwood, and maple. By TONY BRITT Proper proof of residency must [email protected] be presented to receive two free trees. The greatest sacrifice Relay for Life public safety officers can ASSOCIATED PRESS make is to lay down their The 2012 Relay for Life is Florida Highway Patrol Troopers inspect the damage from a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 75 near Gainesville in lives for country, family or April 27 at Columbia High January. The Florida Highway Patrol is releasing a report on the fog- and smoke-shrouded Interstate 75 crash that killed community. It’s the ultimate School from 6 p.m. to April 28 11 people. sacrifice. at noon. The walk is an oppor- Next week local officials tunity to not only honor can- will honor and pay tribute cer survivors, but also to raise to 15 public safety officers funds and awareness to help who have made that sac- save lives. For more informa- rifice while protecting and tion visit www.relayforlife.org. Report: Troopers erred serving the residents of C o l u m b i a Pioneer Days County. High Springs Pioneer Days The Lake are Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 City Fire before I-75 crashes Department p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown High will serve Springs. Heritage Village as the host will be open demonstrators By BILL KACZOR and way closed, but Lt. John down,” Simmons contin- flowing, the Highway agency for Burch like black smithing and yarn BRENDAN FARRINGTON Gourley gave the order to ued. “This crap wouldn’t Patrol failed to actively the 2012 weaving. There will also be a Associated Press reopen it because visibil- have happened if he’d have monitor the highway con- C o l u m b i a shootout re-enactment, rides ity had improved. Gourley listened.” ditions, the report said. It C o u n t y TALLAHASSEE — A was worried keeping the Gourley told investiga- noted that Gourley left I-75 Public Safety and activities for all ages, craft Florida Highway Patrol vendors and food. highway closed also would tors he was unaware of to patrol U.S. 441 while M e m o r i a l sergeant opposed reopen- be dangerous. any specific policy or pro- Simmons and another Day ceremo- Free concert ing a fog- and smoke- Within 30 minutes of the cedure and never received trooper took a meal break. ny which will shrouded interstate high- highway reopening, the any formal training on A fourth trooper was take place Fulton The Jacksonville way, but he was overruled first of six separate fatal opening or closing roads. parked writing a report at 6:30 p.m. Masterworks Chorale by a higher-ranking officer crashes began, involving at He did not immedi- and fifth was at his off-duty T u e s d a y will be in concert at First shortly before a series of least a dozen cars, pickup ately respond to a tele- job working security at a at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake crashes killed 11 people, trucks and a van, six semi- phone message left at rest area. B a p t i s t City on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. state investigators said in a trailer trucks and a motor- the Highway Patrol’s Simmons twice told C h u r c h Admission is free and open report released Thursday. home. Some vehicles burst Gainesville office seek- Gourley about the poten- Fellowship to the public. A reception will The Florida Department into flames, making it dif- ing comment Thursday. A tial for poor visibility to Hall, 182 NE follow. For more information of Law Enforcement con- ficult to identify the dead. home phone listing for him return. Gourley, though, Justice St. call Bill Poplin at 365- 4932. cluded state troopers made Eighteen other victims could not be found. was worried that keeping The Fallen Thomas errors but found no crimi- were hospitalized. The report faulted the the highway closed would Heroes cer- Diva Day nal violations. Simmons used some Highway Patrol for fail- result in secondary crash- emony honors the 15 indi- Altrusa and The Health Early in the morning rural slang in telling a ing to create effective es based on his prior expe- viduals who have died in Center present the Third of Jan. 29, wildfire smoke sheriff’s deputy, in a con- guidelines for such situ- rience investigating such the line of duty in the his- Annual Diva Day on Saturday, mixed with fog blanketed versation recorded on ations and said troopers wrecks. tory of Columbia County. April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 six-lane Interstate 75 near the trooper’s in-car video did not adequately share Other factors in his deci- The program is designed p.m. at the Columbia County Gainesville where it cut equipment, that he argued critical information among sion were that U.S. 441, to be an opportunity for Fairgrounds Banquet Hall. through Paynes Prairie against reopening it: “I themselves just before the major detour route, local, state and emergency Stroll through vendor booths, State Park, a low area that tried to tell them to leave the crashes occurred. also was closed and the services agencies to gather shop and get pampered. lacks billboards or other that ‘sumbuck closed and They never consulted only alternative was a two- together in honor of Fallen The $5 admission includes lighting. they wouldn’t listen to technical specialists with lane road through a small Heroes. The event honors a chance to win Silver Highway Patrol Sgt. me.” the Forestry Service or town that couldn’t handle and remembers the ulti- Suwannee Jam tickets or a Bruce Simmons was “I said it will roll in fast- National Weather Service. wanted to keep the high- Mariana bracelet. Tickets are er than you can shut it Once traffic resumed CRASH continued on 3A HEROES continued on 3A available at the door. Edible plant hike Big Shoals State Park will Charter review hearings for present the fourth annual edible plant hike on Saturday offering visitors a chance to public set for May 10 start learn about edible plant life that is hidden right under to the county’s charter. An amendment allowing their noses. Participants will By HANNAH O. BROWN [email protected] Public hearings will be the county commission to discover plant identification by composed of a short pre- change the procedure for using all five of their senses. sentation on county and removing the county man- It is highly recommended Public hearings for charter governments. Six ager was also passed to participants bring plenty of amendments put for- amendments will be pre- public hearing. An addi- water, bug spray and an appe- ward by the Columbia sented and opened to the tional amendment will be tite. Admission to the one day County Charter Review public for discussion. presented that takes away event is $2 a person or $4 per Commission will begin Removal of the obliga- the ability for a department carload of up to eight people. May 10 at the School Board tion to provide agendas head to appeal termination All participants are welcome Administrative Complex at and materials via the by the county manager. JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter to stay after the hike and 6 p.m. Internet to the public was Redistricting guidelines enjoy their day at Big Shoals Three public hearings put forward. Obligations were discussed. The cre- Nature scene State Park. Use the Little are scheduled to take to provide notice to subor- ation of a citizen redistrict- Shoals entrance and meet at place before the commis- dinate boards would also A moth alights on a flower along Branford Highway in the picnic pavilion. For more sion votes on amendments be removed. REVIEW continued on 3A Columbia County Thursday afternoon. information, call 386-867-1639. Vol. 138 No. 67 CALL US: Opinion . 4A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 89 58 Faith & Values ........... 6,7A PEOPLE SUNDAY SUBSCRIBE TO Mostly Sunny Obituaries . 5A THE REPORTER: Comics ................. 7B Allman postpones Local news Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles . 6-7B book tour roundup 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING FRIDAY & SATURDAY, APRIL 27-28, 2012 Celebrity Birthdays n Actor Jack Klugman n Pop singer Sheena Wednesday: Thursday: Thursday: Wednesday: is 90. Easton is 53. 7-11-39-46-50-53 Afternoon: 5-7-2 Afternoon: 7-7-7-3 1-10-11-12-16 x4 Night: 5-1-0 Night: 9-3-9-2 n Announcer Casey n Actress Maura West Kasem is 80. is 40. n Actress Judy Carne n Actress Sally Hawkins is 73. is 36. n Rhythm-and-blues n Rock singer-musician PEOPLE IN THE NEWS singer Cuba Gooding is 68. Travis Meeks (Days of the n Rock singer Kate New) is 33. Pierson (The B-52’s) is 64. n Actress Ari Graynor n Actor Douglas is 29. Allman postpones book tour for tests Sheehan is 63.