SERVING DUNNELLON AND RAINBOW SPRINGS Thursday, June 10, 2010 Vol 28 No. 34 75 cents AT A GLANCE Co-valedictorians top class he three top Tigers have straight A students for the same rian and salutatorian would be. emerged to lead the grad- period in the Dunnellon High It was finally settled last Fri- Tuating class at com- School Class of 2010. day – the last school day for mencement ceremonies this The trend of academic seniors — and confirmed this week at Dunnellon High achievement continued and as week by guidance counselor School. the school year wound down, it Christi Dunning. She said this Dunnellon’s Class of 2010 has was uncertain at times who year’s co-valedictorians are no shortage of talented high- would end up in the number Bradley Easom and Shelby achieving students when it one spot as the class valedicto- Goicochea and the class saluta- comes to academic perform- rian. And even in mid-May one torian is Kasey Fagan. ance, in addition to its out- of front-runners admitted she Those three students, other GRAD PHOTOS standing athletes. had lost track. class scholars and the rest of See Page 8 Indeed, when the first 9-week “It is so close this year we the graduating class of 2010 will high school honor roll came out can’t call it until final exams be recognized in the traditional back in November 2009, 26 sen- are taken and grades posted,” cap and gown ceremony staring Chamber Mixer iors had straight A’s out of the explained Principal Michelle at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 10 at on June 18 entire class of about 285 stu- Lewis in late May, when asked the high school stadium. See You are invited to at- dents. There were only 11 who the Class of 2010 valedicto- page 8. tend a Chamber Mixer at the Stitch Niche located at 20782 Walnut St. on June 18 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. There will be food, re- Martial arts champ freshments, music and a raffle, with part of the proceeds going to the Boys and Girls Club. Dun- on national team nellon resident Valerie Levy with Paul Marker on PAT FAHERTY become a member of the U.S. keyboard will provide the Editor Martial Arts Team. music. His father and trainer is Sifu Live music The U.S. Martial Arts Team Gonzalez, owner of Dragon Saturday June 12 from 6 has recruited a young Dunnel- Warrior Martial Arts of Dun- - 9 p.m the newly formed lon athlete. nellon, which operates at the "Wabash Avenue" will be Now, Carlos Gonzales, 10, Depot. performing at Abigail’s who just finished fourth grade, He describes his son as “a Cafe &. Coffee Shop. is looking ahead to the 2010 hard worker” and pointed out Wabash music is a combi- World Martial Arts Games in that Carlos has attracted a lot nation of lively new age September in Las Vegas. of attention with his video on mixed with old rock & roll. Carlos, who already holds YouTube (pew411). The four- Your host, Christina Fer- numerous titles in martial arts, minute clip was shot at the nandez thanks everyone has been at it since he was 3. 2009 Promoters Championship who came out to enjoy live He became a black belt at age 8 at Walt Disney World. music this past season, and has been competing for With the school year over, Abigail’s Cafe is located at about six years. He does Kung Carlos plans to spend most of 20607 W. Pennsylvania Fu, Tae Kwon Do, karate and his time training. His daily Ave., 489-1818. There is no kickboxing. routine starts with a two-mile cover charge. Carlo is currently a regional, run, followed by a bike ride. state, national and 2009 world Then come the uphill springs Farmers Market and stair climbing. The Dunnellon Farm- champion. His accomplish- ments earned him a place in He then does his martial arts ers Market is growing as forms 35 times in a row. Now our local farmer’s crops the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and have attracted the atten- that he part of the U.S. Martial are coming to maturity. Arts Team, he does an intense The blueberries have tion of Team USA Coach Al- berto Friedmann. Olympic-style training that been unbelievable and takes three to four hours. And Photo by Pat Faherty the tomatoes are deli- On June 1, Friedmann called Dunnellon’s Carlos Gonzales, 10, who just finished fourth grade, cious. Watermelons, can- and told Carlos’s father about is looking ahead to the 2010 World Martial Arts Games in Sep- taloupes, blackberries, their interest in having his son See CHAMP page 17 tember in Las Vegas. sweet corn and others are starting to arrive. The market was organ- ized to bring local farm- ers and persons who grow, catch, produce or Details coming on broadband plan manufacture goods to- gether with residents. If PAT FAHERTY capable of providing City Manager Lisa Al- The FCC defines fiber vation while funding you are interested in sup- high-speed transmission giere introduced the idea optic as a newer technol- costly older technology, porting local vendors or Editor of services such as data, at the May 5 City Council ogy that converts electri- but communities are lin- would like to become one, Dunnellon could soon voice, and video over the workshop as a new cal signals carrying data ing up for the cash. stop by the depot every join Sweetwater, Quincy, Internet and other net- source of city revenue to light and sends the The North Florida Tuesday from 2 - 6 p.m. Immokalee and other works. that would be “green,” light through transparent Broadband Authority, For information call 229- small cities in the push to A wide range of tech- improve quality of life glass fibers about the di- which includes Levy and 1030. bring in broadband ac- nologies, including digi- and boost economic de- ameter of a human hair. 13 other counties, was cess. tal subscriber line and velopment. It transmits data much awarded $30 million in Office closed fiber optic cable, coaxial “Consumers are very faster than cable modem, The Riverland News And the effort could be the first round of funding cable, wireless technol- hunger for faster and DSL, wireless or satellite. office will be closed on timely to keep Dunnellon to enhance broadband ogy, and satellite, pro- more reliable Internet But fiber optic could re- Frida, June 11. It will re- competitive since Levy access. vides transmission. speeds,” said Algiere at quire considerable open on Monday, June 14 County to the north is al- Just how Dunnellon’s Broadband platforms that workshop. “Fiber is trenching to lay the un- at 8 a.m. ready part of an estab- broadband would be lished broadband make possible the con- the way to get that. If we derground lines. funded and other details imitative. vergence of voice, video, had fiber to the home we The FCC recently intro- will likely be explained ON THE WEB According to the Fed- and data services onto a could offer all the fea- duced the National eral Communications single network. tures you would find in Broadband Plan with at two upcoming public Commission, which is Dunnellon is consider- the big markets.” stimulus funding avail- hearings on the issue. leading the national ing becoming the local Broadband access is able via grants to bring The first is set for 5:30 broadband push, the broadband provider often cited as a factor in communities online. The p.m., June 23, and second term refers to advanced using a fiber optic net- attracting new residents plan has been criticized at 5:30 p.m. on July 26, communications systems work. and businesses. for not encouraging inno- both at city hall. Visit our Web site River romp, for more stories brings arrest and photos riverlandnews.com Deputies arrested an Ocala man, who turned up naked at K.P. Hole Riverland after reportedly having sex with a female college student in the Rainbow News River. 20441 E Pennsylvania Ave. Eyewitnesses said they observed the pair having Dunnellon, FL 34432 intercourse in the river in broad daylight on May 31. The couple apparently then floated down river in an orange kayak. As they floated to K.P. Hole Park, a deputy ob- served the man had ex- ited the water totally VISIT US: nude in public, with the www.riverlandnews.com woman apparently wear- ing his shorts, which the CALL US: suspect had given her. 489-2731 Christians United in Christ met for its quarterly program last week at Romeo Baptist Church. Numerous The woman denied any area churches were represented and involved with the program. From left to right, front are, Jerry Rubino, sexual activity and said coordinator, Amy Sexton, soloist, Romeo Baptist Church and Cristi L. Dethlefs, Christian Youth United in she had lost her bikini Christ. Second row, Pastor David Lucas, Mission Possible Ministries; Rev. Eric R. Cummings, Union Mis- bottom while swinging on sionary Baptist Church; Rev. Alec Richardson, Greater Dimensions Christian Assembly; Pastor Russ Ran- a rope swing. dall, speaker, First Baptist Church, Dunnellon; Pastor Shawn Cutshall, Romeo Baptist Church; Pastor Jess Deputies arrested Burton, Lighthouse Baptist Church; Pastor Jeff Welch, Dunnellon Presbyterian Church and Pastor Eddie Fulford, First United Methodist Church; See SHERIFF page 17 2 Riverland News, Thursday, June 10, 2010 00050IX Riverland News, Thursday, June 10, 2010 3 Air festival in Dunnellon June 12 MIKE WRIGHT planes — as in remote- field on Bridge Road, off by hand; others, pieced size and detail.