1 TUESDAY, JULY 3, 2012 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | 75¢ Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Waiting for the feds Shooting suspect ran local daycare By RICK BURNHAM [email protected] The woman facing a charge of murder in the weekend shooting of a 29-year-old Lake City man is the director of a daycare center less than a block away from her home, according to offi- cials from Early Childhood Coalition, a statewide agency responsible for reimbursing private childcare facilities. Lake City police say 40-year- old Lavelle Nicole George shot Maurice Mickler to George death in her home Saturday and then tried to destroy the JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter evidence before eventually Fort White resident Gary Conn looks outside his window from the back of his home along the Santa Fe River with a canoe parked on calling 911. She was booked his back patio. at the Columbia County Jail early Sunday before being released on $255,000 bond. Thomas Logan, executive FEMA mulls flood relief request director of ECC, said George Mickler is the director of L-Pop 2, a daycare center located at the corner of SE By LAURA HAMPSON the Small Business Administration. Camp St. and SE Ermine Avenue, just across [email protected] Scott’s request is based on prelimi- To get help: Call the Columbia from Melrose Elementary School. He said nary damage assessments by FEMA the George has routinely met all requirements Gov. Rick Scott officially asked for fed- and state teams in Columbia, Baker, County Citizen’s Information set by the agency during her eight years with eral help Sunday in the wake of Tropical Bradford, Pasco and Wakulla counties. Center at (386) 719-7530. The Storm Debby. The federal aid request will be amend- MURDER continued on 3A Scott requested that President Barack ed to include additional counties based center can help with food, water, Obama make a major disaster declara- on assessments already underway. road closures, reporting damage tion, allowing Florida counties hit hard State officials, in partnership with by the storm to qualify for aid. FEMA, are currently conducting dam- and general information. Prominent banker The Federal Emergency Management age assessments in counties that were Agency will review Scott’s request and impacted by the storm. These assess- advise Obama on whether to issue a ments will continue as additional coun- “Then we start getting inundated with Green passes at 88 declaration. If a declaration is made ties complete initial damage assess- representatives and information about Individual Assistance could be granted ments. what programs are out there, both from By LAURA HAMPSON to qualifying counties. In the event assis- If the federal designation is granted, the government side of infrastructure [email protected] tance is not granted, Scott may file a sup- a range of resources will open up to the and then to the private side of grants, plementary request for assistance from county for flood aid and assistance. loans, whatever,” county public informa- Former Columbia tion officer Harvey Campbell said. Bank president and “Our hope right now is that sooner lifelong Lake City rather than later we get a federal decla- resident Robert ration,” Campbell said. “We’d love to see Louis Green, 88, it by the end of this week.” died Saturday after The State Emergency Response Team a lengthy illness. and FEMA urge residents to identify Green served as damage assessment workers before pro- president of then viding any information. Columbia County All state team members wear a State Bank for 20 years, Emergency Response Team shirt and a role his father carry state identification. The workers served before him. FILE may ask about your damages and insur- Green started with Robin Green assists his ance but do not require any personally the bank in 1949 father, Robert L. Green, identifiable information, such as a social and worked there during a centennial cele- security number. more than 50 years, bration for Columbia Bank If you believe someone is fraudulently said his son, Robin in February. representing themselves, you should Green, Columbia COURTESY Two vehicles are seen submerged near Cypress Lake at Charles Road on Saturday. FEDS continued on 3A GREEN continued on 6A July Fourth fireworks show set for fairgrounds From staff reports the event. A crowd of more SW MARY ETHEL LANE than 25,000 is expected Lake City’s Fourth of July to attend the event at the ROAD VENDORS Fireworks Celebration will fairgrounds. The event is CLOSED PARKING be staged at the Columbia free, but those attending FIRE FIRE VIP VENDORS DEPT. County Fairgrounds are asked to bring a dona- Parking Wednesday evening, pro- tion of non-perishable food DEPT. VIEWING viding one of the largest or toiletry items that will Independence Day celebra- be collected by the Florida AREA RODEO KIDS’ tions in North G a t e w a y COMPLEX Florida. Food Bank GAMES Fireworks begin ROAD The event for distribu- STAGE CLOSED is organized at 9:20 p.m. tion solely FIREWORKS by the Lake to Columbia LAUNCH City-Columbia County County flood victims. AREA Chamber of Commerce “The fireworks event VIP AREA and title sponsored for the couldn’t come at a bet- SW BASCOM NORRIS DR eighth consecutive year by ter time for Lake City the Lake City Reporter. and Columbia County,” The fireworks event is said Dennille Decker, the PARKING moved to the fairgrounds Chamber’s executive direc- this year because recent tor. “It will be a break from BRANFORD HWY flooding left the area the reality we have all been Columbia County around Lake DeSoto down- town too wet and unsafe for 4TH continued on 6A Fairgrounds complex DAVE KIMLER/Lake City Reporter CALL US: Opinion ............... 4A TODAY IN COMING (386) 752-1293 96 71 Business ............... 5A SUBSCRIBE TO Isolated T-storms Obituaries ............. 5A BUSINESS WEDNESDAY THE REPORTER: Advice & Comics ......... 8B Is Anderson Local News Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 WEATHER, 2A Puzzles ................. 2B gay or festive? Roundup 2AWEATHER 2A LAKE CITY REPORTER DAILY BRIEFING TUESDAY, JULY 3, 2012 Page Editor: Rick Burnham, 754-0424 Celebrity Birthdays Saturday: Monday: Monday: n Politician Lamar n Actress Hunter Tylo 13-26-50-51-52-53 Afternoon: 8-6-4 Afternoon: 1-7-9-1 Sunday: Alexander is 72. is 50. Evening: N/A Evening: N/A 12-19-21-23-31 n Attorney Glorida Allred n Actress Yeardley Smith is 71. (voice of Lisa Simpson) is n Baseball player Matt 48. PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Keough is 57. n Football player Neil n Talk show host Montel O’Donnell is 46. Williams is 56. n Actress Olivia Munn n Actor Tom Cruise is is 32. 50. Anderson Cooper: Thought for Today ‘The fact is, I’m gay’ “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can NEW YORK — Anderson Cooper, who Avon taps Bon Jovi understand it? ‘I the LORD search has been reluctant to talk for fragrances the heart and examine the mind, to about his personal life in NEW YORK — Jon Bon public, revealed that he reward each person according to Jovi is going Unplugged in is gay in an essay posted a bottle. their conduct, according to what their online on Monday. Avon Products Inc. The CNN journalist said deeds deserve.’” announced Monday that he had kept his sexual the 50-year-old rock star - Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV orientation private for per- is the company’s newest sonal and professional celebrity fragrance part- reasons, but came to think ner. He’ll appear in ads that remaining silent had for both Unplugged for Lake City Reporter given some people a mis- Her and Unplugged for HOW TO REACH US taken impression that he Main number ....... .(386) 752-1293 BUSINESS Him. was ashamed. Fax number ............. .752-9400 Controller Sue Brannon... .754-0419 The company said the Circulation .............. .755-5445 “The fact is, I’m gay, ([email protected]) inspiration for both scents Online .. www.lakecityreporter.com always have been, always CIRCULATION is the unique feeling one The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of will be, and I couldn’t be Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter has listening to a favorite Community Newspapers Inc., is pub- any more happy, com- lished Tuesday through Friday and should be completed by 6:30 a.m. song. The goal is “an emo- fortable with myself and Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 tional connection.” Fla. 32055. Periodical postage paid at a.m. on Sunday. proud,” he wrote in a letter Lake City, Fla. Member Audit Bureau of Please call 386-755-5445 to report any to Andrew Sullivan of the Circulation and The Associated Press. problems with your delivery service. Daily Beast. Baldwin wanted All material herein is property of the Lake In Columbia County, customers should Cooper, the son of City Reporter. Reproduction in whole or call before 10:30 a.m. to report a ser- to ‘gut’ producer in part is forbidden without the permis- vice error for same day re-delivery. After Gloria Vanderbilt, had long sion of the publisher. U.S. Postal Service 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery or ser- been the subject of rumors No. 310-880. NEW YORK — If you vice related credits will be issued. about his sexual orienta- POSTMASTER: Send address changes see Alec Baldwin, better In all other counties where home delivery to Lake City Reporter, P.O. Box 1709, tion. He said that in a per- watch your step. is available, next day re-delivery or ser- Lake City, Fla.