SERVING DUNNELLON AND RAINBOW SPRINGS Thursday, January 12, 2012 Vol 30 No. 13 75 cents Residents push for boycott of Greenlight members voted 4-0 to ap- normal rate. City manager: We hope that’s not the case prove the purchase of Rain- Most residents felt like bow Springs and Julitte the acquisition of their sys- JEFF BRYAN tack on an additional 25 per- boycott Greenlight Dunnel- Falls’ utility systems, bond tem and higher rates was to Riverland News cent surcharge to their util- lon Communications. $6.5 million to acquire the offset the losses from Green- ity bills, won’t likely put any That was the message they Rainbow Springs’ system light, which has spent more Residents of Rainbow extra money into the city left the City Council with and require residents in than $5 million and has yet Lisa Springs, angered by the de- coffers, not if they follow Dec. 28 as they filtered out that area to pay an addi- Algiere cision of the City Council to through with their threat to of City Hall after council tional 25 percent above the See BOYCOTT page 3 Police: Man found HOMETOWN HERO passed out in bathroom Durham of Morriston faces pair of charges JEFF BRYAN Riverland News A 53-year-old Morriston man dis- covered passed out, straddling a toi- let with his head resting on the wall of a bathroom Jan. 2 at the Murphy gas station was charged with Pos- session of a Con- trolled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, police reports stated. According to re- ports, officers with the Dunnellon Police Department were called to Murphy Oil Jackie USA shortly after 10 Durham p.m. in reference to a was found white male found un- passed out in responsive in the the restroom restroom. Upon en- of Murphy Oil. tering the restroom, Officer Mike Miley found Jackie R. Durham with his head resting against the wall and snoring loudly. Officer Bruce Arnold confirmed the defendant had a pulse at which time JEFF BRYAN/Riverland News he requested Dunnellon Fire Res- Officer Mike Miley has been with the Dunnellon Police Department for more than 18 months. The Dunnellon High cue respond to further evaluate School graduate says he considers it an honor to serve the community in which he grew up in. Miley was recently Durham, who would not awake after named the department’s Officer of the Year. multiple attempts. Miley stated in his report that he saw drug paraphernalia, including Homegrown officer, Miley, selected as department’s Officer of the Year liquefied blue in color residue on a metal spoon, a syringe while ob- JEFF BRYAN June 2011. The defendant, honor,” Miley, who joined following two years taking serving a black in color belt fas- Riverland News Joshua Dale Larkin, was the agency in June 2010, classes at what is now tened around Durham’s arm. The charged with aggravated said. “I don’t think I De- Central Florida College in report stated Miley photographed He championed the battery using a deadly serve it any more so than Ocala. Miley sensed then the items and defendant as found. Dunnellon Police Depart- weapon. Miley also solved the rest of the crew. That it wasn’t the right fit. According to the report, Arnold ment’s inaugural efforts in a robbery at Circle K in they think highly of me Thats when Miley would and Miley assisted Durham up off the Special Olympics which three people were says a lot about what Chief meet Brian Marra, a the toilet at which time he became Polar Plunge. apprehended and charged Black, Lt. Webb and Sgt. deputy with the Levy more responsive. Durham was se- He organizes the with robbery and petit Gonzalez and everyone County Sheriff ’s Office, cured in handcuffs and escorted agency’s annual bicycle theft. else sees in me.” and forge a friendship that outside for a medical evaluation. rodeo. Now Officer Mike Miley However, the journey would alter Miley’s life. Once he was cleared medically, His arrest rate in- can claim Officer of the into law enforcement was- “I wasn’t sure what I Miley conducted a search of creased in the past year, Year honors as voted on by n’t at the forefront of the wanted to do,” Miley ex- Durham and found a bottle of Aleve including solving a case in his peers at the depart- 2007 Dunnellon High grad- plained. “In the back of brand pain relief pills, a silver in which a person was ment. uate. color tube, which contained a stabbed at Crock’s Pub in See HERO page 3 “It’s a very humbling Miley would spend the capped syringe, two metal spoons See POLICE page 3 MLK festivities continue Sunday, Monday mental figure in the Civil Special celebration will conclude with walk Rights Movement in the 1960s, those in and around JEFF BRYAN escapable network of what I ought to be until town will embark on their mutuality tied in a single you are what you ought Riverland News own journey Monday to garment of destiny. to be. You can never be pay homage to the 1963 “All I’m saying is sim- Whatever affects one di- what you ought to be Nobel Peace Prize winner. ply this, that all life is in- rectly affects all indi- until I am what I ought to Festivities, which began terrelated, that somehow rectly. For some strange be. This is the interre- last Saturday, continue we’re caught in an in- reason, I can never be lated structure of real- with a tribute to Dr. King ity.” at 3 p.m. Sunday at Union Participants make their way down U.S. 41 during — Martin Luther King Jr. Missionary Baptist last year’s march to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Church in Chatmire. This year’s march will be at 9 a.m. Monday, As the nation prepares The celebration will starting at McDonald’s on U.S. 41. to pay tribute to Martin File photo Luther King Jr., an instru- See MLK page 2 WHAT’S HAPPENING 2008 DHS Valdeictorian DPD selling T-Shirts Annie Johnson Center Tri-County Pregnancy VISIT US: graduates from UF for Special Olympics hosting blanket drive Center has relocated www.riverlandnews.com Meghan Brumby, the Dunnellon The Dunnellon Police De- The Annie Johnson “Cold Tri-County Pregnancy Care CALL US: 489-2731 High School Class of partment finished 13th in the Nights/Warm Hearts” program and Family Resource Center has E-MAIL: 2008 Valedictorian, state of Florida for raising will host a Pajama and Blanket moved to a new location. The fa- graduated Dec. 17. more than $10,800 in 2011. Drive throughout December. The cility is now at 20892 Second [email protected] from the University of The 2012 Special Olympic T- agency is collecting these items Ave., just behind First Baptist Florida with honors shirts and hats are now avail- for the homeless, needy and sen- Church. Tri-County Pregnancy with her Bachelor’s able at the department or iors. Items can be gently used or Care and Family Resource Cen- degree in Animal Sci- Cadence Bank. brand new; all sizes are needed. ter is a nonprofit agency focused ence. She has been ac- For information, contact Dar- If you are able to assist in this on helping women and families Meghan cepted to the College lene Parker at 465-8510 or e- cause, bring the items to the Sen- facing crisis pregnancies with Brumby of Veterinary Medi- mail at dparker@dunnellonpd. ior & Family Service Center. For resources and lay counsel. For cine at the University org. more information, call 489-8021 or more information or to make an of Florida. She will start in the fall. e-mail [email protected]. appointment, call 352-489-9994. 2 Riverland News, Thursday, January 12, 2012 MLK that is important. The Dunnellon Police Department receives parade award march is important to, continued from page 1 marching is great. But it has to be a day of service. conclude Monday, with a We want to build a com- memorial walk slated to munity to be a better start at 9 a.m. at McDon- place. There has to be ac- ald’s on U.S. 41. From tion behind all that.” there, walkers will make The Rev. Cummings, their way south on U.S. who has been the pastor 41, cross onto County at Union Missionary for Road 484 and conclude at the past five years, said Ernie Mills Park with en- Monday’s event is not just tertainment, food and a “black holiday, a black drinks. event.” For the Rev. Eric Cum- “We’d love for every- mings of Union Mission- body to participate, every- ary Baptist Church and one is included,” he said. this year’s chairman of “My vision is to go beyond the event, he said it’s im- people thinking this is portant for Dr. King’s just a black holiday, a legacy to carry on and black event. I want it to be continue to the next gen- a community event. eration of leaders. “In the few years I’ve “For me, it’s extremely been there, I’ve seen important to promote it Dunnellon is a unique community, a diverse JEFF BRYAN/Riverland News in the community, or else we’ll lose it,” he ex- community. Those issues Dunnellon Police Department was awarded first place for Best Themed float by Charlene Williams, of racial, ethnic culture, left, chairwoman for the annual Dunnellon Christmas Parade, and Beverly Leisure, right, executive plained.