A3 SATURDAY/SUNDAY, JULY 18/19, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 WEEKEND EDITION Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> ALL-DECADE COLLEGE SUNDAY + PLUS FOOTBALL Gerald Kvistad Is covid McCray, leads testing Arctic softball plan good 6B preacher team enough? Sean of the South Opinion/4A SEE 10A SEE 10A ‘Blessed’ Jenkins set to retire Property appraiser In his first month ment in Tallahassee. “I drive home, starting with has served Suwannee in office, the Florida couldn’t have gotten any the fact that he was not Department of Revenue madder had you slapped going to allow someone County for 48 years. was harassing Jenkins me in the face.” in Tallahassee to decide about raising assessments It was on the drive back that the assessments By JAMIE WACHTER in the county, ignoring his to Live Oak that the reali- were going to increase in [email protected] pleas to give him a year to zation hit Jenkins that he Suwannee County. LIVE OAK — Shortly get accustomed to the job. was likely going to be just Jenkins, who is not seek- after taking office in 1973, “They came back and a one-term tax assessor ing re-election this fall, will Lamar Jenkins was con- said that if you don’t do it, (now called the property instead be leaving office vinced he would have a we’ll come do it for you,” appraiser). at the end of the year after JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter brief stint as Suwannee Jenkins said of the fourth So, he made himself a Lamar Jenkins will retire at the end of the year after serv- County’s tax assessor. meeting with the depart- few promises during that JENKINS continued on 2A ing 48 years as Suwannee County property appraiser. Teachers want ‘Call Time’ answers about reopening plan CTA questions CCSD Association met with plan on positive cases, school officials this week sick days, facemasks. to discuss the looming reopening. In an undated By CARL MCKINNEY letter to the district, which [email protected] was made available to the Teachers are seeking Lake City Reporter on answers from the Columbia Friday, the union sought County School District clarification on a range of about the plan for reopen- questions related to the ing brick-and-mortar cam- pandemic. puses on Aug. 10. “We did a survey a while The Columbia Teachers TEACHERS continued on 2A ADA accessible park set to open in county Grant funding helped for county residents where make fully accessible the entire site is accessible playground possible. to physically-challenged children and their equip- CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter By TONY BRITT ment. Tiffany Jordan strikes a pose outside a small, rural convenience store in Columbia County. Both Jordan and [email protected] “Every playground the the store are set to be featured in an upcoming film, which begins shooting in August. county has at the different Columbia County is parks, the playgrounds opening its first fully ADA have certain features that Jordan brings film home in pursuit of acting dream accessible park next week, which will provide a park ADA continued on 2A By CARL MCKINNEY She knew just the place, which is Jordan has been a maintenance [email protected] less than half a mile from her child- worker on the TV mini-series hood home. “Counter Intelligence,” an extra in A little convenience store on a rural Jordan always was a small-town girl the Oprah Winfrey Network show stretch of highway hugged by trees with big-screen dreams. “David Makes Man” and a variety of — the perfect vibe for a horror movie. “It started with church plays,” she characters in independent films. Most of the film crew would need said. “Makes you feel like you can Not all of them panned out. In the a map to find the location, which is bring your inside spirit out to show 2017 film “Kandy Kane Killer,” Jordan situated between High Springs and people.” played “Gang Member #1.” Lake City, but not Tiffany Jordan. A A Columbia High School graduate “All of my roles have been as a cast member and associate producer from the class of ’96, Jordan took tough girl,” she said. “I guess I sold on the project, she grew up a stone’s some drama classes as a teen and my look from day one in this indus- throw away. knew it was her dream to become an try.” “We needed a small store in a wood- actor. Ultimately, nothing ever came TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter ed area — the little country town that She started seriously pursuing it The playground at Columbia City Park is completely nobody knows about,” Jordan said. about three years ago. FILM continued on 3A ADA accessible, funded in part by a state grant. In honor of military heroes, we offer a free checking account and tailored mortgage loan options. Proud to Support Give us a call to learn more: 386-755-0600 Our Military ffbf.com | Stability You Can Trust © 2020 First Federal Bank is a FDIC insured nationally chartered mutual savings bank approved lender. All loans are subject to credit underwriting and approval. Licensee: 408902. Vol. 145, No. 352 Obituaries . 3A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A SUBSCRIBE TO Classifieds . 5A-6A THE REPORTER: 93 72 Sports . 10A Voice: 755-5445 Isolated storms, 2A Fax: 752-9400 Business . 1B 2A SATURDAY/SUNDAY, JULY 18/19, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER confidential information to JENKINS failure to pay taxes, from Continued From 1A perjury to filing fraudulent travel vouchers. QUICK HITS serving for 48 years. Those charges, though, “I can’t believe it,” said were all dismissed by the Scripture of the Day the 81-year-old Jenkins circuit court and appeals about his long career. courts in the state. “I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my “I tell people proudly that Jenkins was then fed- dark saying upon the harp.” — Psalm 49:4 (KJV) I’ve been blessed by my erally indicted on three God and my people.” counts of mail fraud, being Jenkins, who grew up accused of sending deeds Thought for Today on a farm in northwest fraudulently obtained from elderly women through the A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a Suwannee County where he still lives and farms mail. good reason and the real reason. today, first decided to run He was acquitted of — J. P. Morgan, 1837-1913, U.S. banker for the office in 1968. those charges, too. It was a decision that All of it, Jenkins said, even his father ques- was a political conspiracy Winning Lottery Numbers tioned. that stemmed from that Jenkins said one day decision at the beginning Pick 3: (Thursday p.m.) 8-3-5 while they were working of his tenure to treat land Pick 4: (Thursday p.m.) 7-5-2-0 on the farm, his father throughout the county Fantasy 5: (Thursday) 4-17-22-24-30 asked why anyone would equally. want to get mixed up with Even while he was sus- the dirty nature of poli- pended from office, fight- See an error? tics. ing for his career, his free- The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news Jenkins, though, told his dom and his reputation, items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, father that he didn’t think Jenkins was re-elected as please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will that was fair. JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter property appraiser in 1984. run in this space. Thanks for reading. “I said I think a man, or A soil map of Suwannee County showing the three “It was tough,” he added. a person, can be honest different classes that Lamar Jenkins used to assess “But going back, my peo- ple and my God have taken when he goes in and he land in 1973. Submissions can be the same honest care of me.” The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption person when he comes And now, nearly five information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would advantage of the system, or Jenkins said. decades after he first took like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture out,” he said. “That’s up to “influential politicians” as But after he explained the individual.” public office, Jenkins will and information to [email protected]. he called them. the system to every single soon be leaving that office. Satisfied with his son’s “I resented it with a pas- one of those residents desire and beliefs, Jenkins There are no grand sion,” he said. himself, Jenkins said most retirement plans, other said his father instantly So, Jenkins wanted to begrudgingly accepted and Lake City Reporter started campaigning for than spending time with change the system, make it respected the reasoning Miss Hazel, his wife, “if HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING him. more fair and just. behind the change. Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff However, an unknown she’ll let me be in the same Fax number ............ 752-9400 (386) 754-0417 That included borrowing “I just wanted to treat house with her.” Circulation............. 755-5445 ([email protected]) in southern and eastern a system that Madison everybody as near to equal Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com “I’ll go out there on my CLASSIFIED Suwannee County, Jenkins County’s assessor was as possible,” he added. The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate fell around 150 votes short. farm, there’s always a job of Community Newspapers Inc., Kym Harrison using to appraise land.