A3 + PLUS >> Eight more days for local shopping, Opinion/4A CHS HOOPS GATORS Boys still Mullen welcomes unbeaten Braun, 2 others See Page 5A See Page 5A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM KEITH MOBLEY HAMILTON CO. 1961-2019 Wreaths Across America MOM SAYS: Trump hat got child beaten But Hamilton sheriff, COURTESY LCFD superintendent both Keith Mobley dispute her theory. By CARL MCKINNEY LCFD says [email protected] A viral video of an altercation on a Hamilton County school bus ignited a firestorm in con- goodbye servative social media circles last week, after the vic- to one of tim’s mother, a Twitter user with hundreds their own of thousands of followers, alleged sev- 37-year veteran dies Reid eral students of heart attack at 58. ganged up on her teenage son for wearing a By TONY BRITT pro-Trump hat. But law enforce- [email protected] ment and school officials say As a driver/engineer with there’s no evidence suggesting the Lake City Fire Department, a political motive. Keith Mobley answered count- On Thursday, Twitter user less emergency calls for more Melissa Griffin, who posts as @ than three decades. Not only AmericanDiaries, uploaded a did he drive to the fires, but video snippet of a Nov. 21 inci- once on scene it was his duty dent showing her 14-year-old to oversee the hydraulics and son, Tyler, being held down water on the fire truck. and pummeled on a bus seat. A stickler for safety and fire- Griffin’s update was the latest in fighter traditions, Mobley made a series of tweets that began the sure firefighters were wearing day of the altercation with a post all their proper protective equip- claiming Tyler had been hospi- Photos by MICHAEL PHILIPS/Lake City Reporter ment, including gloves, helmets talized for head contusions. and bunker gear. “I am sitting in the hospital “He was a stickler making with my 14-year-old kid because Wreaths Across he was just jumped by 8 black sure you checked your gear in America coordinates the morning for that day,” said kids on the school bus,” she wreath -laying cer- tweeted, “I guess that’s what Randy Burnham, Lake City Fire emonies at more Department chief. happens when a kid wears a than 1,600 locations LCFD continued on 3A across the United BEATING continued on 2A States, at sea and abroad, in honor of those who served our nation. Here Referendum 2 jailed in are scenes from Saturday’s ceremo- set for election high-speed ny at Olustee Park in downtown Lake procedures pursuit City. TOP: James Reherman, left, By TONY BRITT American Legion [email protected] By CARL MCKINNEY 4th vice president, [email protected] prepares to lay a City officials may hire a con- wreath in memory sulting firm for a public educa- Two men, one from Lake City of those who served tion campaign on a referendum and another from Lehigh Acres, and are serving in item designed to keep the local were arrested in the aftermath the Marine Corps, voting process uniform, through of a high-speed as did he. CENTER: the county supervisor of elec- Car was car chase involv- Sea Cadets present tions office, for city elections. stolen, ing a stolen vehi- the colors. BOTTOM: The item is scheduled to be according cle, according to Chief Petty Officer included on the ballot of the to the Florida Highway Michael Ziegler 2020 Democratic party primary, Florida Patrol. prepares to lay the but all Lake City voters will be Highway T e r r y wreath in memory allowed to vote on it. It has to be Patrol. Shernod Jonas, of those who served done by then to be in effect for 34, of Lake City, and are serving the fall election. and Xavier Lavell in the U.S. Navy. Joe Helfenberger, city man- Kevon Artis, 20, of Lehigh Ziegler served on ager, said the city needs the Acres, were booked into Alachua the USS Enterprise referendum item passed for two County jail after their attempt to and participated in reasons: to continue having the flee law enforcement ended in a Operation Enduring county run city elections, as it wreck northwest of Gainesville Freedom. will cost more every year if the CHASE continued on 3A CITY continued on 3A Vol. 145, No. 198 Obituaries . 3A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Sports . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: 77 43 Advice & Comics . 7A Voice: 755-5445 Showers likely, 2A Classifieds . 8A-9A Fax: 752-9400 2A TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER Sheriff, superintendent say otherwise QUICK HITS Mom: Beating was hat-inspired Scripture of the Day stopped trying She has hired an attor- “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, BEATING wearing to stir ney, Foye B. Walker, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Continued From 1A it to this who did not respond to a — Luke 1:46-47 (KJV) school. thing, request for comment. #Trump hat to school. “From that’s On Friday, the Hamilton And who’s the violent ones that my County School District Thought for Today again? Earlier today they point on opin- released a statement saying he was ion,” appropriate action has been poured milk all over his We fall forward to succeed. head.” steadily Reid taken against all those getting said. involved. — Mary Kay Ash, 1918-2001, U.S. businesswoman Tyler was not wear- (founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics) ing a Trump hat in the messed We “It is implied in the 21-second clip shared by with. He have post that the altercation Griffin last week, but the was get- no evi- occurred because one mother claims other stu- ting hit, dence of the students involved Winning Lottery Numbers dents were still singling tripped he was was wearing a political Pick 3: (Sunday p.m.) 3-9-3 him out because he’d & ver- wear- hat showing support for bally ing any- President Trump,” the dis- Pick 4: (Sunday p.m.) 7-0-3-5 brought it to school in Fantasy 5: (Sunday) 6-9-12-24-25 the past. abused thing trict wrote. “There was no The video begins with a on the with evidence found during the female student repeatedly bus, but Trump investigation that indicated See an error? striking Tyler, who tries it all on it the student was wearing The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news to stand up and defend came to at any any of this apparel at the items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, himself before he is over- a head time.” time of the altercation or yester- No that his wearing of such please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will powered and shoved back run in this space. Thanks for reading. into his seat. Before the day on COURTESY hate apparel on a prior occasion footage stops, at least two his bus A video still shows Tyler just before crime motivated the incident. more students can be seen ride he is struck in his school-bus seat. took The incident began with a home,” place, verbal altercation between Submissions joining in and hitting the The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption the Reid two students that escalated 14-year-old. information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would mother tweeted. “The said, taking a position when additional students Five juveniles are like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture nurse noted there are contrary to that of some of became involved. In addi- facing first-degree mis- and information to the editor: [email protected]. demeanor charges for bruises on his arm that the more outraged social tion to the video that was the incident, according were older along with his media users. posted online which was to the Hamilton County new injuries.” Griffin, who couldn’t be recorded by a student, the Sheriff’s Office. Hamilton County Sheriff reached for comment, is school district reviewed Lake City Reporter Harrell Reid said it’s still soliciting donations for her the bus video which Griffin claims Tyler HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 repeatedly faced bullying dubious whether Tyler Tyler on a popular crowd- depicted, not only the ever even brought a MAGA funding platform. She has altercation, but all events Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 over his MAGA hat prior Fax number ............ 752-9400 CIRCULATION hat to school. more than 440,000 follow- prior to the altercation and to the altercation, which Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter continued even after he “I think the mother is ers on Twitter. its conclusion.” Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. FL 32055. 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