Remember that you can vote early for the 2014midterm elections beginning this Saturday, Oct. 25.The early voting period will end on Sunday, Nov. 2,and the polls open Tuesday, Nov. 4.Those voting early can do so from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. at the Judicial Complex, 218 Parshley St,Live Oak; the J. Ralph Smith Center, 23728 Park Center
Drive, Dowling Park; or the Branford Library at 703 NW Suwannee Ave.
Friday Edition — October 24, 2014 50 CENTS
Suwannee Democrat
w w w . s u w a n n e e d e m o c r a t . c o m
SEE O’BRIEN, PAGE 10A
SEE COUNTY, PAGE 10A
SEE WINTER, PAGE 10A
130th YEAR, NO. 011 | 2 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES
Serving Suwannee County since 1884, including Live Oak, Wellborn, Dowling Park, Branford, McAlpin and O’Brien
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Suwannee Weekend
EARLY VOTINGThe inaugural JAB Festival kicks off today, with all events centered around
Millennium Park in Live Oak. Artists will be in Millennium Park while musi-cians will be on a stage set up in the vacant lots across from Millennium Park.Events will begin today, Oct. 24, with a Paint-Out during the day followed byan Artist Wine & Cheese Reception and a wet canvas exhibit and silent auc-tion from 6-9 p.m. Saturday will boast an Artists’ Breakfast at You Got ServedCafe at 7 a.m. The music begins at 11 a.m. with great bands and high energyentertainers. See a schedule of entertainers on page 2A.
JAZZ, ARTS & BLUES FESTIVAL
Beth McKeewill take thestage Saturdayat 5:15 p.m.
The homecoming parade is today, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m. The route begins at Suwannee Elementary School on US 129 South, heads north toHoward Street (US 90), turns left onto Howard, left onto Houston and ends at Langford Stadium. See Homecoming game details on Page 1B.HOMECOMING PARADE
Suwannee Weekend
EARLY VOTING JAZZ, ARTS & BLUES FESTIVAL
HOMECOMING PARADE
Cheek & Scott Drugs celebrated their 50th anniversary on Wednesday, Oct. 22, byhosting a mixer for the Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce at their Live Oaklocation. Jeff Scott, president of Cheek & Scott, thanked the community and busi-nesses for their support. Scott also announced a new service by the pharmacy, theGeneriCare Plan, which offers a bulk discount on hundreds of generic medicinebrands. Cheek & Scott of Live Oak is located at 1520 Ohio Ave. South and can bereached at 386-362-2591. - Photo: Amber Vann
Cheek & Scott celebrates 50 years
By Amber [email protected]
Alvin Jackson, Suwannee CountyEconomic Development director, an-nounced the interest of a new businesspossibly locating here at Tuesday night’sBoard of County Commissioners(BOCC) meeting.The county made a resolution to re-
quest the state to waive the average wagerequirement and local sales tax refundmatching requirement for the new busi-
‘ProjectMulch’eyeingSuwanneeCountyBusiness venture looks forspace in the old Badcockdistribution building
By Amber [email protected]
The Suwannee Valley Transit Authori-ty (SVTA) is planning to hire a new ad-ministrator for the organization after op-erating under an interim administratorfor the past six months. According toRicky Gamble, SVTA Board of Directorsmember and county commissioner, theboard decided at their last meeting onOct. 14 to begin putting together a job
SVTA set tohire newadministrator
By Amber [email protected]
The boundaries of the catalyst site lo-cated in Northwestern Suwannee Coun-ty may see expansion following a dis-cussion at Tuesday night’s meeting ofthe Board of County Commissioners(BOCC). County Administrator RandyHarris introduced the idea of enlargingthe roughly 500 acre zone, where lumbercompany Klausner is currently con-structing a sawmill operation, through astate-approved amendment.
County explores expansion ofcatalyst site
By Amber [email protected]
Suwannee County Fire Rescue(SCFR) has been running non-emer-gency medical transport for the coun-ty since July after getting the go-ahead from the Suwannee CountyBoard of County Commissioners(BOCC) earlier this year. Adding thisservice to the county came with somecontroversy over the potential loss ofprivate business and concerns overadded pressure on the county’s emer-gency response system, but PublicSafety Director James Sommers af-firms that the county has been per-forming the duties just fine.“SCFR has been providing non-
emergency medical transport forthree months now,” said Sommers.“We average about two to threetransports per day. We go anywhere
ONLINE EXTRASee a video of Public SafetyDirector James Sommerstouting the service.
SCFR non-emergencymedical transport in
full operation
Public Safety Director James Som-mers
from Shands Live Oak RegionalMedical Center and Shands UF inGainesville, to Dowling Park, SurreyPlace, and Suwannee Health Care.The county is still able to provide theexact same emergency services asbefore in addition to the non-emer-gency medical transport.”After reviewing the SCFR’s
progress with the added service, theBOCC allotted a separate budgetitem for non-emergency transport for
By Amber [email protected]
The Suwannee Valley area and muchof the Southeastern United States can ex-pect a much cooler, wetter winter thisyear, according to the 2014-15 U.S. Win-ter Outlook from the National WeatherService (NWS) Climate Prediction Cen-ter.Meteorologists at the NWS Weather
Forecast Office in Jacksonville statedthat the Southeastern U.S. has a betterchance of seeing a cooler and wetterwinter due to the probability of El Nino
Winter may becolder, wetterthis yearEl Nino affect couldbe to blame
SEE SCFR, PAGE 10A
StaffA Live Oak father and son’s trial dates
have been continued after being indictedin March on multiple charges for illegal-ly labeling, selling, transporting and al-lowing the illegal hunt of white-taileddeer, according to indictment docu-ments. The pair face trial in the U.S.District Court for the Southern Districtof Ohio.
Duo face chargesfor conducting illegaldeer business
Wainwright fatherand son trialdates continued
SEE WAINWRIGHT, PAGE 10A
SEE PROJECT, PAGE 10A
THE DEMOCRAT SAYS: OUR PICKS FOR NOV. 4, 6A
SEE SVTA, PAGE 10A
StaffA 22-year-old O’Brien man was seri-
ously injured following a two-vehiclewreck on SR 247 Wednesday afternoon,according to the Florida Highway Patrol.FHP reports that Leticia Villeda Fran-
co, 32, Lake City, was traveling north onSR 247 around 3:35 p.m. in a 2007Chevrolet Colorado and had stopped inthe roadway, waiting to turn left onto35th Drive. At the same time, ShadeWray, 22, O’Brien, was traveling southon SR 247 on a 2002 Ducati motorcycle.
O’Brien man injuredin motorcycle wreckWednesday
Suwannee Ladygolfers finish strong
Choe state bound, 1B
-Photo: K
aren Bove
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