A3 + PLUS >> Trump signs bill to expand private care at VA, Story below LIVE THEATER CHS FOOTBALL ‘Rumors’ abound Tigers take in High Springs 7v7 qualifier See Page 3A See Page 1B THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2018 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Blast kills 1 in O’Brien Morning explosion at iron works claims the life of a Suwannee man Reynolds 2A SEX CRIMES ALLEGED 2 left standing at City Hall Sting nets LO man Cops: Suspect went to St. Johns County to meet young girl. By TONY BRITT [email protected] A Live Oak man was arrested Wednesday in St. Johns County after allegedly traveling there to have sex with a minor. Photos by CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter Duggan Curtis City manager candidates Judd, left, and Helfenberger field questions Wednesday. BELOW: Council members Hill, left, and Ward listen. Lavon Duggan, 59, of 132nd Street was charged with use of a computer to solic- it, seduce or lure a child But only for a short time longer for sex, traveling to meet a minor for sex and unlawful New Lake City would deliver information to use of a two-way commu- the council. nication device. Suwannee manager will be Helfenberger said he views County Sheriff’s Office selected June 19. the job as similar to that of a investigators also found coach. By CARL MCKINNEY “I’m a team player,” he said. STING continued on 2A [email protected] He said he has experience through jobs at multiple munic- Two finalists are left stand- ipalities with a wide variety ing for Lake City’s top appoint- of government functions, from Serious ed position after five rounds of running an airport to handling interviews Wednesday. a sewer expansion and negoti- injuries Still in the running for the didates. council members asked each ating labor contracts. city manager job are Joseph The final decision will follow candidate questions about top- Helfenberger said his job in crash Helfenberger, former city man- the next round of interviews on ics such as their experience would be made easier by the ager for St. Cloud, and Danielle June 19, with a meet-and-greet managing airports, their man- fact that Lake City is already From staff reports Judd, city manager for Green event from 5 to 6 p.m. the day agement style, what they per- experiencing economic Cove Springs, who tied for the before. ceive as Lake City’s strengths A Fort White man sus- top spot over three other can- For about an hour at a time, and weaknesses and how they CITY continued on 2A tained serious injuries in an early morning accident in Fort White on Wednesday. Edwin Alexander, 23, was Trump signs bill to expand private care at VA traveling north on SW Spirit Avenue in a 1997 Honda four Dunn praises legislation as erans more freedom to see doc- legislation as fulfilling his pledge door when it moved into the ‘big step in improving care.’ tors outside the troubled Veterans to fix the Department of Veterans southbound lane and struck Affairs system, a major shift aimed Affairs by bringing accountability the left front side of a 2014 From staff and wire reports at reducing wait times and improv- and providing private care to vet- Mitsubishi four-door driv- ing care by steering more patients erans whenever they feel unhappy en by Stacy Murphy, 28, of WASHINGTON — President to the private sector. with government-run health care. Donald Trump signed a bill into At a Rose Garden event at the CRASH continued on 2A Trump law Wednesday that will give vet- White House, Trump praised the VA continued on 2A Dunn Vol. 143, No. 309 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 3A (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Father/daughter dance SUBSCRIBE TO Puzzles . 2B THE REPORTER: 88 67 Belmont hosts, 6A. Voice: 755-5445 Chance of storms Advice & Comics . 3B Fax: 752-9400 2A THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2018 DAILY BRIEFING LAKE CITY REPORTER QUICK HITS Blast kills 1 in O’Brien Scripture of the Day and 43 responded to calls of and propane. “It shook the whole “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart Explosion ‘shook the an explosion with multiple “He was unloading a cyl- house,” Wickline said. trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart whole house,’ says injuries at Suwannee Iron inder out of a vehicle and Sommers said after fire- greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” nearby resident. Works and Fence Inc. at putting it back on a storage fighters arrived their imme- — Psalm 28:7 (KJV) 7:20 a.m. Once inside the rack,” Sommers said. diate concern became the By COREY ARWOOD building where the explo- Suwannee County Sheriff safety of the environment in [email protected] sion occurred, Sommers Sam St. John called it a the wake of the explosion, Thought for Today said firefighters found the freak accident. and that air monitors had I live and love in God’s peculiar light. A Suwannee County man to be installed in the large — Michelangelo, 1475-1564, Italian artist was killed in a welding tank metal frame workshop. explosion on Wednesday at “The area was hazardous at an O’Brien iron works shop. the time of arrival due to the Andrew James Reynolds, gas in the air,” Sommers said. 32, of O’Brien, the shop The container that erupted Winning Lottery Numbers foreman at Suwannee Iron was about four and a half feet Pick 3: (Tuesday p.m.) 1-4-8 Works, off County Road 49, tall and 10 inches in diame- Pick 4: (Tuesday p.m.) 6-3-1-8 died from the blast early ter, and he said there were Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 19-21-22-28-35 Wednesday morning. The about 50 more in the area of blast is thought to have the blast with similar gases. occurred while he was mov- “It could’ve been a lot See an error? ing a gas cylinder from a worse,” Sommers said. The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, truck bed to a storage rack, COREY ARWOOD/Lake City Reporter St. John said Reynolds Suwannee County sheriff Florida Highway Patrol troopers enter the premis- had two children, ages 11 please call the editor. Corrections and clarications will and fire officials said. es of Suwannee Iron Works and Fence in O’Brien and 13. run in this space. Thanks for reading. County fire officials said Wednesday, where an explosion killed a worker. Sommers said along with state fire marshals are State Fire Marshal investi- investigating the explosion. only injury had turned into “The back of the truck gators, Florida Department Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption “Whether it’s a defect or a fatality. got some damage,” he said. of Transportation and like- information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would whether it was dropped, Sommers said the shop “Actually, the tailgate was ly the Occupational Safety like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture those are uncertain at foreman had “dramatic blown back inside the back and Health Administration and information to Associate Editor Steve Wilson at this time,” said Suwannee injuries unsustainable to of the truck.” would join the investigation. [email protected]. Fire Rescue Public Safety life,” and the explosion Larry Wickline, a resi- FDOT is responsible for the Director James Sommers was caused by a high pres- dent of a home adjacent to cylinder, regarding both on Wednesday afternoon, sure welding cylinder con- the property, said he heard matters of its transportation Lake City Reporter adding that SFR stations 3 taining nitrogen, butane the blast around 7:15 a.m. and storage, he said. HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS..............754-0419 Main number ........(386) 752-1293 Fax number ..............752-9400 CIRCULATION Circulation ...............755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter Online ... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. downtown area is a “gem,” Glenn Irby, city administra- Ward’s top pick was The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 CITY she added. tor for Apopka and a former Helfenberger, followed by of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Continued From 1A “That should make you police officer. Irby, then Judd, Akhimie Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at really poised for moving “I found police work too and Kraus. Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should growth. forward on some economic political, so I went to the Councilwoman Melinda Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a service error for same day re-delivery. “You’re not starting out development,” she said. other side,” he jokingly told Moses favored Irby, then All material herein is property of the Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery with nothing,” he told the But the community also the council. Helfenberger at second whole or in part is forbidden without the or service related credits will be issued. council. has a high poverty rate, she The final contender was place, followed by Judd, permission of the publisher. U.S. Postal In all other counties where home delivery When asked how she said, suggesting she could Vince Akhimie, who offers Kraus and Akhimie.