Dads on Ground campus and pound Page 9 win Page 15 ThE BakER COUNty PREss $1.00 89TH YEAR | VOLUME 24 OCTOBER 4, 2018 AT A Six kids GLANCE found living in THINGS TO DO OCTOBER 4 squaller BCHS swim Senior The sheriff’s depart- Night ment arrested a Macclen- 4:30 p.m. ny woman on September Baker County YMCA, 98 W. 26 following a complaint Lowder St. by her mother that led de- tectives to a Hickory Street The BCHS swim team will residence where six ju- honor its seniors during its veniles were living amid tri-meet against Yulee and roach infestation and other Middleburg. squalid conditions. Photo courtesy of Lt. Rick Diggs Crystal Cole, 32, was BCMS Lady Bobcat Macclenny firefighters donned pink T-shirts Tuesday morning in honor of breast cancer awareness month. They’ll be wearing them all month A-Team Volleyball vs long, Lt. Rick Diggs said. summoned back to the ad- dress that afternoon from Wilkinson her job, and charged with 5:30 pm felony child neglect. Baker County Middle School, 211 Jonathan St. Spreading awareness The No. 2 seed Lady B-Cats In addition to fighting fires, Macclen- affected, 85 percent have no family histo- cancer, the two most important risk fac- host Wilksinson in the ny Fire Rescue personnel are sporting ry,” said the statement. tors are being female and getting old- quarterfinal match. the color pink throughout October in “Firefighters are motivated to get in- er. Most women diagnosed with breast Chevy Youth Soccer efforts to fight breast and other cancers. volved for many reasons, and often it’s cancer have no other known factors. To Firefighters exposed to carcinogens because they have been personally af- help reduce your risk, be sure to maintain Clinic and other chemicals while on the job fected by the disease,” says Rick Diggs, a healthy weight, eat a diet rich in fruits 6 - 9 p.m. are disproportionately diagnosed with a lieutenant with the department and a and vegetables, exercise and limit alco- Raiford Road Church, 9201 breast cancer – just one of many cancers member of IAFF Local 5173. hol consumption. Crystal Cole South State Road 121 linked to the work firefighters do, states “We are supporting breast cancer Macclenny Fire Rescue is encourag- a press release from the department is- awareness and prevention by encour- ing everyone in the community to par- The Baker Bandits Soccer Deputy Jared Sharman sued this week. aging others to give so that no breast ticipate in breast cancer awareness and said he and other officers See page 3 “With one in eight women diagnosed cancer patient goes without life-saving prevention activities. For more informa- inspected the home’s inte- with breast cancer each year, an estimat- treatments or having hope for a cure,” he tion, contact the Macclenny Association rior to find children rang- MORE NEWS ed 304,010 new cases and 45,920 deaths said. of Professional Firefighters L5173 at ing in age from infants up are expected in 2018. Among all women While everyone is at risk for breast [email protected]. to 14 years being super- vised that day by the sus- LAND PLANNING AGENCY pect’s mother Elizabeth Figge, 56, of Macclenny, Nearly who informed them she has mental health prob- Illegal lots ‘everywhere’ lems and is on medication. Dogs and cats roamed killed by will not be eligible for new building permits freely inside and animal to repair or replace the homes, at least not feces were found in sever- Planner calls for without further action by the county com- al rooms and on a shower the flu mission. floor. Ms. Fraser pledged during the September JOEL ADDINGTON halt in approvals The residence had no 27 meeting to work with the county attorney MANAGING EDITOR running water, open wires to craft an ordinance for consideration this [email protected] exposed and holes in the JOEL ADDINGTON month to declare the homes built between wall. The deputy noted MANAGING EDITOR 2012 and now conforming lots eligible for More fair arts winners Last year the flu killed piles of dirty clothing on [email protected] future building permits. See page 7 seven people in Bak- the floor and only a few But she also recommended that the coun- er County and Ladonna For the last six years the county has al- canned goods in cabinets ty cease approving these illegals lots and “Sherlene” Johnson of lowed development of 5-acre-lot subdivi- crawling with roaches. work to revise the comprehensive plan to Macclenny was nearly one sions in 10- and 7.5-acre minimum lot size Ms. Cole admitted that Go vote ... properly reflect the county’s policy intention. of them. zoning districts as long as the smaller lots conditions were foul and She said early this week it’s not yet known Should the City of Eventually, she was di- were on paved county roads. remarked, “It was bad and how many homes would be affected by the agnosed with the “influ- The problem: I’m trying to work on it,” as Macclenny residents ordinance, how- enza A 2009” strain, also County com- quoted in the deputy’s re- ever last week, pay more for police known as H1N1 or the missioners nev- port. she said there swine flu. It’s the same er updated the Ms. Figge said she used than non-city? “You can record a are many home- strain the Centers for Dis- county’s com- the last diaper before po- owners with il- ease Control (CDC) re- prehensive plan deed for a 1-square- lice arrived, and there ap- legal 5-acre lots Yes ports has been responsible to reflect the peared to be no food for 17% approved prior to for most of the localized flu 2012 policy shift, foot parcel and sell it. the children. 2012 that could be outbreaks nationally so far thus making the Police in recent months No in trouble should 74% this flu season. smaller lots ille- But it doesn’t mean have made other likened their properties Ms. Johnson, 56, didn’t gal under state discoveries of neglected be damaged or Undecided receive a flu shot last year. law, interim com- you can put anything children, resulting in the 9% destroyed in the There were problems with munity devel- felony arrests. future. bakercountypress.com her insurance on her first opment director on it.” In an unrelated arrest, According to attempt and she wasn’t Susan Fraser told –Interim community development director Susan Fraser Eraina Soutamire, 45, of her research of feeling well on repeat vis- the county’s Land Macclenny was charged past actions by its for vaccinations at Planning Agency on September 26 with fel- county planners, Walmart, which meant she (LPA) board last ony insurance fraud for at- the LPA and commissioners, an ordinance couldn’t receive them. week. tempting to obtain vehicle Rate of “It just slipped by. I had was approved in July 2012 to amend the She said while building permits have been insurance one hour after county’s land development regulations to always gotten the flu shot,” issued for these illegal lots and homes have she was involved in an ac- establish an exemption to subdivision per- she recalled. been constructed, should they burn down owning See page 2 and sustain substantial storm damage, they See page 3 See page 2 homes high here Page 4 Page 2 The Baker County Press Thursday, October 4, 2018 Flu: Death rate twice state rate From page 1 INFLUENZA AND es. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. By January she began to get symp- PNEUMONIA “The best way to prevent the flu is toms. DEATH RATES to get a flu vaccine each fall,” said Jose “I felt extremely sick. It kind of hurt Morales, Baker County Health Depart- all over. High fever of 102, 103 some- Number of deaths County Florida ment’s public information officer, by in Baker County Rate Rate times. Nothing would make it go away. email. It would come down but didn’t go 2017 7 25.8 9.8 He said according to the CDC, chil- away,” she said of the fever. 2016 4 14.8 9.6 dren from 6 months to 2 years, preg- Her doctor prescribed antibiotics 2015 4 13.7 9.1 nant women and anyone 50 years or thinking it was a sinus infection be- older are most at risk for complications cause a test for H1N1 came back neg- 2014 6 27.4 9.6 2013 3 15.3 9.7 related to the flu virus, and therefore, ative. But her condition worsened with it’s very important for those popula- nausea and trouble breathing. She was 2012 6 30.6 8.6 tions to get vaccinated. back at the hospital in mid-January 2011 4 19.4 9.4 Still, people with weakened immune when she passed out in a quarantine 2010 8 40.8 8.6 systems or long-term health problems area. 2009 3 15.0 9.2 like asthma, diabetes, kidney disease or She eventually ended up at UF 2008 5 22.6 8.6 extreme obesity have higher risks, too. Health in Gainesville where she was 2007 3 15.5 8.7 Mr. Morales noted that the coun- diagnosed with H1N1 influenza, which ty health department on West Lowder led to pneumonia, multi-organ failure 2017 REGIONAL FLU DEATHS Street offers free flu vaccines for chil- and sepsis. dren ages 6 months to 18.